it nor open my mouth. This was a little after nine in the evening, after which a procession was formed greater than either of the two others, with lights and soldiers and banners, and with a most magnificent display they bore the head and blood back to the cathedral with singing. It was the most splendid and strange sight that I ever beheld. The procession was nearly half a mile long, composed of nobles and priests and the candidates for the priesthood. Another procession of young girls, followed by older ones, and then women, and after them boys and men, filling the street from side to side, bearing lanterns raised on poles, and singing in a shrill, nasal manner, came up another street in another direction, and followed on to the cathedral. The next day I went again to the Duomo to witness the scene at nine, A.M. There was an immense church filled with the curious, and two or three hundred priests, and the cardinal to perform. What is passing strange is, that no one with whom I conversed believes it to be the true blood, but they think it all a hoax; however, the blood liquified, or rather it had not hardened since yesterday. It was carried round by a priest to all the other priests, who knelt to it and kissed it. A candle was held to the opposite side of the box containing the vials, to show that it was liquid, and also, it was thought, to keep it warm. I am of opinion that it never hardens. This scene lasted for two hours, and then the cardinal took his seat on the throne, and all the other priests came up in order, knelt before him, kissed his hand, and presented him with a great wax candle, a nosegay, or something else. Thus the whole day until one, P.M., was spent. Language is inadequate to describe the folly. Not an intelligible word was uttered. Sometimes it has happened, in years past, that when the god Januarius has delayed to liquify his blood, the people have attacked foreigners, whom they supposed were heretics, and stoned them. The ceremonies of the liquifying of the blood are to continue eight days longer. The king and royal family came into town last evening from Caserta, to kiss the sacred relics, &c. The Neapolitan papers speak of the king as the highest example of a Christian in the kingdom. He is remarkably superstitious, ignorant, and brutal. He imprisons every man that is found with a bible. His piety is diabolical. SCRIPTURE DIFFICULTIES MET. BY DR. HEWLETT. Can John x. 27-29, be reconciled with Heb. vi. 4-6? "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."—John x. 27-29. "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."-Heb. vi. 4-6. stated of the persons described, in the first place, that 66 They were once enlightened." That is, they had been instructed in the doctrines and precepts of Christianity, in distinction from their former acquaintance with the shadowy system of Judaism. They had been brought to share in some of the outward benefits of Christ's personal ministry, who had long been promised as "a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel." It is in this sense the verb pwriw, "to 66 any shine upon," or to enlighten," is used in John i. 9; Ephes. iii. 9; and Heb. x. 32. It does not, therefore, include the idea of saving knowledge. There were many, in the days of Christ's earthly sojourn, who were so enlightened by his instructions. They gave evident proofs that, in theory, they knew his will; and equal evidence that, though they were thus enlightened in relation to their intellect, yet their hearts were still in darkness, for they did not the things which he commanded them. THE first of the above passages is This The apparent contradiction may be reconciled by a careful consideration of the verses in question. In the second place, "They had tasted of the heavenly gift." The figurative use of the verb yɛvoμat, "to taste," is of frequent occurrence in the sacred scriptures. It very ex The verses are among the things hard to be understood. They have been so regarded at least by three readers of the "Bible Class Maga-pressively conveys the idea of some zine," whose inquiries are now before us. And there is good reason to believe that the explanation sought will not be unacceptable to many others. Hebrews vi. 4-6, contains a description of character, a fearful supposition, and a solemn affirmation. The description of character is given in five clauses, each of which must be minutely examined. It is degree of individual experience. In Heb. ii. 9, γενηται θανατου, “ το taste death," means to die. As by the sense of taste we acquire not only a knowledge of sweetness or bitterness, but also the pleasant or unpleasant sensations, according to the qualities of the objects tasted, so the persons described had, in addition to their theoretical knowledge, some experimental acquaintance with "the heavenly gift," John iv. 10; 2 Cor. ix. 15. Christ, the unspeakable gift, had been fully exhibited to them. They had had proofs of his benignity and power to save, and some emotions of hope and joy. They had strong convictions that Christ was the very Saviour they needed. They thus tasted of the heavenly gift. This is a grade higher than mere enlightenment. Yet all this might have been experienced, and their hearts at immense distance from that vital change which is the basis of real piety. When Herod heard John, "he did many things, and heard him gladly," Mark vi. 20. "Felix trembled," Acts xxiv. 25. Agrippa said to Paul, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian," Acts xxvi. 28. These had tasted of the heavenly gift. It is one thing to taste and refuse, and another thing to taste and then eat and drink, testifying delight in that which is received. The latter Christ requires in all his true disciples, John vi. 54 -56. In the third place, "They were made partakers of the Holy Ghost." Remembering that the parties to whom the apostle addressed these words were Hebrews, by birth and education, the dispensation of the Spirit was ever kept before them as one of great privilege, and accompanied with extraordinary gifts. Some of these Hebrews were endowed with these gifts, and in this sense were partakers of the Holy Ghost. These gifts were received and publicly exercised by some who were strangers to the inward and renewing power of the Holy Ghost. This is implied by the apostle in his first epistle to the Corinthians, chap. xii.; and chap. xiii. 1, 2. It is expressed with fearful certainty by Christ, who says, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity," Matt. vii, 22, 23. They were not Christ's sheep, for "he knows them." In the fourth place, "They have tasted the good word of God." Here the same verb, yɛvouat, occurs as in the second clause, and must be understood to indicate some experience of the hopes and consolations the promises of the gospel are calculated to awaken. The phrase, “ καλον Θεου ρημα,” "the good word of God," as used by the apostle, was employed by Old Testament writers in reference to any promise or promised blessing, Josh. xxi. 45; Jer. xxix. 10; xxxiii. 14: it is with considerable propriety applied to the gospel of Jesus Christ, the accomplishment of many, and the treasury of more "exceeding great and precious promises." But it is with the subjective view of the clause before us that we have to do. The persons described have had emotions awakened, and these emotions remained for some time. And this would heighten their responsibility, that in addition to the enlightening of the understanding, they had their feelings in some measure interested in the blessings and promises of the gospel. They seem to belong to the same class as those of whom the Saviour speaks, in his exposition of his own parable of "the sower," when he says, "He that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for awhile," Matt. xiii. 20, 21. In the fifth place, แ They have tasted of the powers of the world to come." They had witnessed and experienced the miraculous power by which the gospel was accompanied. Christ had been predicted by so many prophets, and had been so long the great object of expectation, that he was spoken of as "the Comer;" and, in conformity with this idea, his dispensation was called "the world to come;" and the miracles, which attested its divinity, "the powers of the world to come." The highest class of evidence had been afforded; they had felt its power to a very great extent. They had experienced something of the influence of the truths of the gospel: but there is no evidence that they were renewed by the Holy Spirit, and made the followers of Christ in the regeneration. Simon Magus belonged to this class, who appeared so instructed in the principles of the gospel, and so affected by the truth, as to justify the record that "he believed, and he was baptized;" and yet the apostle Peter told him, "Thy heart is not right in the sight of God. . . . Thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity," Acts viii. 21-23. Like him it is supposed that the persons whose character is described may "fall away;" in other words, they may forsake the privileges to which they had been introduced, and throw off all appearances of reverence for the gospel of Christ, and treat it as an imposture. It is affirmed, that "it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance." They neglect and despise the means ordinarily used for the conversion of a sinner. Their sin of apostacy is one of defiance against the Spirit, the only agent by whose gracious operations repentance can be produced. They have given proof of a depravity, which has increased under influences calculated to subdue it, and that still refuses to yield to any of the appliances of mercy. They have appeared not far from the kingdom; and with a clear knowledge of Christ and of the work of the Spirit, they reject and spurn the heavenly gift; for them there is no other sacrifice for sin. This subject teaches the solemn lesson, that it is possible to go great lengths in the appearance of religion without being renewed in the Spirit, and vitally united to Christ. To be contented with the appearance of religion, and some feelings about it, without vital piety, is a state which grows worse, and endangers the soul of eternal ruin. There is much necessity for selfexamination and earnest prayer, lest self-deception ruin the soul. Timely discovery of your danger may lead to repentance. Let no time be lost in giving up your soul to Christ, whose Spirit helps you to trust in him who will not suffer any to pluck you out of his hand. If there be compunction for the past, there is hope. "Return, ye backsliding children, saith the Lord; I will heal their backslidings." SELF-CULTURE. BY UNCLE CHRISTIAN. "OH! I have no time for it!" said a youth of some eighteen years of age, on whom I was one day urging the importance of some effort at improving his mental stores; "I have no time for it. Here I go off to my work at half-past five in the morning, and there I tug at it, with only the space of my meal times allowed between, till six o'clock again at night. What time have I for self-improvement?" "Plenty!" was my answer. "Just look at it. Here are some good three hours every night before you go to bed; that makes some 18 hours every week, or 936 hours in the year, equal to 78 days of 12 hours each, or 2 lunar months and 22 days, or very nearly 3 lunar months each year. This, well husbanded, and with a little help from others, may be turned to such account as will quite amaze you at the progress you will make in various departments of knowledge. Come, just try," I added, what you can do, and I will gladly give you all the help I can." The young man brightened up. Hitherto he had been accustomed to loll about and waste the evening after he had done his work. Sometimes, in summer, he might be seen with idle lads of his own size, hands in pockets, at the corner of the street, talking about mere trifles; or when winter came, if he stayed at home, which he did not always do, the evening was a heavy time, and half asleep and half awake, as cross as two sticks, and as boorish as possible, he lounged in an old oak chair by the fireside, snubbing and snarling at everybody that ventured to disturb his repose. . But now the simple calculation made above, and the offer of friendly help, changed at once his course. He saw he was wasting precious time. The amount of it had never struck his mind before, and he resolved from that very day to turn over a new leaf. The sequel I need not tell. Reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, a little bookkeeping, geography, history, and some lighter reading, now filled up the vacant hours. A great thirst for more means of information was engendered. A mechanics' institution was joined. The society of intelligent working youths was sought. And now a happier young man is not to be seen than Thomas. His master has found him worth far more than he was before. He has raised him in his works, entrusted to him the keeping of his books, and promises at no distant period to give him a yet higher post. Nor is this all. The other evening I happened to have to call upon him, and there the once great, awkward, lolling, crabbed lad, was turned into the cottage tutor, and round the house were seated, all full of glee, some six or seven lesser brothers and sisters, to whom he was imparting useful knowledge. There was Edward with his slate and pencil at a sum; there Mary with " a copy" |