Dalkeith. Mr. J. Melen ......... 1 0 0 Nertoton, Mr. J. Moon. 0 10 6 Rev. S. C. Kent. Mr. - Murray.... 1 0 0 male Sabbath School 0 60 Mr. - Newman Mains 0 18 0 Fishwiok 1 ! .Sabbath Services & Sabbath Class 050 Mr. R. Nott 1 1 0 Public Meeting ... 41 14 9 12, 18. Newton Brothers ... 1 1 . For Widows and Mr. Pratt 2 0 0 Orphans 2 0 0 Sabbath School ...... 11 04 Kelloe. South United Pres. Mrs. J. Rowe 1 1 0 byterian Church Mr. Grafton Ross ... 1 1 0 Missionary Boxes. Sabbath School ... 0 7 6 Buchan, Esq., for Mr. R. Saddington... 1 ! 0 Master Holt. 1 11 3 Madagascar, in. Mr. L. E. Threlkeld 1 1 0 Master Kent 086 Glasgow. cluding interest. 1220 10 11 Mr. W. B. Tooth...... 1 i 9 Miss Peck 1 18 6 Mr. S. Thompson ... 1 1 0 Miss Young .... 1 10 0 John Street United Perth, 821. 198.4d. Presbyterian Ch, 2000 Mr. - Woodward 1 1 01 South Head. byterian Church, Mr. John Young 1 1 0 for Bibles for Ma. for Madagascar 10 00 Church Collection... 017 0 dagascar... 0 5 6 Petersham. Congregational. Church Collection... 1 8 8 Woolahra. Sabbath School 32. 149. 8d. Rev.J. E. Vetch, B.A. Maitland. Sacramental Collec Rev. R. T. Hills. 107, 118. id. 1 1 0 Portobello. Sabbath School, for 41. 18. Mare.. 6 0 0 Redfern. United Presbyterian Pour years' sub. Church, Rev. G. Rev. W. Slatyer. scription for Mare 4 0 Deans IRELAND. 10%. Sabbath Services 18 14 0 Kent Street. Society 12 0 0 W.Day, jun........ 100 R. Goodwin, Esq., Treas. 102. For Mrs. Jones's School at Mare 7 0 0 Campbelltown. Collected by Rev. J. Gibson. Andrew Garrard, Sabbath School for Mrs. Greenwell 0 10 0 Shettleston 0 10 0 Memorial Church. 5 1 3 Mrs. Henry 8 0 0 Church Collection... 1 611 David Mackinlay, Mrs.& Miss Morsely 106 Pollock shields...... 5 0 0 401. 188. 1d. Ipsich, Queensland. Rohert McIndoe.. 050 NEW SOUTH WALES. Rev. J. W.C. Drane. A Friend, per John Pitt Street. Proudfoot, Auxiliary Society. for India 1 0 0 J. Thompson, Esq., Treas. Rev. W. Cuthbertson, B.A. Church Collection & School pence Presbyterian. per Rev. A, Fraser, United Communion for Rev. B. P. Keas- Subs. & Donations-1861-09 Service..... 13 10 6 Macquarie Street. berry, Singapore 70 Mr.J. Alexander 1 1 0. Collected by Rev. Dr. Steel 10 0 0 Free Church Col....901 Esq., part of Le Mr. J. S. Adams..... 0 10 0 Mrs. Baker 090 Church Hill. Ladies' School. 0 19 6 For Madagascar. Scots Church Col. . 5 10 Mr. - Bloxham Contributed for Mare, 1 1 0 Colonel Gartshore... 100 Mr. A. Balbernie 1 0 0 by Mr. Goodlet ... 2 0 0 Kent Street, St. Andrew's Church Bourke Street. Collection ............ 10 01 Collections. Mr. S. Dickinson 1 1 0 Rev. J. Johnson, Annual Meeting...... 2 18 0 Mr. J. Dunniclif 1 0 0 Castlereagh Street. Erskine United Mr. Ellis, 05 Sabbath Services ... 9 12 4 Mr. P.J, Elliot St. George's Church Collection .......... and Orphans .... 9 10 6 Philip Street, 181, 118, 4d. Rev. A. Thoinson. Mr. P. Fanning ....... United Presbyte 1 1 0 rian Church ......... 90 o Mr. Ambrose Foss. 5 5 0 Balmain. United Church Col.: 9 2752, 1780d. Mrs. Gordon....... 1 0 0 Rev. A. Rea. Redfern. 1 1 0 Chalmer's Church and School..... Mr. B. Hunt.. 18 08 6 0 Collection 1 1 0 United Presbyterian Mr. J. V. Hall 1 0 0 Parramatta. 1 0 0 Riley Street. Scots Church Col... $ 18 Rev. S. Humphreys. Newcastle. Hon. A. MoArthur. 11 0 Sabbath School ...... 1 0 6 Scots Church Sun. Rev. J. Stark, for Mr. John Morris ... 1 0 0 Viss M, Bateup 2 2 0 day School........... Madagascar ......... 0 10 olMr. J. H. Morrison. 0 10 ol 51, 58. Bd. 4001, 132, 40, 11 11 3 ô & Mrs. Sutton Contributions in aid of the Society will be thankfully received by Sir Culling Eardley Eardley, Bat Treasurer, and Rev. Ebenezer Prout, at the Mission House, Biomfield-street, Finsbury, London ; James S. Mack, Esq., s.S.C., 2, St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh; Robert Goodwin, Esq., 235, Georg street, and Religious Institution Rooms, 12, South Hanover-street, Glasgow; Rev. Alex. King, Metr politan Hall, Dublin ; and by Rev. John Hands, Brooke Ville, Monkstoron, near Dublin. Post-Of Orders should be in favour of Rev. Ebenezer Prout, and payable at the General Post Office. WILLIAN STEVENS, PRINTER, 37, BELL TARD, TEMPLE BAB. THE EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE AND MISSIONARY CHRONICLE. MARCH, 1863. The Controversy on the Pentateuch.* SOME of the difficulties started by Bishop Colenso are of a character which may be easily solved, whatever'opinion be formed as to the number of the Israelites. For example It is objected that the court of the Tabernacle could not hold the gatherings of the people. Much is made of the words “ the whole assembly," "all the congregation.". Curious calculations are entered into about cubic feet, and it is demonstrated that there was not space to accommodate half a million. Let the number be greatly reduced, still there would not be room for all the tribes. But what reader of the Bible, who thinks a second thought, imagines that the historian means that everybody was there, any more than he believes that almost everybody in Antioch of Pisidia was in Paul's congregation, when it is said almost the whole city came to bear the word?” Who fancies, that the words are to be taken literally, when we say " all the town,” or “all the world,” was at some particular place? We should smile were any one to go measuring London Guildhall, and then set about gravely proving, that though it was often said the citizens met there in common hall to transact public business, the thing was utterly untrue, because not a fiftieth part of the inhabitants, however densely packed, could stand within the walls. To argue that Moses and Joshua could never have addressed all Israel is equally childish. 600,000 people could not have heard either of them. Of course not-nor a tenth part either. But what then ? Would not anybody understand the statement, that Lord Russell, when member for London, spoke to all the citizens from the hustings, -to mean simply that there was a large concourse, which might be regarded as representing the whole city? Why not understand the statement in the Pentateuch in the same way? . Continued from p. 70. VOL. XLI. K Great difficulties are raised as to the institution of the Passover, Ex. xii. 21–28. To say, after reading these words in connexion with the rest of the chapter, “that in one day the whole population of Israel, as large as that of London, was instructed to keep the passover, and actually kept it,” is monstrous. It is plain, from the third verse, that orders were given considerably beforehand-given before the tenth day of the month-as to what was to be done on the fourteenth. This night and this day, afterwards mentioned, must mean-in the connexion in which they occur—not the night or day on which the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, but a particular night and day then future, when the event and the ceremonial described should take place. This would allow ample time for all needful preparation. Nor does the narrative necessarily imply that every family in Israel on that occasion kept the paschal feast. The command was given to the elders. To them it was said, “ Draw out now and take you a lamb according to your families.” The sprinkling of the blood on the door-posts, in order to save from the destroying angel, could only be necessary in the case of such families as were dwelling in the midst of the Egyptians. To describe the case as one in which we have to imagine a message of life and death conveyed without fail to every single family in a population as large as that of London between sunrise and sunset-and that, too, without their having had any previous notice whatever on the subject, and without any preparation having been made beforehand to facilitate such a communication,-is nothing less than to misrepresent and falsify in the most palpable manner the Mosaic narrative. The march out of Egypt is pronounced impossible. In spite of Moses' statements to the contrary, it is spoken of as “a sudden flight," and is compared to a household of English colonists frightened at dead of night by a tribe of Zulus, who were making direct for the camp, killing right and left. The two cases are entirely dissimilar. Arrangements were previously made for the departure of Israel; the idea of departure had been uppermost in the people's minds for a long time, as Moses' conduct and words all through the series of Egyptian plagues manifestly prove. The people were expecting to leave the house of bondage; and when the time actually arrived for so doing, their departure was that of a nation divinely called to take the wonderful journey; and was conducted by leaders, who were infallibly sure that they acted under the commission of Jehovah. A great deal must have taken place in connexion with the exodus wbich is not recorded. The history is manifestly incomplete — just an outline of leading facts, nothing more; and it is most unfair, and unworthy of a mind of large thought, and simple, honest purpose, to deal with it as if it gave, or professed to give, a full and entire view of this most extraordinary and miraculous adventure. |