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fearful season, the dogs and cats, even the common reptiles, have been supplied with their provisions; it was the human being alone who had to starve; and either we must abandon our theory, that he is the crown and king of creation, or pursue such courses as will give him the means of preserving himself from the miserable death which cometh of hunger, and which thic lower animals have no occasion to dread.

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But, having got through the difficulty, why not let it rest?' Why stir amid the ashes of misery, and be diligent in reviewing disasters? The thaw arrived, labour was resumed, and they who sat in want sit so no longer; wherefore, then, asks the sluggard, should we look too closely into this horrible agony? It is the doctrine of fools, that during the sunshine men should sit still to enjoy it. Better, as men, repair their dwelling before winter comes, employ the hours to create the means of being warmed and clothed when the sun does not shine. But say that we let this matter rest, that we spread a mantle of oblivion over it, shall we thereby destroy its sources? Do we blot out calamities by covering them up, as monkeys think to extinguish a fire when they throw up the ashes? If we leave this destitution alone-will it return the compliment and leave us alone? Will it never return? Have we seen the last winter of want and suffering. What will our recent experience say to this? Does misery in this Metropolis increase or diminish? Three years ago we were in a sad condition-the poor were lying houseless, and horrible narratives were published, of how hundreds, even thousands, slept all night upon pavements in the open air. The story brought its usual fruit, 'plenty of money,' and the Refuges for the Destitute were enlarged; but what was done beyond giving the miserable a shelter ? In what way did we try to extinguish the sources of misery?

The fact is, that the number of the destitute increases, and what would be the consequence, were the severe frost to return, so that up to the end of March no out-door labour could be carried on? It has been so, over and over again—what if it were repeated? Our ancestors boasted of their fine bracing winters, and we have all sulked and pouted more than enough because they seemed to be quitting us. Be not deceived, for they have not abandoned us. The seasons, like all else, move in cycles. They, too, are subject to definite laws. The ignorant man imagines them to be perfectly unfettered, and thus, that cold or dry, warm or moist seasons are so purely accidental, that their character depends upon ephemeral causes. All this is as alien to the truth, as it is to the analogy of Nature in all other matters. It was a beautiful saying of Jesus, that the very hairs of our heads are numbered.' Nothing is left to blind chance, neither are all things governed by conscious fate. The freeman has power to act, but not to alter the natural consequences of his action. In Nature, however, there is not the same degree of liberty. Law rules with inflexible force in that circle; and because of that, we know our old winters will be with us again. Those frosts which lasted fifteen weeks will be enjoyed,' as I hope, by many now in this hall. But whether enjoyed or feared, they will be here again, and how are we preparing to meet them?

When the cry of misery is heard, we may be sure there is somewhat to amend. That man shall be steeped in misery is not according to God's laws. But frequently he is plunged into misery as the only way in which he can be forced into endeavouring to discover what those laws are. Pain is to the wise the stimulant to get wisdom. Had humanity never suffered much, it would never have learnt much. What was the famine in Ireland-the cholera

in Europe? Did they not preach the doctrines of labour, justice, cleanliness, and the duties of property? Through many centuries men had gone on counting annually the number of those who were slain of typhus and other fevers; scientific men bade them cleanse and drain the cities, but they heeded not, and would not have done so, had not a more formidable preacher called Cholera appeared. His sermons were full of wisdom attested by death; men became alarmed; they would drain and do anything if the preacher would go. Then, when he was gone, they said, "Oh, he will not return; let "us save our money, why spend it in drainage ?" Foolish mortals to imagine they could safely ignore the everlasting law! The preacher did return, and finding it was useless to resist, the drainage of our cities has been improved; for which we are rewarded by the absence of typhus and the other fevers. It was hard to persuade men of there being a meaning, a lesson on Hygiene in the calamity, but it was so, nevertheless. And it is so with our recent calamity. A lesson lies in it, and if we will not learn, will not obey, why, then, there will be nothing for it but the annual increase of helpless destitution; the frequent outburst of hunger fevers, and in place of our capital city being known all over the world as the largest and richest, it will be spoken of as the mighty city, wherein more persons annually die of starvation than in any other city of Europe, or than die from the same cause in all the uncivilised parts of the world.

(To be continued.)

P. W. P.

SOUTH PLACE CHAPEL SUNDAY EVENING LECTURES. BY P.. W. PERFITT, PH. D.

THE LIFE AND CAREER OF SOLOMON.

(Continued from p. 144.)

THE Hindus are proud of having similar instances to relate. The following may be taken as an example.

"A rich man had married two wives; the first of whom, although ugly, had a great advantage over the second, in that she had brought her husband a son, while the other was childless. But, as if to compensate for her sterility, the second wife possesed such charms of person and character, that she reigned supremely in the heart of her husband. Provoked at this preference, the first wife concocted a plan of vengeance equally astounding for its diabolical ingenuity and its savageness. She lavished every external mark of maternal love and tenderness upon the infant at her breast, and let the neighbourhood know that this child was now her only comfort, the centre of her hopes, in the absence of that affection which her husband denied her. As soon as she had convinced the world that her heart was altogether wrapt up in her little son, she, one night, when the husband was away from home, twisted the child's neck, and laid the corpse beside the second wife, who lay asleep in her bed. In the morning, pretending to seek for her infant, she ran into the chamber of her rival, and there finding the child dead, she fell upon the ground, tore her hair, and gave vent to the most frightful howls and lamentations. This brought the neighbours together; and the other wife was already condemned in their eyes; for it was clear the child had been murdered, and it could not cross their minds that any mother-and, least of all, a mother so fond as this-should thus destroy her own infant, whom she had held up as the only comfort left to her in life. This, however, was what the other urged in her defence-dwelling upon the enmity which the mother entertained against her, and maintaining that no passion was so cruel and relentless as jealousy. The case was brought before Mariadiramen; and a day was appointed for each woman to plead her cause.

They did so, with that natural eloquence which passion usually inspires. The king, unable to decide upon the statements before him, pronounced this sentence: Let the woman who is innocent, and who pretends that her rival is culpable, move through this assembly in the posture which he would show her. The posture he indicated was one from which modesty would shrink. But the mother of the child with much vehemence declared that, in order to convince the assembly that her rival was guilty, she would not only take this turn through the assembly once, but a hundred times if required. The other sorrowfully declined the test, declaring that, although innocent, she would sooner submit to the most cruel death than do what was then required of her. The mother of the child was about to reply; but the voice of the king stilled all other sounds. He pronounced her guilty, and her antagonist innocent. 'A woman,' he said, 'whom the prospect of certain death cannot constrain to an unbecoming action, is incapable of so great a crime; but a female who, having lost all sense of womanly reserve, hesitates not at an immodest action, sufficiently declares herself to be capable of the blackest crimes. Confounded to find herself thus discovered, the methor of the child vindicated the penetration of the royal judge, by publicly acknowledging her crime."*

These cases bear a family-likeness, both in their acuteness and weakness, for in none of the cases is there the certainty of justice having been done. There are persons in the world who would be ready to see their little ones slain, rather than fose the cause in hand; rather than have them handed over to be held as the children of others; or rather than be compelled to resign a blessing into the hands of another. So, also, there are plenty who would abandon such a cause, and would cry, Give her the child, without being its parent. It does not need that a woman should be the mother of a child, in order to cause her to prevent its being slain.

Solomon, however, is famed and praised all over Christendom for building the Temple of Jerusalem, quite as much as for his wonderful wisdom.' The theory seems to be that he was chosen by the Most High to build the sacred palace; and that, having been properly instructed by his father, David, with regard to the nature of the work and the details, he commenced and carried the building to a more successful issue than attaches to the run of public edifices-an issue unsurpassed by any other building. This temple, built by Solomon, and said to have been "consecrated by God" Himself, has excited a considerable degree of wonder throughout the Christian world; and, doubtless, while it is spoken of in the vague and general terms usually and prudently employed by our divines, it will continue to excite the same measure of astonishment. There is a veil of foregone conclusion, a mist of supposed knowledge, through which men are invited to look at the edifice; but on no account must we approach it with line, rule, and pencil-that would be to indicate doubt or presumption. Stand afar off and look through the Sunday School magnifying glasses, and all will be well; but we must be especially careful not to go near to measure and estimate. The rule and the pencil are alike fatal to the Temple memory. Idealise as much as you please, but not measure, for when the rule and line have been brought to bear it is no longer possible to repeat the old ideas, without being perfectly conscious of uttering untruths. The dimensions, as they are set forth in the Bible, are quite opposed to the popular ideas; but even they are subject to curtailment. And indeed it has been questioned by many critics if the history of the Temple can be in any sense relied upon. That history is given in the Books of Kings and Chronicles, and it is requisite to learn when they were written. The Book of Kings was not written until the time of the captivity in Babylon, which was nearly 600 B.C., or 400 years after the death of Solomon. The Book of Chronicles was not written until the time of Ezra, at the close of the captivity five hundred and fifty years after Solomon. I say that these books were not written before then, and the obvious proof is seen in the fact, that they contain the records of the captivity. Of course it is within the range of possibility, that some man may suggest that each part was written immediately after the events recorded, and that thus the first part was penned

*Kitto, Daily Bible Illustrations, vol. iv. pp. 27-28.

many years before the last. Of course, none but a man wholly ignorant of the language would say this, for, as all scholars are aware, the style of " Kings" and "Chronicles" differs very widely; but both books have an unity which is unmistakable, so that we must take them to be the work, not of many writers in succession, but of individuals whose peculiarities, both of thought and style, are visible from beginning to end. Hence it must follow that the only data supplied for the history of the temple does not stand in a nearer connection than 550 years. We thus have no history but that which was written more than five hundred years after the event, and is, consequently, to be viewed with suspicion. I say that it must be viewed with suspicion, but only to the same extent we should view with suspicion the extraordinary accounts furnished by any other nation of similar occurrences. It is very natural, as history amply testifies, for man, when in adversity, to overpaint the glories of his day of prosperity. Looking into the past, all is magnified, and in some degree we compensate for present sorrow by magnifying our past pleasures. The Jews were only just escaped out of captivity when the accounts were written which we now possess; though not captives now, they had gone up to the desolated city out of their captivity, under Ezra and Nehemiah, and under such circumstances it was natural for them to see glories in the Temple of Solomon which, in truth, had never existed. But the matter is taken entirely out of the abstract; and is rendered certain by the abundant contradictions connected with the frequent pillaging and the sacred vessels.

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For instance, according to the history in Kings and Chronicles, this temple was plundered no less than six times. Shishak, the King of Egypt, is reported as having come up against Jerusalem to seize and plunder, and his raid was successful. It is probable, if any such temple existed, that Shishak destroyed by fire that which he had captured. In the following chapters, accounts are given of the various attempts made to put it into repair. The kings tried to do this, but failed, or are reported as having done so. Asa is said to have stripped it :-"Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of "the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the "hands of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabri"mon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I "have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league "with Baasha_king of Israel, that he may depart from me." After this Hazael came up ·---- "Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and "took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. And Jehoash king of "Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, "his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all "the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the king's house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem."‡ Other accounts are furnished of similar transactions between that period and the final conquest of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, when, strange to say, all the vessels which Solomon had made were there to be taken and cut to pieces; being, however, something more than ordinary, they were all quite perfect again when the Hebrews came up out of their captivity.

(To be continued.)

* 1 Kings, xiv. 25-27.

+Ibid. 18-19.

2 Kings, xii. 17-18.

LONDON: PUBLISHED BY M. PATTIE, 31, PATERNOSTER ROW, AND GEORGE

GLAISHER, 470, NEW OXFOrd Street.

Printed by W. Ostell, Hart-street, Bloomsbury.

THE PATHFINDER,

A JOURNAL OF

PURE THEISM AND RELIGIOUS FREETHOUGHT,

THE ORGAN OF INDEPENDENT RELIGIOUS REFORM.

No. 114.

CONDUCTED BY P. W. PERFITT.

New Series, No. 11.

MARCH 16, 1861.

[PRICE 2D.

OF CHRISTIANITY BEFORE CHRIST.-CHRISTNA. THERE are millions of good men who believe that, prior to the time of Jesus, especially in countries far removed from Judea, there were no teachers who possessed sufficient insight into nature, duty, and the religious sentinent, to qualify them for laying down any system which would meet the deeper wants, satisfy the cravings, and exalt the aspirations of the human heart, mind, and spirit. They are not to be blamed for entertaining such notions, because they have never had the opportunity afforded them for discovering the truth, which proves to be directly the opposite of that which they believe. The fact is, there is not a single duty inculcated by the Christian, which was not taught both in Egypt and India many ages before the time of Jesus. In the latter country, the Hindu people speak of God as having come to earth in the form of a man, and while here as preaching beautiful sermons to mankind. In His words, or words supposed to be His, we find many almost parallel with those of Jesus; and it would not be difficult to show that, in these, He rose even above Jesus in urging many of the subtler points of religious truth and sentiment.

There is one work in which He figures largely as a speaker, it is called the "Bhagavad Gita, or the Sacred Lay." Strictly speaking, it is merely part of a larger work, the Mahabharata, it is an episode in that poem, which is divided into eighteen chapters. Mainly, it is composed of speeches delivered by "The Holy One," Christna, to a prince, upon the edge of a battle-field, in answer to questions proposed. It is not necessary to run through its whole as a work of art; we shall therefore rest content with furnishing our readers with a few passages, such as will afford gratification, and show that all of the practical and permanent in Christianity was taught in India before the time of Jesus.

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In the second chapter the following occurs, and probably no ancient work contains a finer statement of the soul's conviction of its own Immortality. It is the Incarnate God who speaks. "The wise grieve not for dead or living. Never at any period did I or thou, or these kings of men, not exist, nor shall any of us at any time henceforward cease to exist. As the "soul in this body undergoes the changes of childhood, manhood, and old age, so, hereafter, it obtains a new body. There is no existence for that VOL. V. NEW SERIES. VOL. I.

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