"So did I. Suppose we commence again."

We knelt down upon the grass beside the bench, and prayed in whispers. They were boyish prayers, but they came from the heart. Our sentences were probably not well-jointed, and the words not elegant; but we meant what we said.

priety of accepting it. That the challenger was under a cloud with his own regiment was

certain, although the particulars were unknown, and it was decided that it was optional to ac cept or decline the cartel. But, as the matter was then doubtful, it was ruled that, in obedience to the code of honor, it was safer to give the captain the benefit of the doubt; and he was himself the more clear on the point, as the reputation of the challenger as a shot might propably be regarded as having influenced a refusal.

hands trembled.

A

THE TWO DUELISTS.

VERY instructive biography, abounding, amid much valuable matter of a religious nature, in interesting anecdotes of departed men and things, has recently been published. We allude to the life of Robert Haldane, of Airthrey, and James Alexander Haldane, his brother-individuals who are honorably distinguished for their efforts at the beginning of this century to revive evangelical religion when at a very low ebb in Scotland. The work is one of great and permanent interest. From amid many passages we select the following, which describes Mr. James Haldane as a duelist, and shows him afterward, when under the transforming influence of the grace of God, as a reprover of the practice to which through false shame he had himself formerly yielded.

"The ship was crowded with passengers; among these there was a cavalry officer, who was returning home-a notorious shot, a successful duelist, and much of a bully. It afterward appeared that he had been forced to leave the king's service, in consequence of his quarrelsome temper and aptitude for such brawls. In the course of the voyage he made himself very disagreeable, and was rather an object of dread. On one occasion some high words occurred between him and Mr. James Haldane, arising out of a proposal to make the latter a party to a paltry trick, designed to provoke an irritable invalid as he lay in his cot with his door open, and was, in fact, actually dying. Mr. J. Haldane's indignant refusal issued in this captain's taking an opportunity deliberately and publicly to insult him at the mess-table, when, in return for a somewhat contemptuous retort, the aggressor threw a glass of wine in Mr. Haldane's face. He little knew the spirit which he evoked. To rise from his seat and dash at the head of the assailant a heavy ship's tumbler was the work of an instant. Providentially the missile was pitched too high, pulverized against the beam of the cabin, and descended in a liquid shower upon the offending dragoon. A challenge ensued, and Mr. J. Haldane consulted with a friend as to the pro

pecting mischief, refused leave to land. The meeting was accordingly postponed till they arrived at St. Helena, when they all went ashore, unobserved, very early in the morning. The night before, James Haldane made his will, wrote a letter of farewell to his brother in the event of his death, and then went to bed, and

slept so soundly that he did not awake till he was called. It happened that, owing to the apprehension of being observed and detained, the duelists had only one case of pistols, which belonged to Mr. Haldane's second, a naval officer of some distinction, afterward better known, during the war, as Admiral Donald Campbell, who commanded the Portuguese fleet, and also enjoyed a pension for services rendered to Lord St. Vincent and Lord Nelson. The two antagonists were placed at twelve paces distant, and were to fire together by signal. Before the pistol was given into Mr. Haldane's hand, his second, in a low tone, repeated what he had before told him, that this was a case in which he must have no scruple about shooting his challenger; that it was not a common duel, but a case of self-preservation, and that one or the other must fall. The signal was given, and, as Mr. J. Haldane raised his pistol, with strange inconsistency he breathed the secret prayer"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit;" thus verifying the observation of Tertullian, that in moments of imminent danger men involuntarily call upon God, acknowledging his presence and his providence, even when they seem practically to forget his existence and trample on his laws. With this prayer in his heart, and, as Admiral Campbell testified, with his eye fixed on his antagonist, without a symptom of trepidation, he calmly drew the trigger, when his pistol burst, the contents flying upward, and a fragment of the barrel inflicting a wound on his face. The other pistol missed fire, and the challenger immediately intimated, through his second, that he was so well satisfied with the honorable conduct of Mr. Haldane, that he was willing the affair should terminate. This message was accepted as sufficient. Bowing to each other, they parted with civility, but, as might be anticipated, without reconciliation. To such matters he scarcely ever alluded, but the facts were known to his brother, and by him repeated not long before his death."

A great change, however, passed over Mr. Haldane-that which Scripture has declared to be necessary for all who would enter the kingdom of heaven. He was

regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Having quitted the naval service, and devoted himself to the work of the ministry, he was not ashamed, on the following remarkable occasion, boldly to rebuke the sin into which he had himself been betrayed. The narrative of his biographer proceeds as follows:

"Early in the spring of 1804, Mr. James Haldane preached a remarkable sermon on the death of Thomas Pitt, second Baron Camelford, who was mortally wounded in a duel by Captain Best, and died in great agony four days afterward. This fatal catastrophe had produced an extraordinary public sensation, more especially following as it did on another duel, in which Colonel Montgomery, not many months before, had fallen by the hand of Captain Macnamara, in a wretched quarrel about their dogs. These events were calculated to arouse attention to the miserable fruits of the world's code of honor, in submission to which a young nobleman, at the age of twenty-nine, nephew to the great Earl of Chatham, and cousin to the prime minister, had forfeited his own life, extinguished a peerage, and sacrificed a great fortune, which chiefly fell to his sister, the wife of the celebrated Lord Grenville. Lord Camelford was not one of the common run of fashionable men, living upon town. He had fine natural talents. His illustrious uncle had bestowed much pains on his education, and addressed to him a series of letters with a view to his improvement, which have been since published. He had been passionately fond of science, and in many subjects connected with literature was no mean proficient. But in those unhappy days, when dueling was reckoned a mark of spirit, he had acquired in the navy, and in the world of fashion, the reputation of a first-rate shot. He had provoked and been concerned in many duels; and on one occasion, where the death of a superior officer in the West Indies had left some doubt as to the seniority of the next in succession, he brought the matter to an issue by giving certain orders to his rival, a Lieutenant Peterson, on disobedience of which he shot him dead on the seabeach, although at the head of an armed boat's crew, ready to uphold their commander. For this rash act he was tried by a court-martial; but being found in the right as to his seniority, and consequent title to give the order, he was honorably acquitted.

and after some altercation pronounced him 'a scoundrel, a liar, and a ruffian.' Mr. Best observed that these were expressions which ad

mitted but of one answer, and a meeting was arranged for the next morning. But in the course of the evening he conveyed to Lord Camelford the assurance, that the information and that a retraction of the words used under on which his lordship spoke was unfounded, a wrong impression would be perfectly satisfactory. They again met in the morning at a coffee-house in Oxford-street, and once more Mr. Best pleaded for reconciliation, adding, Do not persist in expressions under which one of us must fall.' At this very moment Lørd Camelford knew that he had been imposed on, and had written a declaration on his will that he was the aggressor in the spirit as well as letter of the word.' But false pride would not allow the haughty peer to listen to a remonstrance which might impeach his courage, and he replied: Best, this is child's play; the affair must go on.' On proceeding to the ground behind Holland-house, he reiterated to his second, the Hon. W. Devereux, the statement he had appended to his will; but said that he was fearful that his reputation would suffer if he made any concession to one who he rather thought was the best shot in England. They were placed at fifteen paces from each other, fired together, and Lord Camelford fell, to all appearance dead. In an instant he recovered the shock, so far as to exclaim, 'I am killed, but I acquit Best; I alone am to blame.' Captain Best and his second instantly rode off; and Lord Camelford's friend, on pretense of going for a surgeon, did the same as soon as a countryman came up, who found his lordship lying on his back, in the lower part of a field overflowed with water. His lordship was unwilling to be moved; but was at last placed in a chair and conveyed to Little Holland-house, where he lingered in great pain till the following Saturday, and then died. The ball had penetrated his right breast, passing through the lungs, and lodging in the backbone. sent for his solicitor, and made a codicil to his will, in which he stated, that although most people desire that their remains might be conveyed to their native land to be interred, 'I wish my body to be removed, as soon as may be convenient, to a country far distant, to a spot not near the haunts of men, but where the surrounding scenery may smile upon my remains.' The place he chose was on the bor

He

Canton of Berne, where three trees stood on a particular spot. The center tree he desired to be taken up, and his body being there deposited, to be replanted. He added, 'Let no monument or stone be placed on my grave.' At the foot of this tree, his lordship said he had passed many hours, meditating on the mutability of human affairs. He left £1,000 as a compensation to the proprietors."

A pamphlet having been published by a clergyman, giving a very unscriptural view of Lord Camelford's character, Mr. Haldane felt it his duty to expose its pernicious statements from his pulpit.

"Of the multitude that thronged to hear that sermon there are now comparatively few survivors. Some have lately departed, and among them the venerable Christopher Anderson. In reference to this sermon, he wrote, not long before his own death: 'It was understood that Mr. James Haldane meant to examine and expose this melancholy affair. Familiar as he had been for years with sea life, and once himself under the tyranny of these miserable "laws of honor," there was no man better qualified. The fear of God was now his governing principle, yet it required no common fortitude to meet such a case before such an audience.'

"The spacious building in which he preached, then capable of seating more than three thousand persons, was crowded to the doors. It was at the time of the threatened invasion, when the whole nation resounded with the clang of arms, and the most peaceful civilians were often arrayed in military costume. When he entered, there rose before him, not only the usual congregation, but officers in full uniform from Piershill barracks and the Castle-cavalry, infantry, artillery, and volunteers, officers on Lord Moira's staff, magistrates, men of letters and philosophers, men of business and retired gentlemen-all assembled to hear what was to be said in reprobation of dueling, and of the account circulating in print, from the pen of the Rev. Fellow of St. John's, Cambridge, who

attended the death-bed of Lord Camelford."

Then follows a description of the sermon, for which we must refer the reader to the biography itself. Throughout its delivery, we are told, the immense audience was still, awed by his earnest manner and thrilling language.

UNDESIGNED COINCIDENCES IN THE GOSPELS.

66

BY REV. T. R. BIRKS, ENGLAND.

I.

THEN the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick." -Matt. viii, 16.

There is here no reason assigned why the sick were not, on this occasion, brought to Jesus until the evening. On turning, however, to the narrative in the other Gospels, (Marki, 32; Luke iv, 40, 41,) this reason is apparent. We are told that on the Sabbath-day Jesus entered into the synagogue at Capernaum, and taught; that immediately on leaving it he entered into the house of Simon, and it was the very same evening on which this crowd of applicants for mercy were gathered at the door. Now, from Matt. xii, 10, it also appears that the opinion was common among the Jews, that it was not lawful to

heal on the Sabbath-day. We have thus a clear reason why the people waited until the evening, but one of which no trace exists in Matthew's narrative taken alone.

II.

"Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alpheus, and Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him."-Matt. x, 2–4.

In the other two Gospels, the seventh and eighth names occur in a different order,-Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas,-where the distinctive title, the publican, is also wanting. The whole list is composed of six pairs of names, the order of which seems to have been determined by the order of their call, whether to be disciples or apostles. Matthew places his own name second in the pair to which it belongs, and adds the offensive epithet, the publican. Mark and Luke, on the contrary, place Matthew's name before that of his comrade, and withhold the title which he himself has added, in a feeling of humility. This minute difference is naturally explained by the modesty of the evangelist, and thus becomes a pledge for the genuineness of the whole Gospel where it appears.

III.

The four Gospels, without any direct assertion, lead us to the same conclusion, that Joseph was dead before our Lord's ministry began. This will appear by collating the passages.

"And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there. And both Jesus was called, and his

disciples, to the marriage. After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples; and they continued there not many days."-John ii, 1, 2, 12.

"While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren ?"-Matt. xii, 46-48.

But he answered and said unto him that told

"Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? and his sisters, are they not all with us?"-Matt. xiii, 55, 56.

"There came then his brethren and his

mother, and standing without, sent unto him, calling him."-Mark iii, 31.

"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us ?"-Mark vi, 3.

"Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press."-Luke viii, 19.

"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home."-John xix, 25-27.

There is thus no mention of the presence of Joseph at the feast in Cana, or the return to Capernaum, during the message of our Lord's relatives, the visit to Nazareth, or the crucifixion. All the four narratives agree, indirectly, in leading to the same conclusion, that the death of Joseph was earlier than our Lord's ministry. This agreement is unlikely to have occurred in fictitious narratives, and is therefore one mark in the Gospels of their historical reality.

IV.

"And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into the ship, (Tò πhoiοv,) and sat."-Matt. xiii, 2.

The meaning of the definite article in this passage is so far from being evident, that our translators have omitted it entirely. No ship has been mentioned in this context to which it can be referred. How, then, can the peculiar expression be accounted for?

On turning to the Gospel of St. Mark, not in the parallel passage, but somewhat earlier, we meet with a simple explanation in these words: "And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him, because of the multitude, lest they should throng him."-(iii, 9.) It is plain that this ship or boat, provided expressly for such a purpose, would be familiar to the thoughts of the apostle, and hence we may explain the force of the phrase, "He entered into the ship and sat."

ness, depending merely on the insertion of the article, is so much the more unsuspicious and complete.

V.

In each Gospel an account is given of the miracle of the five thousand. We are

told, also, in every case, that the disciples took up twelve baskets of fragments. Matt. xiv, 20; Mark vi, 43; Luke ix, 17; John vi, 13. In every Gospel, also, these baskets are termed cophini, (dwdeka kopívovs πλήρεις.)

The similar miracle of the four thousand is recorded only by St. Matthew and St. Mark, who state that the disciples took up seven baskets of fragments. Here, however, a different term is employed, and in each Gospel the baskets are called spyrides. Matt. xv, 37; Mark viii, 8, (énrà ovρídaç.)

Now, it is remarkable that, when our Saviour rebukes his disciples after crossing from Dalmanutha, the same distinction is accurately observed. Matt. xvi, 9, 10; Mark viii, 19–21.

"Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? (πόσους κοφίνους 2úẞETE;) Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets (σupidag) ye took up?"

"When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets (kopivovç) full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets (omvpidaç) full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye not understand?"

do

From the word orvpíç being used, (Acts ix, 25,) where Paul was let down in a basket by the wall of Damascus, it is natural to infer that it denotes baskets of a large size. The cophini, being twelve, might perhaps be the provision-baskets of the apostles. But whatever was the exact mention of cophini in reference to one nature of the distinction, the constant miracle, and of spyrides in connection with the other, is a minute and striking evidence of historical reality, and proves how the details of each event were fixed in the memory of the apostles.

VI.

of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little."-John vi, 5-7.

This apostle is never once named, in the first three Gospels, as having any special question put to him, or taking part in the conversation of our Lord, and only once beside in the Gospel of St. John. Why should the question now be addressed to him rather than the others? The passage itself offers no key to the incident, and we might readily suppose that it was an accidental circumstance.

Let us turn to St. Luke ix, 10, where the same miracle is recorded, and we find this further circumstance mentioned, which fixes the scene of the miracle: "And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place, belonging to the city called Bethsaida." The miracle is then said to have been wrought at the close of that very day.

If now we turn once more to St. John's Gospel, we find in the first chapter this passing intimation: "Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter." Two different prepositions are here used, one of which seems to denote the birthplace, and the other the usual abode. Hence the meaning seems to be, that Philip, though a native of Capernaum, was an inhabitant of Bethsaida. It is thus explained why our Lord should address the inquiry to him rather than the others. They were in a desert place belonging to Bethsaida; and hence Philip was more likely than any of the rest to know where a supply of provisions might possibly be found.

One doubt, however, still remains. There were two Bethsaidas near the Sea of Tiberias; some have even supposed a third. For this last opinion, however, there is no evidence, and it has arisen only from a misconstruction of this very passage. Many have thought that the scene of the miracle was Bethsaida-Julias, to the northeast of the lake. If so, the coincidence would be deceptive, since Philip belonged to Bethsaida of Galilee. John xii, 21.

There are conclusive reasons which forbid us to place the scene in the neighborhood of Julias. The suburbs of one of the largest cities near the lake would be ill suited for the purpose of retirement. The course of the disciples on their return is also inconsistent with such a view of the locality. They crossed over toward Bethsaida, while the route from Julias to

Capernaum would not bring them near to Bethsaida of Galilee.

One easy supposition removes all difficulty, and maintains the reality of the coincidence. Capernaum, Bethsaida, Chorazin, were fishing towns on the west of the lake, and would very likely have separate districts belonging to them on the opposite side, for the convenience of the crews in their frequent short voyages across the lake. If the miracle occurred in such a district belonging to Bethsaida of Galilee, and lying opposite to it on the further side of the lake, the whole becomes consistent and natural; and the appeal to Philip, as an inhabitant of Bethsaida, and acquainted with its localities, retains its strict propriety.

VII.

"When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus."-John vi, 24.

The surprise of the people at not finding Jesus is easily explained, since they saw that he had not entered the ship, and no other vessel was near, until the arrival of the other boats from Tiberias, early the next morning. But why should they expect the disciples to be there, whom they had seen embark the evening before? An answer is found in St. Mark's Gospel. When Jesus came to them in the fourth watch, “he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary.” With a stormy and adverse wind, that lasted until three or four in the morning, it was very natural to suppose that the disciples would have put back again, and be found along with Jesus on the eastern shore.

THE GENDER OF MYSTERIES.-There is not a mystery in creation, the symbol or practical invention for meanings abstruse, recondite, and incomprehensible, which is not represented by the female gender. There is the Sphinx, and the Enigma, and the Chimera, and Isis, whose vail no man had ever lifted-they were all ladies, every one of them. And so was Proserpine and Hecate, who was one thing by night and another by day. The Sibyls were females, and so were the Gorgons, the Harpies, the Furies, the Fates, and the Teutonic Valkyrs, Norniss; and, in short, all representations of ideas, obscure, inscrutable, and portentous, are nouns feminine.