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reasoning on the attributes of the Deit ^ on our future destin ation , &c , may tome to several conclusions which are satisfactory to his own mind , ( conclusions , by the bye , the practical use of which I should be the last to
undervalue , ) yet how he can call these conclusions subjects of knowledge , any more than the conclusions of his mind on the other evidences mentioned , I am at a loss to conceive .
C ^ uld Socrates properly be said to know the character of the Deity , the future destiny of man , &c . ? And are we only permitted to say we believe such a man as Wickliffe once lived in .
England , and that he translated the Scriptures ? The latter phrase con * - veys what I should conceive to be & correct statement of the fact in both ca ^ es * Of course , in this view of the matter , I consider belief to constitute quite as reasonable a ground of action as knovyledge . The relation which
outward objects bear to the human mind is such , as that comparatively few can be said to be subjects of knowledge ; but it is quite as irrational not to act upon the highest possible degrees of probability , as to distrust the evidence of our senses on things immediately before us . Whether , when a merchant sends a vessel to the
East or West Indies he can be said to know there are such places , can only be decided by asking whether he has himself been there . If he has not , lie merely believes the fact ; and wherein , for practical purposes , is such belief inferior to knowledge ? B . 1 ————^—
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^ Mr . Flower on an Amen ded Translation of the Bible . | 39
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_ DalsUm , Sir , March 6 , 1824 . ALTHOUGH I cordially agree with your respectable correspondent Mr . Jevans , who , in your last Number , ( p . 83 , ) has so forcibly proved that a translation of the Bible , in which the word Lord , when printed in our common translation in small
capitals , should be rendered , agreeably to the original , Jehovah , signifying being , or existence ^ leading us to consider our heavenly Father as the self-existent and eternal Being , and , of course , the great Author or first Cause of all other beings in the universe ; " and that such . an alteration would be most desirable j I cannot but remark , that even such an ittmrovetl
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translation , not being sanctioned by our Hbuv alliance , our rulers in ( Church and State , would be but yeiy partially received by the people . Till * however , the desirable object can be attained , I cannot but be of opinion ,
that other methods might be taken , by which the evil complained of might be considerably diminished . Your corresponded inquires— " Ilow few per * sons know that the original word is Jehovah ; and how can they know when it occurs , who do not read , but
only hear others read ? " " Such questions remind me of a very shrewd one , put by that phenomenon , a plainspeaking courtier , in the reign of James I ., who , on the monarch ' s re * marking , " That it was impossible for an honest man to make his way at
Court , " bluntly asked him , " Whose fault ' s that , Sir V A question full of point , and which so posed our British * Solomon , that he , conscious of his inability to make a satisfactory answer , remained silent . Now , Sir , I hope I shall be excused if I , oa a subject of
so much importance , put the question , What are our teachers about , who read and explain to us the Scriptures every Sabbath ? Ought not every Christian instructor , whether Trinitarian or Unitarian , from the learned prelate in the Established Church to the
comparatively illiterate Methodist teacher , to inform , and occasionally remind his hearers , that the word Lord , whenever it appears in our translation in small capitals , ought to be read Jehovah ? And I beg leave further to suggest , whether it might not be a great
improvement in reading the Scriptures , if not only ministers from the desk and the pulpit , but all who take the lead in family , social or public worship , were in this respect to read them correctly , and thus fix the attention of their hearers on the
distinguishing , the peculiar name of the $ elf-etfkten £ , eternal one God ? Tlie observations of your correspondent have struck me so forcibly , that I am determined to set the example in my own family , and whenever I called to assiat in social
may be or public worship . As to the ministers of our Episcopal Establishment , they have nothing to do but to obey their Lord IJishop , amV the laws of their Church ; it is , ipifee ^ at their peril if they presume to alt # r our common
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1824, page 139, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2522/page/11/
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