And let it be remembered, the perfect man of the Old Testament is essentially and substantially the Christian of the New Testament. The perfection by which the servants of God have in all ages been distinguished is intensely spiritual and evangelical. It is real although it is comparative, and as genuine-though neither so absolute nor so glorious-as that to which the sons of God will be advanced in heaven. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God (this is our present perfection), and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." Still it is the perfection of a fallen creature living in an evil world, in a probationary and preparatory state, in which he is from first to last encompassed with infirmity and deeply occupied with the conflict involved in fighting the good fight of faith. But he has been enlightened from above, renewed in righteousness and true holiness, as well as outwardly and practically reformed. Moreover, the second member of the text, the interpreter of the first, suggests that Christian perfection is identical with or comprises uprightness of purpose, a desire and intention to do right as in the sight of God; uprightness of principle, or purity of motive, for he who is perfect is actuated sincerely by a principle of faith working by love; and uprightness of conduct. It is walking uprightly. The perfect and upright man is found in every one of whom all this can be predicated. Such were Enoch, and Noah, and Job, and David, and Daniel, and Paul; and without the slightest presumption we may say, such was your lamented friend and pastor. He regarded God's command to Abraham as addressed to himself: "Walk before me and be thou perfect," and earnestly sought to follow it. II. The aspects under which the character in question may be contemplated. In its origin and source it is not indebted to fallen human nature, nor to education and discipline, but to grace, the enlightening, regenerating, justifying grace of God which has made him a new creature. He is God's workmanship, created anew in Christ Jesus. In his course through life this character is being formed and developed, matured and perfected, under the training of the providence and grace of God, up to the point not merely of fitness for all the purposes of life and godliness, and for all the solemnities of a dying bed, but also of meetness to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light. Therefore mark the perfect man in himself, as a man, a Christian man; observe his religious intelligence, his spirituality of mind, and his consistency of life. In every walk of life this man is a pattern, an edifying example of what renovated human nature may become, and of what he should do. Surely the voice of reason as well as of revelation, especially to their less consistent brethren, is "Be ye followers of them." Again, mark him in the several relations which he holds to those around him. He is not isolated; he does not, nor does he desire, to stand alone. He is not one of those most inconsistent people who, while professing to love everybody, will co-operate with and join themselves to none. The upright man not only recognizes his relation to the great fraternity of mankind, the vast family of the universal parent, but identifies himself with some religious denomination, which, for causes which appear to him good and sufficient, he conscientiously prefers. He stands in fellowship with a particular church. Our departed brother belonged to the church assembling in Wheelock Heath chapel from its formation. Mr. Pedley was from deep and strong conviction, and upon high principle, both a Nonconformist and a Baptist, because he felt that his Bible and his conscience required him so to be. Nor was he backward when occasion required to defend what he believed to be the truth on these and similar topics. But while our revered friend was ever ready to maintain the cause of truth, he was uniformly courteous toward those who differed from him in opinion and practice. The perfect man is careful to walk in love towards his master and his brethren alike. Permit me to remind you here, that in the case before us to-day we have to consider the moral and religious course, not of a merely private person, but of a public character, a minister of the gospel, a minister of long standing. Mr. Pedley was the pastor of this church for forty years. The chief characteristics of his ministry were simplicity, fervour, and tenderness. It was no uncommon thing for the melting eloquence of tears to come in aid and enforcement of his earnest words. It may be observed that Mr. Pedley's efforts to do good were not confined to this place nor to this particular locality. During several years of middle life he visited statedly or occasionally more distant places, and laboured hard both in preaching and in support of total abstinence, of which for many years he was not only the earnest advocate but a prominent and consistent example. It may be remarked, moreover, that as Mr. Pedley laboured assiduously and extensively, so he laboured long. His labours were commensurate with his active life. He was only twice at chapel after he ceased to preach; and on the last occasion of his appearance there he was carried in after the public service was concluded, that he might unite once more in the celebration of the Lord's Supper. Our deceased brother endeavoured to walk within his house with a perfect heart, as the psalmist declared it his purpose to do. As a husband, Mr. Pedley was affectionate and considerate; as a parent, kind and indulgent, yet discreet; as a master, generous as well as just; as a friend, both faithful and constant; and as a subject and a citizen, loyal and patriotic. Those who have known our venerated friend during a lengthened period will have observed his steady progress in all these characteristics of the perfect man through the succeeding years of his reli gious course. He is now added to the number of those whose faith it behoves survivors to follow, considering the end of their conversation, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. But it is also incumbent upon us to mark the perfect man in his end as well as in his course. The text is direct and emphatic in calling attention to the believer's end. We are asked to mark the perfect man and to behold the upright, on this ground and for this reason, chiefly that his end is peace. Our text, in so directing attention to the peaceful end of the perfect man, presents a seasonable reminder of an obvious and impressive, yet easily forgotten, fact that the end of the best, the most useful, and valued men must come. It may come early, or it may come late; it may come suddenly, or it may come gradually; but come it will. However, this is our consolation, that come whensoever it may, it is peaceful, and therefore beautiful and pleasant to look upon, and edifying to contemplate. That end may not be painless; on the contrary, it may be severely painful; but even then there will be a scene of peace, for the peace of God which passeth all understanding will keep his heart and mind by Christ Jesus. We can lay no claim to raptures; it is and should be sufficient for us that we are assured it shall be peace. In his end this highly favoured individual has peace in himself (a peace to which in his unconverted state he was a stranger), because guilt and condemnation, the main causes of our disquietude, have been removed, and his will is subdued and brought into harmony with the will of his heavenly Father, which is a continual and unfailing source of peace. The upright man realizes peace in his end, because he has peace with God as a reconciled and pardoned sinner through our Lord Jesus Christ. It can scarcely be needful to say of such a man that he dies in peace with his fellow-creatures. Hence he is free from outward as well as inward disturbance in the closing hours of life. These representations are strictly applicable to the end of our deceased brother. He had through life been a man of peace, and he was privileged to depart in peace. Death for him had no terrors; he regarded it rather as a friend whose coming was to be desired than as an enemy whose approaches were to be dreaded. Our friend's utterances respecting his state and prospects in death were not numerous or ostentatious, but they were full and decisive. Such an one in his end is worthy to be looked at steadily and earnestly-so steadily and earnestly that he and his privileges may be understood and appreciated. Inquirers after the path of life should not only read and study their Bible, but study intelligently and prayerfully, and with a desire to imitate him who so lives and dies as to exemplify the Bible; so shall they become truly wise unto salvation. In conclusion we will name some of the practical ends for which it behoves us to fix our steady and inquiring attention upon the perfect man. This should be done, primarily, that we may become correctly and competently acquainted with one of the most noble of the works of the Creator-a good man, the new creature in Christ Jesus, whom God hath created after His own image-that we may glorify God in him. The second purpose to be served by beholding the upright man is that praise for all his characteristic excellencies may be directed to God, in whom are all our springs, and who has wrought all our works in us. Lastly, we should mark the perfect man in life and in death, for our edification and profit, that by the divine blessing we may be changed into the same image; made like him, and so live like him, suffer like him, and at length die like him; and then, being absent from the body, we shall be present with the Lord. R. KENNEY. THE MEDICAL DECLARATION CONCERNING ALCOHOL. As some readers of this Magazine may wish to keep by them for ready reference a copy of the recent medical declaration concerning alcohol, it is presented below: "As it is believed that the inconsiderate prescription of large quantities of alcoholic liquids by medical men for their patients has given rise, in many instances, to the formation of intemperate habits, the undersigned, while unable to abandon the use of alcohol in the treatment of certain cases of disease, are yet of opinion that no medical practitioner should prescribe it without a sense of grave responsibility. They believe that alcohol, in whatever form, should be prescribed with as much care as any powerful drug, and that the directions for its use should be so framed as not to be interpreted as a sanction for excess, or necessarily for the continuance of its use when the occasion is past. They are also of opinion that many people immensely exaggerate the value of alcohol as an article of diet; and since no class of men see so much of its ill effects, and possess such power to restrain its abuse, as members of their own profession, they hold that every medical practitioner is bound to exert his utmost influence to inculcate habits of great moderation in the use of alcoholic liquids. Being also firmly convinced that the great amount of drinking of alcoholic liquors among the working classes of this country is one of the greatest evils of the day, destroying, more than anything else, the health, happiness, and welfare of those classes, and neutralizing to a large extent the great industrial prosperity which Providence has placed within the reach of this nation, the undersigned would gladly support any wise legislation which would tend to restrict, within proper limits, the use of alcoholic beverages, and gradually introduce habits of temperance." This declaration is understood to be a modification of one drawn up by Dr. E. Parkes, the eminent professor of Hygiene in the Government College at Chatham. Having received the signatures of the presidents of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, the names of above two hundred other distinguished members of the medical profession were quickly appended. When published, a warm controversy arose, carried on for the most part in the daily press; but it was noticeable that the objections taken were almost exclusively directed against the supposed attack made in the first instance upon the faculty, and not against the accuracy of the judgment passed upon the need of a most careful administration of alcoholic liquids. The propriety of the declaration, and of its issue under present circumstances, has been very ably defended by several of the signatories, especially by Dr. Samuel Wilks, of Guy's Hospital, and Dr. Forbes Winslow. The prevalence of intemperance in respectable circles, and its connection with a real, or at least credited, medical sanction of alcoholic liquors, has been strongly commented upon by the Saturday Review, and even by the Lancet. The fact was too notorious to be denied, and too serious to be regarded in silence; and whatever some supersensitive medical practitioners may feel and express, the public gene*rally are grateful to the declarationists for the warning they have raised against an insidious and most dangerous social custom. The language of the document is singularly cautious, and not a few of the signers must have appended their names with a secret wish that their weaker brethren would have allowed the terms to be both more stringent and comprehensive. It contains, indeed, the minimum of the truth concerning the use of alcohol in health and disease; and in reference to the consumption of intoxicating liquors as beverages is far less emphatic than the declaration of 1846, which was signed by the leading men of the profession, and was thus expressed: "We are of opinion:-1st. That a very large portion of human misery, including poverty, disease, and crime, is induced by the use of alcoholic or fermented liquors as beverages. "2nd. That the most perfect health is compatible with total abstinence from all such intoxicating beverages, whether in the form of ardent spirits or as wine, beer, ale, porter, cider, &c., &c. "3rd. That persons accustomed to such drinks may with perfect safety discontinue them entirely, either at once, or gradually after a short time. "4th. That total and universal abstinence from alcoholic liquors, and intoxicating beverages of all sorts, would greatly contribute to the health, the prosperity, the morality, and the happiness of the human race.' This declaration was signed by upwards of two thousand medical men, including Sir James Clark, Sir Benjamin Brodie, Dr. Prout, Sir John Forbes, Dr. Carpenter, &c. Long, indeed, previous to this certificate of 1846-as far back as 1839-Dr. Julius Jeffreys had drawn up a statement on the same subject, in which the common opinion of the value of alcoholic liquors was declared to be entirely erroneous; and this statement was signed by about eighty of the foremost London physicians of that time. 66 During the recent discussions, Dr. Samuel Wilks has passed a very severe but well-merited condemnation upon the medical treatment of the late Dr. Todd, of King's College Hospital, whose authority did much to bring the "stimulating' practice into fashion. He was particularly strong in maintaining the virtue of alcohol in fever cases, but Dr. Wilks affirms, He was utterly mistaken in this view, as all experience has subsequently shown; and as to the necessity of stimulants in fever, I will merely state that in my own wards in Guy's Hospital I treat fever, as a rule, without stimulants, and with the best results." The rest of the widespread confidence in alcoholic liquor as a means of sustaining strength, or of restoring it in disease, is simply an illustration of the ignorance, too frequently seen, in regard to the laws of health. No superstition ever so spellbound and seduced the vulgar imagina RELIGIOUS I. AT THE GRAVE.-Once more (Feb. 14) there has been a discussion in the House of Commons on the Burials Bill; once more the stock objections to religious equality in the churchyard have been stated, and this time with a vehemence that seems a reaction from the impulse of the Manchester Conference and the threatening attitude of the disestablishment party in the country; and once more a large majority has passed the second reading of the Bill. Still, we fear, so just and fair a measure is hardly likely to pass yet. Pertinacious opponents will do their best to talk against time in the Commons, and defeat it that way; and should it get beyond the House of Representatives, we still have such is the admirable arrangement of our institutions for securing the slowest rate of progress-the House of Lords to block the way. What a miserable comment it is upon our religious life, that sectarianism should pursue us into our graves. Why should not a minister other than one of the Church of England officiate at interments in our parochial churchyards? The right of burial is not an ecclesiastical but a civil right, and in every other part of Europe is not subject to ecclesiastical encroachment; not even in France or Rome-nay tion as that which associates strong drink with vigour and long life. A correct understanding of the action of alcoholthat it contributes nothing to physical stamina, but by exciting functional activity beyond its natural scale, leaves, of necessity, the system weaker than before -would prove a death-blow to this superstition; one equally as irrational as, and far more injurious than, the belief in witchcraft and the evil eye. That alcohol can be useful in health is perceived to be impossible, when its actual operation is understood; and its utility in disease will be apprehended as more than questionable, except when the least of two evils has to be selected. The experience of Mr. Higginbottom, F.R.S., of Nottingham, who for more than thirty years never prescribed it, even medicinally, and yet held the highest place in the medical ranks of that popular midland town, is calculated to suggest the opinion that the later medical declaration might have been more decided in its dissuasion from alcohol, without going a hair's breadth beyond the teaching of science and the interests of the people. DAWSON BURNS. EQUALITY. more, not even in Scotland or Ireland. But in Wales, where seven-eighths of the population are Dissenters, and in England, where the Bishops rule, Dissenters are denied the solace they might derive from services performed by their own ministers, and must either allow their dead to be buried in silence or submit to the intrusion of a minister of a sect to which they do not belong. II.-IN NATIONAL EDUCATION.-This subject is now getting into the right groove. The Manchester Conference has expressed Nonconformist opinion with a thoroughness, unanimity, clearness, and enthusiasm that leaves nothing to desire. Its plan is as wise as it is necessary. Even the most timid amongst us now see urgent necessity for moving heaven and earth, and that without any loss of time, to prevent the education of the country from getting into the hands of the clergy. Nor is this all. Those who were afraid to trust their Free Church principles in this matter of education, and by their fears supported Mr. Foster in passing his deceptive bill, are now prepared to admit that the principles are not only right but worthy of universal application, and that the State has not a whit more right to dictate the religion of the child than it has that of the adult; and that the connection between school teaching, dogmatic religion, and the State, is only a worse form of the old connection between Church and State. The principles of absolute justice, universal fairness, and of complete religious equality, are vindicated and reaffirmed. The 25th clause of the Education Act is based on injustice, and we cannot let it stand. This is with us a question of conscience, and not of sectarianism; and whatever be the consequences, we must be true to the kindred points of conscience and principle. III. IN NATIONAL PROPERTY.-The Liberator for Feb. intimates that Mr. Miall will, instead of repeating the motion of last year, move for the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the origin, amount, and application of any property and revenues in the hands of the Church of England, and expressly with the view to obtain the information required for the purposes of disestablishment and disendowment. This will bring to the front an aspect of the disestablishment question that more than any other needs discussion, and will probably do as much to enlighten the nation at large on the subject of church property as the former debate did on that of the immense strength of the case in favour of disestablishment and disendowment. We hope ere long to find room for a fuller treatment of this last branch of the subject of religious equality. J. CLIFFORD. Reviews. STARTING IN LIFE. By John Clifford, M.A., LL.B. Stock. WISE Counsels, clearly expressed, vividly illustrated, and powerfully enforced, compose this little volume. Few books, we imagine, are more fitted to be useful to the class for whom it is designed, in aiding them to lay the foundation of a manly Christian character. We trust the reception it meets with will encourage the esteemed author to favour us with a more ambitious production. A volume of sermons from him on some of the leading doctrines of the gospel would be highly acceptable and useful to many. W. LANDELS. MARION'S PATH. By Mary Meeke. Marlborough. THIS is the story of the reformation of an "only and spoiled" child. Marion is a proud, wayward, ill-tempered and selfish girl; but being placed under kind and genial influences, is led to a better life. The force and reward of tender and wise treatment, combined with good example, are set forth in this fiction with considerable skill. The characters are well painted, and the interest is sustained to the end. The book is very attractive both externally and internally. It will be a pleasing and useful gift to girls. R. C. THE STUDENT'S HEBREW LEXICON, by Dr. Davies, of Regent's Park College, is a compendious and complete guide to a knowledge of the original languages, Hebrew and Chaldee, in which the Old Testament was written, The learned author has been encouraged and assisted in his work by the foremost oriental scholars of the present day. He has based it upon the works of the ablest foreign lexicographers, such as Gesenius and Furst, and has introduced improvements on these predecessors from Dietrich and others. The work has been printed at Leipsic, on good paper, and in the most perfect type. It is well bound, with the edges cut, very portable, and lies open at any page to which the student may turn. Such a help, in our younger days, would have delighted us beyond measure, and we commend it especially to our junior ministers as an addition to their facilities for the study of what the Targums would call "the holy tongue."* W. U. PAMPHLETS, ETC. Picture Magazine. Vol. xxxiii., 1871. (Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. Leicester: Winks.) This Magazine for children still continues its useful work. The illustrations are numerous, the information interesting and attractive. Long words are divided into syllables. The Abominations of our National Intemperance, by J. Burns, D.D., is a sermon on Ezek. ix. 4. It is earnest and able, and teetotal throughout. *The above Lexicon is already introduced into our College. The publishing price is 12s., but the President can procure it in small lots at a reduction of 25 per cent. For many years past he has supplied the Students with Hebrew Bibles gratuitously, through the liberality of the Bible Society. If any generous friend would enable him to do the same with the Hebrew Lexicon and its companion volume, The Student's Hebrew Grammar, price 7s. 6d., he would deserve general thanks. |