appear harmonious in all its parts--beautiful and sublime in
all its truths--instructive in all its lessons--inspiring the
brightest, broadest hopes the mind can conceive. But lay reason
aside, in its perusal, and it will be involved in inextricable
confusion, and impenetrable darkness.

[Footnote 9: Isaiah i. 18.]

The young should not lose sight of the fact, that we have the Bible
only in the form of a translation by uninspired men, from the
original Hebrew and Greek, in which it was penned by the inspired
writers. Hence it should not seem surprising that there are some
inaccuracies connected with this translation; nor that certain
words, allusion, and forms of speech, appear obscure and
unintelligible. There is a plain and simple rule by which all
obscure and disputed words and passages should be understood. Give
them such construction as will most perfectly correspond with the
attributes and character of God, as revealed in his word and works,
his omnipotence and omniscience, his wisdom and goodness, his
justice and mercy--and as will best accord with the grace and love
which moved the Saviour in his divine mission to the earth.

For the following excellent suggestions in regard to the study of
the Scriptures, I am indebted to a popular writer of the present
day.

"On the Sabbath the Bible should be _studied_. Every person, old or
young, ignorant or learned, should devote a portion of time every
Sabbath to the _study_ of the Scriptures, in the more strict and
proper sense of that term. But to show precisely what I mean by this
weekly study of the Bible, I will describe a particular case. A
young man with only such opportunities as are possessed by all,
resolves to take this course. He selects the Epistle to the
Ephesians for his first subject; he obtains such books and helps as
he finds in his own family, or as he can obtain from a religious
friend, or procure from a Sabbath-school library. It is not too much
to suppose that he will have a sacred Atlas, some Commentary, and
probably a Bible Dictionary. He should also have pen, ink, and
paper; and thus provided, he sits down Sabbath morning to his work.
He raises a short but heartfelt prayer to God that he will assist
and bless him, and then commences his inquiries.

"The Epistle to the Ephesians I have supposed to be his subject.
He sees that the first question evidently is, '_Who were the
Ephesians_?' He finds the city of Ephesus upon the map; and from the