vince us that no material alterations could have been introduced into the Jewish Scriptures, or the old Testament, before the time of our Saviour. After the Old Testament was finished, and there were no more prophets, who spoke and wrote by the inspiration of God, the Jews were divided into several sects, holding different opinions as Christians are now; and these sects were very jealous of each other: so that it would have been impossible for one of them to corrupt the text of the Scriptures without being detected, and exposed by the other. And it would have been impossible for them to have agreed upon any alterations, when they were constantly contending with each other. Besides, there were a great many learned men, scribes and doctors, who were constantly employed in studying the Scriptures, and writing copies of them; and they were so careful to be correct, that they counted the letters, to see that there were just as many and no more in the new copies as in the old; so that the slightest mistake might not escape their notice. In addition to this, our Saviour frequently quoted the Old Testament, under the title of Moses and the Prophets and the

Psalms, as the word of God. If the Jews had corrupted the Word of God, Jesus would have charged them with it, among their other crimes, when he was upbraiding them, and pronouncing woes and curses upon them.

Peter. But how do we know that they have not been altered since? And how do we know that Christ did not charge the Jews with altering their Scriptures? For what he said about it might have been taken out of the New Testa

ment.

Mother. In the days of the Apostles, the Gospel was preached very extensively, in Asia, Africa, and Europe. The Bible was not then bound up together, in one book, as it now is. It was written in sixty-six different books. As soon as the heathen were converted to Christianity, they were no doubt very anxious to read the Scriptures. This led to the multiplying of the copies of these sacred books, and to the translation of them into various languages. Now, if the Bible had all been bound up in one volume, and there had been but a few copies of it, then it might have been an easy matter to have altered and corrupted it, to almost any extent.

But

when there were so many copies, it must have been impossible. Besides, true Christians were so much attached to the word of God, that they often risked their lives, rather than give up their Bibles. We may then very naturally suppose they would watch with a jealous eye, against the corruption of the text.

Samuel. But, after the church became so corrupt, might not the papists have altered the Bible?

Mother. You know they did try to do it, as you read in the "Great Apostasy;" but the attempt failed. They tried to have their Latin translation, which is full of errors and alterations, received as the true Bible. But the copies of the Greek Scriptures were so multiplied that they could not destroy them; and in the Eastern Church they had no power. There were also many true Christians, in the darkest ages of Popery, who clung to their Bibles. But in order to see whether the Bible we now have is genuine and correct, learned men have collected together all the different copies and old manuscripts they could find, and compared them together. Although some passages do not read exactly alike,

in all the copies yet all the difference does not affect the great doctrines of the Christian religion; and I suppose there never has been a copy of the Bible written or printed, which did not contain enough of the truths of the Gospel to leave men without excuse for not embracing Christ. But, Mohammed saw that he must destroy the confidence of the people in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, before he could convince them of the necessity of a new revelation. This new revelation, the better to suit his purposes, was to be given in small portions at a time, and the whole was to form the Koran, which is the Mohammedan Bible. All this, he said was written from eternity, upon a table near the throne of God. From this, one chapter was copied at a time, and delivered to Mohammed, by the angel Gabriel, until he had received the whole. This course was well calculated to deceive his followers. If they had received the whole book at once, they would have seen its inconsistencies and absurdities. But, he only gave it out, a chapter at a time, as he had occasion for it. So, when any of them complained that it contradicted what he had given before, he

told them that God had a right to repeal an old law and make a new one whenever he pleased.

Samuel. I think he could not have known much about the character of God, to suppose he would change his mind, as wicked people do.

Mother. Yes; God cannot change. He is "the same yesterday, to-day, and forever," and he will never take back what he says. If he makes a law, it must remain forever he will not alter it.

Peter. How long was Mohammed making his Bible, mother?

Mother.

It was twenty-three years after he first began to publish the chapters of the Koran, before it was finished. When he wished to publish a new chapter, he would have it written by his secretary, and given to his followers. They read and repeated it, until they had committed it to memory. The paper was then returned to Mohammed, who put it in a chest called "the chest of his Apostleship." He probably did this in imitation of the Ark of the Covenant, in the Jewish tabernacle. When Mohammed died, he left this chest in the care of one of his wives. The leaves were afterwards collected and published in a volume.