iptures, indeed,
teach us that, without the aid of direct revelation, men are also
without excuse if they fail to attain to a certain knowledge of the
Deity,--`even his eternal power and Godhead,'--by a devout contemplation
of the visible world, which with all its wonders is spread out before
them as an open volume. But beyond this, all knowledge of the origin or
manner of creation is derived, not from the deductions of human
reasoning, but from the Divine testimony; for it is expressly said,
`Through faith we understand that the worlds were made by the word of
God.'"

"Nevertheless you must admit that, among the civilised nations of
Europe, many who deny revelation, and treat the Bible as a fable,
acknowledge that the world must have been made by a Supreme Power."

"My dear sir, many affect to deny the truth of revelation out of pride
and folly, who still in their consciences cannot but believe it. Here,
there being no belief in a Deity, they will not be persuaded that the
world was made by one. Indeed we have much to contend with, and perhaps
one of the greatest difficulties is in the translation of the
Scriptures. I sit down with an interpreter who cannot read a single
word, and with perhaps a most erroneous and imperfect knowledge of
divine things. We open the sacred volume, and it is first translated
into barbarous Dutch to the Caffre interpreter, who then has to tell us
how that Dutch is to be put into the Caffre language. Now you may
imagine what mistakes may arise. I have found out lately that I have
been stating the very contrary to what I would have said. With this
translation, I stand up to read a portion of the Word of God, for my
interpreter cannot read, and hence any slight defect or change in a
syllable may give altogether a different sense from what I desire to
inculcate."

"That must be indeed a great difficulty, and require a long residence
and full acquaintance with the language to overcome."

"And even then not overcome, for the language has no words to express
abstract ideas; but the Lord works after his own way, and at his own
season."

"You do not then despair of success?"

"God forbid; I should be indeed a most unworthy servant of our Divine
Master, if I so far distrusted his power. No; much good has been
already done, as you will perceive when we meet to-morrow to perform
Divine service; but there is much more to do, and, with His blessing,
will in His own good time be perfected