llow-students," etc. To another he wrote: "Beware of the atmosphere
of the classics. It is pernicious indeed; and you need much of the
south wind breathing over the Scriptures to counteract it. True, we
ought to know them; but only as chemists handle poisons--to discover
their qualities, not to infect their blood with them." And again:
"Pray that the Holy Spirit would not only make you a believing and
holy lad, but make you wise in your studies also. A ray of divine
light in the soul sometimes clears up a mathematical problem
wonderfully. The smile of God calms the spirit, and the left hand of
Jesus holds up the fainting head, and his Holy Spirit quickens the
affection, so that even natural studies go on a million times more
easily and comfortably."

Before entering the Divinity Hall, he had attended a private class for
the study of Hebrew; and having afterwards attended the two sessions
of Dr. Brunton's college class, he made much progress in that
language. He could consult the Hebrew original of the Old Testament
with as much ease as most of our ministers are able to consult the
Greek of the New.

It was about the time of his first year's attendance at the Hall that
I began to know him as an intimate friend. During the summer
vacations,--that we might redeem the time,--some of us who remained in
town, when most of our fellow-students were gone to the country, used
to meet once every week in the forenoon, for the purpose of
investigating some point of _Systematic Divinity_, and stating to each
other the amount and result of our private reading. At another time we
met in a similar way, till we had overtaken the chief points of the
_Popish controversy_. Advancement in our acquaintance with the Greek
and Hebrew Scriptures also brought us together; and one summer the
study of _Unfulfilled Prophecy_ assembled a few of us once a week, at
an early morning hour, when, though our views differed much on
particular points, we never failed to get food to our souls in the
Scriptures we explored. But no society of this kind was more useful
and pleasant to us than one which, from its object, received the name
of _Exegetical_. It met during the session of the Theological classes
every Saturday morning at half-past six. The study of Biblical
criticism, and whatever might cast light on the word of God, was our
aim; and these meetings were kept up regularly during four sessions.
Mr. M'Cheyne spoke of himself as indebted to this society