the Earl-street manifestoes were not full of fulminations upon what he calls "The infidel Preface and the infidel Society;" that, on the contrary, they held such a line of intercourse with them as at length induced them to withdraw, or, to use their own word, " renounce,” the unauthorized addition, and that in a manner the most satisfactory; Professor Haffner himself proposing the measure; the Strasburg Society unanimously adopting it, and a private friend, their own president, Baron Turkheim, restoring to their funds the sum expended in printing this extraneous composition. Mr. Haldane is extremely angry that the affair thus ended in conciliation, when there was so excellent an opportunity for war and daggers drawing. But mark, my lord, the issue; the Strasburg Society, instead of being either disbanded, as Mr. Haldane wished, or, what was far more likely, goaded into becoming a Bible-and-Tract Society, the tracts being of the same character as the preface, whatever that was, or I fear much worse, became a society for pure biblical distribution, in the orthodox Lutheran version, without note, comment, or introduction. The very morning that the Earl-street committee first heard of the preface, they directed Mr. Owen to write to Strasburg on the subject, which he did in the most strong and explicit terms. This brought back an answer, in which the Strasburg secretary states, that his committee were aware that they could not permit this introduction to be attached to Bibles distributed or sold by them; but they thought it a useful tract for separate sale, and they could not prevent persons from binding it up with their Bibles. Professor Haffner himself writes::

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Knowing the particular exigencies of our church, among the members of which that unbelief so prevalent during the period of the Revolution, has made but too great havoc, we thought a short introduction to our sacred books, which might, at the same time, be their apology, would contribute much to ensure the veneration which is due to them, rectify the erroneous and rash judgments which we so often hear pronounced against them, and, consequently, prove useful to many of our fellow-citizens. One particular church may stand in need of something which another does not want, and therefore may think superfluous to take into consideration. This introduction is, however, a separate work, and distributed among those only who expressly ask for it."

This explanation was unsatisfactory, and accordingly Lord Teignmouth himself was requested to write to Professor Haffner, which he did in an admirable letter; not indeed rudely terminating all intercourse, and closing an important avenue for the circulation of the word of God, as Mr. Haldane thinks he ought to have done, but shewing him firmly, yet courteously, the necessity of adhering to the principles of the Society. His lordship adds :

"Notwithstanding its disjunction from the sacred code, and the limitations under which it is issued, and respecting, as I sincerely do, the motive which suggested it, I cannot but express my regret that it has been published. In this country, such a measure, under all the cautions adopted, would be deemed the act of our committee, and as such, a virtual, if not a literal deviation from the rules prescribed for their conduct, and the very basis of our institution. The experience of sixteen years has taught us the absolute necessity of an inviolable adherence to those rules under which our Society has obtained such an extensive support in this country, as well as the prudence of renouncing, and even retracting, any measure, however defensible, if liable to any misconception on this most important point."

Much correspondence and intercourse followed, the issue of which was what I have stated; but not till the two societies were on the point of a rupture, the London committee having armed Dr. Pinkerton, who was about to pass through Strasburg, with a resolution of the necessity of breaking off all further intercourse, if the preface (there was no other adventitious matter) was not wholly discontinued. This resolution, Dr. Pinkerton had no need to make use of, the matter having been arranged as before mentioned, and with such perfect good faith, that Baron Turkheim himself bought up the remaining copies of

the preface, and had them bound and cut shorter and narrower than the Bibles, to prevent their ever being united with them. So much for the conduct of the London committee.

With regard to the character of the preface itself, it was a matter that did not concern the British-and-Foreign Bible-Society, as a society; nor could its members or committee be supposed to know any thing of its merits or demerits; nor, in point of fact, did they know, or do they to this moment know, as it was written in German, and has never been published in English, or circulated in this country. What displeased Mr. Haldane and his friends was, that the committee did not, upon the authority of M. Bost, a missionary of the Continental Society, proceed at once not only to direct the exclusion of the preface, but to animadvert upon its character. The gentlemen who have raised this war against the Bible Society maintain, that its directors should have sent out a fulminating theological manifesto; that they ought to have been a protesting society;" whereas Lord Teignmouth, the committee, and the secretaries kept closely to their business, and only forbade the insertion of any preface whatever. And this is the ground of accusation against the Society. It is complained that they did not tell their Strasburg friends they had published "an infidel preface," and that it must be rejected because it was infidel; they contented themselves with saying it must be rejected-because it was a preface. This, say one and all of the Sackville-street writers, was a grievous breach of duty. But your lordship instantly sees what would be the effect of such an institution as the Bible Society becoming a board of theological revision, and a protesting society: Mr. Haldane and his followers take it for granted that all true Christians must, as a matter of course, adopt their exaggerated notions about infidelity and neologism; and at once write down those epithets against whatever they choose to stigmatise as such. Yet of this very "infidel" Haffner, the truly pious. and devout Dr. Steinkopff wrote to Earl-street from Switzerland, in the very heat of this discussion, in 1820, when he knew that every syllable would be hyper-criticised, and after much personal intercourse with Dr. Haffner, and the other parties concerned :

:

"It is my fervent wish and prayer, that the representations made both personally and in writing, may produce the desired effect; the more so, as I cannot but feel unfeigned respect for Dr. Haffner, on account of his extensive learning, and still more on account of his firm and Christian-like conduct in the worst period of the French Revolution. When the Jacobins and Infidels demanded of the clergy, publicly to renounce the Christian faith, threatening them, in case of refusal, with the prison, and death itself, both the late venerable Dr. Blessig and Professor Haffner stood firm like a rock, and cheerfully went to prison for Christ's sake, in which they had to pine for ten tedious months, never knowing from day to day whether they should not be dragged forth to be guillotined."

Such is Dr. Steinkopff's testimony. To this allow me to add a statement published in the "Evangelical Magazine" for 1826, by Dr. Pye Smith, the Theological Tutor of the Independent Theological Seminary of Hoxton, whose works, especially those on infidelity, the Atonement, and the Scripture Testimony to the Messiah, (though I am far from coinciding in all his opinions,) render him no mean judge on such a question. The following is his attestation respecting both the infidel author and his infidel works, more especially "the atrocious preface." "If the duty of vindicating truth and integrity from the presumptions of ignorance or the aspersions of injustice, can ever acquire an increase of obligation, it is when the person injured is not of our own party or sentiments, but is one to whom we feel ourselves seriously opposed in matters of faith and conscience.

"Shortly after reading these accusations;" namely, that Dr. Haffner is a scoffer at religion and an infidel; "I received, in a packet of foreign pamphlets, two Reports of the Strasburgh Bible Society. In both of these, the speeches of Dr. Haffner oc

cupy a conspicuous station. To these speeches I could not but feel an attraction of anxious interest. I read them with close attention. To me they appeared to be the productions of a powerful and richly-furnished mind, in an unaffected style of much energy and eloquence, implying (unless they be a covering for the grossest hypocrisy) a firm belief in the Divine origin and authority of the Revelations contained in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, and breathing an apparently sincere and ardent zeal for their universal dissemination. At the same time, there are indications in these speeches, that the doctrinal sentiments of their author are not in close accordance with what I regard the primary doctrines of the Christian faith. This, however, is no new or surprising thing. We, in our own country, are sufficiently familiarized with the fact, that the foundations and the pillars and external walls of the temple of revelation have been most ably defended, and their impregnability demonstrated, by persons of whom we entertain painful fears that they never entered its sacred gates, or fixed their abode in its interior mansions."

"Are we to call for fire from heaven upon them and their writings, because, in points of very serious magnitude, we lament that they see not as we see? Who hath made us to differ? If Dr. Haffner is to be treated with scorn and insult, and his name stamped with the crimes of ridiculing the Scriptures while he is recommending their universal distribution, and of being a downright Deist, under the garb of a Christian minister-if this be consonant with truth, wisdom, and justice, then it is our duty to apply similar language to the persons and writings of Clarke and Locke, of Watson and Paley, of Lardner and Priestley."

"Neither my own leisure, nor your limits will permit me to give any other than a very short account of this, what I must call a valuable and interesting production, Dr. Haffner's Introduction to the Knowledge and the profitable Reading of the Bible. It occupies thirty-seven pages in large octavo, having been printed to bind up with an edition of the Bible: but the intention of so uniting it with the Bible was abandoned by the Strasburgh committee as soon as they saw that it went beyond the idea of a brief preface; and it was resolved to be sold separately, as a treatise which they thought likely to be useful in counteracting ignorant or sceptical prejudices, and in promoting the study of the sacred Scriptures. Whether this was a wise and good resolution is not the question; I state it merely as the fact and it is important to observe, that this resolution was taken and acted upon before the Strasburgh committee could possibly have had any communication from the British and Foreign Bible Society."

"The first four pages of Dr. Haffner's introduction are occupied with arguing the necessity and reality of a revelation from God, and shewing that such a revelation is contained in the Bible. Then follow brief sketches of the contents and general character of each book of the Old Testament, the Apocrypha, and the New Testament; and the work is concluded with reflections on the benefit of reading the Divine word, the duty of universally disseminating it, and glad anticipations of its triumph through the whole earth. The limits which I must observe, prohibit me from extracting passages: and it would be impossible for your readers to judge correctly of the work by a few sentences, short and torn from their connexion. If, however, you can open your pages to such a 'communication, I will make a selection of passages, such as will give, in my opinion, a fair and just specimen of the sentiments of the writer. I am sorry to say that Alethia has been made the instrument (for she would not consciously so belie her own name) of gross violations of this rule of common honesty. The fragments which she has introduced are nearly all so garbled and misrepresented, as to produce an effect very different from that which they have when read in their connexion. Not only are they most injuriously separated from their connexion, but even the clauses of the very sentences professedly quoted are omitted, evidently for the purpose of making the disseverent fragments wear a more revolting aspect. I now charge upon Alethia the indispensable obligation of answering, in your next Number, the following questions:-Has she ever seen Dr. Haffner's introduction? Does she understand the German language? If not, from whom has she derived these pretended translations? On whose authority has she characterized the work? And why does she write in a manner which is manifestly intended to make the reader think that she possesses and has read the whole of the censured pamphlet ?" "Dr. Haffner certainly is to be ranked among the theologians of Germany called Rationalists. To the proper meaning of this term, surely no Christian can object, or wish to be excluded from a share in its character. But in its present conventional use, it includes a great variety, and many shades of sentiments and persons holding them. It is often applied to the anti-supernaturalists, who are only disguised deists: but it includes also others, whom it would be highly absurd to regard as deists. Of those who constitute the best of the class, I cannot but entertain a favourable opinion. The Latin writings of Morus, Dæderlein, Dathe, Knapp, and Vater, may supply to students in this country a very just and full view of this school of theology. Whatever may be the doctrines held or denied by individuals, I am convinced that the fundamental principles of Bible-interpretation, which characterize these divines, are

true and solid; and that all the great doctrines of vital Christianity-a Saviour properly Divine, Redemption, Sovereign Grace, and Sanctification by the Holy Spiritare, by the fair application of those principles, irrefragably deduced from the sacred word."

"Alethia brings against Dr. Haffner the charge that he is notoriously a scoffer at vital Christianity, and does not even pay respect to the externals of Christianity.' If she has not solid proofs of the correctness of these assertions, she has incurred no trifling responsibility. She refers for evidence to the Edinburgh pamphlet; but I can find no evidence at all there; I find only bold affirmations and heavy charges, resting upon anonymous authority."

"I sincerely regret the length of this letter; but I venture to trespass so far as to add a translation of the last sentence in Dr. Haffner's calumniated introduction. At what fountain can they [his countrymen, to whom he is recommending the study of the Bible] better quench the thirst of the spirit and the heart, longing for truth and consolation? Yes; he who knows his Bible, who knows the Divine instructions there contained, who apprehends them in their purity and brightness, and who in faith has received them into his soul-he no longer turns aside from it, he is more and more inwardly satisfied that it is from God; he daily enjoys its evidence by its beneficial influence; an influence which whosoever experiences will unite with heart and mouth in the exclamation of Peter, Lord, whither should we go away! Thou alone hast the words of eternal life.'

I quote the above without offering any opinion upon it. I know nothing of Dr. Haffner or his preface; nor, I repeat, is it necessary for me, in relation to the present discussion, to make any inquiry respecting them, as all I had to shew was, that the Earl-street committee had no concern in the matter. The Strasburg Society had pledged itself again and again to insert nothing but the pure text, (for it was a pure text, Luther's; not, as some of the Sackville-street subscribers suppose, a corrupt and neologised version ;) and when they violated this engagement, they were instantly remonstrated with, and the remonstrance was effectually followed up, till the preface was discarded, the money employed in printing it returned to the biblical coffer, and the pure text agreed to be henceforth circulated without note or com

ment.

But, then, what becomes of the character of the Strasburg committee? I think that they were originally betrayed into the violation of the rule inadvertently; or, at least, without due reflection. But why did they not withdraw the preface immediately when remonstrated with? I will state what I believe to have been the reason; not however defending their conduct, which was indefensible. It will be remembered, that at that time there was raging a furious theological war in Switzerland, which Mr. Haldane was one of the chief instruments of promoting. The individual who sent over to London the intelligence respecting the preface was Mr. Bost, the agent of the Continental Missionary Society, who was living at Strasburg, and was engaged in a hot contest with the ecclesiastical and academical authorities of that place. The whole proceeding was very much in the style of Mr. Bulteel attacking the University of Oxford; but even if Mr. Bulteel said any thing founded substantially in truth, yet the mixture of self-conceit, dogmatism, party violence, gross exaggeration, and misrepresentation, which pervaded his statements, would effectually prevent their having any other effect-such is human nature-than impeding for a time the most wholesome measure which might be thought to appear dictated by his exertions. The case would have been still stronger, if he had been a foreigner; a missionary of an institution in another country. Dr. Haffner and his colleagues considered themselves taunted; a pamphlet controversy had arisen at their doors, in which the divinity professor's preface was handled in the style which your lordship has seen and a fine predicament, it was said, they were in; they had committed themselves by publishing a CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 364.

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preface to a Bible, assisted by London money; Mr. Drummond, Mr. Haldane, and the Continental Society in London should know of it; then the complaint would be carried to the Bible Society, and the preface, after all their vapouring, must be withdrawn. The affair thus became I do not mean that it ought so to have been-mixed up with personal considerations; and Dr. Haffner and his friends thought that withdrawing the preface was a tacit acknowledgment of the justice of the censures cast upon it, and not merely a compliance with a rule which involved no opinion upon the divinity professor's production; for had the preface been written by Luther, or Calvin, or Knox, or Cranmer, the issue must have been the same. That I do not misinterpret the feelings of Dr. Haffner and his friends appears strongly in the published documents. The professor writes, for example, in a letter to Dr. Steinkopff,

"I should never have imagined that my preface, the evident tendency of which is to vindicate our sacred books against many profane criticisms, which I have been too often compelled to hear, in the course of my ministerial labours, now continued through forty years, should not only be misinterpreted, but even calumniated in the most scandalous and disingenuous manner. Meanwhile, all men of sense and propriety have been disgusted with the libel of a certain Mr. who wanders about our province, like a vagrant, obtruding himself sometimes in one place, and sometimes in another, with his sectarian notions, and, like the enemy, sowing tares by night, endeavours to alienate our congregations, which have hitherto enjoyed rest and tranquillity, from every regular minister called in conformity to the order of God."

I do not justify these proceedings on either side; I merely allude to them as illustrating the cause of the tenacity of the Strasburg Society in not exposing themselves, as they considered, to be triumphed over by visitors or missionaries from England, who had engaged in an active warfare with the ecclesiastical authorities of the place. I rejoice to say, that in the recent revival of religion in Switzerland, there are those who are far removed from the excesses either of Mr. Haldane's party or the Genevese pastors' party. Such men, for instance, as M. Gaussen, of Satigny, are truly the salt of the earth in that country. I name him, not in disrespect to others, but that I may be able to add the high esteem which, though a stranger, I feel for his character as a Christian and a minister, with my deep sympathies at the disgraceful persecution which has recently ejected him from his pastoral function. I pity also the victims, some of them now sainted victims, of ecclesiastical persecution in that country; though I can and do allow something for the feelings of the Swiss authorities who had been irritated by the spirit displayed by certain British travellers and agents, and which certainly was not according to the meekness that is in Christ. When Mr. Haldane is pleased to place such slight boundaries between Arminianism and Neology, and in good round terms to designate the Levades and Haffners and Kieffers of France and Switzerland as infidels," one cannot wonder at a little tenacity on the part of the ecclesiastical authorities of Strasburg in not wishing to take an act which would be represented as the consequence of this dictation. When Dr. Haffner and his friends really understood the matter, and felt that the Bible Society had nothing to do with these controversies, they yielded the point; otherwise all connexion must have been broken off, and they would most likely have formed a controversial tractsociety.

But I have been too long entangled in these petty details. It is politic in the opposers of this invaluable institution, to turn assailants, to harass its friends with vexatious or exaggerated charges, and to try to keep them as culprits on the defensive, when they have a full right to appear in a far different attitude. I feel degraded at having been