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says, 'I could wish that myself were ac cursed from Christ for my brethren,' where probably the idea is rather of excommunisation. The word rendered accursed in I Cor. xi. 3, is anathema in the original, 'No man calleth Jesus accursed.' In 1 Cor. xvi. 22, we read,—'If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema;' that is, if any professed Christian be not so in heart, let him be cut off from the church. The words maran atha have nothing to do with the curse, but signify the Lord is at hand,' indicating, after the prevalent opinion of the day, that Christ was about to return 'to execute judgment' (Jude 14, 15), 'being revealed in flaming fire, taking vengeance' (2 Thess. i. 8, 9). If any one preach any other gospel, let him be accursed,-anathema (Gal. i. 8, 9; see also Mark xiv. 71).

We find the following very pertinent remarks by Bungener in his "History of the Council of Trent,' on the frequent use of this word, anathema, by the Church of Rome. 'That word,' says he, 'Rome understood, and had always caused to be understood, in the most terrifying sense that it could bear. Anathema, among the Greeks, signified origin ally deposited in a temple consecrated to a god. Afterwards it meant consecrated to the infernal gods, that is, accursed. In passing over to Christianity this last meaning was aggravated by the idea of a far more terrible hell than that of the Pagans. To be anathema meant to be damned, and to be damned to all eternity.

'Will it be said that St. Paul used this expression? In fact, "If any man preach any other gospel let him be anathema (Gal. i. 9). But besides that, this formula, still quite Pagan, could not have had any very precise meaning under his pen; it is one thing to curse in general, whosoever announces another gospel, and quite another thing to attach this awful sanction to each of the points of detail of which it is maintained that the Christain faith is composed. Then, again, has the Church necessarily the right to do what an apostle did under the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Every objection to its infallibility and we have seen whether there be few of them-is an objection to the right of the anathema.' It is farther to be borne in mind, that what Paul anathematises is the crime of preaching another gospel as of Heaven, while Rome reserves her anathemas for those whose reason cannot receive doctrines delivered on her own authority.

The act of anathematising is a very unseemly one for beings to perform who are so frail, erring, and sinful as men. Nor can any one plead an immunity from such a liability to mistake, as disqualifies man for being the judge of his fellow-man. And those who by their true holiness of character approach most nearly to such an immunity, will, like the great Master whom they resem

ble, prefer blessing instead of cursing their brethren of mankind. It is an easy, though a very wrong, thing to anathematise. Persons who are in the lowest grade of culture, easily surpass in this unseemly act men that are least disqualified to judge others. Ignorant zeal may outdo the knowledge of an apostle, and the sanctity of a seraph.

The Maronite clergy in the mountains of Lebanon have at their command a fearful word of execration -a word that excites unbounded horror; but its use is rare. This word, applied to an individual, bars every door against him, and cuts him off from all social intercourse. This word the more terrible since its import is left to the imagination-is fra-masson, a corruption of franc-maçon, a freemason. A Christian of Lebanon believes that a freemason is a horrible being, whose soul is devoted to perdition, and who has constant dealings with Satan; possessing a thousand means of working mischief even on the faithful.

The Apostle to the Gentiles has left an exhortation which the Christian church needs no less in this day than it did when it was first uttered, 'Let us not therefore judge one another any more; but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall, in his brother's way' (Rom. xiv. 13).

ANDREW (G. manly), one of the first disciples - if not the first-of Christ (Matt. iv. 18. Mark i. 16. John i. 40), and brother (whether younger or older is not known) of the apostle Peter. His native place was Bethsaida, on the Lake Gennesareth, where he with his brother carried on the trade of fishing (Matt. iv. 18). Before he joined Jesus, he had been a disciple of John the Baptist (John i. 35-40). În the evangelical narra

tives, we find him in constant and intimate connection with the Saviour (John vi. 8; xii. 22. Mark xiii. 3). The Book of Acts merely mentions him once (i. 13) - a fact which, with others of a similar nature, may serve to show, that the accounts of the early church that have come down to us by no means contain the entire history: probably more has been lost than we actually possess. Tradition makes him travel as a missionary into many countries, Scythia, Asia Minor, Thrace, Macedonia, and Achaia; and, at the order of the Roman proconsul, whose wife and brother he had converted, to suffer martyrdom, in the cause of his Master, at Patræ, in Achaia, on the Gulf of Lepanto, on a kind of cross, named, from him, 'Saint Andrew's Cross,' of the shape shown in the cut (crux decussata).

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We here give an engraving of the full fi gure of the apostle Andrew; intending to add one of each of the apostles. These are all taken from the celebrated bronze statues of the Twelve Apostles by Peter Vischer, which adorn the mausoleum of Saint Sebaldus, at

Nürenberg. The originals are twenty-one inches high. They were made between the years 1508 and 1519, by Vischer and his five sons. To each of the apostles some distinctive sign or attribute was given by Christian art, at a time when men were more wont than they are now to speak by symbols. Sometimes more attributes than one were given. Saint Andrew's attribute is his cross.

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By putting together the evangelical acecunts (Matt. iv. 18. Mark i. 16. John i. 35), we gain the following view of the call of Andrew: Being present when John the Baptist declared, - -Behold the Lamb of God,' and understanding this to mean the Messiah, Andrew, as an obedient hearer of John, immediately followed Jesus. This was the commencement of his discipleship. He had passed from the school of John to that of Jesus. Having received and proclaimed the Messiah, he resumed the duties of his calling, in the pursuit of which, on the Gallilæan Lake, he received from the Master his call to the apostleship, when he gave up all, in order to co-operate in founding the kingdom of God.

The calls which our Lord gave to the apostleship were not made indiscriminately. Andrew had received the preparatory disci pline of John's instructions, and appears to have naturally possessed a mind open to the reception of divine truth. How interesting to see John ushering his own disciples into the Christian church! Genuine benevolence keeps the bosom free from the agitations of jealous rivalry.

ANGEL (G. messenger), a Greek word in English letters, which stands as the representative of & Hebrew term denoting one that

is sent. The general conception of the IIabrews was, that God was a sovereign, seated in heaven, surrounded by his angels, or ministers, by whose instrumentality he carried on the government of the world. The reader should, at the first, make a careful distinction between the Hebrew Malach (Greek, Aggelos) and the ordinary term 'angel;' for, though the latter is connected in meaning with the former, it represents, in the mind of a modern, an idea different from what Malach stands for; comprising notions and opinions for which Hebraism, in its early purity, is by no means responsible. Perhaps the distinction may be preserved by translating Malach literally, namely, as 'messenger, and by adhering to that designation generally.

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The great idea of the Bible is, that all things are of God;- - an idea which the highest philosophy approves, and which the interests of piety, no less than the instinctive feelings of man's breast, require and welcome. Hence, a particular providence passes into a general providence, in such a sense that the supervision is necessarily particular, because it is universal. "There is a special Providence in the fall of a sparrow.' But auniversal agency on the part of God does not exclude instruments, otherwise human acts would be mere shows and illusions. But if man, so other beings, may be employed in a series of instrumental causes. Thus the employment of messengers is in keeping with the general plan of creation and providence. Man, and all below him, are so employed; why not superior beings? But do such exist? The analogy of nature gives an answer in the affirmative, unless it is thought probable that the scale of being, after rising from the zoöphyte through numberless gradations, stops suddenly at man, leaving unfilled with life the infinite vacuum which is between man and God. There is, in consequence, no antecedent presumption against the doctrine of angels.

The great object of the Biblical writers was to speak of God and man in the relations which they bear, and in which they ought to stand, one towards another. Hence God is the Creator, man the creature; God the Sovereign, man the subject; God the Judge, man the criminal; God the Father, man the son. Whatever is needful to illustrate and enforce these relations, is recorded directly and repeatedly. Extraneous things, or things bearing but slightly on these relations, are either omitted, or partially and incidentally introduced. Accordingly, while the Bible narrates with care the creation of man, and the heavens and earth, it communicates no information as to the origin, or, strictly speaking, as to the nature of God's messengers: their existence, their attributes, their rank in creation, their agency, are all left to be learned inferentially-so far as they

may be so learned-from the several records. Hence a less degree of certainty regarding them than that which attends on the great truths of religion; and hence the impropriety of dogmatism on the subject. At a later period, when oriental philosophy came to play a part in forming and colouring opinions entertained by the descendants of Abraham, the doctrine of angels was rendered both more ample and more definite; losing, however, in credibility and acceptableness, what it gained in magnitude.

Agreeably with the view just taken, we find men designated by the term messenger or angel; as prophets (Hag. i. 13. Mal. iii. 1) and priests (Mal. ii. 7. Eccles. v. C), in consequence of their having a divine office to fulfil; and even the entire people of Israel, as originally set apart for the purpose of preserving and diffusing the doctrine of the divine unity, is described under the character of a messenger or angel in Isa. xlii. 19.

In a description of the Almighty, to which no other than the Hebrew muse was equal (Ps. civ. 4), the fire and wind are set forth as angels or ministers of God:

He maketh the winds his messengers; Flaming fire his ministers.' The entire 148th Psalm offers a beautiful illustration of the way in which the Hebrews animated and personified all nature-setting forth every part as a living servant of the one all-presiding Mind.

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'God standeth in the assembly of the mighty; lle judgeth among the gods '—

illustrates the general idea of an august oriental court, in which the monarch is surrounded by his counsellors and servants (1 Kings xxii. 19. Job i. 6); who, being hosts in number, worship around his throne, hearkening unto the voice of his word, and execute his commandments, since they excel in strength (Ps. ciii. 19—21).

Having given the general idea, we leave particulars for the reader's own study; adding, however, one or two remarks: - We must carefully distinguish between the Hebrew and the Jewish conception on this subject- the old view which has now been set forth, and the new doctrine as imported into Judaism after the exile, from the Zoroaster. Chaldaic philosophy. From the latter arose the distinction between good and bad angels -their qualities, functions, rank, names; forming a celestial and demoniacal hierarchy; becoming a sort of Judaical polytheism; and, like all polytheisms, interfering with the due recognition of the sole Creator and Preserver of the universe.

The reference to the celestial hierarchy, in the New Testainent, is sparing and occasional. Paul speaks of the second coming of Jesus (1 Thess. iv. 16) as taking place with a voice of an archangel' (so the words run in the Greek); which may mean an angelic, that is, a celestial voice, teaching nothing as to the existence of archangels, except the general spread of a belief therein. An angel of Jehovah appeared to Joseph, Mary's husband; also to Mary herself, as well as to Elizabeth (Matt. i. 20; comp. Luke i. 11, 19, 26). In Luke i. 19, the angel thus announces himself, 'I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God;'-words which may aid us toward a right conception of our Lord's language in Matt. xviii. 10, where, of little children, he saysTheir angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.' As with Gabriel it was a token of very high rank and dignity to stand before the face of God, so the highest members of the heavenly host-those, that is, who were constantly before the throne of God, serving him day and night- had the office of guarding, protecting, and guid ing the young; -a very impressive and beautiful way of describing, especially to the Jewish mind, God's peculiar care and kind providence over the young: comp. Ps. xxxiv. 7. Gen. xxx. 1, 2.

With this strong tendency to make all things in this lower sphere live, the Israelites were little likely to leave unpeopled the boundless regions of the unknown; nor would their piety allow them to be content with the abstract, unquickening, and barren conception of a God who merely dwelt above, without holding commerce with man; nor would the reverence which enters for so large a part into all true piety, permit them to think that the Creator himself incessantly interposed in mundane and human affairs. A middle point was necessary- — an idea which would bring into harmony the piety which made God all in all, and the reverence which preserved his majesty unsullied. Hence the conception of messengers of a higher order of existence; beings who were less remote than man from the Creator; endowed with nobler faculties, more power, more wisdom-in some sense, spirits;-beings less strongly bound to the stern conditions of material life, and able, as well as, by the goodness of their nature, willing, in the execution of the divine bebests, to render suitable aid to men, and convey to them a knowledge of the will of God (2 Sam. xiv. 17, 20; xix. 27). Though, as compared with the great source of per- ANISE (a Greek word in English letters), fection, these beings were not free from an odorous plant, not unlike fennel. Its faults (Job iv. 18), yet, in consequence of fruit is employed medicinally as a carminatheir high spiritual endowments, they are tive. It was formerly used for condiments,

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ANNAS (H.), a Jewish high priest, in whose period of office, the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, A.D. 28, the word of God, according to Luke iii. 1 and 2, came to John the Baptist. Josephus (Antiq. xviii. 2. 1) informs us, that Cyrenius, the imperial representative in Judea, in the thirty-seventh year after Cæsar's victory over Antony at Actium (A.D. 6 or 7), having deprived Joazar of the high priesthood, appointed to that office Annas, who was the son of a certain Seth. The office was held by Annas till the death of Augustus (A.D. 13), whose successor, Tiberius, sent (A.D. 14) Rufus to be procurator of Judea. Rufus appointed, in place of Annas, Ishmael, son of Phabi, who in a little while was forced (A.D. 15) to give place to Eleazar, son of Annas. After one year of office, Eleazar was replaced by Simon, son of Camithus, who, in his turn, was, in a twelvemonth, superseded by Joseph Caiaphas, son-in-law of Annas. The latter remained in office till A.D. 36, and is mentioned by Luke in conjunction with Annas. The following, then, are the high priests from Annas to Caiaphas: —

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Now, the fifteenth of Tiberius was A.D. 28: thus, then, it is clear that one of the high priests mentioned by Luke was in the office; for he held that office from A.D. 17 to 30. But Luke affirms that Annas was high priest as well. Now, that Annas was alive, and in a public recognised office, after A.D. 28, is clear from the fact, that Jesus was first led to Annas, who sent him to his son-in-law Caiaphas (John xviii. 13, 24); whence we learn that Annas had high, if not supreme, power. But it was customary for those who had held the office of high priest to retain the title. Indeed, they acted conjointly with the reigning high priest, serving as his substitute and representative, and combining with himself to form the council of state or cabinet,-whence it is that Annas and Caiaphas are mentioned conjointly by Luke. The three intervening high priests are not named by the evangelist, probably because he considered it enough to mention the two extreme ones, since the others were of less consideration, their period of office being very short; or because they were dead.

Five sons of Annas came to the dignity of high priest; the last of whom, says Josephus, was bold, and very insolent He

assembled the Sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose (the brother's) name was James, and some of his companions; and when he had formed an accusation against them, as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned' (Antiq. xx. 9. 1). This is a remarkable testimony to the historical truth of Christianity; the ra ther, as it falls from the pen of one who was not a Christian, inadvertently and en passant. It should be mentioned, however, that Lardner, and other 'learned men, of good judgment,' have, probably without sufficient reason, pronounced this passage an interpolation.

The reader will have seen that the office of high priest was now not hereditary, nor for life, but depended entirely on the will of the Roman officers. Indeed, in the seventy years which preceded the destruction of Jerusalem, there were not fewer than twentysix high priests, only one of whom retained the office till his death.

ANOINTING (L. oiling), a custom which was, and is still, spread throughout the East, of pouring or rubbing scented oils on persons, in token of respect or gratitude. There is a close resemblance in regard to customs of anointing between the Egyptians and the Hebrews: the latter appear to have borrowed from the former; and therefore a brief statement of some usages among the Egyptians, will throw light on the practices of the Hebrews.

Anointing was an essential part of the ceremony used at the coronation of a king. The sculptures represent the deities themselves officiating on the occasion, and thus convey an exalted notion of the esteem in which monarchy was held in Egypt. But, whether anointed by gods, or their vicars, the priests, a duly appointed king was honoured with the title, the anointed of the gods.' With the Egyptians as with the Jews (Exod. xxviii. 41), the investiture to any sacred office, as that of king or priest, was confirmed by anointing; and, as the Jewish lawgiver mentions the ceremony of pouring oil upon the head of the high priest after he had put on his entire dress, so the Egyptians represent the anointing of their priests and kings, after they were attired in their robes, with the cap and crown on their head. The Egyptians anointed also the statues of the gods. Anointing was, moreover, the ordinary token of welcome to guests; and, in Egypt no less than in Judea, the expression ' anointed with the oil of gladness,' was fully understood. A servant attended every guest, and, when he had seated himself, anointed his head. This was one of the chief tokens of welcome. The ointment was sweet-scented. The Egyptians were very partial to the use of this luxury. The odorous oil was con.

tained sometimes in an alabaster, sometimes in a porcelain vase; and so strong was the odour, that it has been known to retain its scent for several hundred years. One of the alabaster vases in the museum at Alnwick Castle holds some of this ancient ointment, which is said to retain its odour, though it is now between two and three thousand years old. Nor was anointing confined to the living: the dead were anointed, in affectionate remembrance and regret, by bereaved survivors. The head even of the bandaged mummy, and the case which contained it, were anointed with oils and precious oint

ments.

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enjoyed by only the rich and luxurious (Amos vi. 6). Princes had, as wardrobes, so repositories of prepared unguents (Isa. xxxix. 2). These oils were a regular article of trade, held and sold in vases, alabaster boxes, which were well fitted to preserve the odour. The preparing of these unguents required much skill, and became the work of a special class (Exod. xxx. 25, 35. Eccles. x. 1. Neh. iii. 8). A very precious oil the holy oil- -was used in the service of the tabernacle, and might not be put to any ordinary purposes (Exod. xxx. 22, seq.; xxxv. 15; xxxvii. 29. Numb. iv. 16).

ANON (T. in one moment) is equivalent to the common words immediately, instantly. The Greek original corresponds with our directly, and is translated by straightway, forthwith, immediately; but, in Mark i. 30, by this word anon. Whenever' is prefixed, as 'ever and anon,' or 'anon' is repeated, the meaning is, now and then, or now — now, or from time to time.

Have ye seen the morning sky,
When the dawn prevails on high;
When, anon, some purple ray
Gives a sample of the day;

When, anon, the lark on wing
Strives to soar, and strains to sing?'
PHILLIPS.

The custom of anointing seems to owe its origin to considerations connected with health and comfort; for, in hot climates, the evaporation from the body is so great as to be offensive, requiring to be counteracted by sweet-smelling odours, and sometimes proves so excessive as to make the skin injuriously dry, and to interfere with the insensible perspiration, rendering some lubricating substance both useful and pleasant. Pleasure and utility were in this, as in other cases, recommended by the sanctions of religion, as well as honoured by the observances of private life. Hence, agreeable images are in Scripture borrowed from the practices of anointing. It was no small ANTICHRIST (G. opposed to Christ), any pleasure that these communicated. 'Oint- power or influence which subverts the aims ment and perfume rejoice the heart' (Prov. of Christ. Such is the meaning of the term, Ixvii. 9). Brides, after having been washed, according to its etymology. Its specific were anointed (Ezek. xvi. 9). It was con- scriptural application may be learned from sidered an indispensable part of the pre- the instances in which it is applied. Its use paration of the person for rare and great is confined to two Epistles of John. In the occasions (Ruth iii. 3. 2 Sam. xiv. 2). first (ii. 18), it is declared, that, even then, Anointing was accounted among the high- there were many antichrists prevalent; and est luxuries with the Jews, if it was not also their existence is given as a proof of the reckoned among the necessaries of life: near approach of the expected second aphence it is set in comparison even with a pearance of Christ. The train of thought good name' (Eccles. vii. 1). As being a which the writer pursues, leads us to the source of enjoyment, anointing was omitted conclusion, that these antichrists were during a season of mourning, but gone the love of the world, and the things that through as soon as ever the grief had come were in the world; which, as comprising low, to an end (2 Sam. xii. 20; xiv. 2. Dan. sensual affections, as well as idolatrous practices, was, in agreement with the general doctrine of Scripture, incompatible with the love of the Father, and the service of his Son. Accordingly, the apostle, in the twentysecond verse, expressly declares antichrist to be the denial of the Father and the Son; in other words, the practical renunciation of Christianity. This is confirmed by the third verse of the fourth chapter, where antichrist is defined to be every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh; in which, reference seems to be made specially to that theorising spirit, which, arising at an early period, asserted that Jesus was a man in appearance only, and gave occasion eventually to some forms of the religious philosophy which bore the name of Gnosticism, so early did the rudiments of this world' begin to corrupt the pure doctrine of heaven. The

3). It was customary to anoint the beard, the hair of the head, the limbs, especially the face; also the clothes and the bed; and, when the intention was to show to any one ■ distinguished mark of respect, the feet were anointed. The sick were anointed in the hope of their being thus restored to health (James v. 14). Sought for as a medicine, anointing was also regarded as a protection: hence shields were anointed (2 Sam. i. 21). Corpses were also subjected to anointing. Priests, prophets, and kings, were consecrated to their office by anointing; and even the vesels employed in the service of the tabernacle were anointed before they were used.

The anointing oil was sometimes simple, sometimes compound. Olive-oil, spikenard, myrrh, cassia, &c. were employed. The richer preparations were very costly, and

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