The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-22 00:00:00

THE DUKE OP ARGYLL ON SLAVERY AND

THE BIBLE.

At the annual meeting of the National Bible
' Society of Scotland, held at Edinburgh on Tueeday,
The Duke of ARGYLL presided, and made a speech on the
subject of bible circulation and interpretation. Arguing
that the bible cannot be safely trusted to the interpretatir
of any existing church, but must be left to the individual
ocesechree, be instanced the recent declaration of the
episcopal church of the Southern States of America, that
wire slavery Is a system on which they ought to plant their
national life, and that abolition is a crime, as showing bow
little churches of any kind can be safely entrusted with the
authorities interpretation of the ecriptures. " I really
believe," said his grace, "that it would be very &Sault
indeed to exaggerate the evil and the mischief of
such enunciation, of opinion em this coming from
any Christian church. We must remember that
the light of Christianity has spread beyond itself.
There are thousands of men in the United States who have
• keen sense of tie moral iniquity of the slave system, and
whose *Mess and views on what they call humanity and
natural juries are views which are really founded, although
, they know it sot, on the principles which Christianity hu
1 lased down, on the precepts which Christianity has made
' knows, and on the spirit which Christianity has spread eve&
over the world that lir beyond it. What opioion are those
ems likely to have of the Bible, wrier they go to it for their
own instruction, when they see its appointed guardians an-
Dotiocing that to doubt the divine institution of negro slavery,
with all its social injustice and iniquity. is an infidel opinion
is the view of a great Christian church? We bear a peat
deal just now of discussions in this country—discussions in-
volving the application of some rules of arithmetic to the
numbers and figures in the Pentateuch—and there is
great alarm felt by sone as to the effect which these specu-
lations will have on the cause of Christianity. I venture
to say that the evil effect of such opinion as those to which
I bare referred an coming from a Christian church is infi-
nitely greater than any evil that oould arise, though
Dr.Oolenso were to publish &similar to that be has lately
published every year of his life, sod though be were to live
to the age of Methuselah. (Cheers end laughter.) I ant
afraid it is calculated to spread • doubt as to the efficiency
of the Bible itself, in reaper to the light it holds up to
the eyes of men, and in respect to such questions of social
and political economy. But all I can say is that the answer
of the society is--spread the Bible ; let it speak for itself.
(Hear, hear.) That is our answer.'

ETON COLLIOL —The Christmas vacation termi-
nated only yesterday, is coesequeoce of the extra week
being gine through the marriage of her Royal Highs's@
the Princess Alice of Hesse, when the lower boys retorsed
to the school ; to-day the fifth form will return • sod to-
morrow the sixth fono, when the whole school ;rill hem
assembled.

COLON—It, HARE'S ESTATLY —The Hon. Colonel
Ham (says the Cleanse! Chronicle) is now visiting his estates
in the county of Limerick, over which the unfortunate
gentleman, .1. W. Braddell. Faq., was agent. O Thursday
he attended at the hotel, Tipperary, and collected his own
rents. He took the precaution of arming himself before
proceeding with a duty which had proved so terribly fatal
to Mr. Brad&11. The rents were duly paid. We under.
*tend that the honourable gentleman, with kind considers-
two, is allowing the widow of the murdered gentleman 1001.
• year, which be envie by out employing a new neat.
There is, we believe, another reason why Colonel Flare
bits determined to conduct the 'gooey himself ; an eject-
ment is pending against some of the Hayes family, and it is
likely it will have to be put into force, sod the proprietor
of the estate is nowilling to delegate the task to another,
but is hieing( resolved to undertake whatever legal pro-
ceedings may be deemed noisesary. It is stated that the
wife of Hayes, the man accused of Hr. Madden's murder.
and who, up to this time. has escaped the untiring vieilaaoe
of the authorities, actually presented a petition to Colonel
Hare to be permitted to remain ie the farm whisk her hus-
band had held.

MILITARY LIRRARIDI IN FsANCL—"The pro-
iect.* says the So/ve Publir of Lyons. "which ho s bees en
often is contemplstion of forming military libraries in
Francs, bee been again and more seriously brought forward.
Thera has for some time already existed regimental Libra-
ries, but the books are kept at the depot of the corps,
where they only serve for a very small Dumber of persona.
It would be difficult Rod expensive to move libraries about
with the battalions and squadrons of the active army, but
they might be formed is the large towns where troops are
more permanently quartered, as is the saes in England. Ger-
many, and even Spaio. It is on that basis, it is said, that
the question is sow being studied.'