New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-12-05

The attendance ar the Fourth Lecture ~ Mr
Bleanghans course. on Friday evening proved ths
We ~ere correct Ia snuelyslons ias tie topic 81
noUnced Tor examination ia this discourse The Bib,
To- TIE Middle Ages, would attract numerous and 10
t-.iseut auditory Ever since the announcement o.
these Lectures The audience has steadily increased ana
on tas occasion very large sssenblage mad gathered
o-ether 70 hear toe exposition and defence Of the move
an9 peculiar views which the lecturer had promised q
maintain among those present We noticed Bishop
Hughes Of NewYork Bishop McCoskey OF Albany. and
Bishop Walsh Of Halifax y : and many ciergymen Of
various denominations and large number Of the fsii
grsced the sssemblage with their presence and ~
forded striking manifes,aron Of the deep Interest
which American women always display 20 the highest
branches OF Intellectual pursuit
The number and variety Of the matters discussed ir
Mr.. Bucking ham address snd tie amount OF tie
evidence by which he sustained snd demonstrated bic
various proportions renders Il almost impossible %
convey our readers faithful outline Of his lecture
within the necessarily restricted limits Of our report
he proved By the abduction Of multiplied and unan.
swerabe testimonies tina; the Monks and Clergy 10 the
Middle Ages 10 the constant habit Of reading and
study the Scriptures and Of the evidences Of
this which be cited such would put % the blush
many Of modern Bible readers. who have been &C.
customed 70 regard with contempt the memory Of
meufares occupied A large share OF their time and
Harmonles and ConcOrdances produced A. others
and st survive - evidences Of their dgent assduity
But they content with reading and STUDYING
the scriptures for themselves they did 81 in their
power % place them within the reach Of the people
Mr. Buckingham denied the accuracy Of the statement
That to- Church in the Middle Ages interiered % pre-
vent the diffusion Of the Scriptures among the atty On
the contrary he declared that Il her universal prsc
tce 70 manifest toward the Bible the most frvent and
r@7efenual Affection End be appealed TO her history
and the uniform tenor of her practice af0rdng the
most complete demonstration o. her real sentiments
with regard % the Scriptures lie maintained that 10
At she had exerted herself the preservs
ton OF the Bible 70 secure IN unmpsred integrity the
purity Oi the text OF Scripture, and 20 ncucste upon
her children the study Of the Inspired writings
guide 70 spiritual perfection lie nstanced the examples
OF - Benedict and e Anthony both OF whom referred
their disciples the Bible containing the perfect
rule 81 lie and cited the precepts OF - Jerome and
the remarks of many ancient ecclesiastical writers
precisely similar In their effect tn the Middle Ages
nous means were employed TO render the Scriptures
more accessible 20 the people. At very early period
Transactions were made into various modern languages
and copies yet ia existence Of various ancient
siOns in French. Italian Bohemian Arabic Armenian,
Gaelic, Gothic and Russian, al made during the early
part of the Middle Ages. Selections from the scrip
lures were made by the monks 10 serve manuals Of
devotion for the aty and in the churches the gospels
were reed and explained 10 them IN the vulgar tongue
Those who wished 10 read the Bible. and could not
afford 10 purchase copy for themselves had ready
cess 20 those in the m0nastc libraries. which were
always open b the people others were chained in the
churches for the especial OF the poor and for the
more minute study Of the Scriptures ample facilities
were provided In the monsstic schools Bible reading
was pursued by al classes of society kings MOBILES,
ladies and scholars alike devoted themselves 20 the
perusa of the Scriptures and the biogrsphers OF those
times apparently deemed It the highest praise they
could confer the objects OF their encomiums that
they were deeply versed in the knowledge Of the ga
cred volume.
We have briefly enumerated only few Of the many
matters discussed by Nh. Buckingham in his lucid and
eloquent discourse and each position he prOpounded
was sustained by numerous and wholly unansgerable
testimonies CLEANED from the ancient records OF su-
thenic history. The details which he presented
hioed the spiritual condition Of the Middle Ages In
light very different from that in which We have been
accustomed 20 contemplate H.
On Tuesday evening. Mr Buckingham will deliver
the last Lecture Of his Course, IN which he will add
farther observations the Bible in the Mid
die Ages and make remarks on the political as
poets OF that period of history As perceive by his
Prospectus that he is 20 maintain that the Monaseres
were the bulwarks OF Democracy, apprehend there
will be much curiosity TO hear his Lecture among those
who have hitherto looked upon them engines of y
ranny and consequently anticipate very full At