The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-02
Mr.. hue kiDgham's Lectures on the Middle


Ing at Clinton Hail. the fourth lecture of his course
the immediate subject selected for being
the extent to which the Bible read and studied by
the monks and clergy. and rendered by them access
sible to the people The announcement Of this topic
and Of the peculiar views which 1t the intention of
the lecturer tc maintain attrac ted large audi
which has gradually increased In numbers at every
successive lecture he has given and 1t was not diff
cult to perceive that u very strong impression was
created by the novel, striking, voumi nous and
whemiDg testimony which he adduced this inte-
resting question, casting an entirely light the
religious condition Of the middle ages, aud proving
most satisfactorily the truth the opinions 1t was
presented TO support. After few preliminary obser
Yaons so the nature of the expectations with which
the Investigation should be commenced, MIR. Backing
ham proceeded to the consideration Of the first point
to be examined--the possession of the scriptures by
the monks and clergy This was not left to their
individual choice il was matter of positive compul-
sion for the Of the church required every
priest prior to his ordinstion should certain
portions Ut the sacred writings. Every church and
monastery possessed copies the scrpure the
records OF medieval history, which cited great
length, are full of notices OF donations of bes such
establishments, by both lay and clerical be
and many authorities cited to prove ha it by
no means unusual for single church monastery to
potsets very many separate copies Of various portions
OF the Scriptures. Missionaries to heather nations
took with them copies OF the Bible; aad the same
book was the constant travelling companion Of the
monks and clergy who We're accustomed TO carry 1t
about with them in their journeyings. That they
in the constant habit of reading the Scriptures
NEST assiduously was demonstrated by variety Of
evidence Their study Of the fathers he proved to be
On indirect reading of the Bible, since their works
consisted Of scriptural commentary, largely inter-
spersed with scriptur quotations. but they we're also
mostdgent In reading the Bible for themselves The
monastc rules referred them to that volume as the
best guide to virtuous and holy life; the of
saints al the of councils pointed to 1t the
httest theme for their stady and meditation; and
their actice in perfect accordance with the ad
vice thus strongly incucated In their churches the
Bible was read with remarkable diligence; and private
scrPtuial reading occupied large share of their at
tention. The monks of various orders
PEELED by the rules Of their founders to commit the
Psalms, and IN some instances, the whole Of the
New Testament to memory and many instances
Cited of individuals who exceeded even these re-
quirements and cultivated equally familiar
quantance with other portions Of the sacred volume
This reading and committing to memory, was accom-
panied by careful study Of the Scriptures The
writing Of commentaries occupied large portion Of
biblical quotations, and their tone of thought and
style Of Language eminenty Scriptural and har
main, and evidence very advanced acquaintance
with Scriptural knowledge They were equally ASST
duous in multiplying copies Of the Bible and very
many Of these still in preservation, although the
custom which then prevailed Of binding Bibles and
portions Of Scripture in gold and silver plates, stud
ded with gems exposed them to greater peril than any
other books during the ravages of predatory warfare
Special regulations were made to secure the utmest
excellence IN this department Of their labor; and
some individuals peculiarly concentrated by mo-
nasic bographers for the astonishing fruits Of their
diligence in multiplying copies Of the Scriptures Mr..
made By the monks and cerry to render the ' Bible
accessible to the laity. or course they could not
so overcome the circumstances of the age to
der 1t possible for every man Co possess = Bible
Jealous as they were they could not perform mpossi-
bities; the utmost that could be expected of them
that they should make the best of the means
actually within their reach The church in those
ages opposed obstacles the reading of the Scrip
tures; on the contrary, her most strenuous efforts
devoted to the encouragement of this practice
which declared to be most conducive to spiritual
perfection. MIR. Buckingham entered into lengthsn-
ed ana eloquent vindication of the church in the
middle ages against these aspersons and pointed to
her universal Practice in many respects as an evil
dence Of her real feeling towards the Scriptures In
the earliest ages, nsatons made OF the Bible
into French, Anglo. Saxon, English, Gaelic, Gothic,
German, Italian, Bohemian, Arabic, Armenian, and
Russisn which were avowedly made for the use and
benefit If the lRty he proved by many authorities
The spiritual teachers urged their ocks to pursue the
reading Of the Scriptures the best guard against
temptation and the surest nelp TO virtue Books of
prayer and consisting of selected extracts
from the Bible appropriate to various crcu
were composed by the monks for the Of the aity
the gospels read and explained from the altar
tie native Language; laymen often gave Bibles to
churches and hasteries and bequeathed copies Of
the scriptures to their children in the monastc libra
ries, which were open and accessible to all, Bibles
were found IN abundance; and It was a isvorts
the churches for the of the people In the monss
tic schools the study of the sculptures formed prin
cpa feature of the course Of educaton by kings and
nUblee the reading Of the Bible pursued with zeal
and assiduity and no means were left unemployed
mark the yenerstion with which all classes regarded
the sacred volume
We have been compelled to csntsnt ourselves with
mere outline Of the matters treated Of in Mr. Buckng-
hams Heightened and brilliant lecture It would Be
vain to attempt to convey to readers in the
sary circumscrbed limits Of this report any Of the
evidence by which he sustained his various PROPOSE
tons but 1t was most abundant, curious, and con.
vincDg in Its character. In maintaining views so
lar opinion, he naturally abored under the greatest
disadvantage since at every STEP deeply rooted
prejudice had to be attacked and overthrown but it
IL due to him to say, that throughout the whole dis
course, he never moment, departed from the dis
passionate and tone Of scholarike cour-
tesy which Ia, chsrscterised his previous lectures
m mad wa ad hv
citstit Of numerous and erwheming testimonies;
and there we're any present who did not fully
struck by the new and interesting views which he
opened to them, of the spiritual condition of
cestors.
On Tuesday evening, Mr. Buckingham will deliver
the concluding lecture Of this course, In which he
to aGduce come further testimony with regard
to the Bible in the middle agee after the of
printing; and to add some observations the poti
cal and social features presented BY that period of
history. We have never, on any occasion, witnessed,
in this city large assembly of scholars dvines
and ltersti, of all classes and crseds; and We were
graed to see from the large ate Of the genter
equally lively interest In ouch topics As the room
may be inconvenie ntly crowded ON Tuesday next,
giving his closing lecture cspacieus building
CEN TAYLoR's LETTER TO SANTA ANNA.-The
NeW Orleans Bulletin has had an opportunity of
seeing the original Of the celebrated letter from Gen.
Taylor to Santa Anna, written the field Of Buena
Vista, In reply to the summons Of Santa Anna to
renoer Win nlS army. IL IL In the form OF Q not0
being on folded half sheet Of letter paper II Is in
pencil written BY Major, now COL Bliss and ,gned by
Gen Taylor. The writing Is very legble and Is in
the regular open hand Of Col Bliss, and With the
strongly marked signature Of Cen Taylor There is
nothing, either In tho note signature that indi-
Gates haste; but the contrary, judging from the
general appearance Of IT, should say that both the
writer and signer Of 1t, were " ss calm summers
morning when it wa. prepared Col. Bliss tell. the
editor OF the Bulletin that he wrote IL the top Of his
foraging cap placed his knee, sitting bank Of
EARTH Gen. Taylor debating the tenor Of it. and that
the latter did not sRn It, reported, horseback
but that he standing by the side Of his horse (Od
Whitsy) and laid the paper on the saddle and signed
with the pencil with which he Col Bliss wrote
1t. The gentleman Who brought this document from
Mexico, came passenger In the steamer feom Vera
Cruz with Mr.. Clifford our minister. He obtained is
in the city Of Mexico and intends to have IL elegantly
framed for preservation, he values 1t very highly
Though the letter Is familiar to all readers we give
the following rer6atim copy from the original -
HrADQUARTERs, ARMY OF OccuPATIoN,)