The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-05-12


that this passage is taken from Hp-
sea, TX, /, but itevidently plain
liz appears on examination not to be
prophetical, but to have reference to
a long past action, viz: The call Of
the children Of Israel uut Of Egypt
The prophets words are, when Is
rael was child (when the nation
was young, then loved him, aud !
called my son Of Egypt Moses
calls Israel Gods son in his demand
before pharoh Exod.) SO that this
passage could not be fulfilled in Je-
sus' return, since it is no prediction.
Please to notice that Luke IN all tbs
thing eoatradicts Manheta; for accord
ing to him, they brought Jesus to
Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,
and to offer the appointed sacrifice,
duke II, II 80, whence when they
had performed all things according
to the Law Of the Lord they returned
into GaliIee, to their own city Of
Nazareth which if true, puts Mat
thew ont with his whole narration.
A. The other passage or prophecy
which / think TO be cited by Mat
thew, and said by him to be fnlflled,
in consequence of the discovery
'whichathe wise men made to Herod,
il brought in on the occasion Of the
slaushter which. he SAYS, Herod
made of the babes in Bethlehem
"Then (says he) was fulfilled that
which was spoken by jeremiah, the
prophet, saying, in Rama, was there
a voice heard, lamentations, and
weeping and great mourning, Rachel
weeping for her children, and would
not be comfprled, because they are
not" (Matthew II, 1G1S.) Please
turn in your Bible to jeremiah
XXXI, IL, and you will find that it
evidently and plainly relates to the
sufferings of the ten tribes and their
glorious return. The strongest con-
frmation that the whole story of the
wise men was invented to usher in
the accommodation of the three cited
passages is, that Luke is silent about
it, and gives an entire differentrela-
ton of the circumstances of his birth.
He substitutes the story ofthe Shep-
herds who kept watch (II, 5000 |
have observed. before his differing al
SO concerning the journeyto Egypt,
So neither does he mention the mas
sacre of the babes by Herod, but
places the birth of Jesus at the time
when Cyrenius (lat. Quiriniusl was
made Governor Of Syria, which was
several years after King Herod's
death, Judea being annexed to Syria.
| (JoSephus Antiq. Kill, ~ "For it
was Cyrenius province to taxand as
sess those people, and make seizure
of the moneys and moveablcs Of
Archelaus," who had succeeded his
father Herod, but was deposed by
the Roman Emperor. 1t was OH &C.
casion of this tax that Joseph and
Mary went to Bethlehem. sand so
it was, that, while they were there,
the days we're accomplished that she
should be delivered; and she brought
forth her first horn SON." duke II,
4-S.) But had he been born in Her.
dds time, it must appear very sur
prising and incredible that none bnt
Matthew should relate this most bar
barous and inhuman act.
Josephus is very circumstantial
and very particularly describes the
cruelties which this barbarous King
committed; and yet says not word
concerning this bloody deed, which
he would most certainly have related
had it been true; for he was not
lsparing Of his character. II is mere
trifling to pretend, as some do, that
Josephus purposely concealed this
butchery to avoid giving counten-
ance to the Evangelist. For even if
true, and related assuch by Josephus,
it could only prove the jealousy Of
Herod, but never that another King
was really born. But surely they
cannot and dare not tax Luke with
any such design; yet tits plain from
his placing the birth Of Jesus when
Cyrenius was Governor of Syria, an
event that happened after the death
of Herod, that Jesus could not be
born during his reign. The agree
ment Of Josephus and Luke in this
particular, and Luke's silence in
these affairs and never mentioning
anything to lave happened under
Herod. is equal TO a demonstration
against the facts as recorded by Mat
thew.
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.
The General Conference OF the NJ.
E. Church is now in session at Gin
cinnati. This body meets quadren-
nially and is the law,making body
of that church. 1t is composed Of
some four hundred Of the picked men
of the church. Several things will
come before that body, Of import
ance to Methodism. Several new
bishops will be elected The presi.
ding elder question will claim atten-