’Ask them about the object of prophecy, and they will say, in quaint expression, it is true, what is tantamount to this—­it was not only a prediction of things to come, but a chief means of keeping before the minds of the Jews the knowledge of God’s true character as the moral Governor of their nation, and gradually the knowledge was given of His being the Lord and Ruler of all men.  The Prophet was the teacher of the present generation as well as the utterer of truths that, when fulfilled in after ages, would teach future ages.

’I mention these fragmentary sentiments, merely to show you how I can carry these fellows into a region where something more than memory must be exercised.  The recurrence of the same principles upon which God deals with us is an illustration of what I mean; e.g., the Redemption out of Egypt from the Captivity and the Redemption involve the same principle.  So the principle of Mediation runs through the Bible, the Prophet, Priest, King, &c.  Then go into the particular Psalm, ask the meaning of the words, Anointed, Prophet, Priest, King--how our Lord discharged and discharges these offices.  What was the decree?  The Anointed is His Son.  “This day have I begotten Thee”—­ the Eternal Generation—­the Birth from the grave.  His continual Intercession.  Take up Psalm cx., the Priest, the Priest for ever, not after the order of Aaron.  Go into the Aaronical Priesthood.  Sacrifices, the idea of sacrifice, the Mosaic ritual, its fulfilment; the principle of obedience, as a consequence of Faith, common to Old and New Testaments, as, indeed, God’s Moral Law is unchangeable, but the object of faith clearly revealed in the New Testament for the first time, &c., &c.

’Christ’s Mediatorial reign, His annihilation of all opposition in the appointed time, the practical Lesson the Wrath of the Lamb.

’Often you would find that pupils who can be taught these things seem and are very ignorant of much simpler things; but they have no knowledge of books, as you are aware, and my object is to teach them pretty fully those matters which are really of the greatest importance, while I may fill up the intervening spaces some day, if I live.  To spend such energy as they and I have upon the details of Jewish history, e.g., would be unwise.  The great lessons must be taught, as, e.g., St. Paul in 1 Cor. x. uses Jewish history.

’October 15, I finished my last chapter of St. John’s Gospel in the Mota language; we have also a good many of the Collects and Gospels translated, and some printed.  What is better than to follow the Church’s selection of passages of Scripture, and then to teach them devotionally in connection with the Collects?

’Brooke works away hard at his singing class in the afternoon.  We sing the Venite, Magnificat, Nunc dimittis, &c., in parts, to single and double chants, my old favourite “Jacob’s” for the Venite, also a fine chant of G. Elvey’s.  They don’t sing at all well, but nevertheless, though apt to get flat, and without good voices, there is a certain body of sound, and I like it.  Brooke plays the harmonium nicely.