35 



for his learned works. I would also say, with reference to the Jews, 

 that if they have not shown a natural capacity for spiritual religion, 

 they have, at any rate, displayed a great natural capacity in other 

 respects. I would add, with regard to that race, that if we want 

 to understand why they became the chosen people of God, we have 

 only to look round at the present day and see what they have 

 become amongst ourselves. When we remember that it was only as 

 yesterday that one of those people was directing the destinies of this 

 country, and when we find so many of this scattered race occupying positions 

 of great influence and control in so many other countries of the world, 

 I say that we have at this moment evidence of the superior capacity of 

 the Jewish people, if they had chosen to use it in the light in which Gcd 

 had given it to them. But they have thrown God spiritually aside, and 

 they have been thrown over by God themselves ; but this has not been 

 for any want of natural capacity, but rather through making too much 

 use of their natural capacity, and forgetting their dependence on God. 



Rev. H. G. TOMKINS. My reply to what has been said must be 

 chiefly by way of congratulation on having heard so much since I sat down, 

 from so many distinguished sources. I have only to defend myself 

 against the imputation of falsifying what St. Paul says about Melchizedek. 

 It is true that St. Paul speaks of Melchizedek as King of Righteous- 

 ness and King of Peace, but not in the first instance, for it was 

 notorious that Salem was the place of which he was King ; and in 

 a similar way St. Paul says he was King of Righteousness ; but that 

 does not falsify the primary use of the word ' ' Zedek," and therefore it is not 

 at all illogical for a Christian man to suppose that "Zedek," as a Divine 

 attribute, may have been compounded in the name of Melchizedek, just as 

 Salem, which does mean peace in the abstract sense, was yet the name of 

 a place, and was adopted by St. Paul in a secondary manner for his 

 argument. No doubt there are many other points one might follow up 

 with the greatest interest, such as " Aujeh" and "Og," which may have 

 meant the crooked man ; but I am not responsible for this. I can only add 

 that what has been said has been extremely interesting. 



The meeting was then adjourned. 



ADDITIONAL EEMAKKS BY THE AUTHOR. 



Since the foregoing discussion took place I have received from Professor 

 Maspero a most obliging and interesting letter, of which the former part 

 consists of critical observations on my paper. M. Maspero writes : 



BOULAQ, le 21 Mai, 1882. 



Monsieur, Vous m'excuserez si je n'ai pas re"pondu plus tot a votre 

 aimable lettre : les eveaements politiques sont venus compliquer mes occu- 

 pations journalieres et m'enlever le peu de temps dontje disposals. Je 



