him to have been the second Person in the Trinity. Instead of "Elihu, the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the tribe of Ram," as we have him described in our version, the latter commentator reads "Elihu, the blessed Son of God, of the lineage of the Most High." In reality, however, Elihu speaks just as an intelligent scribe might be expected to speak. He lived considerably later than the hero of the book, and had attained to somewhat clearer views, as to the meaning of suffering and the dealings of God with man, than were possessed by the afflicted patriarch. But just for that very reason we may be sure such a speaker would never have been added by the author of the poem, who was an artist of the very highest type. A true poet does not, of course, introduce everything that he knows, but only such portions of his knowledge as will help to perfect his poem in its unity. The fact that the author of the Book of Job could solve some of Job's difficulties, was no sort of reason for his solving them. He conceived of Job as a man in whose mental experience these difficulties had never been logically answered. In the poem, therefore, which is devoted to describing Job's experiences, logic would be out of place. If argument had been the poet's aim, there surely

would have been a splendid display of it in the climax of the poem-viz., in Jehovah's speech. But there is none. That speech is not an argument at all, but a mere outburst of feeling. It is an appeal to the emotional side of Job's nature, not to the intellectual. But the copyist who interpolated Elihu's speech did not see the purport of the poem. He was strong in logic, but weak in art. He imagined that the author's chief purpose was the discussion of mental difficulties, not the description of mental experience. He was probably, like the character whom he interpolated, a young man, full of the impetuosity and conceit from which very few young men are altogether free. As he read the poem,

that his own pet ideas

Feeling that he had

As

he was astonished to find had not been introduced. it in his power to answer some of Job's objections, and to set the three friends right, he could not bear that this ability should be wasted. the discussion goes, in his view of it, limping along, he feels constrained to interfere. He fancied he was coming to the assistance of the poet by strengthening his argument, when in reality he was only spoiling his poem.

Elihu, then, is to be regarded as the exponent of the copyist's opinions and feelings. And if

we take his speech by itself, out of connection with the poem which it mars, it becomes very interesting and suggestive. The new speaker is introduced with the remark that his wrath was kindled against Job for justifying himself, and against the friends for condemning him, without being able to prove that he was in the wrong. He begins apologetically.

I am young and ye are old. But, after all, it is not years which teach wisdom; that only comes from the inspiration of the Almighty. Therefore listen to me. None of you has refuted Job. .I gather from your silence that you have perceived your failure. But as for me, I am full of words. I can restrain myself no longer. I must speak out. And I intend to speak plainly my honest conviction. Although I am but a man, I feel that I am inspired by the Almighty.

I could hardly believe my ears, Job, when you said, "I am pure and spotless and free from sin. God is spying out all my ways, determined to condemn and convict me." Why did you assert that He is an autocrat, giving no account of His dealings, and altogether refusing to speak to men? He does speak to them if they would but hear. He speaks, first of all, in visions of the night. By them He admonishes us, trying to reclaim us

from our evil ways, and to hold us back from destruction. Then, too, He has another way of speaking-viz., by pain, when we writhe upon our beds in agony and the angel of death comes very near. With the suffering He sends an interpreter, one of His thousand messengers, to reveal to us the meaning of our painful experience. If we listen to the interpreter and profit by his teaching, then God has pity on us. Hesays to the angel of death, "Deliver him from going down into the pit, for I have found a ransom; he has learnt his lesson—there is no need for his being any further afflicted." And so the sorrowful soul, restored to health and joy, chants God's praises and says, "I have sinned, but I am not requited as I deserve: He hath rescued my soul from going down to the grave: I live and behold the light."

Have you anything to answer, Job? If not, listen to me, and I will teach you wisdom.

In the next chapter, Elihu proceeds to vindicate the Almighty from Job's accusation of injustice. Such an accusation, he tries to show, is irrational and unphilosophical.

God must be just, and must requite men according to their deserts, for the following reasons. First, He can have no motive for doing otherwise.

Had He

He made rich and poor, high and low, alike. Why, then, should He treat them unequally? Second, injustice is fatal to authority. been unjust, He would long ago have ceased to be worshipped. Men would have rebelled against His impious rule. Third, He must take a positive interest in the welfare of His creatures, or else He would not have created them, He would not continue to sustain them. If He lived for Himself alone, He would withdraw His quickening breath, and men would return to dust. His troubling Himself to maintain the world proves that He must have for it a kindly regard. And fourth, His justice is demonstrated by actual facts. In the long-run it fares ill with evil-doers. For a time they may prosper, but in the end they are always overthrown-sometimes in the stillness of the night by an unseen hand, sometimes in open day and in the sight of all.

Since, then, God is just in all His dealings, it behoves every sufferer to humble himself under the divine chastisement; and to bethink himself that he may have sinned unconsciously, if not consciously. His prayer should be, "What I know not, teach Thou me, that if I have done evil, I may do so Are you to dictate to God? All wise men must agree, Job, that you have spoken fool

no more."