With 'the witness' as a 'symbol of service' we bring to a close this

phase of our subject.  Under the title of these studies: 'What manner of

persons ought ye to be', there is of course much more to be found than can be

comprised under the heading of 'Service', and these other aspects of

Christian Witness form the body of this practical volume.  Meanwhile, may

every reader realize the service he is called upon to perform as a

fellowmember in the One Body, and, conscious of the power at his disposal,

seek to use to the full whatever talent has been entrusted to him, until he

stands in the presence of Him Who came not to be ministered unto, but to

minister, and left us an example that we should follow His steps.

The English alphabet has twenty -six letters, but we have not slavishly

attempted to fit Q or X, Y and Z with a study; our endeavour is to be of

service, not to exhibit cleverness.  However, we did note with interest that

22 is the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, and that there are a

number of alphabetic acrostics in the Old Testament notably Psalm 119, with

its twenty -two Stanzas, and the Book of Lamentations, which, while not

exhibiting the alphabet in the English version, does preserve the number of

verses to each chapter, namely 22, 22, 66, 22 and 22.  The central chapter

repeats each letter three times, thus verses 1, 2 and 3 begin with aleph,

verses 4, 5 and 6 begin with Beth, and so on.  This is made plain for the

English reader of The Companion Bible.

However, the alphabetical element in this series of articles is

immaterial.  They could quite as well have been written in the reverse order,

or in no obvious order at all.  The main question as we come to the close,

is, have we attained to some comprehension of 'What manner of persons we

ought to be?', and if we have, let us thank God and go forward in our

witness.  If we have not, 'Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth' is a

sure way that will lead back to acceptable service (2 Tim. 2:25).

The English version of the Bible known as the Authorized Version, like

every work of man, however good it may be both in intention or execution,

contains evidences of human frailty.  Nevertheless, its influence for good

during the centuries following its publication cannot be adequately

expressed.  Lloyd's Encyclopaedic Dictionary says of it, that:

'It has held its place so long more by its own great merits than by the

artificial support of law; and while there are numerous minute defects,

which have been corrected in the Revised Version of the New Testament,

it remains, in all essential respects, the same Bible which for nearly

three centuries has been the most potent factor in the spiritual

education of the English -speaking race'.

When, therefore, one finds teachers and writers adopting the

'debunking' attitude of the modern, and referring, most ungraciously to the

Authorized Version as 'King James's Version', one suspects prejudice, and

senses discourtesy.  The very language in which such teachers discredit the

Authorized Version they owe to its influence.  Those who thus speak have no

conception of the blood and tears that represent the actual cost of the

English Bible.  However, our purpose in writing is not to defend the

Authorized Version, it can still look after itself; nor to sit in judgment on