Occasionally the Prophet expounded the Scriptures, and in this he was most happy: not so much on account of his knowledge of ancient languages--though that knowledge, when his opportunities for acquiring it are taken into account, was surprisingly extensive--as from that divine inspiration which so mightily rested upon him at times. Of the Bible itself the Prophet said: I believe the Bible as it read when it came from the pen of the original writers. Ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors. As an example of the errors which had crept into the holy record he put in contrast the following: It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth.--Genesis v: 6. God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man that he should repent.--Numbers xxiii: 19. His exegesis, which at once harmonizes the conflicting passages, and satisfies the understanding, is as follows: It ought to read: It repented _Noah_ that God had made man. This I believe, and then the other quotation [meaning the second] stands fair. If any man will prove to me by one passage of holy writ one item I believe to be false, I will renounce and disclaim it as far as I have promulgated it. In like manner he set the following passage right, Hebrews VI: 1-6. The first principles of the Gospel, as I believe, are, _Faith, Repentance, Baptism_ for the remission of sins, with the promise of the _Holy Ghost_. Look at Hebrews VI: 1, for contradictions! "Therefore _leaving_ the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection." If a man _leaves_ the principles of the doctrine of Christ, how can he be saved in the principles? This is a contradiction. * * * I will render it as it should be: "Therefore _not_ leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God," etc. In like manner he pointed out a solecism in the Lord's prayer. It reads in our common version: _Lead_ us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, etc. In contrast with this may be placed the statement of James: Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, _neither tempteth he any man_.--James 1: 13. Then why pray to God the Father-- And lead us not into temptation? The Prophet's exegesis was: The passage should read: And _leave_ us not--or, suffer us not to be led, into temptation, for thine is the kingdom, etc. Again, in a public discourse he dealt with the following passage: Among those that are born of women, there hath not arisen a greater prophet than John the Baptist: nevertheless, he that is _least_ in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.