[21] A Hebrew scholar, of high reputation, makes the following remarks upon the word: “The verb _chathak_ (in the Niphal form, passive, nechtak), is found _only_ in Daniel 9:24. Not another instance of its use can be traced in the entire Hebrew Testament. As Chaldaic and Rabbinical usage must give us the true sense of the word: if we are guided by these, it has the _single_ signification of CUTTING or CUTTING OFF. In the Chaldeo-Rabbinic dictionary of Stockius, the word ‘_chathak_’ is thus defined:— “‘Scidit, abscidit, conscidit, inscidit, excidit.’—_To cut_, to cut away, to cut in pieces, to cut or engrave, _to cut off_. “Mercerus, in his ‘Thesaurus,’ furnishes a specimen of Rabbinical usage in the phrase chathikah shelbasar—‘a piece of flesh,’ or ‘a cut of flesh.’ He translates the word as it occurs in Daniel 9:24, by ‘præcisa est’—WAS CUT OFF. “In the literal version of Arias Montanus it is translated ‘decisa est’—WAS CUT OFF; in the marginal reading, which is grammatically correct, it is rendered by the plural ‘decisæ sunt’—_were cut off_. “In the Latin version of Junius and Tremellius, nechtak is rendered ‘decisæ sunt.’—_were cut off_. “Again: in Theodotion’s Greek version of Daniel (which is the version used in the Vatican copy of the Septuagint as being the most faithful), it is rendered by συνετμἡθησαν—_were cut off_; and in the Venetian copy by τετμήνται—_have been cut_. The idea of _cutting off_ is pursued in the Vulgate, where the phrase is ‘abbreviatæ sunt,’ have been shortened. “Thus _Chaldaic and Rabbinical authority_, and _that of the earliest versions_,—_the Septuagint and Vulgate_,—_give the SINGLE SIGNIFICATION OF CUTTING OFF TO THIS VERB_.” [22] Dowling’s Reply to Miller. [23] It will be evident to the reader that Mr. Miller held the doctrine of endless misery in a local hell at the time he gave this discourse. In fact, there is no evidence that he changed his views on the immortality question to the time of his death. His writings and his labors give evidence that his mind was not called to the investigation of the subject, it being fully occupied with the great second advent question. The discussion of the immortality theme among the Adventists seems to have been left to younger men at a later period. J. W. [24] From personal acquaintance with Mr. Miller, and a thorough knowledge of his teachings, we are happy to state that during his entire public life he had no sympathy whatever with those teachings and influences which lead to fanaticism; and that his broad and liberal feelings of Christian fellowship are expressed in the following address. J. W.