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one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger; her husband's brother shall go in unto her and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. And it shall be, that the first born which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel." In Matthew, we are told that the Sadducees came to our Lord, "Saying, Master, Moses said, 'If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto his brother.' Now, there were with us seven brethren: and the first when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. And last of all the woman died also." These words are as plain in the authorized version of the Scriptures as the English language can make them, and as they have ever been understood by the Jews, and by all Christendom, but which are now denied by the writer of the Churchman's Magazine on the authority of his man Galloway, in illustrations "unknown to the bulk of Bible readers!" He says, referring to Deuteronomy xxv. 5–10, it is a mere "assumption that the brothers are own brothers, sons of one father or mother;" "but the assumption itself is to be denied." (p. 12.) "In truth, the idea that the Levirate law contemplated own brothers is wholly baseless and should be unceremoniously abandoned;" (p. 13), after having said, "It is truly surprising how generally this assumption has been allowed."
Now, upon what ground does this magazine writer, who says he is "entirely indebted to Mr. Galloway" for his proofs, thus deny what has been declared by the Jews of all ages, and all Christendom, to be the plain command of Moses, and recognized by our Lord and his Apostles? He gives three reasons: The first is the marginal reading of Deuteronomy xxxv. 5, which is "next kinsman." And who, let us ask, is the "next kinsman" of the deceased husband of a widow, but his own brother, if alive? His
