FREQUENTLY much light is shed upon a subject by studying the word, or words, by which it is named. The meaning of a word, sometimes its etymology, and in all cases its usage by persons who employ it accurately, are at once interesting and instructive. What then is

'Convert' may be said to be a Latin word in English dress. Taking the root part of the word, 'vert,' we note its meaning as 'turn.' In numerous words 'vert' may be seen to have this meaning. To 'advert' is to 'turn to;' to 'revert,' to 'turn back;' to 'subvert,' to 'turn under,' i.e., upside down; to 'pervert,' to 'turn in a wrong direction.' So in 'convert' there is the idea of 'turning.' The prefix con denotes company, in conjunction with, as in congregate, to gather together; and in connect, to tie or fasten together. It is the same as co in co-operate, operating together, working harmoniously. 'Convert,' therefore, according to its component parts, indicates a turning in company with some one, a turning to go along with another. But con is often intensive, as in commotion. 'Convert' might hence mean a turning of a most complete or thorough nature.

It does not follow from anything we have yet before us, that the literal, etymological meaning is the meaning in actual use. Words, like persons, may change very much from what they were at birth. They may so far leave their early associations, and be transferred to such entirely new circumstances, that their origin and after life are far apart. They may be employed very differently in after life from what they were in youth. At the same time words, again like persons, generally retain something which is manifestly connected with early life. The origin and first meaning of a word are rarely entirely lost sight of or displaced. Supposing then that 'convert' retains something of its original and family meaning, the idea of a physical conversion might be presented thus. A stranger travelling along a road, asks some one whom he meets to tell him the way to a certain town. The answer is, 'You are going the wrong way; come with me and I will take you to the town.' The stranger turns and goes along with his newly found guide. It is a conversion according to the primary meaning of convert; it is a turning round to go in company with another. But whether this primary and literal meaning holds all through the history of the word is a point that can only be decided in view of its full usage; i.e., after an examination of the occurrences of the word in varied circumstances.

We have, however, to remember that Christ and New Testament writers spoke neither Latin nor English. We may have an accurate conception of the word in these two languages, and yet have no adequate representation of the New Testament word. Happily for us, by means of such a book as the Englishman's Greek Concordance, there is little difficulty in becoming acquainted with the proper English equivalents of most New Testament Greek words. On turning up 'convert' we find that it is used as a translation of two Greek words. These are strepho and epistrepho, the latter being manifestly a compound of the former. The lexicons say that the prefix epi adds the thought of towards, causing the compound word to mean to turn towards. But it may be doubted whether in actual use there is any noticeable difference in the meaning of the two words. The simple word occurs in Matt. 5:39, and 18:3. In the former passage the Authorised Version translates it 'turn;' in the latter, 'be converted.' The compound word is found in Matt. 9:22, and Acts 3:19. 'Turned him about,' and 'be converted,' are the translations given in the Authorised Version in these two passages. Turning the cheek to an enemy, and Jesus turning Himself round, present to us examples of the words employed of a bodily turning. These, so far, correspond to the meaning contained in the Latin-English word 'convert.' Turning is the radical idea, it would therefore seem, of the Greek words as well as the Latin.

But our translators did not confine themselves to the two words, 'convert' and 'turn'. They give a variety of translation of the two Greek verbs. Perhaps the most effectual way of bringing the facts respecting these words before the reader, is to give a summary of the various ways in which they are translated in the New Testament. Strepho, rendered 'be converted' in Acts 3:19, is found thirty-nine times; and the noun 'conversion' - epistrophee - is only once used (Acts 15:3). In all, then, there are fifty-eight instances, fifty-seven of which are translations of the two verbs. The fifty-seven occurrences may be presented in one view as follows:-

Strepho* is translated

"turn" 11 times.

"turn herself" 2 times.

"turn him" 1 time.

"turn him about" 1 time.

"turn again" 1 time.

"turn back again" 1 time.

"convert" 1 time.

Epistrepho is translated

"turn" 16 times.

"return" 6 times.

"turn about" 4 times.

"turn again" 3 times.

"come again" 1 time.

"go again" 1 time.

"convert" 8 times.

* Strepho is represented by 'turn' in Matt. 5:39; 16:23; Luke 7:44; 9:55; 14:25; 22:61; 23:28; John 1:38; Acts 7:42; 13:46; Rev. 11:6; 'turn herself,' John 20:14,16; 'turn him,' Luke 10:23; 'turn him about,' Luke 7:9; 'turn again,' Matt. 7:6; 'turn back again,' Acts 7:39; 'convert,' Matt. 18:3.

Epistrepho is represented by 'turn' in Luke 1:16,17; Acts 9:35,40; 11:21; 14:15; 15:19; 16:18; 26:18,20; 2 Cor. 3:16; Gal. 4:9; 1 Thess. 1:9; 2 Pet. 2:21; Rev. 1:12; 'return,' Matt. 10:13; 12:44; 24:18; Luke 2:20; 17:31; 1 Pet. 2:25; 'turn about,' Matt. 9:22; Mark 5:30; 8:33; John 21:20; 'turn again,' Mark 13:16; Luke 17:4; 2 Pet. 2:20; 'come again,' Luke 8:55; 'go again,' Acts 15:36; 'convert,' Matt. 13:15; Mark 4:12; Luke 22:32; John 12:40; Acts 3:19; 28:27; James 5:19,20.

A very cursory glance at the passages where we have these translations, will reveal three things. (1). To turn is the prominent thought; that idea being clearly present in all, unless we still except those where we have the foreign word convert. (2). Turn is freely employed, and convert never, when there is reference to any merely bodily change, turning round of the body, or the like. (3). Convert is frequently used, and turn rarely, when the change is of a spiritual nature, or has reference to man turning to God. That looks like putting plain every-day affairs in clear, intelligible, homely English, and hiding the far more important and spiritual under a Latin word. At the same time, it is evident that turn was deemed a fair representation of the original word, even when a spiritual change was spoken of. In Acts 9:35, and in 1 Thess. 1:9, turn is employed to represent the strongest of the two Greek words previously named; and in both passages the turning is Godward, the change is what is elsewhere denominated conversion. If the Thessalonian believers, and all in Lydda and Saron, turned to the Lord, then, surely, whenever the same Greek word is found, and the same spiritual change is spoken of, we are warranted in calling it a turning; i.e., wherever in the New Testament we have convert, we may with much advantage substitute turn.

To turn is the evident thought throughout, the instances where convert is used being no exception. What we have already observed respecting the etymology of convert might suffice, by the side of the general translation turn, as proof that turn is everywhere the idea. We have seen that it is a word derived from Latin, and means to turn. We might, therefore, feel somewhat confident that in all the fifty-eight occurrences there is the one idea present, viz., that of turning. There is, however, no reason why any uncertainty should remain. We can examine the passages and see whether the thought of turning is borne out in each. Even this work is now largely done to our hands in the Revised Version. For in seven out of the nine cases where convert occurs in the Authorised Version, the Revised Version substitutes turn.* What King James's translators had already done in Acts 9:35, and in 1 Thess. 1:9, the revisers have done in a few additional passages. The two companies of translators are thus seen to agree in bearing witness that turning is the thought of the Greek words, the earlier translators showing it in forty-eight instances out of fifty-eight, the revisers in fifty-five out of fifty-eight.

But what about the remaining three occurrences? They are James 5:19,20, where the revisers still give 'convert,' and Acts 15:3, where they retain 'conversion.' Why the two verses in James are left with 'convert' in them is a curious problem. It cannot be that turn is not suitable, for the verses would convey the most appropriate sense to be read thus: 'My brethren, if any among you do err from the truth, and one turn him; let him know, that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins.' That is certainly as sensible as the retaining of 'convert,' and much more likely to be intelligible to the majority of readers; and there can be no pretence that the Greek word does not warrant it, for the revisers themselves have translated the same word by 'turn' in many passages. Acts 26:18 is an example, 'turn' being employed there to represent the word used in James 5. The two passages are parallels. The former speaks of Paul as sent to turn men. See the Authorised Version and the margin of the Revised. If Paul can be spoken of as turning others, why not, especially when the same Greek word is employed, speak of other brethren turning sinners from the error of their ways?

* Matt. 13:15; 18:3; Mark 4:12; Luke 22:32; John 12:40; Acts 3:19; 28:27.

Thus far, the study of the words has contributed a fair measure of light. Looking at all the passages, and all the words employed, we see the nature of conversion - conversion itself - standing out before us as a simple turning. When applied to the common affairs of life, such as a person turning round, or turning from one place to another, the translators made clear work of it; but when a spiritual change was spoken of, they sometimes used a Latin term. That error is largely rectified in the Revised Version. Almost without exception the Latin word is dismissed and plain English substituted, and the few exceptions are equally susceptible of the same treatment. The whole is simplified into a turning.

On the evidence, then, of every passage in which the verbs strepho and epistrepho are employed, and in view of considerable variety of translation by the two companies of translators, we are led to the conclusion that there is one idea common to all the occurrences of these words, and that one idea is to turn.

The Revised Version presents another point belonging to this subject in its true light.

Compare the Authorised and the Revised in the seven passages already named. There is no longer 'be converted'; a form of speech which tends to convey the idea of mere passiveness. The thought now brought out rather is, Turn yourselves. Turn ye, turn again, addressed to man, throws upon him all responsibility. Man must see to the turning of himself, and not wait on a higher power to do it for him. It devolves on man to take action in the matter. His responsibility, and the need of activity, are both clearly involved in the later translation. This speaks volumes. At the same time, there is no ignoring of God's help and gracious means. God has given man the power to turn, and has provided all the means; but he calls on man to use what is thus made available - to exercise his power and turn into the proper path. He has provided man with needful power, information, and inducement to turn. His expostulation of old was, 'Turn ye, turn ye; why will ye die?" He put Himself upon oath that His pleasure consisted in the wicked turning from his way (Ezek. 33:11). Since that time, His manifestation of love in the gift of His Son, and His expostulation with men, are increasingly tender and affectionate. But such expostulation is the fullest possible recognition of man's obligation to employ the word - to turn into the path which the lamp of God illumines. Upon man devolves the duty of responding to Heaven's loving appeal to turn.

we are now in a position to inquire into. What kind of turning is meant, when, in the Scripture sense, conversion is spoken of? It is not every turning that would be called a conversion. Our Latin friend, conversion, is restricted in application to a certain kind of turning. Men may turn round times without number, and yet not be converts to Christ. They may turn from one religion to another, and from one denomination to another, until they have been allied with all, and still have given no ground for others to believe that they are converts in the Scripture sense. What, then, is conversion in the Scripture, spiritual acceptation of that term?

Paul's language in 1 Thess. 1:9-10 sheds considerable light on our query. "Ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven." There was a previous life turned from, and a new line of conduct turned to. They had been idolaters. In conversion they turned their back upon idolatrous customs. In the wider language of Acts 14:15, there was a turning from vanities. Whatever things were vain, empty, worthless, antagonistic to God, were left; and, whatever was revealed as the divine will they turned themselves to, engaged themselves in. It was not an engagement merely in contemplating God, studying His character, His ways, and His revelation, however useful and delightful that might be. It was a serving of God. A faithful servant carries out his master's will, does what he is bidden. In like manner the true convert has turned from wrong things, and is busy doing what God has commanded.

To do what God enjoins implies the possession of knowledge derivable only from revelation. The convert is acquainted with God's revealed will, and cheerfully does it. Hence Paul could speak of himself as sent to the Gentiles, "to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God" (Acts 26:18). First, there is light imparted; then, acting according to the light, men are freed from sin and Satan's sway, and brought into the service and liberty of the truth and of God.

Avoid 'be converted,' 'are converted,' and all forms of the passive voice of this verb. In many cases the passive voice not only fails to convey the truth, it is positively misleading. It fosters and perpetuates the notion that men are passive in becoming Christians, and that they must therefore wait until God turns them.

It might be well also to avoid the verb even in its active form, both because of its bad association with a doctrinal error, and because of its unsuitableness to describe a person turning. We cannot say, 'Repent and convert,' nor, 'They converted to the Lord'; and probably most speakers would shrink from speaking of one converting himself, although truth is conveyed by that form of speech.

By the passive voice Scripture and truth are not properly presented; and in the active voice this verb is not used intransitively; i.e., it cannot be used so as to indicate that the turning is the action of the subject or person named.

'Convert,' as a noun, may be a useful designation of those who have turned, and 'conversion' may often be more convenient than 'turning'; but the verb in all its forms might be dismissed from the vocabulary of Christians, and much gain be effected thereby. The revisers have greatly helped us in this matter. Let us consistently carry it out.