athering to the primitive views of Church order and communion."

It would be impossible to give a better summary of the character of the work. It is, indeed, calculated to reflect the highest honour upon the Church which has produced it, and to revive amongst us those spiritual views of ecclesiastical discipline which have certainly suffered from the extension of a latitudinarian liberality, as well as from other causes before hinted at. The style of Bishop Dehon has all those faults which must be expected in a mind whose highlywrought feelings, and powerful imagination, have not been duly chastened by the regular discipline of an English education. In saying this we mean no reflection upon the American Universities, which have thus early matured such valuable fruit: but it is as impossible for a newly planted seminary to have attained the sound taste and experienced judgment of our venerable seats of learning, as it is for a committee of Frenchmen or Spaniards to hatch a British constitution. In the vigour of manhood, we neither despise nor censure a promising boy for not having acquired that firmness of nerve and muscle which he will enjoy when we shall be in our decrepitude. But besides the effect of a more ripened age of intellect, there is in the English character a peculiar simplicity of sent ment, and in our language a precision and truth of expression, which we look for in vain among writers of any other country; so that a "foreign style" is almost proverbial for exaggeration and exuberance of ornament. To this luxuriance of thought, so congenial to the scenes and the climate of his native country, rather than to any undue compliance with the prurient taste of his hearers, we attribute the loaded and laboured sentences of Bishop Dehon. He has much of the richness of Jeremy Taylor, much of the sweetness of Horne, and sometimes not a little of the splendour of Burke; but the parts are not well blended, the varieties of manner are not melted into each other; there is too much effort for gracefulness, and too little control for correctness. Individual passages are frequently beautiful, usually forcible, not rarely

sublime: but the effect of the whole is not agreeable to that chastised severity to which our own best divines have made us, perhaps, too partial. There are, moreover, certain peculiarities by which the dialect of Ainericans is becoming daily more distinguishable from the mother tongue; and it will hardly be expected that these should be considered as improvements on this side the Atlantic: such are the words" obligate" and "realise," as they are used pages 150, 170, 230, 402, Vol. I. atque alibi passim; and many turns of phrase which cannot fail to strike the English reader.

But these faults, in the powerful and masculine style of Dehon, are accompanied by no corresponding defects, either in doctrine or in sentiment. On the contrary, we think him singularly happy in combining a bold avowal of strict orthodoxy with a gentleness of manner that must obviate all offence. Without blowing the trumpet of controversy, he is the dauntless champion of truth; and remains master of the field without dealing in "blows and blood." The soundness of his theological opinions, the peculiar warmth and energy of his eloquence, and the suavity and gentleness of his temper, concur in impressing his readers at once with firm principles and amiable feelings; and, when aided by the earnest manner resulting from fervent piety and charity, must have sunk deep indeed into the hearts of his hearers. In defending the high ground of apostolical Church communion, he is among the most felicitous examples of the rule, suaviter in modo, fortiter in re.

In the composition of his Sermons he adheres more closely to a formal division of his subjects into heads than has been usual with modern divines; and this has given to many of his best discourses an old-fashioned air, with which we are not disposed to quarrel, especially when it is considered, that this arrangement affords great advantages to the congregation, for digesting and retaining the valuable matter thus conveyed to them. The unequal length of the Sermons, and the remarkable brevity of the greater number of them, are the effects, probably, of the prevailing

habits of the country. Several of them

Ausus idem

sibi quivis

The succession of subjects in these volumes shows that the Bishop preferred a regular system of edification to the practice of preaching desultory and unconnected Sermons : and, truly, without some such arrangement, it must be extremely difficult, if not impracticable, rightly to divide the word of truth, Where a number of discourses are delivered, without reference to each other, some points of doctrine will be too of ten repeated, to the neglect of others no less important; and all that clearness of conviction which arises from unfolding doctrines in regular series, as they depend on each other, must be wholly lost. The first nineteen Sermons form a course of instruction, beginning with two sound and argumentative discourses, to prove the authenticity, and exalt the value of the Scriptures; and leading us through the consideration of religious ordinances, the Sacraments, the Sabbath, and the Sanctuary, to the exposition and defence of our Liturgy; and to some very valuable remarks on Psalmody and on Preaching. The second course consists of thirty-five Sermons on the Festivals of the Church, beginning with Advent and ending with Trinity-Sunday; besides two for Michaelmas and All-Saints. It is much to be regretted that this is not carried on through the other half year from Trinity to Advent; for the outline of practical teaching, which the Church has appointed for that period, is quite as systematic, and, perhaps, no less important, than the doctrinal subjects of the Festivals, which have been so frequently and so ably treated as to leave little room for originality, and no hope of surpassing what has already been done,

Then follow thirty-four occasional Sermons on Scripture characters, and on a variety of other subjects. In the two first Sermons on the Scriptures, the arguments of the best divines are well selected and ably stated; and, though it is extremely difficult to give much life or interest to a popular summary of this kind, the Bishop has relieved his subject with great skill and judgment.

Having laid his foundation in the Scriptures, he proceeds, in his next discourse, to show the necessity of religious ordinances, and of a distinct body of men set apart to administer them.

The five Sermons on Baptism which follow contain a very sound exposition of the origin, necessity, and efficacy of that first ordinance; and though the Bishop does not enter into the controversy respecting Baptismal Regeneration, it is clear that his views of it are perfectly in unison with the doctrine of our soundest divines. He tells his hearers that by the first Christian writers Baptism was esteemed "the sacra ment of absolution, the regeneration of the soul, the robe of light, the communication of the passion and resurrection of Christ, the garment of immortality, the soul of God. And he proceeds to prove that this sacrament loses nothing of its character or blessings when administered to infants.

"Take from her [the Church] the right of admitting your children to the benefits of Baptism, and she must believe, that the tender and liberal dispensation of her Lord is less indulgent to them than the rigorous dispensation of the law. She must believe, that the sweet innocence of the new-born babe is less acceptable to God than the penitence of a hoary offender. She must believe, that while they who are mature are required to become as little children before they can enter the kingdom of God, little children are excluded from being initiated into that kingdom, because they are such. Yea, she must stand by the graves of the infant offspring of her members, and have no covenanted assurance of their salvation

and immortality. For if they are cut off from admission into the Church militant on earth, what certainty can she have of their admission into the Church triumphant in heaven? She shrinks from the difficulties; and rejoices that the grounds are so clear, so strong, and so extensive, upon which she can perpetuate her Master's words, 'Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not." "

The Bishop proceeds to apply the same powerful and affecting mode of reasoning to the other sacrament of the Lord's Supper, to which three excellent discourses are appropriated; he then enforces the obligation to observe the Ordinance of the Sabbath; and, in two very original sermons, dwells upon the reverence due to the Sanctuary; which naturally conducts him to the consideration of the Liturgy, of which he speaks with affectionate veneration.

A very sensible and judicious discourse on Church Music follows; and the Bishop completes his first course of instruction by an admirable sermon upon the Ordinance of Preaching,(Rom. x. 14, 15) in which, after a luminous summary of what has gone before, he takes occasion to point out the mischievous error of setting a disproportionate value upon a means of grace obviously more precarious and liable to abuse than any other; and we earnestly recommend to the sermon-followers, his observations on this subject, which are unhappily as applicable to our own congregations, as to those in America. In the course of Sermons upon the Festivals of the Church, there is less room for any thing like originality; and it is impossible to avoid continual comparisons with some of the noblest productions of human genius. Yet, under these disadvantages, Bishop Dehon's Discourses will be read always with interest, often with admiration. His intimate familiarity with every part of the Bible; his sound knowJedge of the best commentaries; his acquaintance with the rich mine of divinity contained in the writings of our elder divines; and his extensive reading in modern literature, enable him to bring together a variety of information and of sentiment, which, if it be no

new, is at least judiciously selected, and, generally, well arranged. There are certainly not wanting passages, we may perhaps add entire sermons, which indicate that the author wrote without a view to publication. But where the power of composition really exists, we are not sure that this circumstance does not add to the value of sermons, as well as of letters. The sentiments appear to flow nore naturally from the heart when clothed in unstudied language; and the preacher seems to stand before us, in evangelical simplicity, occupied, not with himself, but with his hearers.

The characteristic merit of Dehon, in this set of sermons, is a spiritual earnestness in stating, and a vigorous talent in enforcing true doctrines, without any portion of the manner or temper of a controversialist. He is "strong without rage" bold in defence, but gentle in hostility. Though highly gifted with fancy and taste, almost poetical, and fond, perhaps too fond, of ima gery, his good sense invariably preserves him from wandering into new and fanciful interpretations of Scripture; and he adheres, on all occasions, to the sound and sober expositions, even of allegorical passages, which have conferred immortal honour upon the divines of the English school.

The opening of Sermon XXII. on Christmas, is a happy imitation of the flowing, yet chaste style of our excellent Bishop Horne.

"The deluded worshipper of the sun waits in the morning, prepared, we are told, with many ablutions, to prostrate himself before his god, and adore him at his rising. With how much more exalted joy, with how much happier worship, are we Christians assembled to-day, to hail at his dawn that Sun of Righteousness' which, through the ten der mercy of God, is rising upon our disordered world, with everlasting healing in his wings!' The sun of the visible world rises but to set; this that we worship shall never go down.* That sun affects only material natures, and dispels, for a time, the darkness which was spread over temporal scenes;

See Bishop Wilson's Devotions, translated by Dean Stanhope, Sunday Morning-Ed,

this shines to give joy to the souls of men, and disperses for ever the dark ness which was spread over eternal concerns. That gilds only the surface of life; its beams reach not into the valley of the shadow of death: this brightens the tomb; it brings that life and immortality to light, which cheer the secret chambers of the bosom. The material sun is destined, one day, to have its fires extinguished for ever; but this, when earth and skies shall have passed away, is ordained to endure as the light of the celestial world, and to it angels and men shall everlastingly bow, as to the brightness of the Father's glory and image, or manifestation of his person. How pregnant, then, with joy, is the rising of this glorious luminary upon our benighted world! It is the commencement to us, of the years of the right hand of the Most High.Patriarchs saw it at a distance with the eye of faith, and were glad. Prophets have celebrated its coming. The morning stars have sung together' at its dawn; and all the sons of God have shouted in heaven for joy.' And we, if we are not still lost in the dreadful slumbers of the spiritual night, shall be abroad from the chambers of darkness, contemplating, and adoring this glorious regent of the spiritual day."

In the three Sermons on the Epiphany, the Bishop explains the doctrine of National Election and Predestination; and shows that in the eternal purposes of God there is nothing like an arbitrary or irrespective decree. And in a similar manner he argues, in a Whit-Sunday Sermon, that the Holy Spirit of God, when bestowed, is not irresistible.

The Sermons on Trinity Sunday are equally distinguished by a mild but decided assertion of the orthodox belief; and we regret that our limits will not permit us to indulge our readers with some extracts which we had marked for that purpose. The series is concluded by two Sermons, on the Existence and Employment of the Holy Angels, remarkable for the modesty with which the preacher abstains from unauthorized speculations on this tempting subject. He takes no notice of the bold and able arguments of Horsley, which

tend to identify the Archangel Michael with the Lord of Hosts; nor of the fanciful theory of Heber, who, in imitation of that great genius, endeavours to prove that Gabriel is the Holy Ghost. He does not even appear to be aware that "the Angel of the Lord" in the Old Testament, is certainly "the Messenger of the Covenant ;" as Shuckford and an hundred others have abundantly proved. But the effect of his reasoning, if less entertaining, is certainly far more edifying than any thing which we have met with on the same subject.

We are inclined to doubt whether the examination of a Scripture character forms a suitable subject for the pulpit. A biographical sermon generally wants interest, because we already know all that the preacher can relate; a metaphysical one is seldom instructive, because the Scripture never fills up: the outline of its bold and striking delineations, and all the shades which the hand of man can add, serve only to obscure them. Besides, the one perfect model, held out for imitation to weak and erring mortals, should, in our estimation, be the prominent feature of every discourse delivered in the Church. We would reserve the full consideration of eminent human characters for essays or for history; and introduce them but sparingly and slightly into our public instruction. public instruction. Notwithstanding this objection, we have perused with great pleasure the nine sermons of Bishop Dehon on as many characters from the Bible; and if we do not think the choice of such subjects altogether judicious, we cannot but bestow great praise on the manner in which they are treated, and the amiable and pious sentiments which they are made to convey.

The occasional sermons, on different subjects, are most of them stamped with the same characteristic defects and excellencies. The defects are merely those of a style too redundant, of a ge nius too fertile. The excellencies are of no common kind. The warmest piety, the purest benevolence, the most touching humility breathe in every discourse; while a steady adherence to the primitive doctrines of the Church renders our guide as safe as he is pleasant. In a sermon for the benefit of the

Episcopal Society, he speaks in terms of just and honourable gratitude of the English Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts; and attributes to the liberal zeal of its members, the original establishment of the American Church. His discourses on death are singularly touching and improving; and there are passages which we should not hesitate to call sublime.

"Another thing which renders the valley of the shadow of death' terrible to many, is the darkness with which it is encompassed. It is awfully still. It is dreadfully gloomy. Shadows, clouds, and darkness rest upon it. I see the infidel approach its entrance. To him it is dismally obscure. Bones and ashes are all he can discover. And his heart recoils with unutterable horror from such an extinction of his being. I see the vicious approach it, To them the gloom is terrible. Conscience fills it with ghosts, and spectres, and images of terror. They shudder as they enter. They cry aloud for lights. And whom indeed do I see unappalled by the dark ness and dismal accompaniments of the grave, but those, upon whose minds the blessed Redeemer hath opened the visions of immortality. To them there ariseth lights in the darkness. That hand which holdeth 'the keys of death and of hell,' hath rolled back the clouds which hung over the valley of death. That voice, at which the devils tremble, hath chased from it the images of fear, and spectres of despair. To the sincere followers of the Lamb it is not a valley of unknown windings, and uncertain end. They see, indeed, that it is a desolate place. But they are taught that it is the path by which God hath connected this present stage of our existence with the next. They know that it is the passage, through which the patriarchs, and prophets, and righteous men of every age, have gone to the fruition of glory. They consider it as the valley through which their Lord hath travelled, subduing in it every thing which could molest or dismay them; and opening, through it, the way to his heavenly kingdom. They enter it, therefore, without fear or perplexity, having the Spirit of Truth' for their guide, and persuaded by him that, de

solate as is the path, it will conduct them to the regions of everlasting day. Blissful light, which Religion, sent by our compassionate Creator, sheds upon the tomb! How happy the relief which it gives from the timidity of ignorance, and the anxiety of doubt! Those ter rors, at least, which its darkness gave to the valley of the shadow of death,' are of small power, now that it is illu mined with the instructions of the Almighty, and declared by him to be our path to immortality."

After all that has been said of this extraordinary man, it is scarcely necessary to add, that we sincerely and earnestly desire the extensive circulation of his works in this country; not so much for the sake of that useful institution which is to be benefitted by the sale, as because we feel assured that they will conduce powerfully to awaken, in the heart of the reader, a lively sense of the high concerns of immortality, and a zealous yet charitable attachment to the interests of the established church, [Bishop Dehon's Sermons are for sale at the office of the Christian Journal, No. 99, Pearlstreet, New-York.]

For the Christian Journal
No. VII.

The House of Mourning.

"I AM tired and disgusted with such extravagance," exclaimed Mrs. N. De you wish to know what it was that thus disturbed the composure of Mrs. N.'s mind? We were both at the house of Mr. N. her husband's brother, who had two days before lost an amiable and affectionate wife. It was then the morning of the day on which she was to be interred. The acquaintances and friends of the family were soon to assemble, in order to pay the deceased the last earthly respect they would ever be able to offer, as well as to hear from the lips of the attending minister, an exhortation on the subject of death. Previous to their assembling, Mr. N. with his children prepared to go to the room in which she lay in her shroud, to give her a last look, and to take a mournful farewell. farewell. Come," said he, "let us endeavour to bear it with fortitude." All those tender feelings which would