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acknowledged that it was hopeless to attempt to supplant them as educators of youth, declared that their influence was making itself felt through every grade of native society.

"With regard to the statement made at the meeting, and alluded to by your correspondent, that fifty Christian converts at Calcutta would return to the Hindu creed as soon as the milder form of penance was assented to, there does not appear to be the slightest probability of such an occurrence taking place; four highly respectable persons whose names were mentioned at the meeting, have written to the Bengal Hurkaru, stating in the following decided terms:-'Whatever may be done to render the return of Christians to Hinduism practicable, we have not the smallest intention of availing ourselves of such an arrangement.'

"As the information of your correspondent impugns the character of the missionaries in Bengal and Western India, let me only conclude with the opinion held of the missionaries in Bengal, of whom the Bengal Hurkaru, from which I have already quoted, says: They are a truly conscientious, energetic, zealous, hard-working class of people; and feeling that they are labouring in an unspeakably noble cause, there is no self-sacrifice that they are unwilling to make;' in every word of which I most fully coincide, and would add that, from personal acquaintance with many of the missionaries in Western India, more earnest, faithful, and devoted ministers of the gospel are seldom to be met with, and men who little deserve the imputations cast upon them.

"I am, sir, yours obediently,

"R. MARSH HUGHES, "Major, late of the Bombay Army, and Deputy Judge-Advocate-General in Scinde."

Christian missions have nothing to fear from opposition. The attacks of their opponents elicit the truth, and show that they are under the superintendence of Him, who "makes the wrath of man to praise him, and the remainder of that wrath he restrains." At this moment the prospects of missionary success in India are far brighter than at any former period. The iron band of caste is loosened, instruction is diffused, the Hindus have their minds awakened to inquiry, their dread of the Brahmin's anathema is diminished, many have yielded to conviction and embraced the gospel,-they have endured the sacrifice of property and the endearments of domestic ties for Christ,-they have continued stedfast amidst innumerable appliances to bring them back to Hinduism; these, and many other events, seem to utter a loud voice, crying, "The salvation of India draweth nigh."

Mr. Mackenna's book on India is invalu

| able for its information touching all the mili tary and political movements in the East; but on the subject of "Christianity in India,' it will most certainly mislead the reader who has not access to some more trustworthy sources of information.

WHAT IS DEATH? A Sermon delivered in Poultry Chapel, London, on the evening of Thursday, November 27th, 1851: on occasion of the recent death of the Rev. John Philip, D.D., for thirty years Superintendent of the Missions of the London Missionary Society in South Africa. With an Appendix, containing Additional Particulars of Dr. Philip's Early Life and Labours. By RALPH WARDLAW, D.D.-Should any Profits arise from the Sale of this Discourse, they will be devoted to the Fund for the Relief of the Missionaries and their Families suffering from the Kaffir War. 8vo. pp. 64. A. Fullarton and Co.; and Jackson and Walford.

THOSE who had the privilege of listening to this discourse will not soon forget the impression of theological power which it produced. And yet the theology which told with such effect was not that of the schools, but of the Bible. To us, this appears to be the great characteristic of Dr. Wardlaw's theology, that it is pre-eminently scriptural. We might venture, perhaps, to affirm that, in no single discourse in our language is the scriptural teaching concerning death more beautifully or more forcibly exhibited than in the one before us. Indeed, we might look in vain in large treatises for so satisfactory a solution of the Spirit's testimony in reference to the great catastrophe of our fallen nature.

The preacher took for his theme Gen. v. 27, "AND HE DIED." From this appropriate record of the issue of the longest life that was ever spent in our world, he took occasion to institute the solemn inquiry, "What is death?" and showed it to be the dissolution of a union,-the execution of a sentence,—an end,—a beginning,—the seed-time of a future harvest. Upon each of these aspects of our great change, illustrations of the most touching and instructive order are introduced;-and their highest recommendation consists in this, that they, one and all, derive their power of enchantment from their strictly Biblical character. How great and sacred is the impression of this kind of teaching, in such able hands as Dr. Wardlaw's, compared with some of the flimsy sentimentalisms of the day! It is Bible teaching alone that will make Bible Christians.

In the second part of his discourse, Dr. Wardlaw applies, very beautifully, each particular of his interesting train of thought to the solemn occasion of Dr. Philip's death;-and thereby relieves as well as intensifies the more argumentative portion of his theme.

No one so appropriate could have been fixed upon to preach the funeral sermon of the venerable Superintendent of the South African Mission as Dr. Wardlaw, who was intimately acquainted with him in his early ministry, held close fellowship with him during his popular career in Aberdeen, and well knew the fine points of his noble character. So far as time and circumstances would permit, Dr. Wardlaw did full justice to the brilliant course of his friend, now terminated. Still we do wish to see a memorial of John Philip, worthy of his lofty character, and of the high service which he rendered to the cause of humanity, and to that of African evangelization. His was a life which needs to be developed and perpetuated for the good of mankind.

To such a portraiture of the deceased, Dr. Wardlaw's sketch is an admirable contribution; for which he will accept our grateful thanks.

THE RELATION BETWEEN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES AND SOME PARTS OF GEOLOGICAL SCIENCE. By JOHN PYE SMITH, D.D., LL.D., F.R.S., and F.G.S., Divinity Tutor in Homerton College, Member of the Philological, Enthological, Microscopical, and Paleontological Societies, and Honorary Member of the Natural History Society of Devon and Cornwall, and of the Washington U.S. National Institute for the Promotion of Science. Fifth Edition. With a Short Sketch of the Literary Life of the Author. By JOHN HAMILTON DAVIES, B.A., Minister of the Congregational Church at

Sherborne.

Henry G. Bohn.

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But we did not assume towards it a directly antagonistic bearing; we only desiderated; sought to enlighten our judgments; and waited the progress of events.

One of the greatest afflictions that befel us, in this state of anxious inquiry, was our inability to do full justice to the labours of our late venerable and greatly beloved friend, Dr. Pye Smith. Only those who have passed through our conscientious struggle can understand the exquisite pain we felt in seeming to give but a cautious and reserved commendation of a work upon which he had put forth the research of his most matured years. But his was a noble soul. He perceived that we were conscientious;and, in a note which we received from him at the time, he said, "I fully estimate your motives; and I would not wish to bias you, were this a thing to be accomplished, in the slightest degree beyond your convictions. All I ask, my dear Brother, is, that you will inquire and examine for yourself;and that you will, from time to time, give publicity to the ascertained facts in geology. This will subserve the sacred cause of truth quite as much as opinions authoritatively announced. I commend your reverence for the living oracles; and do not doubt that the time is fast approaching when you will perceive, with unspeakable satisfaction, that geology has its proper function to perform in support, and not in contradiction of, the data of revealed truth." Our course of action never created the slightest coolness between ourselves and the Doctor; and in one of our last conversations with him, a short time before he quitted Homerton College, we had the happiness of assuring him, which seemed to afford him great satisfaction, that our doubts and misgivings on the subject of geology had begun to yield to the force of evidence; and that we should soon be prepared to take our humble place in defence of the science.

We deem this explanation necessary, in introducing to our readers a new and cheap edition of Dr. Smith's work on the "Relation between the Holy Seriptures and some parts of Geological Science." Our testimony to the value of the work is in some measure enhanced, by the effect which, in connexion with the perusal of other authors, it has produced upon our own minds. We have advanced to our present position, by a calm, quiet, inductive process; and we are happy to be able to feel, with some degree of con

THERE was a period in our literary labours when we entertained considerable scruples as to the tendency and even truthfulness of certain Geological theories. Not that we ever supposed it possible for real science and Revelation to be at variance;-but that we were by no means fully satisfied that some of the inductions of geology were so thoroughly established as their more zealous advocates were wont to suppose. We well knew that not a few of the French geologists were rank sceptics; and we are free to confess, that we were jealous lest something in the garb of science, but not invested with its true attributes, should come in among us to disturb our faith in Holy Scripture. We beheld, too, with deep anxiety, unsettling tendencies in other directions, particularly in the neo-fidence, that geology will be one of the logical speculations of Germany;—and we were determined not rashly to commit ourselves to a science which, to say the least, in its early history, had marshalled more of the enemies than the friends of Revelation in its defence.

strongest breakwaters against the flood of modern infidelity. So it now appears to us; and we only guard our readers against mere partial investigations; fully convinced that a course of judicious reading will bring them to the conclusions that we have reached; and

will make them very thankful to such men as Drs. Smith and Hitchcock for their invaluable labours.

Prefixed to this edition, the fifth, of Dr. Smith's Lectures, is a glowing "Sketch of his Literary Life," by the Rev. John Hamilton Davies, of Sherborne, an attached pupil of the author. The Essay is in all respects creditable to the writer; and speaks well for his heart and head.

THE DAY-SPRING; OR, DIURNAL OF YOUTH. A Series of Meditations on Passages of Holy Scripture, for every Morning in the Year. Edited by the Rev. O. T. DOBBIN, LL.D.

London: Bishop. 1852.

THIS beautiful and comprehensive volume, composed of short papers by eminent ministers and laymen of all the principal Christian denominations in our country, is appropriately dedicated, by the gifted Editor," To the Mothers of Great Britain-the Hannahs, the Marys, the Eunices-who strive and pray for the conversion of their children, that they may become imitators of the holy child Jesus." The plan of the work is in several respects novel, and its execution commends itself to our judgment. The Essays, as may be supposed, are of various degrees of merit; but they are all sensible, scriptural, evangelical. The esteemed Editor has employed his influence wisely in obtaining contributors from the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Congregational, and other denominations; and he has at the same time exercised a discriminating judgment in the selection and editing of the materials, so that they are not a collection of patch-work or a piece of mosaic, but a beautiful, harmonious exhibition of divine truth, "like apples of gold in net-work of silver." It is creditable to both parties, that twenty clergymen, six of them resident in the town in which Dr. Dobbin resides, have lent him their willing aid in producing this valuable book. To the Meditations there are prefixed some excellent prefaces or essays, the best of which, to our taste, is the one by the Editor himself, on the composition of the Book of Psalms. He has, on a principle totally new to us, arranged the Acrostic Psalms in such a manner as to point out their structure, and to prepare the intelligent reader more fully and delightfully to appreciate their contents. It is a recommendation of the three hundred and sixty-five Essays before us, that they are all short, and that each one contains a sentiment or truth which can scarcely failt be useful to the young people who may be induced to read them. The book is a good one to lie on a minister's study table, for it is suggestive of texts and themes for pulpit meditation, and a wise preacher of the gospel

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is more thankful for such suggestions than for outlines or skeletons of sermons. The volume is so beautifully got up that it will be an ornament to the drawing-rooms of Christian families, and may be useful for occasional perusal there. To the young generally, and especially to young men leaving home, it will be a most appropriate present. Congratulating Dr. Dobbin on his success as a teacher of youth, as the principal of Hull College, and on his former labours in defence and explanation of Christian truth, we cordially thank him for this additional contribution for the advancement of practical godliness, and warmly recommend it to parents and to the heads of scholastic institutions as a book which they will do well to circulate and commend.

LETTERS ON THE CHURCH OF ROME, addressed to the Rev. Emmanuel Faraut, D.D., and LL.D., Chaplain to the King of Sardinia, and Italian Missionary to England. By BAPtist Wriothesley Noel. Letter I. The Claims of the Church of Rome. II. The Hierarchy of the Church of Rome; to which is prefixed the Rev. Abbé Faraut's Reply to the First Letter. III. The Doctrine of the Church of Rome. Crown 8vo.

James Nisbet and Co.

THESE Letters are all printed separately, at a very cheap rate. The first we noticed in a former Number; and we do hope that it is now largely in the hands of our readers. Mr. Noel's Second Letter, which contains the Abbé Feraut's answer to his first, will be found highly amusing. The Abbé has all the virulence and untruthfulness of his order; but a more feeble and contemptible antagonist has never appeared in the Popish arena. Mr. Noel deserved to meet a better champion in the field; and we wonder that the wily foe suffered such a poor creature as the chaplain of the King of Sardinia to draw the sword in a warfare for which he has proved himself to be so utterly unequal. We should imagine that the "Catholic Standard'' would feel itself but little complimented by the privilege of giving publicity to his lucubrations. The answer is written for effect: and it might answer its purpose in a Popish country; but, thank God, such trash will not do for Englishmen in the nineteenth century.

Mr. Noel finds nothing in the letter which appeared in the "Catholic Standard" to answer, except personalities, and misrepresentations of an interview which he had with the Abbé; and very wisely he leaves these for the Abbé to settle with his own conscience. He is too high-minded to descend to such scurrilities. But he returns manfully to the fight; and we trust that nothing

will deter him from prosecuting the combat to its final issue. A victory over such an antagonist will be an impossibility;—but the contest, at the present moment, is of vast importance on general grounds.

The Second Letter is a demonstrative exposure of the folly, absurdity, and utter baselessness, on Scripture grounds, of the Romish Hierarchy. There has been no such refutation of the system in the English language before.

The Third Letter is addressed to the question of the doctrine of the Church of Rome; in which there is, first, an able analysis of pure Bible doctrine; and then contrasted with it we have the monstrous fabrications of "the Man of Sin." This method, in Mr. Noel's hands, is wonderfully effective; and if the book falls into the hands of Roman Catholics, it will not only make them familiar with the defences of Protestants against Rome, but with the truth as it is in Jesus.

A POPULAR ACCOUNT OF DISCOVERIES AT NINEVEH. By AUSTEN HENRY LAYARD, Esq., D.C.L. Abridged by him from his larger work. With numerous Woodcuts. 8vo. pp. 360.

John Murray.

We dislike all abridgments, except by the authors of the works abridged. "In this abridgment," Mr. Layard observes, "I have omitted the second part of the original work, introducing the principal Biblical and historical illustrations into the narrative, which has thus, I hope, been rendered more useful and complete." We can bear ample testimony to the degree in which Mr. Layard has realized his own hope: the introduction of the ''principal Biblical and historical illustrations into the narrative," has rendered it both more perfect and more useful.

It must be highly gratifying to our enterprising countryman to find that "recent discoveries, and the contents of the inscriptions, as far as they have been satisfactorily decyphered, have confirmed nearly all the opinions expressed in his original work," rendering it quite unnecessary to make any ' changes on material points" in this admirable abridgment.

Mr. Layard says, "I am still inclined to believe that all the ruins explored represent the site of ancient Nineveh, and whilst still assigning the later monuments to the kings mentioned in Scripture, Shalmanezer, Sennacherib, and Essarhadon, I am convinced that a considerable period elapsed between their foundation and the erection of the older palaces of Nimroud. The results of the attempts to decypher the inscriptions are still too uncertain to authorise the use of any actual names for the earlier kings mentioned in them."

VOL XXX.

Our acute and intelligent author expresses a favourable opinion of the energetic efforts of Colonel Rawlinson and others, in their attempts to decypher the inscriptions which have recently been brought to light.

"Meanwhile," says he, " Colonel Rawlinson has communicated to the public, through the journals of the Royal Asiatic Society, some of the results of his own inquiries, which are of great interest and importance; and other scholars, amongst whom may be mentioned Dr. Hincks, have made such progress in decyphering the Assyrian characters as the means at their disposal would permit. It is to Dr. Hincks we owe the determination of numerals, the name of Sennacherib on the monuments of Kouyunjik, and of Nebuchadnezzar on the bricks of Babylon-three very important and valuable discoveries. actual state of our knowledge of the cuneiform character, will enable us to ascertain the general contents of an inscription, although probably no one can yet give a literal translation of any one record, or the definite sound of many words.

The

"The custom of engraving inscriptions on stone, as well as on baked clay, the two methods of perpetuating their annals adopted by the Assyrians, is of the very highest antiquity. The Divine commands were first given to man on stone tables; Job is made to exclaim, 'Oh that my words were now written! ***that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever;'* and Ezekiel when prophesying on the river of Chebar, was directed to take a tile and portray upon it the city of Jerusalem.'t There could have been no more durable method of preserving the national records; and the inscribed walls of palaces and rock tablets have handed down to us the only authentic history of ancient Assyria."

It is with much pleasure that we introduce to our readers this excellent abridgment of one of the most interesting contributions of the modern press. Such men as Mr. Layard deserve the gratitude of posterity.

TRACTS CONTAINING ANTIDOTES TO THE

COUNCIL OF TRENT: German Interim, with Refutation: True Method of Reforming the Church: Sinfulness of Outward Conformity to Romish Rites: Psychopannychia; or, the Soul's Imaginary Sleep between Death and Judgment. By JOHN CALVIN. Translated from the Original Latin and French. By HENRY BEVERIDGE. Vol. III. of the Calvin Translation Society. 8vo. pp. 520. Calvin Translation Society.

THESE Tracts are but little known in this country, except in learned circles. But they are invaluable. We must take to the old + Ch. iv. 1.

Ch. xix. 23, 24.

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Protestant armoury, if we are to stand our ground against the assaults of Rome. Calvin's dissection of the Council of Trent is a masterpiece of logical argument, in which the Doctors of Rome are made to cut but a sorry figure. The man who will follow Calvin, step by step, in his examination of the several sessions and decrees of Trent, will understand Catholicism perfectly, and will be able to refute its unscriptural dogmas. The clearsightedness of the Genevan Reformer, in all he undertook to discuss, is a remarkable feature, and shows how he was raised up by God to perform a great work for his own day, and for coming generations. We hope this volume will obtain a wide circulation. Nothing can be more seasonable at the present crisis. Let our countrymen once thoroughly know what Popery is, not through the medium of its deceitful and lying apologists, but in its veritable and authoritative documents, and in its actual and terrific history, and we have then no fear of an increased sympathy on its behalf.

THE FRATERNAL MEMORIAL: a Memoir of the Rev. William Fernie, late Pastor of the Church assembling in Zion Chapel, Frome, Somerset. By the Rev. JOHN FERNIE, Farnham, Surrey. 12mo. pp. 240.

Hamilton, Adams, and Co.

WE well know the subject of this "Fraternal Memorial," and saw, with grateful feelings, his steady advancement towards high influence and well-earned reputation in the Christian church. When last we met him, and conversed with him on various methods of public usefulness, little did we imagine that we were looking upon him for the last time. Yet there was a certain unearthly aspect about his intercourses, which might have suggested the idea of his never living to realize the plans of ministerial service which he was so anxious to mature. This we can fully testify, that his whole bearing was that of a man who was intimately conversant with the invisible and the eternal.

We commend Mr. Fernie's brother, and our friend, for not suffering the records to perish which are contained in this volume. They are well worthy of preservation, and will, we trust, stir up many a youthful pastor to that high-minded prosecution of his arduous work, which so peculiarly distinguished our departed brother.

The Memoir is divided into Eight Chapters. On the value of well-written Biographical sketches. II. Mr. Fernie's Youth and Schooldays. III. His apprenticeship and conversion. IV. From his Union to the church to his leaving business. V. Intention of devoting himself to the work of the Ministry. VI. From his leaving business to the close of his

Collegiate career. VII. From his entrance upon the Pastorate to the close of his Ministry. VIII. His Illness and Death.

Much credit is due to the Biographer for his impartiality in dealing with all the questions which have come under his notice, in writing his Brother's memoirs. He has not dealt in eulogy, but simply stated facts, and left them to speak for themselves. He has also avoided the too common mistake of spinning out slender materials. The book will be the more useful, that its dimensions are so reasonable. We can very conscientiously commend it as likely to be extensively useful. We can ill spare such devoted men as Mr. Fernie.

THE MESSAGE OF LIFE. By the Author "Searchings of the Heart," &c. pp. 128. Seeleys.

THIS interesting little volume consists of thoughts and reflections on a variety of short passages of Scripture. They are expressed with clearness, conciseness, vividness, and earnestness of devotional feeling. They are rich in evangelical sentiments regarding the "Message of Life," through the Divine Redeemer; and they trace out many of the workings of the heart, which are characteristic of various stages of Christian experience. Among the texts at the head of the respective papers are the following:-" Jesus Christ maketh thee whole." "He openeth their ear to discipline." "Hast thou not made a hedge about him?" "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly." "Faith which worketh by love." "Now is the day of salvation." bow shall be seen in the clouds." out fault before the throne of God." We can recommend these pages to our readers, as valuable aids to devotional meditation.

"The "With

THE CHRISTIAN IN BUSINESS; or, BRIEF MEMORIALS OF MISS MARY BRIDGE. 18mo. pp. 124.

John Snow.

THIS is an admirable little book, excellently adapted for its purpose. It is the simple, unostentatious record of the life and death of a Christian female, who carried on a successful business in the leading street of Manchester, and who was well known in that town for her piety and benevolence. It details no very striking incidents, nor exhibits any unattainable heights of character; and in this consists its utility and its charm. It presents to view Christianity, as developed in an ordinary sphere and embodied in actions of every-day occurrence, and is a practical comment upon the text-"Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord."

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