"The reproach

Of barrenness is past. The fruitful field Laughs with abundance; and the land, once lean,

Or fertile only in its own disgrace, Exults to see its thistly curse repeal'd." Of such unspeakable importance is it to form a right estimate of what is meant by conversion; and to ascertain, so far as human sagacity enlightened from above can discern spirits, who are real converts; that we question whether any thing better distinguishes the wise and faithful shepherd from the foolish and faithless, than such preaching, and such pastoral vigilance, as perpetually connect themselves with these great inquiries.

The complexion, also, of the times, and the agitation of the controversy between the Papal and Reformed churches, might well lead us to recur to the primary and vital principles of Christianity; and thence to their actual influence on the character of the age. We do not live at a period when we are suffered to sleep at our posts. Our real friends, on the one side; and on the other, our opponents and rivals, ask us, as Protestants, to shew the value of our religion. If the former would awaken us in order to our salvation, and the latter disturb us with a view to enjoy our embarrass, ment and to profit themselves at our expense, by whatever means we are stirred up and put into motion, let us strive to shew, that, in the purest and noblest sense, we are CONVERTED; and this will be our sword and shield in the day of battle, and on the field of that Armageddon where the powers of light and darkness are perhaps already mustering their hosts. Let us listen to what was addressed to one of the earliest churches: "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke

CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 325.

nan

and chasten: be zealous, therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock! He that hath ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." We are, in truth, called upon to compute our gains; to give in an inventory of the treasures we possess, as members of an anti-papal church. When Henry the Fourth of France went over to the Catholic side, while the Duke of Sully, the adviser who recommended him to resort to this policy, remained with the Huguenots to his death, the king lost nothing by his change, and the duke gained nothing by his adherence; in either case, we mean, as affecting their principles and conduct. In a subordinate sense, he that was righteous, was righteous still; and he that was filthy, was filthy still. But "we have not so learned Christ, if"—and we must by no means omit to guard the assumption by the Apostle's cautionary hint," if we have here been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus; that we put off concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of our mind." It is thus, indeed, that the Gospel brings us to the main point, whither we would direct our own progress, and the course of all who mingle with the confusion of the times; namely, to conversion, to a practical turning away from sin and the world, to the holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Neither let any one encourage the risings of apprehension, as though, in drawing this inference, we were touching, with a hostile hand, the cross of the Son of God, and disparaging the doctrine of justification by faith in his blood and righteousness. It is one of the paradoxes of Christianity, that, in proportion to a believer's reliance upon the sacrifice and death of Christ for salvation, is his obedience to the law of Christ. As the Gospel is a religion of mo

H

tives, it is a religion also of action; and the cause and the consequences are perfectly correlative.

The Pleiad: a Series of Abridg. ments from seven distinguished Writers on the Evidences of Christianity. By the Venerable F. WRANGHAM, M.A. Archdeacon of Cleveland. Edinburgh. 1828.

THIS very neat little volume consists of abridgments of Leland's Deistical Writers, Leslie's Short Method with the Deists, Doddridge's Three Sermons on the Evidences of Christianity, Bishop Watson's Apology, Butler's Analogy, Paley and Jenyns on the Internal Evidences of the Gospel, and Dr. Watts on the Inward Witness to its Influences. The abridgments are judicious and able; and they form together a most satisfactory and valuable popular collection, for which the best thanks of the public are due to the Venerable Archdeacon. It is a common defect of treatises upon the evidences, that while they prove that Christianity is true, they omit to shew us its nature; a defect which Archdeacon Wrangham has satisfactorily supplied by adding to the other brilliant stars in his Pleiad, the tract founded on Dr. .Watts's excellent Sermons on the Inward Witness. It is a witness which dwells less in the head than in the heart; an evidence always at hand; not lost through weakness of mind, or defect of memory, or absence from study; but remaining deeply engraven in the bosom so long as the Divine religion which it authenticates exemplifies there its beloved and holy virtues.

The Interpositions of Divine Providence, selected from the Holy Scriptures. By J. FINCHER Esq. 6s. London. 1829.

Ir is a sufficient recommendation of this volume to say that it forms a befitting and valuable accompaniment to the author's "Achievements of Prayer." We can scarcely read a page of Scripture without meeting with exemplifications of the "interposition of Divine Providence;" for the Bible histories have this especial peculiarity, that whereas other books tell us of the actions and the motives of men, this reveals to us, if we may so speak, the actions and the motives of God: we trace his hand, not by conjecture or inference, but by his own authentic manifestations. Mr. Fincher has collected a volume of these invaluable memorials, and has classified them under appropriate headings, and introduced them with a general preface, expressive of the most devout feelings of interest and joy in the contemplation of the inestimable privilege of the Christian's being ever under the watchful guardianship and protection of a reconciled God and Father in Christ Jesus. Justly does the pious author remark, that,

"The mistrust of the providential care of our Heavenly Father is a sin which too only offensive and dishonouring to God beeasily besets the real Christian. It is not cause it limiteth the Holy One of Israel,' but it deprives us of much peace, destroys our comfort, diminishes our hopes, and disqualifies us for useful and valuable services for ourselves, or for those who through providential arrangements are looking up to us for consolation and instruction. Would that we possessed an and power of that gracious Saviour who abiding confidence in the wisdom, love, hath thus for safety brought us on, and who has always been to us better than our fears. Why is this boon so often rejected? Why is the providence of God so little acknowledged? pp. xxvii, xxviii.

The work is handsomely printed with a large type, so as to be particularly useful for sick or aged persons.

A Manual of Intercessory Prayer, containing Topics for every Day in the Week. By a Clergyman. 1s. Ipswich. 1828.

WE lately strongly urged upon our readers the duty and privileges of intercessory prayer; (see Review of Archdeacon Pott's Sermon, C. O. 1828. p. 710:) we need only say of this useful little Manual, that it will assist them in performing the one and enjoying the other.

Practical Suggestions towards alleviating the Sufferings of the Sick. Part II. London. 1828.

An excellent sequel to the former part noticed in our last volume. (p. 221.) That was addressed chiefly to the attendants on the sick; this to the patient himself. It consists of suggestions, meditations, extracts from Scripture and Christian authors, and prayers and hymns. It is composed in a strain of the most soothing and cheerful, yet scriptural and heart-searching piety. It might be divided into two heads, duties and consolations. Of the former, the following is an exemplification.

"In sickness the mind should be kept aloof from worldly cares,--emancipated, disencumbered, and free to turn to what will now appear to it, even had it never so appeared before, the alone imminent and urgent concern, both as regards himself and others. For the objects even of its dearest earthly affections, it should now have to think of what refers only to their eternal welfare.

"And can you not recal moments when you would willingly have died to accomplish it for some loved child or friend? Your season of extremity may prove to those, the dearest around you, the seedtime of a rich harvest of future lasting happiness, and may conduce to your eventual reunion in the home provided

in your Father's house, in the mansions prepared for you." p. 22.

Of the consolations, the following is an illustration :

"They who look attentively, can see through clouds, that are impervious to the careless and roving eye. They who listen, can hear the still small voice,' that is inaudible amid the storm of passion, lost in the tumult of business, drowned in the torrent of dissipation. In the midnight calm, the whispering heaven' breathes o'er the pious mind, and speaks of His presence, which is life; of His favour, which is better than life.

"If we could, in deep affliction, recollect the disproportion between the small cloud now passing over us, and the brightness of the more distant sky which it hides from our immediate sight; and so should fix our view, our hopes, our faith, on the shining day beyond it, we might steal some of our attention from our present misery, by trying to transfer our minds to subjects more worthy of their regard; and, looking forwards and upwards, might confidently exclaim, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.'

"In such a frame our spirits are sheltered from offence and vexation; they are protected from the east wind, and are above any storm in the clouds. As some tall cliff that lifts its awful form, Swells from the vale, and midway leaves

the storm,

Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread,

Eternal sunshine settles on its head *.

"Their peace is well secured, their minds are sheltered, and no longer at the mercy of any attacks of care and trouble from without, or of disturbance or despondency within."

was

This image of Goldsmith's beautifully introduced by William Bates, a Non-Conformist divine, who wrote fifty or sixty years before Goldsmith. The main design of philosophy was to reconcile the mind to every condition, that nothing might be able to discompose its tranquillity. As some high mountains that ascend above the middle region, while clouds charged with thunder break upon the sides, and storms encompass it below, yet the top has a pure sun, and calm air. Thus the philosophers pretended to raise men to that height of virtue that the superior part--the mind, should be serene and undisturbed, whatever was done to the lower part--the body.' Bates's Works.

GREAT BRITAIN. PREPARING for publication:-A Translation of Calvin's Commentaries; by Mr. Allen.

In the press:-The Woman of Shunem; by Mr. Edmeston ;-The New Testament; by H. Wilbur;-The Portraiture of a Christian Gentleman ;-A new System of Geology; by Dr. Ure;-Natural History of Enthusiasm.

The chairman of the East-India Company lately stated, that there were 572 widows burned in India in 1824; 639 in 1825; and 518 in 1826. When will this fearful consumption of human life be put an end to by the enlightened humanity of the Christian rulers of that vast empire?

The origin of Christmas boxes (Christmass boxes), it has been said, was to collect money for the popish priests to offer masses for the forgiveness of the people for the excesses of that abused holy season. Servants, apprentices, and poor persons, not being able to pay for their share of absolution, their richer neighbours, in compassion to their souls, presented them with gifts to purchase the benefit.

The first or "leading "article in the last Number of the Gentleman's Magazine is entitled "The Evils of Evangelical Preaching." It contains the following, among various other charges :---" They," the evangelical clergy, "have removed communion tables and fonts;" "the greater part of them slobber over the Liturgy in reading;" "the grossest obscenities are chalked upon churches occupied by evangelical preachers, and such chalk-marks have been of long standing and unnoticed by them; and they preach the doctrine of original sin, "implying the total depravity of man," which is thoroughly confuted by Bishop Tomline, R. B. Cooper Esq. M. P., and St. Paul himself!"-To back these assertions, Mr. Bowles the poet is brought forward, attesting that a murderer attended a prayer-meeting the night before the dreadful deed was perpetrated; that "hundreds" of cases occur of "bouncing babes of grace" being "affiliated to" evangelical instructors. "Ask," continues Bowles, "what class in general are found to be"-we will not stain our pages with the crimes particularised "they are

Mr.

those who attend prayer-meetings." Charges thus gross and absurd can only recoil on those who invent them; they are beneath refutation. If Mr. Bowles felt as a Christian and a clergyman ought to feel, under the impression that such things are really true, he would not use such vulgar flippancy, such profane sporting with sacred things as run throughout his remarks; and of which an expression reluctantly quoted by us above is an exemplification.

The memoirs lately published of Nollekins the sculptor, exhibit him as revelling in the most gross and disgusting immoralities, yet priding himself upon his inflexible determination never to model a bust "of any sectarian in religion." He delighted, says his biographer, to model "the dignified clergy;" but neither money nor favour could induce him to undertake John Wesley. Such are the anomalies of our fallen nature !

Colonel Kennedy, in an elaborate work lately published, on the Origin and Affinity of the Languages of Asia, and Europe, states his opinion, that, far from Hebrew having been the parent of all other languages, he cannot find a single word that can be identified with any term in Sanscrit, Greek, Latin, Persian, German, or English. He considers Hebrew and Arabic as dialects of the people of Arabia and Syria; but as never extending beyond, except to a portion of Africa. He maintains that Sanscrit, Arabic, Persian, Tartar, and Celtic, are original, distinct, and independent tongues.

The following anecdote respecting the infidel Paine, we have reason to believe genuine. We copy it in the words of the relator:-" About twenty years ago, passing the house where Thomas Paine boarded, the lower window was open, and seeing him sitting close by, I stepped in. Seven or eight of his friends were present, whose doubts and his own he was labouring to remove by a long talk about the story of Joshua commanding the sun and moon to stand still, and concluded by denouncing the Bible as the worst of books, and that it had occasioned more mischief and bloodshed than any book ever printed -and was believed only by fools and knaves. Here he paused, and while he was replenishing his tumbler with his favourite brandy and water, a person,

who I afterwards found was an intruder,

like myself, asked Mr. Paine if he ever was in Scotland.? the answer was, 'Yes.'

So have I,' continued the speaker; and the Scotch are the greatest bigots about the Bible I ever met-it is their school-book; their houses and churches are furnished with Bibles, and if they travel but a few miles from home, their Bible is always their companion; yet, in no country where I have travelled have I seen the people so comfortable and happy; their poor are not in such abject poverty as I have seen in other countries: by their bigotted custom of going to church on Sundays, they save the wages which they earn through the week, which in other countries that I have visited is generally spent by mechanics and other young men in taverns and frolics on Sundays and of all the foreigners who land on our shores, none are so much sought after for servants, and to fill places where trust is reposed as the Scotch; you rarely find them in taverns, the watch-house, almshouse, bridewell, or prison. Now, if the Bible is so bad a book, those who use it most would be the worst of people; but the reverse is the case.' This was a sort of argument Paine was not prepared to answer, and an historical fact which could not be denied-so without saying a word, he lifted a candle from the table, and walked up stairs: his disciples slipped out one by one, and left the speaker and myself to enjoy the scene."

GERMANY.

The Duke of Saxe Weimar, in his travels through North America, recently published in Germany, relates the following anecdote.

"Every day," says he, (speaking of New-Orleans,) “affords examples of the degrading treatment which the poor Negroes experienced. In the boarding-house where I lodged, there was a young Virginian female slave, who served as a housemaid; a neat, attentive, and orderly girl. There was a Frenchman living in the house, who, at an early hour, called for water. As it was not brought to him immediately, he flew down stairs into the kitchen, where he found the poor girl employed about some other business of the family. He immediately struck her with his fist, so that the blood gushed down her face. The unfortunate creature, excited by this undeserved treatment, put herself on the defensive, and seized her aggressor by the throat. He cried aloud for help; but nobody would interfere. The fellow ran into his room, packed up

his things, and said he would leave the house. Our landlady, Madame Herries when she heard this, in order to make her peace with the rascal, had the infamy to order twenty-six strokes of a cow-skin to be inflicted upon the poor girl, and carried her cruelty so far as to compel her lover, a young Black slave, who served in the family, to be the executioner. This was not all; the Frenchman, who was a clerk to a commercial house at Montpe lier, was not satisfied with this punishment he lodged a complaint against the girl at the Mayor's office, caused her to be arrested by two constables, and had her lashed again in his presence. I regret that I did not pay attention to the name of this wretch, in order to make his shameful conduct as public as it deserves to be."

The duke paid a visit while in America to Mr. Owen's settlement at New-Harmony. The society, he tells us, consisted of two very distinct classes-of men and women of liberal education, who from various motives had followed Mr. Owen's fortunes, and a band of desperate vagabonds, whom hunger had driven to a place where they could at least get physical sustenance. The principle of equality, however, required that these various descriptions of people should eat, work, live, and associate together, which was felt as a great hardship by the better educated class, and probably also by the others, who must have felt themselves under some restraint, however disposed they might be to assert their social rights. The duke was listening to a piece of music, performed by a handsome and well educated young lady, whom he calls Miss Virginia D, of Philadelphia, when she was told her turn was come to milk the cows. She went out most unwillingly, and sometime afterwards returned, having been severely kicked by one of the animals, and very ill disposed towards the new social system. "One of the members," says the duke, "acknowledges himself an Atheist, and the marriage bond is considered only as a temporary partnership.”"

UNITED STATES.

In our volume for 1826, p. 617, we reviewed a sermon of Bishop Hobart's. containing some severe strictures upon the administration of ecclesiastical affairs in the Church of England. The tenor of our review was to shew that it was better to amend what might be wrong than to be angry with Bishop Hobart for his ani, madversions. Our contemporary the