against in such a work, is the danger of losing in its systematic handling, XVIII. The World's Jubilee. By Anna Silliman. New York: M. Its views are, that this world This work is, in the main, Millenarian. will be the residence of the blessed, and that the Saviour will reign over the world in person, from the Holy Land as a centre. There is, however, this peculiar view, that the saints who die previous to the Second Advent, or who are changed at the Advent, will reign with Christ, exercising a peculiar dominion, but that the subjects of the Empire of the Redeemer will be the remainder of mankind. That is, the authoress gravely maintains the idea that the inhabitants of the world, after the Second Advent, will go on forever, marrying and giving in marriage, multiplying and replenishing the earth. This condition of things, we imagine, most Millenarians confine to the Millennial State or "Thousand Years." There does not seem to be any imaginable limit to secular speculation on these subjects, if we once break away from the idea of the spiritual nature of the Redeemer's Kingdom. These Millenarian views appear to us to conflict directly both against the letter and the spirit of the Redeemer's declarations. XIX. Messiah's Throne and Millennial Glory. By Josiah Litch, Minister of the Gospel. Second Thousand. Philadelphia: For sale by Wm. S. Young, 1855. pp. 316. We did not receive this volume until the present year. Its author was, perhaps, the ablest of the preachers of the Millerite notions in 1843. He still retains the same views of prophecy, in the main, though he is much more careful than at that time in naming particular dates. He differs very materially, as do most of the Millenarians, from Mr. Oswald's view concerning the Jews; Mr. Litch holding that the literal seed of Jacob will be a distinct nation forever in Palestine, divided eternally into twelve tribes. He holds also the idea, that the Redeemer came, bona fide, to restore the Kingdom to the Jews as such, that they were right in expecting a reigning, triumphant Messiah, and that he only failed to restore the kingdom because they rejected him. In other respects his views a good deal resemble those of the Millenarians. As to the time of the Second Advent, he counts the 1260 years from 538, and, of course, makes them end in 1798, and remarks, "My deep and confirmed conviction is, that the end is very, near. Although I would by no means endorse Dr. Cumming's strong assurance of the demonstration of the fact, yet I insert his remarks as showing the confidence with which he regards the subject. He says, The great epochs of Daniel, the grand eras of the Apocalypse, as has been shown, all terminate about the year 1864. Reader, do not take up the idea that we assert that Christ comes in that year. All we allege is, that the great prophetic epochs converge just about that time; and ac cording to Clinton's Chronology, in his Fasti Hellenici, the most able adjustment of the chronology of the world which has issued from the pen of any, he demonstrates, not guesses, that the 6000 years of the world terminate about 1863; and then, that 1864 or 1865 begins the seventh millenary of the world.' “Not having seen Clinton's Work, of course I cannot speak of its merits. But Mr. S. Bliss' work on Sacred Chronology has also established, beyond successful controversy, the fact, that the six thousand years are near their end; and will be as likely to end before as in 1863." XX. The State of the Soul between Death and the Resurrection. By Phineas Blakeman, North Madison, Conn. New York: M. W. Dodd. Philadelphia: W. S. & A. Martien, 1855. pp. 114. This is a very sensible book, keeping close to Scripture and coming to very rational conclusions. It discusses, the conscious existence of the soul between death and the resurrection; the mode of its then existence; the location of its disembodied residence; the employments and duration of the Intermediate State. We take pleasure in recommending the volume to any who would investigate the limits of our knowledge on these subjects. XXI. Sabbath Evening Readings on the New Testament. St. John. By the Rev. John Cumming, D. D., F. R. S. E., Minister of the Scotch National Church, Crown Court, Covent Garden, London. Boston Jewett & Co. Philadelphia: Lindsay & Blakiston, 1856. pp. 464. Twelve Urgent Questions: Personal, Practical, and Pointed. By the same. Philadelphia : Lindsay & Blakiston, 1855. pp. 281. The popularity of Dr. Cumming is well known. His church can never hold the crowds who throng to hear him. Noblemen and statesmen are amongst his attentive and gratified hearers. It would, perhaps, be best to leave these works with these simple statements. The first is a series of lectures on the Gospel of John; the second asks such momentous questions as, How shall we escape? Lovest thou me? &c. The answers are indicated, with earnest practical remarks. Opinions vary very much as to the power and originality of Dr. Cumming, and while we are not able to see so much in him as many others can, we recommend our readers to examine for themselves the sources of so extraordinary a popularity. XXII. Arminian Inconsistencies and Errors; in which it is shown that all the distinctive Doctrines of the Presbyterian Confession of Faith are taught by standard Writers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. By the Rev. Henry Brown. Philadelphia: Wm. S. & A. Martien, 1856. pp. 430. The substance of this book originally appeared in the Watchman and Observer, a religious newspaper of Richmond Va. The design of the author appears from the following: "Arminians suppose their system of theology, in a great measure, free from difficulties, and especially from such difficulties as they attach to Calvinism. The writer undertakes to show, on the contrary, that their standard authors maintain not only all the distinctive doctrines of Calvinism, as decidedly as Calvinists themselves, but that sometimes they go far beyond them: also that they are found frequently on two, or three, or four sides of the same question." We think the work, on the whole, is well done. Of course, we are not responsible for any little difficulties with which Mr. Brown involves himself by trying to defend a Calvinism more Calvinistic than Calvin himself, but there is a good deal of real learning and acuteness and the Arminians are fairly meshed. We agree with him fully that "Arminianism is not a system." The subject does not present itself to us as one between two well-reasoned systems, but between the only system and a chaos. We have never seen what seemed to us, even a plausible Arminian book. XXIII. The Teacher. Moral Influences employed in the Instruction and Government of the Young. A new and revised Edition. "By Jacob Abbott. With Engravings. New York: Harpers. 1856. pp. 353. This is a new edition of a most admirable book. We do not know any one that we would so readily recommend to a young teacher. Jacob Abbott has a remarkable talent for making a thing interesting. He is one of those men who have a kind of intuitive knowledge of the views and feelings of others, who can put themselves in the position of others, and explain any matter so that they will see it clearly. This book is very well known, but it gives us pleasure to add our cordial approval. XXIV. Hints on Missions to India; with Notices of some Proceedings of a Deputation from the American Board, and of Reports to it from the Missions. By Miron Winslow, Missionary at Madras. New York: M. W. Dodd. 1856. pp. 236. This volume gives the results of the experience of Mr. Winslow for nearly thirty-seven years. It is of course, every way worthy of attention. It speaks very mildly on the subject of the action of the Deputation. XXV. Western Africa: Its History, Condition and Prospects. By Rev. J. Leighton Wilson, eighteen years a Missionary in Africa, and now one of the Secretaries of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions. With numerous engravings. New York: Harpers. 1856. pp. 527. An interesting and valuable work. There is a calm sobriety about it that commends itself to the judgment of the reader. Mr. Wilson is in favor of colonization, but thinks it of great importance that the Colonies of Liberia and Sierra Leone should be united. He decidedly approves of employing white missionaries to plant the Gospel in Africa. Full descriptions are given of the country, climate, productions and people; the slave trade, languages, and every thing that would be likely to be interesting. We copy the account of Cape Coast Castle, which has acquired a mournful interest for all admirers of genius: "Cape Coast is the residence of the Governor General, and may be regarded as the commercial centre of this part of the country. It was owned by the Danes in the first instance, and was sold to the Dutch, from whom it was taken by Admiral Homes in the seventeenth century, and has continued in the hands of the English ever since. It was enlarged and strengthened by the 'Royal African Company,' and has always been kept in a good and efficient condition. It covers several acres of ground; its walls are twenty feet or more high, and are mounted with more than a hundred guns. The Castle rises up in its centre, is four stories high, and furnishes ample accommodations for the Governor and his suite, and for most of the public officers. The garrison is composed of black soldiers from the West Indies, or natives of the country, but is officered by Englishmen. 'Cape Coast Castle has acquired some modern notoriety from having been the temporary residence and burial-place of Mrs. Maclean, the distinguished poetess and novelist. A great outcry was made in England about the time of her death, and not a few insinuations were made that it was brought about by unfair means. I visited the place a few weeks after this melancholy occurrence, and from the impressions which I received from the principal residents, as well as the favorable opinion which I then formed, and ever after entertained of the honorable and high-minded character of Governor Maclean himself, I have never entertained any other idea of these rumors than that they were most ungenerous, and utterly unfounded. Both he and his distinguished partner now lie side by side under the cold sod of this African fort, with nothing to indicate the spot but a plain marble slab, with a Latin epitaph, inserted on the front of the inner wall of the fort, opposite the place where they lie." CONTENTS OF NO. XVIII. ARTICLE. I. THE HUGUENOTS. PAGE. 177 II. THE SCOTCH-IRISH ELEMENT OF PRESBYTERIANISM. 200 III. JOHN HUSS AND HIS WRITINGS. IV. THE DEPUTATION TO INDIA. 228 266 V. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 1856. VI. LITERARY AND THEOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE, 302 IV. Hand Book for the Presbyterian Church in Minnesota, XX. The Soul between Death and the Resurrection, 349 |