6

not willing to eat their morsel alone. The priests and the captains of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them.' Wicked priests always keep bad company. Being grieved that they taught the people.' Poor, narrow souls! would you keep the gospel to yourselves? And preached, through Jesus, the resurrection of the dead.' The Apostles had too much love for the poor, to puzzle them with words and disputes. They told the poor they were to rise from the dead, and to be judged for the deeds done in the body. And so the poor old Christian man went on to read, and express his thoughts and feelings."

These stories illustrate the design of this book. The author directs the reader of the Bible, by the exercise of common sense-and the comparison of parallel passages-making the Scriptures explain themselves-to seek the true meaning of the sacred text. It is an admirable book for young students of the Bible. It cannot fail to facilitate the acquisition of correct and defined apprehensions of the great truths of revealed religion.

SCRIPTURE CHARACTERS. By ROBERT S. CANDLISH, D. D. London: T. Nelson & Sons. Smith & English.

And

which we venture to speak of this production.

He begins by saying, that he has selected a topic, purely practical and not speculative. And yet there is not in the whole range of moral subjects, one which in its details and multiform relations and issues, is more involved in complexity and mystery. His own discussion is an illustration of this fact. For though, he says, it is practical, he does not proceed to the third page, before he is plunged into the most abstruse problems of human life, and goes floundering in mysticism, with only glimpses of the real at intervals, amidst abounding speculation. The very basis of our responsibility, as indicated in the beginning of the address, we believe to be radically wrong, as unphilosophical as it is unbiblical. There is no federative relation subsisting between man and his race, such as is predicable of Adam and his posterity. The only relation that approximates such a condition, is the relation of parents to their children. But even this relation is wanting in some of the elements of the federal relation of Adam to the race. And yet the Doctor proceeds throughout his whole essay, on the assumption, that my relation to men, is essentially the same as that between-Adam and his posterity. Consequently, many of his startling sequences are mere phantoms of speculation. He says, that upon this representative principle-" Cain became the representative of a series of violations of the divine law, which were repeated from one generation to another." Now, we should like to know upon what principle, Cain is held re

Dr. Candlish is regarded as one of the most eminent and eloquent ministers of Scotland. He was appointed the successor of Dr. Chalmers, in the University of Edinburgh. no man, in Scotland, could so deservedly and competently fill the place, of his illustrious predecessor. These portraitures of Scripture Characters, are manifestly the productions of a high order of genius. They are living pic-sponsible for all the murders of the world? tures of a master hand. With original powers of mind, scarcely, if at all, inferior to those of Chalmers, he has more of the practical in his discourses, and to our taste, a purer and chaster style, more terse, copious, rich and versatile. It is true, he never rises to the magniloquence and gorgeous imagery of Chalmers, but we like him the better, on that very account.

His Discourses on the Character of Peter, and the friendship of Peter and John-are among the best things of the kind we have ever read. Ministers will find this a great book, for the quickening of thought, as well as a rich treasury of ideas, to enrich the mind and heart. It is one of the books, we should not like to miss from our library.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY. By Rev. D. F. BITTLE, D. D., President of Roanoke College, Va. Gettysburg: Neinstedt.

This address was delivered before the Alumni of Pennsylvania College, and published by request. As the Dr. was our class-mate at College, he will pardon the freedom with

It is sheer nonsense. If you want to trace the tainted stream of humanity, you must go back to Adam, not Cain.-He only transmitted what he received.

Now the theory of responsibility, projected from such a basis, must, to say the least, be a mere paralogism. I have as little faith in this infinitesimal reduction, or monstrous elongation of human responsibility, as I have in the physical theory, that the slightest motion of a pebble in my path, is felt at the antipodes. The simple statement of our responsibility, as it appears in the Bible, is solemn enough, without any exaggeration from human speculation. And it is a fact, that any truth, if pushed to unwarrantable extremes, is subversive of the very end it aims to accomplish. The doctor, however, has said many good and solemn things in this address, which we may ponder with profit. He has introduced many anecdotal facts, which serve to enliven the discussion and deepen the impression; but he sometimes mistakes the real point, in the anecdotes he tells. He says, "All the results, political,

religious, and literary, of the Independence of the United States, may be traced to the advice, in a precarious moment of a mother to her son." Now, in the first place, we believe, that the existence of the United States was not dependent absolutely upon the fact, that there was such a man as George Washington. And then, historically, it was not advice at all, which intercepted young George's propensity for the sea. If there had not been something anterior to that crisis, he would have gone to sea in spite of his mother's What he did then, was only a result

tears.

of what had been done for him before.

His ideas of moral progress and development, drawn from analogous mutations in our globe, are merely speculative, if not fanciful. But we have transgressed our limits, and must arrest this protracted criticism. Notwithstanding the exceptions taken to the doctor's theory of responsibility, we regard the production as highly creditable to our old friend and class-mate-and we trust it will do good in the direction intended.

MACDUFF. Thousands of the readers of the

interweaving the Scriptural references to a region which, as a sanctuary of holy thought, will yield to no other in sacred story."

RECANTATION. Having seen testimonials of two respectable and reliable ministers, of Gettysburg, to the fact, that Dr. S. S. S. did actually, when signing the Overture of Peace, reserve the right of replying to Dr. Mannwe desire thus publicly to retract the charge of duplicity and tergiversation, which we In the absence alleged against the doctor.

of the facts, we could not resist the convic-
doctor, in signing the overture.
tion, of gross inconsistency on the part of the
The fact,

that he reserved the right of replying to Dr.
Mann, ought not to have been withheld from
the public by those in Gettysburg, concerned
in the overture. We feel it but sheer justice
to Dr. S. to make this formal retraction of all
we said in the Observer, aspersive of his in-
tegrity. We hope we shall never want the
moral honesty, and Christian humility, to
acknowledge even our sins of ignorance, and
make the proper reparation of wrongs, uncon-

making this confession, we feel assured of that forgiveness from the doctor, for which he pleads, at the hands of our Heavenly Father.

"Words of Jesus," "Faithful Promiser," "Foot-sciously committed against the innocent. In steps of St. Paul," &c., will be happy to know the name of the author, who, in his inimitable devotional works, has given them so many heavenly suggestions, so much material for devout meditation, and so many sacred impulses. It is to the Rev. John R. Macduff, of Glasgow, an eloquent minister of the established church of Scotland, we are indebted for those incomparable Christian manuals, which have dropped manna round the tents of thousands of pilgrims in Great Britain and America. He is to most of us a familiar friend, although till now we have not known his name.

Memories of Gennesaret.-This is his last work, published by the Carters. The author has grouped the varied scenes which give an "undying interest to the shores of Tiberias

Publishers seem to understand the advantage of a notice of their works in the Home Journal. The Journal visits nearly every minister in the Lutheran Church, and finds its way into thousands of our families.

Books, on our table, will be noticed in due time.

The Guardian.-A Monthly Magazine, edited by Rev. H. Harbaugh, is one of the very best periodicals of the kind in our country. The editor is well known as a writer of fine literary taste and ability. The February number is one of unusual interest.

OH! CLING NOT TO EARTH.

Oh! cling not to earth, for its sunshine and roses
Oft flatter the heart in life's youthful morn,
But the sunlight withdraws when the cloud interposes,
And life's smiling rose-buds have many a thorn.
Oh! cling not to earth, for its glories are fleet,
And its purest enjoyments but bloom to decay,
You will find them, at best, but a glittering cheat-
Still smiling and tempting, and passing away.

Oh! cling not to earth, though it promises pleasure,
It will not, it cannot, true gladness impart;
Rather lay up, in heaven, a permanent treasure,
Which will now and forever bring peace to the heart.
Oh! cling not to earth, though its cups of delight
Are sparkling in beauty to tempt thee to sip,
You will find that their dregs are but mildew and blight,
And even while tasting, they pall on the lip.

Church Intelligence.

THE Gustavus Adolphus Association, named in honor of the heroic King of Sweden, was organized about the year 1842, for the purpose of supporting Protestant Churches in Roman Catholic countries, especially on the continent of Europe. Its fifteenth anniversary, held in September, 1857, was an occasion of great interest, on account of the gratifying success by which its operations had been attended. During the previous year, however, it had suffered great loss by the death of Dr. Grossman, of Leipzig, its Superintendent, and first founder. Its present Superintendent Prelate, Dr. Zimmerman, is regarded as every way fitted for his responsible post. Since the time of its origin, it has supported 850 congregations, at an expense of over nine hundred thousand thalers, and founded more than one hundred new

churches and schools. Yet the more is done, the greater becomes the number of congregations applying for help.

Among the German people, this Association seems to become more and more the favorite religious Society; and many liberal bequests are made in favor of it. It is now in the midst of a vigorous development, and probably, still very far from the zenith of its power.

tion of Christians, members who were baptized and brought up in the Episcopal Church, many of them leading men in other Christian bodies; and when asked, why they have changed their religion, they are ready with the reply, because I have found out a more excellent way,' and show that they are prepared to enter upon a discussion and prove it. This is especially the case among the Baptists, among whom I find the larger portion of those who have strayed away from us."

Such changes ever have been, and will be. Sometimes they are sincere, sometimes otherwise. But as a general thing, prominent as the external movement may be, can it be regarded as a fair criterion of the progress of the kingdom of God?

The doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration, as it is called, has been engaging much attenFrom the amount of tion in the Church. talent arrayed on both sides of the controversy, and the general good spirit in which it is conducted, it may be hoped, that clearer and more satisfactory views upon the subject, will prevail in the common walks of Christian life.

In the Mercersburg Review for January, 1858, it is handled under the general head of "The Efficacy of Baptism." This article will If the reports upon the subject that reach certainly be acknowledged to be a powerful us from different quarters are worthy of creone, by all who sympathize with its positions. dit, we might designate the present, as an age The writer, in allusion to all who entertain of denominational changes, or ecclesiastical the Presbyterian views of Baptism, says: transmigrations. This feature, indeed, is "We are aware, that our Presbyterian bremuch more prominent, partly lamented, part-thren, for whom we cherish no other sentily gloried in, than is the gathering up of the lost sheep from the wilderness of the world. The success of the Baptists and Methodists in Germany, in gaining over the members of other denominations, had been regarded by many devout Germans as a serious encroachment, previous to the meeting of the Evangelical Alliance at Berlin. After a better understanding had been arrived at, this success was admitted to be of comparatively little importance to Germany.

Rev. Mr. Kincaid, a British Baptist Missionary, who is on a visit to this country, says, that "the Baptists in America are going rapidly into Episcopacy, in more ways than one."

ment but that of affection and regard, pique themselves on their spiritual religion, and lament over, and sometimes seem to pity the spread of formalism, as they call it, in the German Reformed Church. But with what propriety? They observe a form, as a form; they value and adhere to a ceremony which they believe possesses neither life nor power, and call this spiritual religion. Others observe a form not as a lifeless form, but because it is a spiritual reality, because there is in real union with it, a divine life and power; and our brethren call this formal religion. Those then, who believe in the form without the spirit, who observe a religious rite, but deny its living power and efficacy, are spirit

A southern Presbyterian, writing from Boston, laments, that "hundreds of our best peo-ual Christians; but those who believe in the ple are going into the Episcopal Church to find a resting place and peace." Upon this the editor of an Episcopal paper remarks, "hundreds and thousands are finding out that same resting place and peace,' in many other regions besides Boston.""

Yet, an Episcopalian, writing from the West says: "I find among every other denomina

form with the spirit, who observe a religious rite ordained by the Great Head of the Church as an effectual means of supernatural grace, are formalists. Novel logic."

It is curious, not to say amusing, to see that "The Churchman," the great organ of highchurchism in New York, calls the Mercersburg Review, a Lutheran Review. Sit nominis venia.

Editorial Miscellany.