upon popular waters, to sink or swim as it may. Feelings of religious obligation, habits of generosity and self-denial, are not learned in a day; but, as sooner or later the plunge must be made, it is well to look it fully in the face, and by gradual familiarity to prepare for it. Something has been already done; hundreds of district Churches, are as absolutely dependent upon their congregations for the maintenance of their ministry and worship as Congregational Churches and are among the best sustained of Episcopal places. And, although we have written thus concerning the past and future of Free Church principles, we do not suppose that the English Establishment will come to an end to-day, or to-morrow. The conflict of years is, probably, before us; and for the sake of all parties, we venture to say we hope it is; for much has to be done yet to prepare the Episcopal Church for its change; and nothing is so salutary, its incidental evils notwithstanding, as the educational influences of debate and conflict. It must be remembered that in one form or another the support of their religious institution does ultimately devolve upon the people themselves; it is a mere ques→ tion of mode and distribution, of the more or the less direct support and responsibility. Shall the whole nation maintain the institution, or only a section of it, Free Churchmen at the same time maintaining their own as well; or shall each Church be committed to the sympathy and support of its own members? That the effect of Establishment is to paralyze and not to stimulate the activity and generosity of those who are the subjects of it, is abundantly clear. And it is equally clear that only some inherent stimulus to both energy and self-sacrifice could have enabled the Free Churches of Britain to have achieved the position they have gained. One word more. High above all Church organizations, and all the emulations and strifes of sects, are the Divine and spiritual things of the Holy Catholic Church of Christ; to which all forms and services of visible Churches are subordinate; but which also these greatly affect. Our material and transitory forms pass, in manifold and subtle ways, into spiritual and eternal realities. Upon what we are, and do, in our little Churches and sects, the glory and greatness, the efficiency and honour of the "whole family in heaven and earth" depend. Beholding us, therefore, our perils, our emulations, our strifes, the Great Intercessor kneels and prays to his Father. High above the clamour of our selfish passions, the bitter words of our ecclesiastical jealousies, the vituperations of our narrow intolerance, His holy, earnest, and solemn words are heard, "That they all may be one; as thou Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." And we, our divisions notwithstanding, have so far a sense of common brotherhood, and of the great spiritual ends upon which His heart is set, that we kneel down behind Him, sometimes side by side, and re-echo His prayer; that we may "be one," not in mere organizations and forms, but in the holy sympathies and charities of a common spiritual relationship, that every cause of offence may be removed, every root of bitterness be rooted up, every feeling of jealousy extinguished. But, hearing us thus pray, will not He "turn round and look upon us, and beholding us grieve for the insincerity and hardness of our hearts?" For will He not see "Judah vexing Ephraim, and Ephraim envying Judah"? one brother insisting upon putting his yoke upon the neck of another, and demanding that he himself be endowed with high prerogative among his brethren, that every Church beside his own be disallowed, or made to contribute to his aggrandisement, that the sheaves of all his brethren bow down to his sheaf; and deeming himself a model of Christian Catholicity and condescension, because he has gone so far as thus to kneel by his brother's side, and offer this prayer for unity; although when his prayer is ended he will carefully go his different way, and as far as possible refuse all other recognition. Yea, even while he thus prays, he refuses to surrender one of his invidious claims, or to consent to any arrangement that shall put his brother and himself upon a common Christian level; although he expects his brother to manifest a magnanimity and self-sacrifice that will waive all abjection to such supremacy; a charity which will resent no wrong; a patience that will never complain; a Christian affection that feels no bitterness; and a passive submission that neither by word nor deed will do anything to disquiet him in the enjoyment of his prerogative. Beholding this, must not He "whose eyes are as a flaming fire," and whose "ways are equal," rebuke the insincerity of his prayer;" bid him "pluck the beam from out his own eye;" "leave his gift before the altar, and first be reconciled to his brother;" sacrifice every selfish claim, every invidious distinction that may either hinder or grieve perfect brotherhood; and remember the great law of His kingdom, "One is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren?"--British Quarterly Review. 191 BRIEF NOTICES OF BOOKS. Daily Draughts from Horeb's Rock; or, Musings on Holy Things for Every Day in the Year. Constituting a complete Epitome of Doctrinal, Practical and Experimental Christianity. By JOHN SIMPSON, minister of the Gospel, and author of "Here and Hereafter," "Smiles and Tears," &c., &c. London: W. Lister; and F. H. Hurd, Fleet-street. Leeds : J. Parrot, Fleet - street, Briggate. Books of this description have been in great request, and we believe are much read by large numbers of spiritually-minded persons. Among the very few books possessed by multitudes of Christian people we have generally found works of this class; the choice lying between the old book of Bogatzky's and the many works of Smith, the Cheltenham Baptist Minister. Mr. Simpson observing this resolved to employ his fruitful pen in furnishing Methodists with a work of the kind written in harmony with Methodist doctrine and experience. This design has our hearty commendation. In dipping into such books, as we have found them on the shelves of our friends, we have often been annoyed at their maudling sentiment, empty twaddle, and emasculated, not to say perverted, theology. The reading has been frequently insufferable. We have a favourable contrast to all this in the work before us. We have here some of the profoundest questions that emerge in theological speculation treated in a popular manner, and made interesting to persons of ordinary capacities and reading; while the thinkings are vigorous, and the style is healthy and strong. For the most part, practical and experimental questions are dwelt upon. There is a unity in the work. It is not detached pieces, but is one, and in this respect is an artistic production. The soundness of its theology, as well as other merits, make us bold in asking our readers to make it their own by purchase and mental appropriation. We have spoken of the writing, but we wish further to say that it is in Mr. Simpson's best manner. There is an ease, a perspicuity, and fulness about it, that the reader is lured on through the "green pastures" of Gospel truth. We hope to see it taking the place of the inferior, and often unworthy, books we have spoken of in the libraries of our people. [This notice, intended for our Feb. No., unhappily got mislaid.-Ed.] Safe Steps in Perilous Times; or, the Churches of our Country, How and Why they should be United. By the Rev. T. WHITTINGTON. Hamilton and Adams. 1868. WE have read this volume with the utmost satisfaction, and know not whether most to admire its spirit or its literary ability. The discussion in Convocation relative to the Reception of the Wesleyan Body into the Church, and the vain attempts to suppress heresy in itself, led the author to undertake this work. His original purpose was only to write a pamphlet, but the work grew in his hands, and this handsome volume was the result. The anomalous condition of the establishment is painted with great logical force, as well as the impossibility of union with her as she is. The bigotry, lordly airs, and priestly assumptions of the clergy are exposed with a friendly, yet faithful spirit. A good argument is constructed for the validity of Methodist orders. We have also a statement of the attitude of Wesleyanism towards the Church, and an expose of some parts of Methodist polity. The best parts of this book are those which treat of the union desiderated for the Churches, a union not of absorption or amalgamation, but rather a united assertion of the great vital truths impinged upon by Popery on the one side, and avowed unbelief on the other, and the coming together on a platform common to all, that by mutual prayer and counsel they might invigorate each other in contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints. We trust that this book will be extensively read, and that its catholic spirit will more and more animate the Churches of the Lord Jesus Christ. A History of the Primitive Methodists. By THOMAS CHURCH. Third edition. Ir does not often fall to our lot to read so large a mass of valuable information in eighty pages as we have in this little work, and presented in an attractive and elegant form. Those who want details must go to Petty's History. The two venerable and illustrious men, denominated in popular parlance the founders of the Connexion, are here dealt with in the facts of their lives and the attributes of their characters. And while the writer cherishes an ardent admiration of both, it is an intelligent and discriminating admiration. Let our readers buy it as a necessary addition to, and a valuable companion work of, Petty's History. Of Mr. H. Mann's historic resume our words of commendation can hardly be too loud. The Institutions of Christianity exhibited in their Scriptural Character and Practical bearing. By THOMAS JACKSON. London: Wesleyan Conference Office. To such persons as are wishful to become informed respecting the institutions of Christianity, but who have not means or leisure for the perusal of elaborate works on those subjects, this volume will prove an invaluable acquisition. In fact, after reading what is here written respecting the Sabbath, the Christian Ministry, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, one 192 feels as if larger and more elaborate works might be dispensed with. The author has the happy art of saying much in little, of condensing in small compass a large amount of well-digested information, and of presenting the pith and marrow of all that has been previously written on the institutions of Christianity, in a clear and forcible manner. In this volume the teachings of orthodoxy are vindicated against theological latitudinarianism on the one hand, and sacerdotal exclusiveness and presumption on the other, and we are bound to say the vindication is masterly and conclusive. We congratulate the venerable author on his being able, after more than sixty years' active service in the ministry, to present this valuable contribution to Christian literature. The Tongue of Fire. A Lecture to Professing Christians. By the Rev. HENRY LEECH. London: W.Lister. So far from this Lecture being, as might be surmised, a copy or echo of Arthur's book bearing the same name, it for the most part occupies entirely different ground, and does not even seem to recognise the existence of its illustrious predecessor. In its own line it is a capital little tractate, original in its turn of thought, apt and forcible in its Scripture quotations, and strongly practical in its general bearings. A Night on the Deep: a Story of Peril and Escape. By Rev. G. SHAW. Fifth Thousand. London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co. THIS is an affecting story, well told. Commentary on the New Testament. By JAMES MORISON, D.D. Part V. London: Hamilton, Adams, & Co. THIS great work proceeds slowly but satisfactorily. The present part is equal in all respects to the parts previously issued. THE CHRISTIAN AMBASSADOR. WE ART. I.-REPRESENTATIVE THEOLOGIANS do not propose to go over the theological map, for the purpose of pointing out the attitude of the representative men in the different branches of the science, and to show how they fall into their different departments. We take them as representatives of the various schools of theological thought and speculation. It is not believed that one paper can adequately deal with all these schools and their living representatives; and the instances selected can only be treated with great brevity. Turning first, as by courtesy bound, as well as by the eminence of the men, to the Church as by Law established, there are here three great schools or parties in Theology: Low, High, and Broad Church. For centuries the Low Church was the prominent, one might almost say the only party in the church. They inherit a noble past, and have an illustrious ancestry; their party is positive and admits of no degrees of comparison. In the other parties there are degrees: High, Higher, Highest, as there are Broad, Broader, and we may even say-Broadest. A survey of the Evangelical party does not give many men of eminence, as representative theologians. There are men highly respectable, but not representative; for example, we have Mr. Birks, of Cambridge (but his Universalist opinions recently published have made his party discard him); Mr. Garbett, a late Bampton Lecturer; Dean Boyd, of Exeter, the first preacher of the party; Mr. Ryle, an extensive author of tracts, pamphlets, and sermons: and Dr. McNeile, Dean of Ripon. Narrowness, exclusiveness, and dogmatism characterize them as a party. Their leading journals abound in unreason and uncharitableness. Let us take Mr. Ryle and Dr. McNeile as the *An Essay, read at the twentieth Annual Meeting of the Ministerial Association, held at Sunderland, May, 1869, and published according to desire. VOL. VII.-NEW SERIES. |