first part of the synod's sentence, disapproving of the presbytery's appointing Dr Webster to introduce Mr Balfour to the chapel, by preaching on that occasion, agreed, without a vote, to reverse, and hereby do reverse the second part of the synod's sentence, prohibiting all the ministers and probationers within their bounds to officiate in said chapel, and discharging the ministers of this Church to employ any minister of the said chapel to officiate for them; and, in case the matter shall again be brought before the presbytery, the Assembly recommend it to them, to take proper care that the person to be admitted to the said chapel conform himself to the standards of this church.” BOOKS RECEIVED FOR REVIEW. 1. The Words of a Believer. By the Abbé de la Mennais. French by Edward Smith Pryce, A.B. 18mo, pp. 119. Jones, 1845. Translated from the London: Aylott and 2. Á Catechism on the Nature, Design, Subjects, and Mode of Christian Baptism. By a Sabbath School Teacher. 32mo, pp. 96. Paisley: Gardner. 3. Voices of the Church, in reply to Dr D. F. Strauss, author of "Das Leben Jesus," comprising Essays in Defence of Christianity by Divines of various Communions. Collected and Compared by the Rev. J. R. Beard, D.D., Member of the Historico-Theological Society of Leipsic. 8vo. London: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. 1845. 4. Essays on some of the Prophecies in Holy Scripture, which remain to be fulfilled. By Edward Garrard Marsh, M.A., Canon of Southwell, Vicar of Aylesford, and formerly Fellow of Oriel College. 8vo. London: Seeley, Burnside, and Seeley, 1845. 5. The Scottish Church; a View of its History, Constitution, Doctrines, and Ceremonies. Edited by Alexander Leighton. Fcap. 8vo, pp. 283. Edinburgh: Tait, 1845. 6. Travels in North America; with Geological Observations on the United States, Canada, and Nova Scotia. By Charles Lyell, Esq. F.R.S., author of the Principles of Geology. 2 vols. 8vo. pp. 316 and 272. London: Murray, 1845. 7. The Derivation of many Classical Proper Names from the Gaelic Language, or the Celtic of Scotland: being Part Third of an Inquiry into the partly Celtic Origin of the Greeks and Romans. By Thomas Stratton, M.D. Edin., Hon. Member Highland Society of Canada. 12mo, pp. 47. Edinburgh: Black, 1845. 8. Monumenta Antiqua; or the Stone Monuments of Antiquity yet remaining in the British Isles, particularly as illustrated by Scripture. Also a Dissertation on Stonehenge: together with a Compendious Account of the Druids. To which are added Conjectures on the Origin and Design of the Pyramids of Egypt, and of the Round Towers of Ireland. By R. Weaver, Author of " Scripture Fulfilled," "The Pagan Altar and Jehovah's Temple," &c. 8vo, pp. 199. London: Nichols, 1840. 9. The Churchman's Theological Dictionary. By the Rev. Robert Eden, M.A., F.S.A., late Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford; and Minister of St Mary's Chapel, Lambeth. 12mo, pp. 400. London: Parker, 1845. 10. The Dead Quickened; or the Divine Life Lost and Restored: being a short Series of Evening Discourses, preached in St Mark's Church. By the Rev. Walter M'Gilvray, Minister of Hope Street Church, Glasgow. 12mo, pp. 79. Glasgow: Blackwood, 1845. 11. The Sabbath Day Book; or, Scriptural Meditations for every Lord's Day in the Year. By J. Leifchild, D.D. 12mo, pp. 360. London: Religious Tract Society. 12. Defence of an Essay on the First Resurrection, in answer to the Strictures of the Rev. T. R. Birks, M.A. By Edward Garrard Marsh, M.A., Canon of Southwell, Vicar of Aylesford, and formerly Fellow of Oriel College. 8vo. pp. 33. London: Seeleys, 1845. 13. Life of Julius Cæsar. 18mo, pp. 192. London: Tract Society, 1845. 14. Tentamen Anti-Straussianum. The Antiquity of the Gospels Asserted, on Philological grounds, in refutation of the mythic scheme of Dr David Frederick Strauss. An Argument, by Orlando T. Dobbin, L.L.D., Trinity College, Dublin. 8vo, pp. 113. London: Ward & Co. 1845. THE PRESBYTERIAN REVIEW. No. LXXII.-APRIL 1846. ART. I.-Biblical Criticism, &c. By SAMUEL HORSLEY, LL.D., Bishop of St Asaph. Second Edition, containing translations by the Author, never before published. In two volumes. London. Longman. 1844. IN calling attention to a new edition of Bishop Horsley's works, two courses are open to us. We might either take up Horsley himself and his works, entering into an examination of his character as a critic, and his works as specimens of criticism; or we might take up some one point suggested by him, or at least connected with his labours. We prefer the latter as least hackneyed, and likely to be profitable. At the same time we cannot dismiss this most beautiful edition of Horsley's critical works without expressing our satisfaction with it, both on account of the value of its contents, and the general style of typographical execution which it displays. To the student it will be most valuable. To the general reader of Scripture it will be found of much service, though, of course, its thoroughly critical character will prevent its being so useful to the latter as to the former. Still it abounds with so many admirable elucidations of Scripture, and brings out so happily and so forcibly the point and beauty of many an obscure expression, that almost every one, learned and unlearned, may be profited. We have had few critics like Horsley; and there are few whose writings deserve more to be studied-few to whose sagacity and learning one can turn with greater confidence. Though his reputation has not, we believe, extended to the Continent, nor are his works found in the hands of the German student, still in Britain he occupies the rank which his scholarship deserves; nor is he likely soon to be displaced. We trust that the appearance of this edition may be regarded as a proof of an increasing VOL. XIX. NO. II. M demand for his works, and appreciation of their merits; but here we shall leave the Bishop and his works. Our object in the following article is to take up a subject of which we find some admirable specimens in his works; we mean the responsive songs which occur both in the Old and New Testaments. Perhaps we may be able, in the course of our inquiries, to contribute something towards the illustration of that word whose every jot and tittle is more precious than thousands of gold and silver. Satan's object in these days seems to be to carry off men's thoughts and studies from the simple word of God. Books are multiplied at an amazing rate, and are circulating with amazing swiftness. 'Many are running to and fro, and knowledge is increased; but the simple Word is not studied as it ought. It is buried beneath the enormous load of modern literature, religious as well as literary. And hence there is a most pressing necessity for calling the attention of the churches to this point, and persuading our fellow-saints, but especially the ministers of Christ, and the students who are preparing for the ministry, to devote more of their time and strenuous study to the simple word of God. Without deep and daily study of the Scriptures, what will genius do-what will eloquence do-what will even a correct theology do for those who are set to feed the flock of Christ, and to watch for them as they that must give account? Our Free Church controversy has driven us back upon Bible principles; we trust it is driving us deeper down, farther in than this—even upon the Bible itself. But, leaving these points, let us come at once to the subject intended for illustration-the Responsive Songs of Scripture. There is something peculiarly beautiful in this species of song, arising from the circumstance that its essence is the response of feeling from soul to soul. We may all have felt an indefinite, perhaps, yet strong power of attraction in the pastorals of the ancients, of a kind different from what all their other poetry possesses.* Whence arises this peculiar interest, except from this, that there is the simple expression of feeling, uttered alterternately from bosom to bosom! But especially is it beautiful in the songs of Israel, where everything had an air of sacredness, and every breath was chastened and pure, so that a response brought out some holy thought that otherwise had rested unknown in the recesses of the silent soul. adds to our conceptions of the happiness enjoyed by the families of Israel, to know that they did not so often wander one by It The ancients themselves seem to have felt the same-' amant alterna Camænæ,' Virg. Ecl. iii. 59. 6 one, singing solitary hymns to the Most High, as they met together in companies, that they might in concert offer praise, stirring up one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in their hearts to the Lord. Viewing them only as a nation of common men, it is evident that this ordinance was fitted to sanctify the nation, carrying as it did, an influence over their social assemblies-seeing it required for the worship of God, those powers, and the highest exercise of those powers, which men commonly exert in the service of social companies, and so taught them where this propensity of our nature might have its widest and purest scope. And viewing Israel as a type of the great nation of the redeemed, by this ordinance a festival in Israel became a figure of the social or family worship of heaven, where seraph cries to seraph, and the redeemed take up or transmit the song of perpetual adoration. We have alluded to the festivals; and it may be the opinion of some who have not examined the subject, that the responsive poetry took its rise from the temple service. But this is not the case. The temple service took this in as part of its forms, but did not originate it. We can discover traces of its existence in all the poetry of the East from the earliest times. Perhaps, however, we ought, in setting out, to give some clear example of a responsive song, that all may see clearly what we are to search for. The prophet Isaiah, chap. lxiii., presents a brief and indubitable instance. The multitudes of heaven see their Lord returning from pouring out his wrath on his foes, and exclaim, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah ? "This that is glorious in his apparel, bearing down all before him in the greatness of his strength?" And our Lord replies, to their adoring wonder, "I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save." The armies of heaven again take up the question. "Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat.?" And they receive for response: "I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the nations there was none with me: "And I trode them in mine anger, and trampled them in my fury. "And their blood was sprinkled on my garments, and I have stained all my raiment," &c. It is, then, such composition as this that we are to inquire into. We believe it existed from the very earliest times; and we shall have occasion to notice what we conjecture to be a hint of it in Gen. iv. 23, the song of Lamech. But the first direct instance of responsive song is to be found noticed in Exod. xv. There it is expressly told us-after giving that song of Moses which begins, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously,' that Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with pipes, and Miriam answered them, ‘sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and the rider hath he thrown into the sea.' The action recorded is one of responsive singing; and, besides this single act, the terms employed by Moses are such as indicate the commonness of this mode of song. Our version says, Miriam 'took a timbrel' in her hand, but the original is, 'took the timbrel,' which all knew to be the usual prelude to alternate singing. And next, the verb n is the term that expresses this action. Thus Parkhurst, from Tympius' remarks on Noldius, says of nor, generaliter significat actionem seu operationem alterius erga alterum quæ vel in collocutione vel in cantu vel responsione seu vocali seu reali, vel exauditione consistit ut recte observat Forsterus.' In this same book of Exodus, chap. xxxii. 18, we find this term used in a way that shows the frequency of the practice which it expresses. When Joshua, as he and Moses came down the hill, heard the noise of the people, he said, There is a voice of war in the camp; but Moses said, the sound I hear is not the responsive shout of victory, ; neither is it the sound of the responsive cry of defeat (when groan and shriek pass from wounded to wounded); still it is the sound of responsive singing that I hear.' It is not unlikely that the Israelites had been singing in chorus to the golden calf, and using to it the song which they had already used in celebrating their escape from the Egyptians—Miriam and her company again taking up the words in their turn. The next time we find them making use of this mode of praise is in Num. xxi. 17. Journeying through the wilderness, and in want of water to refresh them, God made them light on a spot where, by digging, they got an abundant supply. In gratitude for this mercy, Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well! Give praise for it; The princes digged the well; The nobles of the people digged it, By the direction of their Lawgiver, * Exactly as Homer, Iliad. i. 604, after Apollo had sung, Movrawv D'a¡ årıdov ἀμειβομεναι όπι καλῃ. |