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its appeals to young men; for it fully develops the duties which belong to all to whom, in any way, is committed the momentous task of forming and training their minds; but it is throughout so exclusively devoted to the general theme announced in its title, that all its details are fitted to arouse young men to a holy co-operation with parents and others, who may be aiming to promote their highest and best interests.

Dr. Cox has performed his task with singular wisdom and fidelity, and has fully justified the opinion expressed respecting his essay, by those gentlemen who awarded him the prize. He has shown the vast importance of young men in their influence, in domestic, social, and public life; strengthening his enlightened arguments by certain wellselected references to the opinions and practices both of Pagans and Jews. He has addressed himself, with judicious earnestness, to parents, teachers, employers, ministers, authors, and Christians in geneneral, upon the offices and duties which they severally owe to young men. He has vividly pictured the advantages arising to young men themselves, to the Church of Christ, and to society at large, from the successful cultivation of the minds and habits of the deeply interesting class of human beings to whom his essay refers. And he has well described and properly estimated the recent efforts, both at home and abroad, to draw the attention of Christians to a much neglected theme.

"Let us glance," observes our author, "at the benefit which must result from the moral and spiritual cultivation of young men, to society at large and to posterity. It is theirs to fix a character on this age, and on the next. As the past has impressed the present, the present will impress the future. The existing generation cannot escape the responsibility, for it arises from the very constitution of things, of being curses or blessings, by their conduct, to unborn millions of the young men of our times. What they are, or what instrumentally we make them, posterity will be; for they are every moment, like ourselves, receiving and transmitting impressions. Through them we are actually and necessarily working in both directions; constituting them, like ourselves, the curses or the blessings of their children and our descendants. If the young men of the present age be what it behoves them to be, and what a moral and truly religious education may make them, society is safe, the world is happy, and the jubilee of the universe approaches! If among our young men were to be found no drunkard, no debauchee, no swearer, no robber, no Sabbath-breaker; there would be no gin-palaces, no gaming-houses, no destruc

tive combinations of guilt. It is true, that for some time to come the old vices might exist, and hoary profligates continue; but their ranks would soon be thinned by desertion or death. The morality of young men, and especially their devoted piety, must operate with intense and ever-increasing effect upon the mass even of a corrupt world, and work, by its influence, a thousand reformations."

We cannot but express an earnest wish that this well-timed and well-written volume may find its way into every cottage, every mansion, and every palace throughout our country. It is a word in season to young men themselves, in every grade of society, and to all those on whom devolves the awfully responsible task of forming and culturing their minds.

FAITH and PURITY. Two Charges, addressed to Missionaries proceeding to the South Seas. To which is added, A Letter, relative to the Preservation of Health. By the Rev. RICHARD CECIL, of Turvey, Bedfordshire.

Ward and Co.

We have much pleasure in recommending to our readers this neat and unpretending little volume. It is full of sound counsel, affectionate warning, and pious thought. The first discourse, entitled, "Faith, the Support of the Christian Ministry," was delivered at Brighton, to the Rev. A. W. Murray, Missionary to the Navigators; the last, "The Missionary Exhorted to Purity of Doctrine and of Life," to the Rev. William Gill, who accompanies Mr. Williams, in the ship, as a missionary to the Hervey Islands. We have only room for a single paragraph; but that will suffice fully to bear out our recommendation :

:

"Fix your thoughts, your love, your hope, on heaven,-the native place and proper home of purity. This is not more requisite to your happiness, than it is to your sanctification. To contemplate that promised land; to realise something of its beauty, the beauty of holiness; to anticipate, as far as our feeble faith can anticipate, the unknown delight of loving God with the whole heart,-serving him perfectly,-feeling, thinking, acting, only and always, according to his will; oh my friend, there are few means like this, not only for exciting joy unspeakable and full of glory, but also for subduing our passions, weakening our temptations, cherishing every better emotion and purpose, and quickening our steps in the path of obedience. joy of the Lord is your strength;' and how can that joy be better maintained, than by dwelling on the hope of eternal life? For you, as for myself, I can have no better

The

wish, than that you may abound in hope, Withby the power of the Holy Ghost.' out this stimulus, toil will weary you; sorrow will oppress; disappointment will sour or deaden the mind; and life may even seem tasteless and worthless; but hope,--a lively hope, fastens on future blessedness, while yet it is out of sight, and 'reckons that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall [soon] be revealed.'"

MEMOIRS of the Rev. ROBERT PICKERING, late Pastor of the Independent Church, Brigstock, Northamptonshire. Compiled from authentic sources. 12mo, pp. 160. Longman and Co.

We are not sure that the editor, and, to some extent, the author of this valuable publication, has done well in withholding his name from the religious public. Although known and much-esteemed by us, we must, however, consult the delicacy of his feelings, and merely inform our readers, that justice has been done to Mr. Pickering's Memoirs by a fellow-student and a fellow-labourer in the Gospel, with whom he lived on intimate and friendly terms during the whole period of his ministry at Brigstock. We know not, indeed, that his widow could have consigned the books and papers in her possession to more proper or more competent hands; and we are persuaded that the friends and admirers of their deceased pastor, will not feel themselves disappointed on a candid perusal of the interesting memorial with which they are here presented.

By the judicious use of a diary, which Mr. Pickering left behind him, the editor of this volume makes him his own biographer during the greater part of his life and ministry, although he has appended a regular" biographical sketch," together with a memoir of Mrs. Jane Pickering, and, by way of specimen, one of Mr. Pickering's sermons. The diary appears to have been well written, and the editor has discovered much ability in disposing of the maWe terials confided to his discretion. recommend the work as worthy of general perusal, and consider it as a desirable family book, by the reading of which our young people may be still more convinced of the reality of religion, become acquainted with the feelings and désires of their own pastors, and learn to know those who are over them in the Lord-who have the grace and fidelity to admonish, and the love to pray for them-while they watch for their souls, as those who must give an account. To those who doubt the faithfulness and sincerity of Gospel ministers, we would say, Read the "Memoirs of Robert Pickering."

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We are happy to announce the completion of this important manual of Scripture instruction. On the appearance of the first part, we expressed a conviction, that the work would prove of great utility, as a text book, in Bible classes; we have watched its subsequent progress with equal if not increasing interest; and now that the whole is before us, we should greatly fail in justice both to the author and to the public, if we did not endeavour to place it before our readers, under such an aspect as to fix their attention on its merits, and induce those who have charge of the religious tuition of youth, to avail themselves of the invaluable aid which it supplies.

It is obviously no hasty production, but the result of much close and discriminating study of that portion of the New Testament which forms its immediate groundwork, and of other parts of Scripture, which furnish proofs or appropriate illustrations. The subject it embraces is, "The History of our Lord;" and the basis, the Gospel of Matthew, which has been selected, "partly because it furnishes so complete an account of our Lord's life, from the manger to his ascension from Mount Olivet; and partly, because it is accounted to be more systematic, in a chronological point of view, than the gospels of the other Evangelists. Occasion has been taken, however, to fill in the narrative by references to parallel passages of Mark, Luke, and John, whenever such references appeared essential to a harmonious view of the historical details of inspiration, or to the removal of those apparent discrepancies, which are found to exist between the distinct and independent testimonies of the four Evangelists."-Preface, p. 4. In working up the materials thus furnished into a connected series of questions and answers, Mrs. H. acknowledges, that she has availed herself of the ablest commentators, and other writers who have elucidated the sacred text; but she has so divested the results of her investigations of every thing bordering upon the pedantry of learning, and so brought them down to the level of the youthful mind, that the eye of none but a critic will discover the process from which they flow. Numerous difficulties are removed; numerous obscurities cleared up; and not a few infidel objections, which are sure to meet the eye or the ear of the young, are briefly but satisfactorily refuted. The work abounds both

in doctrinal and practical matter. The questions are framed to draw out the fulness of the text; and the answers are studiously condensed, to render them easy to the most unpractised memory. Great pains have evidently been taken in the definitions of terms, to render them clear and precise; but the whole is so constructed as to impart a knowledge of things rather than words, and to teach to think, rather than repeat by rote.

If our space permitted, we could adduce several extracts, which would fully bear us out in the above observations. The following will convey to our readers some idea of the nature of the work, and the ability with which it is executed :

What was

"Matt. x. 23. Is it lawful for Christ's disciples to go out of the way of danger? Yes, provided they do not go out of the way of duty. What direction did the apostles receive on this subject? When they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another. For what purpose were they to flee to another city? For their own safety; and also that they might preach throughout all the cities of Israel. But might not the apostles fear that their fleeing from city to city would end in their being driven out of Israel? Our Lord removed all ground of fear on that subject. What did he say about it? Verily I say unto you, ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come.' How many personal advents of our Lord are mentioned in the New Testament? Two. the first? His coming into the world to make an atonement for sin. What will be his second advent? His coming again, without a sin-offering, unto salvation. Does the coming of the Son of man, in this passage, refer to either of his personal advents? No. What then does it signify? His coming in judgment upon the Jews. When did our Lord come in judgment upon the Jews? At the destruction of Jerusalem. Did he then come personally? No; he came instrumentally. What were the instruments by which the Son of man came? The Roman armies. What did the Roman armies do? They laid Jerusalem waste, and burned the Temple. Why is the destruction of Jerusalem called the coming of the Son of man? Because it was a remarkable display of his power to punish his enemies, and to save his believing people. Did none of the Christians perish in the siege of Jerusalem? No; not a hair of their head perished. What event is prefigured by this coming of the Son of man? His last advent.-Chap. xiv. 31. What was the result of Peter's cry? 'Immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him.' When our Lord thus rescued Peter, what did he say to him?

'O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt!' From these words, what appears to have been the occasion of Peter's be

ginning to sink? His doubting. And what was the cause of his doubting? The weakness of his faith. What was it that Peter doubted? The power and grace of the Lord Jesus. Was his doubt of long continuance? No; it was but a transient misgiving. Are such doubts to be condemned? Yes. Why so? Because they are unworthy of the believer, and dishonouring to Christ. Is there not a great difference between doubting the Lord's power and grace, and doubting our own interest in that power and grace? Yes; to doubt the Lord is always sinful; but to doubt our own state and character may sometimes be needful. On what account may it be needful to question our state in the sight of God? Lest we should say to ourselves, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.' But are we always to be living in doubt about our spiritual state? No; we must walk closely with God, and then shall we have confidence towards him. Is, then, our close walking with God to be the ground of our hope towards him? No; it is only an evidence of our hope being a good hope, that will not fail us."

Instead of adding any further remarks of our own, we cordially adopt the reference of Mr. James, in his Christian Professor : "Of the numerous works of this kind that have come under my notice, I have seen none superior to that of Mrs. Henderson, which I very cordially recommend, both for the use of families and of Bible classes."p. 84.

WORKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED.

1. Thoughts on the Past and Present State of Religious Parties in England. By ROBERT VAUGHAN, D.D., Professor of Ancient and Modern History in University College, London. pp. 128. Jackson and Walford. Dedicated to the Bishop of London.— Most earnestly do we wish that all the bishops and clergy of the Establishment may read this temperate, gentlemanly, and eminently Christian defence of the position and claims of Protestant Dissenters. Dr. Vaughan has done himself honour by the tone and temper in which he has written, no less than by the enlightened and scriptural sentiments he has expressed.

2. An Appeal to the Religious Community, on the disputed Questions of the Times. In Three Lectures on the Doctrine of Sacramental Efficacy; the Claim of Apostolical Succession; and the Union of Church and State. By the Rev. JOHN ELY, Minister of Salem Chapel, Leeds. 8vo, pp. 64. Jackson and Walford.-The respected author of these three lectures has done noble service to the Church of Christ, by the calm and dignified, but yet successful manner in which he has disposed of the Oxford Tract-men, or rather of their more than semi-popish notions. The logic of his "Appeal' is equal to all its other qualities; and both "Sacramental Efficacy," and Apostolical Succession," have come out of his iron grasp feeble, and helpless, and ready to die. Let but the people read this Tract for the Times," and the Oxford divines

may save themselves the trouble of fulminating any more of their popish bulls.

3. Lectures on the Nature and Structure of the Chinese Language, delivered at University College. By the Rev. SAMUEL KIDD, Professor of the Chinese Language and Literature in that Institution. Svo, pp. 40. Taylor and Walton, Upper Gowerstreet. Mr. Kidd's appointment to a Professorship in Chinese Language and Literature, in University College, will give great satisfaction to all the friends of missions throughout the world. It is a testimony to the talents and attainments of our friend, and also to the place which missionary undertakings now occupy in the public mind. Mr. Kidd's lecture abundantly sustains the estimate which has been formed of his proficiency in the department of philology which he has been called to occupy.

4 Poems of a Traveller. By the Rev. JOHN HARTLEY, M.A., Author of "Researches in Greece and the Levant." Utile cum dulci. 12mo, pp. 156. Nisbet. Second Edition, enlarged.-There is much of poetic and classic beauty in these poems; and they are richly imbued in every page with the doctrines and spirit of vital Christianity. The introductory notices to each poem, as historic sketches, will be read with much interest by those lovers of antiquity who are at the same time friends of the Gospel of Christ.

5. On Education and Self-formation, based upon Physical, Intellectual, Moral, and Religious Principles. From the German of Dr. J. C. A. HEINROTH, Professor at the University of Leipsic. 8vo, pp. 246. A. Schloss, Great Russell-street, British Museum.

6. Meditations on Texts of Scripture, and Miscellaneous Pieces, in Verse. By the Author of "Antidote to the Miseries of Human Life," "Talents Improved," &c. 32mo. Hamilton, Adams, and Co.

7. A New Version of the Book of Job; with expository Notes, and an Introduction, on the Spirit, Composition, and Author of the Book. By FRIEDRICH WILLIAM CARL UMBREIT, Professor of Theology in Heidelberg. Translated from the German, by the Rev. JOHN HAMILTON GRAY, M.A., of Magdalen College, Oxford, Vicar of Bolsover. 2 vols. 12mo. T. Clark, Edinburgh; and J. G. and F. Rivington, London.

8. Exposition of the First Epistle of Peter, considered in reference to the whole System of Divine Truth. Translated from the Original German of WILHELM STEIGER, by the Rev. PATRICK FAIRBAIRN, Minister of North Ronaldshay. 2 vols. 12mo. T. Clark, Edinburgh; and J. G. and F. Rivington, London,

9. A Commentary on the Epistle of St. John. By FRIEDRICH LUCKE. Translated from the German, with Additional Notes, by THORLEIF GUDMUNDSON. Reprinted, T. Clark, Edinburgh: and J. G. and F. Rivington, London.

10. Young Men; or, an Appeal to the Several Classes of Society in their behalf. By the Rev. STEPHEN DAVIES, B. C. L., of Queen's College, Cambridge, and Curate of Bow Brickhill, Bucks. 12mo, pp. 238. Hatchard and Son.

11. Vol. XVI., Part II. Encyclopædia Britannica; or, a Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature. Seventh Edition, greatly improved, with the Supplement to the former editions incorporated. Illustrated by an entirely new set of engravings on steel. Edited by PROFESSOR NAPIER. Black, Edinburgh; Simpkin, Whittaker, and Hamilton, London.-This part carries down the work to the commencement of the letter P; and the articles on Optics, Ornithology, Ossian, Oxford, Painting, Palestine, Palmyra, Panama, ara got up in a masterly style.

12. The Principles of Dissent, in their Authority and Influence. An Introductory Discourse, deliv ered in the Old Meeting-house, St. Clement's, Norwich, on Wednesday, December 6, 1837, on occasion of the appointment of the Rev. J. H. Goodwin to the pastoral office. By JOHN STAUGHTON, Windsor. 8vo, pp. 36. Jackson and Walford. This is

a clear, affectionate, and pious address, conceived and expressed in the spirit of the Gospel.

13. Lectures on Rhetoric and Criticism, and on Subjects Introductory to the Critical Study of the Scriptures. By the Rev. STEVENSON MACGILL, D.D., Professor of Theology in the University of Glasgow.

14. The Preacher from the Press. Sermons, to explain and to recommend the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By JOHN ALEXANDER, Minister of Princes-street Chapel, Norwich. In 2 vols. Jackson and Walford.

PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION.

Schism; as opposed to the Unity of the Church; its Nature, Example, Disguises, Evil Consequences, Sinfulness, and Cure.-The prize of one hundred pounds for the best essay on Schism, proposed by Sir Culling Eardly Smith, has just been awarded to this essay by the adjudicators, the Hon. and Rev. Baptist W. Noel, M.A., and the Rev. James Sher

man.

REV. W. CLAYTON,

OBITUARY.

President of Mill Hill Grammar School. Ir is with heart-felt grief that we announce the sudden death of this most amiable and devoted minister of Jesus Christ. The affecting event took place, without any previous warning, at Mill Hill, on Thursday the 15th March, by which a beloved wife, an only child, and a large family circle, are plunged into the deepest distress. The loss, too, to the Mill Hill grammar school, over which Mr. Clayton presided with so

much advantage to the Institution, will be incalculable. How loud the call, "Be ye also ready."

MR. JOHN INGRAM, GARDenstown.

DIED, on the 8th of February, after a few days illness, at Dubford, near Gardenstown, in the north of Scotland, in the sixtieth year of his age, Mr. John Ingram, a zealous and active deacon of the Congregational church at Millseat; to the Pastor, office-bearers, and members of which, his

memory is endeared by the most fragrant recollections. His mind had been brought under the influence of the truth at a comparatively early period of life; and he was enabled to maintain an exemplary measure of Christian consistency to the last. As a man of charity and peace, his heart and his house were ever open to Christians, and Christian ministers, of every denomination; while, at the same time, he maintained an unflinching deference to the principles of Congregational dissent, to which he was conscientiously attached from the commencement of his religious career, and from which, in evil or good report, he never departed. His gentleness and placidity

of disposition, associated with sterling integrity and unaffected benevolence, procured him almost universal esteem; and few, very few, descend to the grave amidst more sincere and general regret. His end presented a pleasing sequel to the general tenour of his life. It was singularly tranquil and serene. There was no ecstacy, but calm and stedfast confidence in the great atonement of the Redeemer; and he literally seemed to fall asleep in Jesus. May his surviving friends, who bitterly mourn their loss, be excited to emulate his virtues, and to follow him as far as he followed Christ. Millseat. J. M.

LONDON.

Dome Chronicle.

ON THE MAINTENANCE OF THE GOSPEL AT HOME.

THE evangelisation of the world has been intrusted to the Church. Every Christian is to keep this glorious object in view, and is bound by the very terms of his profession to live and labour for the salvation of his fellow men. The Christian Minister is called to do this in a special manner. To the sacred work he is to dedicate all his talents -all his time. In order to this, he is to disregard the pursuits which engage the attention of men generally. In the spirit of faith he is commanded to go forth, like the apostolic twelve, "providing neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in his purse.' And his Father in heaven has engaged to supply all his wants.

The age of miracles is past. From what source, then, are these wants to be supplied? The answer is furnished in the simple appeal of an inspired apostle; "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things?" They who preach the Gospel are to live of the Gospel.

The spirit of Christianity is essentially liberal. In the atmosphere of selfishness it must languish and expire. At the cross the Christian finds a thousand arguments to impel him to dedicate his all to God. The law of love triumphs there; and this law, as it gives life to every other Christian duty, teaches also how, and in what spirit, the temporal wants of the minister of the Gospel are to be supplied.

Is it not melancholy, then, to mark the strange anomaly which the Church exhibits in the fact, that where Christian liberality should exercise its due influence, it

is, too frequently, not even the ground of appeal? In reference to so sacred a duty as the maintenance of the Gospel, an appeal is often made on no higher principle than the sense of shame; and many a faithful minister of Jesus Christ is, at this moment and in this land, living upon a stipend barely sufficient to procure the necessaries of life, while members of his congregation, I might even add of his church, are in easy or affluent circumstances.

Another class of "Christian professors," less blameable than these, but far more numerous, while they manifest some care for their minister's actual maintenance, leave him anxious for the future well-being of his family. The pretext of these individuals, that the amount of their effort has been proportioned to the extent of means possessed, is happily obviated by the fact, that some of our churches have recently secured a provision for their minister's family after his decease, by an effort of which they had once thought themselves incapable.

The disregard of so imperative a duty must be supposed to arise, in many instances, from mere inadvertence. But such inadvertence is far from being guiltless: it retards the preaching of the Gospel-the salvation of souls-the progress of the latterday glory! For it fills the pastor's heart with worldly anxiety, and throws impediments in the way of his unreserved devotion to the sacred work.

It will, of course, be expected that I should not close these remarks without proposing some remedy for the evil which, in common with others, I deplore. That which I would suggest is very simple, but, I think, adequate. Let any Christian, who may feel himself condemned in this particular, take his Bible with him to his closet, and, upon

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