CONTENTS, INDEX, AND TITLE PAGE

OF

THE BIBLE AND THE PEOPLE

FOR 1851,

Will be given with No. I, of the Bible and the People

For 1852.

We earnestly desire our readers to exert themselves to extend our circulation, confidently promising several new features of popular interest, whilst retaining the same general purpose.

REVIEWS AND CRITICISMS.

A Course of Lectures on the Rise, Progress, present Aspect, and Papal Development and Tendencies of Puseyism. By JOHN POULTER. Northampton: printed for the Author.

MR. POULTER, the Author of " a Course of Lectures on Puseyism," is, we believe a Baptist minister at Northampton. The lectures have been delivered at various places, and are now presented to the public in a neat volume, that deserves, and we trust will obtain, an extensive circulation. They convey clearly and concisely much important information in connection with the history and nature of Puseyism, as well as many wellreasoned exposures to the sentiments passing under that modern title.

The point in which we regard Mr. Poulter's production as somewhat deficient is, in not sufficiently denouncing the system of which Puseyism is an established part; still he does plainly intimate the truth, that there is demanded a reform, in order to save the Church; and perhaps to the majority of readers, the Author's moderation in this respect will appear to be a wise and liberal prudence.

We should have preferred a strong chapter in conclusion, showing that PUSEYISM IS PRAYERBOOKISM. But we must allow to each his own peculiar style and method of performing his work. Mr. Poulter's Lectures will, we doubt not, meet with general approbation.

The reader will be amply repaid for the perusal of Mr. Poulter's Lectures, and should be in the hands of all thinking Christians; trusting that they will prove an antidote to Puseyism, and be the means of bringing many who are of a wavering mind to a settled conviction, that Puseyism is but Popery in a new phase.-[EDITOR.]

Discourses on Various Forms of Religion. By J. BURNS, D.D. London, Houlston & Stoneman.

embrace the following Religion of the Senses, Religion of Faith. We

THE eight discourses here presented to the reader's notice, subjects: -a Religion by Proxy, a Religion of Ceremonies, a the Religion of Feeling, the Religion of Credulity, and the feel we are giving no mean praise, when we say they are worthy of Dr. Burns's, former fame. His is a name well known in the Churches, not as that of the leader of a sect, but as that of a talented and Catholic-hearted Christian. The Sermons here published were delivered in London during the time when the Great Exhibition was open-and of necessity were adapted to benefit a very mixed congregation, such as the Dr. had during that season. We think he has performed his work well; and the discourses now before us will repay the perusal of any one interested in these subjects. The style is exceedingly perspicuous, and the thoughts of the Author are delivered boldly and logically. We think some of the Baptist brethren would not be injured by studying his sayings upon the water question.

The third discourse is a most powerful one; though we confess that we differ from the Doctor most fundamentally in his treatment of the Deist. By putting the question at issue upon the ground he has done, in our humble judgment he gives the Deist an advantage which the latter knows well how to use. The Doctor contends, and we think truly, that neither the sublimity of the heavens nor the loveliness of earth, can teach us what virtue is. He then asks can this knowledge be attained by "the impression of the mind." "An impression of the mind means nothing at all; for it is from the impression of the mind that all sorts of wicked and absurd results have been produced; and therefore this tells nothing with any degree of certainty." To this sentence in its connection, we most decidedly object. In our opinion, the logical deductions which might be drawn from it would cut from beneath us the groundwork upon which morality rests.

We commend to the study of Dr. Burns the following sentence of a Chinese sagė, who wrote six centuries B. C. conscience, which is the light of intelligence, to distinguish good and evil; humanity, which is the equity of the heart; moral courage, which is the force of the soul,- these are the three grand and universal moral faculties of the man." Surely Dr. Burns has heard of Socrates and Plato.

The rest of the discourse is excellent. It is difficult to select any particular portions as specimens of the power with which Dr. Burns manages his subjects, like Macaulay's ballads, they must be read entire to feel their full force,-yet we conclude with a brief sketch of Mormonism, which he introduces in his Religion of Credulity. "In 1805, a person of the name of Joseph Smith was born in the State of Vermont, America. His parents were worthless persons; his father was a profligate individual, and his mother was precisely of the same moral stamp. Their son was distinguished for idleness and dissipation. It was the great effort of the entire family to live without industrial labour, and Joseph commenced an early career of endeavouring to obtain a livelihood by digging for hidden treasures, which were supposed to have been concealed by parties during the wars in America. This occupation he pursued till 1822, and in that year he professed to have found a very precious stone, which enabled him to know distinctly where the hidden treasure was to be found; to discover which, he had previously employed so much time to no purpose. Having discovered this stone, he was in the habit of placing it in his hat, and looking at it, and saying, that it indicated to him certain signs by which he would certainly know where to obtain the long-sought treasure. The news of this marvellous stone spread rapidly around and excited the attention of the credulous.

In 1827, he professed that, guided by the lustre of the stone, he had discovered a most precious box which contained in it a quantity of golden plates. These he affirmed had come down from heaven; there they had been formed; there they had been cast, and from heaven they had been sent. This box he also asserted contained a new revelation, or rather an additional revelation of the word of God, These golden plates were not to supersede the Bible, but to give further views into it, open up its mysteries, and disclose the glories of the latter day dispensation."

Dr. Burns then shows the fraud that accompanied the publication of the Book of Mormon, and clearly exposes the falsehood of the whole system. We entreat our readers to inspect the little work for themselves.

The Hymn Book. Ward and Co., Paternoster-row.

IN the present day, great exertions are being made to improve the psalmody of our churches. The book before us is a successful effort to help on this to be wished for consummation. One thing which has struck us in this Hymn Book, as being a great improvement, is the excellent arrangement of the subjects. By this, the indices are diminished in bulk, and a great deal of time is saved in selecting a hymn upon a given subject. But the great recommendation, is the beauty of the hyms here collected. All those verses, which in Watts mars some of the most beautiful hymns, are carefully weeded out. The Compiler has displayed great taste in this, as well as in his choice of hymns.

The book is well got up, and very cheap. The printing is clear and good. We most heartily recommend it to all pastors and Churches.