feelings, with which Jesus was oppressed, they would understand to be the suggestions of Satan; and by a way of speaking common in all times, they would represent the supposed suggestions of Satan as being uttered in actual words.

It was a strange idea to build upon the slight foundation of the narrative of the Evangelist, that God gave permission to Satan to try his powers of Temptation upon the appointed Messiah. It involves a vast variety of suppositions and theories, which poetry may handle well, and which Milton has at some length drawn out. We need not remark upon it further. We have remarked sufficiently for the illustration of our own idea upon the other views of the Temptation of the Saviour, most commonly entertained at the present day. To view our Saviour tried by apprehension, brings him nearer to us. It gives a reality to his life and character. It helps to give individuality to his character; it enables us to see more clearly the sublimity and force of his virtues, and to understand that perfection, which had been previously too much a shadow or a word. It is probable that we understand little as yet, we feel little as yet, the personal character of Jesus. We may make many failures in studying to understand it; yet it is a source of satisfaction to feel, that the more one pursues the study, the character continually engages more the affection and reverence of the heart. In coming years, we trust, that the veil of mystery, which has enveloped it, will gradually be removed. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, will not appear a dim abstraction, his words will not be read as the utterances of an oracle. They will be read as words of life, uttered by lips of purity, from a heart that felt, and they will find nearer access to the hearts of those, who would see Jesus.

E. B.

ART. IV. 1. A Minister's Account of his Stewardship. A Sermon preached in Northborough, October 31, 1841. By JOSEPH ALLEN, on the completion of the twenty-fifth year of his Ministry in that place. Printed by request. 8vo. pp. 36.

2. Christ and him Crucified. Two Sermons preached in the Bulfinch Street Church [Boston] on Sunday, November 29, 1841. Being the close of the second year of the Ministry of the Pastor. By FREDRICK T. GRAY. With an Appendix. 8vo. pp. 56.

3. Farewell Address to the Unitarian Society in Nashua. By SAMUEL OSGOOD. [Printed for the use of the Society.] 12mo. pp. 36.

WE take up these pamphlets together, because they are of the same class, and because they offer occasion to some observations, which we are glad to have a fair opportunity to make. In one point of view they are hardly the fit subjects of public remark, as each may be considered the confidential talk of a pastor to his spiritual family, in which others have no concern. But as we are permitted to overhear it, and much of it is of general interest, we suppose that within proper limits we may indulge ourselves in speaking out the train of thoughts which it has suggested to our minds.

Mr. Allen, as his title page shows us, has been for twentyfive years minister of the same Congregational Church in Northborough; a period of time longer than falls to the lot of many in these days of frequent change, and not far below the average length of the ministry in New England; a period of time among the most interesting which have been known to the churches of Massachusetts, and during which his official life, like that of all his brethren, has received an important coloring from the general state of the religious community. Twentyfive years ago was near the beginning of that action into which the previous movements of opinion burst forth. There had been a preparation of many years; and the tendencies of thought and the occasional murmurings of the pulpit and the press had given signal of an approaching eruption. A few individuals had taken their distinctive ground, and separated from the heretical favorers of Unitarian opinions. But for the most part the state of affairs remained as it had been in the

days of old, and the Congregational Church was undivided. Many of our towns had not been broken in upon by any sectarian movement whatever, and in their capacity of towns still provided for the support of the Gospel. The primitive Congregational establishment remained. Such was Northborough in 1816, when Mr. Allen was ordained there; and he dwells, with fondness and almost with regret, on the memory of the day, when all within the municipal borders were within the same ecclesiastical fold, and he was consecrated bishop over them by the imposition of hands, which had subscribed to different articles of doctrinal faith, but were still joined in the bonds of Congregational fellowship.

One might draw a very beautiful picture of such a state of things; few conditions of society could be made in idea more desirable; a whole large neighborhood associated together as one religious family, of which the minister is the common father, carrying the gracious influences of truth and love into all dwellings, and like an angel of light dispensing everywhere the benignant breath of heaven; no alienations, no controversies, no theological disputes, no miserable theological gossip. We do not wonder, that when this picture, adorned by the imagination, and glowing with the feelings of a kind heart, comes up to the thought, many are inclined to sigh bitterly at the departure of the old days, and to lament over the divided aspect of the present. But though the modern divisions are extreme and lamentable, it does not follow that the former days were better. The glory with which they are invested to our fancy is derived from the supposition, that they were days of absolute hearty unity of faith and affection, as well as of external junction, and that the individual life of the soul was vigorous. But such a condition of things is not to be hoped for. It has been sought for for two thousand years and never found. A thousand men cannot agree to think alike because they happen to live in contiguous houses; and if they do not think alike on subjects of such intense personal interest as religious doctrine, they cannot heartily live by their own views, and at the same time heartily go along with those who cherish discordant views. They can get no further than toleration and good will; they must repress, in order to keep up their Christian fellowship, something of the zealous expression of their most favorite notions, and refrain from something of the acts to which they are prompted. They must live in the self-denial of a perpet

ual compromise. They must either do this, and then their religious life dwindles, or they must maintain that life by a contrary course, and then the uniformity is broken, and charity and peace depart. Now we suppose, that the religious life of the soul is that which is chiefly to be desired; and that since this is best promoted by the unreserved expression and action of the favorite faith, among those who heartily coincide; it is best that such should come together and keep each other warm. We are inclined to think, that experience teaches this; and that in many places, where a united town has separated itself into parts, according to the laws of doctrinal agreement, there have grown up two or three bodies of active and helpful believers, doing great things for themselves and others, because now unconstrained, in the place of the one old parish which was unlikely to maintain a high style of life, because each individual was compelled to modify and concede for the sake of others. No one, who has read Dr. Laing's account of the state of religion in Norway, where an absolute unbroken uniformity among the people is attended by an almost universal indifference and inactivity, will have any doubt about preferring the living, thinking, inquiring, and progressive condition of our American community, however it may be accompanied with inconveniences.

Without, therefore, being at all unaware of the evils of division, and the inconsiderate, unnecessary, and wanton multiplication of sects, we may certainly find good reasons for being satisfied with the changes of the last quarter of a century. There is evidence everywhere, that religion has been advanced to a higher and more active place in the community, and we are not sure, that toleration and charity have lost ground. The manner in which Mr. Allen expresses himself on this point is greatly honorable to his frankness; and would probably find a response in the thought of many others similarly situated. After speaking of the change, which took place in the building up of other societies out of that one, over which he had been ordained as minister of the town, he adds,

"But I soon became reconciled to the change which was so painful at first, and though I cannot cease to lament the disruption of old ties, I now feel that God meant it for good; and I have a strong conviction, that no part of my ministry has been more prosperous, or accompanied with more solid satisfaction, than that comprised within the period I am now review. ing."

And it is very plain, from expressions used elsewhere in the discourse, that, with some exceptions, good feeling and true charity have been no sufferers in the case. The same is evident from the following passage in Mr. Osgood's "Farewell Address.".

"There has been a singular reign of good-will in all the societies in town. All have minded their own business, thought and worshiped in their own way, and left others to follow theirs. For good neighborly feeling, I much doubt whether Nashua is surpassed by any community in the land. The clergy of the place, without compromising their faith, walk together as a band of brethren. They have always treated me with as much courtesy as I desire, and reciprocated the kindness I have ever felt for them. I have made it a principle to have fellowship with every minister, who in a serious spirit professes to preach the Gospel of Christ. I have exchanged with three clergymen of different churches in town; not for the purpose of throwing aside our mutual doctrinal differences, but for the sake of expressing that Christian sympathy which should exist between all ministers of the gospel of love. Those clergymen, who have not proffered an exchange, have extended all the courtesies, that Christian kindness should dictate, and we ought no more to demand, that they should interchange pulpits with our preachers, if they do not think it best, than that they should give up their opinions to please us. Christian charity is all that should be demanded, and that has been freely given."- pp. 25, 26.

وو

There are other items of past history, which Mr. Allen's discourse brings up to memory, and which make us wish that some one would give us at large a set of graphic reminiscences of those days. It reminds us, for example, of the good old fraternal custom, not yet wholly extinct, long may it live, by which, on the decease of a minister, the vacated pulpit "was supplied for a succession of Sabbaths by the ministers of the neighboring towns; a delightful manifestation of sympathizing fellowship; when brotherly love stepped in to testify its regard for the departed, to speak comfort to the mourning, and to strengthen the bond between the churches. There was the custom, also, on the ordination of his successor, of subjecting the young man to examination about his faith; still retained in the orthodox part of the Congregational body, though abandoned amongst us. We suppose that Mr. Allen was one of the last who was subjected to it, though for several years later the