theology. Division of labor may produce the best resultant in the business world, but often from antagonistic and mutually destructive, rather than harmonious, forces, unless superintended by some great minds which comprehend the whole. Happy is he, who, from his resting point of observation, can comprehend and mutually adjust the whole. As Tholuck remarks, far preferable is that philosophic zeal which results from extensive knowledge, and manifested in well-directed effort, to the rash energy applied to produce an immediate good, irrespective of distant and inevitable effects. The minister of the gospel who studies the writings of any man or class of men, be they ever so holy, more than he studies the Bible, will inevitably be a loser, if not led astray. At best he will be but an imitator, one remove further from the great exemplar. The laws and properties of light can never be educed from observations on the moon. The rays have lost much of their intensity, and some of their properties, by their visit to this opaque orb. Why gaze at the reflector, when the luminary itself blazes over us? A successful ministry must always be studious of the Bible. History teaches it, not only by reference to the most prosperous and adverse ages of the church, but with as great clearness, and more point, by individual cases. The style of the preaching of Peter, the most influential of the apostles, may be inferred from the well-attested fact that the gospel of Mark is a condensed report of his discourses. It is a unanimous tradition of the church, founded upon the direct statement of ancient authors, that Mark accompanied Peter, and committed to writing the discourses by which he attempted to induce both Jew and Gentile to follow the Lord.* This is the testimony of Jerome, also of Irenæus, who lived in the second century, as quoted by Eusebius :-" Peter and Paul proclaimed the gospel and founded the church at Rome. After the departure of these, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also transmitted to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. And Luke, the companion of Paul, committed to writing the gospel preached by him, that is, Paul."-Eccl. Hist., b. vii, c. viii, p. 188, Book Room ed.

Thus Peter and Paul preached the simple gospel. Paul, indeed, could quote heathen poetry, but only to follow it by the unpalatable and purely Scriptural doctrine of the resurrection of the dead.

Addressing a people to whom the Bible is a household book, and the gospel a thousand times told story, it may be right to range into the domain of mental philosophy, or the walks of science, for

• Kitto's Bible Cyclopedia; article, Mark.

illustrations and confirmations of the truth, but that is all. When has the church arisen with energy and beaten back its foes? When the Bible was the object of its intense study and deep reverence. The true successor of the apostles, Wesley, wielded unencumbered this apostolic weapon. Not one printed sermon has he left us which does not abound in references to different passages of Scripture, or quotations from them, and which does not derive its richness from the divine treasure judiciously assorted in it. The most eloquent strains of Whitefield were molded of Scripture language, and designed to convey Scripture truth. It was when he said, "O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord," that the attention of thousands was caught, and their hearts touched. Jonathan Edwards, philosopher as he was, and as able to stand as any other, resting upon intellectual strength solely, studied intensely, and relied invariably upon, the Bible. Revivals have ever been produced only by a careful elucidation of Scripture truth. The triumphant success of the early followers of Wesley, both in England and this country, can be attributable to nothing else, so far as human agency is concerned, than to an exclusive and life-like presentation of gospel truth. Had they been learned they might have accomplished more,-remaining equally holy, and retaining their attachment to, and preference for, the word of God; but had they suffered themselves to be seduced by philosophy or literature from the wells of pure knowledge, had their affections been divided between Isaiah and Homer, Paul and Plato, the truth and an earthly reflection of it, they never would have produced the moral revolution of the past century. Men of one idea have ever been the molders of man's destiny, the authors of lines deep drawn in the features of the past; so men of one book are alone partakers of the true missionary enthusiasm of an apostle.

In this age we have reverend authors of learned and labored treatises, on subjects as various as ever entered the mind; many of which have no connection with the glory of God or the salvation of men, either from temporal or spiritual evil. It may be that such men are called of God to this work; it may be that such labors as other men perform for filthy lucre, or the bubble reputation, are undertaken by them for the glory of their Master: but we greatly fear that they have entered into the rank of Christian ministers unbidden, or forgotten their calling. We plead not for ignorance. Nay, we plead rather for a just appreciation of heaven and earth, the untold magnificence of the one, not neglecting the real value of the other. We plead for the discovery and comprehension of God's great moral plan, while his natural plan, confessedly inferior,

and all of men's moral and political plans, however insignificant, shall not be passed by. Perfect knowledge produces modesty, an extended vision only gives correct information. But while it is right for ministers to extend their field of vision as far as possible, all this human knowledge, whatever its name, should be looked upon as contemptible when compared with the divine effluence of sacred writ; nor should its attainment, even for a single day, conflict with present effort to promote the Redeemer's kingdom. It must be wrong to spend more time, prompted by a mere instinctive thirst for knowledge, which an unregenerate mind may feel as well as a child of God, which may burn in Satan's soul as well as glow in Gabriel's, than in that particular work for which the Holy Spirit has designated us. The gospel is unyielding and definite in its claims. It has ever been the policy of our great enemy to give an elasticity to its requirements that would allow them to swell into absurdities, or diminish into practical non-existence. Were the professed ministers of Christ in these United States to become thoroughly imbued with the spirit of the Bible, such a spirit as we might rationally expect from a prayerful, docile examination of its truths, the ecclesiastical history of our country for the next ten years would be far different from any other portion in all timelike the first century of our Lord, but we verily believe more extended and abundant.

We hear much of a learned ministry. Have we forgotten that God can work by a holy ministry, whether learned or unlearned? Have we forgotten our origin, as Christians?-For the immediate successors of the apostles were unlearned. As Methodists? Have we forgotten many of our fathers? A learned ministry, though each member of it were skilled in all the wisdom of man, able to charm listening multitudes by his eloquence, to astonish the most profound by his deep investigations and fund of knowledge, and had thus, on account of his talent, obtained proper credentials from the church as a minister of Christ-a learned ministry like this would be the greatest curse to the church and world. Every such imbodiment of unsanctified learning in ministerial character would be a miniature Satan. But a holy ministry God will honor, learned or unlearned. If learning rests upon the sanctified, it blends well with the gifts of the Spirit. The fire of intelligence in the eye mingles well with the beamings of Christian love.

Let the Bible, then, be the object of unceasing study. It is for this reason that we hail the publication of this book as eminently useful. It is not information, but a guide to it. Its object is to encourage and assist in the examination of a book, which, if ever the

millennium arrive, will be-if not published in mammoth illuminated editions, nor praised for its poetry, nor principally valued for its antiquity and curious information-enshrined in the hearts of Christians, and universally acknowledged and appreciated as Heaven's best gift to man. H.

Amenia Seminary, May 16, 1847.

ART. IX.-Sketches of Matters and Things in Europe.

THE place where we set foot for the first time upon European soil was in Liverpool, England. It was on a beautiful afternoon that we came up the Mersey in the steamship "Britannia," with colors flying, and cannon discharging, and hearts pulsating with delight at having successfully terminated a somewhat perilous voyage across the Atlantic.

We immediately saw evidence of some extraordinary exciting cause. Small sail and steam boats were plying up and down the river, and streamers were flying from the tops of hundreds of masts, while the docks were crowded with well-dressed persons, who seemed to say, Ye are indeed happy to have arrived just now. No sooner were we boarded by an officer from a small steamboat in quest of the queen's mail, than we learned that a great pageant was just in the act of coming off. Prince Albert was in town to lay the corner-stone of a new dock, and also of a new mariners' hospital.

This, thought we, is good luck; but we were soon taken all aback by the information that our baggage could not pass the customhouse until the next day, as the officers were all enjoying holyday. Notwithstanding this, trunks and packages were slowly coming up from the hold. The first mate was surly, and would give us but little satisfaction in our anxiety and haste. Presently a gentleman stepped on board, and cried out to this subaltern mariner, "Out with the luggage! you ought to have had it on deck before you touched the dock." Now matters were a little changed. The man, whose voice during the passage had pealed through the rigging and seemed to strike terror to the hearts of the poor tars, now, in his turn, is struck dumb by the stern voice of authority, and bounds for life fore and aft to redeem himself from the suspicion of inattention to his duties.

In short order two pyramids of trunks, boxes, bundles, and packages, were moving upon huge carts toward the custom-house.

There a scene followed. Trunks were turned inside out, and clothing and all sorts of matters-dirty linen, hats, caps, boots, shoes, &c.-were strewed about in wild confusion. It was well for him who had the faculty of looking honest, and who had his baggage in a compact state, indicating him a mere traveler. A poor old Frenchman, who had a countless number of unmentionables in an ugly square box, was infinitely vexed; and muttered and grumbled sadly, in consequence of having the whole mass not only stirred up from the bottom, but unceremoniously scattered upon the pavement. We were suffered to pass with a slight inspection, and betook ourselves to our quarters; but the procession had disappeared.

The prince, with the noble lords and gentlemen, had retreated to the place of entertainment; and, with all the aid that roast beef, plum pudding, and generous wine, could afford, were trying to make themselves happy.

In the mean time we were taking our first meal in old England. After taking our seats by a bare table, we were put to our trumps to give the waiter information as to what we would have. A few common articles were, after some hesitation, mentioned. Observing us to delay, the waiter said, "Your tea is ready." There it was, sure enough, before us. Everything was in the appropriate receptaclethe hot water in the teapot, and the tea in the canister! "Waiter," said one, "why don't you make the tea?" The fellow took the hint, and shoveled a quantity of tea into the pot, and shut down the lid. At the proper time one of the company poured out the tea, and we proceeded.

After the cloth was removed, a talkative Englishman, lying upon a sofa, commenced a yarn of edifying gossip about the royal family. "The queen knows how to discipline Albert, there's no doubt of that a royal express came on last night, ordering the prince not to sit at the table after twelve o'clock; and at that hour he promptly retired." Much more of the same sort was said which we shall not record. At length he turned and accosted us:-"You are from America?" "Yes, sir." "You came in the steamer." "Yes, sir." After several questions about our passage, he began to touch our nationality. "And did you really want to get into a war with Great Britain?" "Some did, but the great majority-in which was embraced all the better sort-did not." "Well, her majesty was making vast preparations. England is the most wealthy and powerful nation in the world. We should have annihilated your commerce and destroyed all your seaports in two months." "That would not have been an easy task," responded we; "but what