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and tongue, and people.' His voice we hear, his shape we see, whenever a Christian missionary, in any part of the earth, presents himself to those who sit in darkness, like the shepherds of Bethlehem on the night of our Saviour's Advent, saying to them, ' Fear not, for I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; for unto you (also) was born in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.' (Luke ii. 10, 11.)”

He has misapprehended the sentiments of those who hold the premillennial advent in his general statement of their views. But without dwelling on this, where will he find more zealous friends of missions and more active labourers for spreading the gospel among Jew and Gentile, than those who hold the views to which he objects. Four volumes of sermons have been preached by different ministers of the Church of England at West-street Chapel and at St. George's, Bloomsbury. Let our friend look over the names of the preachers and see if they are not among the most zealous friends of missions. It is to be regretted that by a partial quotation of the passage, Rev. xiv. 6, 7, our friend has left out the very thing which would have corrected his erroneous view. The angel flying in the midst of heaven has this proclamation to give, "Saying with a loud voice, fear God and give glory to Him; for the hour of his judgment is come, and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters." We would earnestly direct the attention of the friends of missions to the premillennial advent as eminently calculated to quicken all missionary exertion and enlarge all missionary contribution, save them from all the pain of disappointed expectations, and give them the assurance of a far higher glory and blessedness in our earth, than the unscriptural and partial views with which too many have been

content.

The

LECTURES ON THE HISTORY OF THE BIBLE. Pentateuch. By the Rev. T. T. PENROSE, Vicar of Coleby, and Prebendary of Lincoln. London: Fellowes. 1845.

THIS work is intended to be a manual of bible history for the young. The object is to present the narrative of the bible history in the simplest form, and to lead the sinner to repentance and to Christ. It makes no claims to originality, but aims to provide a suitable manual for village libraries, schools, and domestic reading. We think the author has succeeded in this aim. It is a simple, plain, suitable work for the middle and lower classes, seeking in an evangelical spirit, the practical improvement of the reader. Without going into the deeper parts of divine truth, it yet shews how clearly Christ was testified of in the Old Testament.

We occasionally have met with remarks we could not wholly go along with. Those respecting Abraham's sacrifice (pages 79 and 80) increase rather than lessen the difficulties connected with that wonderful act of simple faith. The will of God was the whole guide of Abraham, and his sure faith in Him led him to seek to fulfil that will when manifested to him.

We trust that the author will be encouraged to continue his history.

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The following extract will give our readers an idea of the work.

The passover was a prophetic ordinance, and in it we behold the sacrifice of Him who is called our Passover: the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world' In the same month, on the same day, and at the same hour, in which the Israelites were ordered to kill the lamb, Jesus was crucified.

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The lamb was to be kept up, or set apart, four days before it was sacrificed. In like manner, Jesus entered Jerusalem, like a victim prepared for the slaughter, four days before his death. The lamb was to be without blemish, a male of the first year. Jesus was cut off in the prime of life, and is compared in Scripture to a 'lamb without blemish and without spot;' for He alone of all the sons of men was without sin.

The Israelites were to sprinkle the blood on the side-posts and upper door-posts of their houses. Where this mark did not appear, the destroying angel smote their first-born as he smote the first-born of the Egyptians. And so we are warned, that without shedding of blood is no remission;' that it is the blood of Christ which cleanseth us from all sin. If we are without an interest in that blood we cannot escape the destroyer's sword.

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"The lamb was to be roasted with fire. We may take this as an emblem of the burning thirst and cruel sufferings of the death of the cross. It was to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, to remind them of the bitterness of their bondage in Egypt. And we must feed on Christ with sorrow and brokenness of heart, in remembrance of sin. Christ will be sweet to us, if sin be bitter.

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No part of the paschal lamb was to be suffered to remain until the morning. This reminds us of the cross. In order that it might not remain on 4 C

1845.

the cross on the Sabbath day, the body of Jesus was taken down on the evening of the day on which He suffered, and laid in the sepulchre.

"Not a bone of the lamb was to be broken. And this type also was fulfilled in Jesus. When they brake the legs of the others who were crucified with Him, they brake not his legs, because he was dead already.'

"These are all remarkable points of resemblance of the sacrifice of the passover and of our Lamb of God. Chance could not have brought such things to pass. We are constrained to say with the magicians of Pharaoh on another occasion, 'This is the finger of God.'

MISSIONS IN WESTERN AFRICA AMONG THE SUSOOS, BULLOMS, &c., being the first undertaken by the Church Missionary Society; with an introduction. By the Rev. S. A. WALKER. Dublin: Curry. 1845.

THIS is by far the most complete and comprehensive account that has yet been published of the West Africa Mission, the first and principal mission of the Church Missionary Society, comprehending the details of about twenty of the first years of that mission. The introduction is a valuable condensed sketch of (1) Western Africa, (2) a brief history of the slave trade, (3) some account of the early African churches, and (4) of modern missionary exertions in Africa.

Full, authentic, and documentary histories of Protestant missions. are now much needed. We know the difficulties of tracing the early history of the Church in every country where we have not information respecting it in the Divine volume. How glad should we have been of such a detail of the labours of the first missionaries to Britain. Sketches of history leave but little impres sion on the mind, and fail to produce that practical view of God's Providence which more complete details give. We think then Mr. Walker has judged wisely in giving a detailed history, and hope that he will be encouraged to proceed with his work in another volume, giving the history of the West Africa mission to the present time. It is a work just needed for missionary associations in this country and for missionary libraries in foreign countries. We trust he may also be encouraged to go through the other missions of the society in the same way. It would be well to give an index at the close of the history of each mission.

REFLECTIONS FOR LEISURE HOURS.

On the Duties, Hopes, and Privileges of Life, &c. By CAROLINE JANE YORKE. London: Hatchards. 1845.

THE mind that so reflects, whether in rhyme or prose, is well occupied, although at leisure. The following is a fair specimen of the whole :

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THE SOLITARY DEATH-BED.

In her last hours of agony

No prayers for her were said,
No one was near to comfort her,
Or smooth her dying bed:

Yet grieves she not her friendlessness,
Her warm heart felt no chill,

She was content to die alone,

It was her Father's will!

"How had she loved once more to see
Her guide on heaven's road;

Yet grieves she not there's none to call
The minister of God:

For a greater than her pastor

Her pastor's place does fill-
Oh, thou art with me still, dear Lord,
Oh, thou art with me still!

"The bright sun shone upon the tears
That filled her dying eyes;

Type of the brighter Sun that bids
Glory from grief arise;

Whose presence makes her failing heart

Even now with raptures thrill

Oh, thou art with me still, dear Lord,
Oh, thou art with me still!

"Sweet music sounded in her ears,

And in her pain she smiled

Oh, how a mother comforteth
Her sick and weary child!

So soothed in her death-hour was she,
So sheltered from all ill-

Oh, thou art with me still, dear Lord,
Oh, thou art with me still!

Angels have borne her soul away,
And now her pangs are o'er:
There is no tear in that eye now,
Nor ever shall be more!

Yet hath she the same song of praise,

Yea, and she ever will:

Oh, thou art with me still, dear Lord,

Oh, thou art with me still!"

YOUNG ENGLAND'S LITTLE LIBRARY-PICTURE OF THE VIRGIN: Adapted from the German of CHRISTOPH VON SCHMID, by MARY HOWITT. London: Orr. 1845.

"ADAPTED" indeed! to help the great conspiracy, which, however many be its instruments-however varied its colouring and its names, black lettered or red, blazoned, illuminated, or however else has but one issue, and we believe one origin-the great device of Satan to taint with Popish influence the whole mind of England; whether to be reached through the intellect, the taste, the affections, or the mere habits and associations of unconscious infancy and unreflecting childhood. It succeeds: and if not checked by divine interposition, and far more caution than is at present used against its secret influence, it must succeed to leaven the whole mass of Protestant society, and change the tone of religious feeling into something, that, if it be not popery, must find itself a name; for assuredly it will not be Protestantism. "From the German," should be words as full of warning, as we fear they are of attraction. Our youthful libraries are filling with mischief from that source. "Mary Howitt" is a name of attraction too: the successful translator of interesting volumes, that, by that strange fatuity which seems never capable of discriminating names from things, have been extensively read, where really less injurious English novels would have been prohibited. All these, with arabesques, engravings, and red ink, have been here compounded into a shilling book: one of a series designed for the children of England: no doubt a fair specimen of the whole. It is an engaging, but uninstructive and most improbable story; artfully intended, without the appearance of actual worship, or any allusion to religious tenets, to impress the young mind with delight and reverence for the Picture of the Virgin: and without being chargeable with so much as an insinuation to that effect, calculated, if not secretly intended, to leave on the fancy also of a child a superstitious impression of its miraculous influence. We most earnestly warn all careful parents against the covert snare.

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