saints, in the lively views of a great rising day. O blessed and surprising prospect of faith! O illustrious scenes of future vision and transport! when the Son of God shall bring forth to public view all his redeemed ones, who had been long hidden in night and dust, and shall present them all to God the Father in his own image, bright, and holy, and unblemished, in the midst of all the splendours of the resurrection! O blessed and joyful voice! when he shall say with divine pleasure, 'Here am I, and the children which thou hast given me: we have both passed through the grave, and I have made them all conquerors of death, and vested them with immortality according to thy divine commission! Thine they were, 0 Father, and thou hast given them into my hands; and behold, I have brought them all safe to thy appointed mansions, and I present them before thee without spot or blemish,'-Watts. CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW WORKS. THE ANIMAL CREATION :-its Claims on our Humanity stated and enforced. By the Rev. JOHN STYLES, D.D. Prize Essay. Dedicated," with the special sanction of her Majesty's illustrious Name," to the Queen. Royal 12mo. pp. 358. London :---Ward and Co.. Paternoster Row. In one great extended chain the whole creation is linked in mutual relation and dependance. No one creature is independant of another. Let only one link be taken from the chain, and it incalculably affects all the rest, whether superior or inferior. In these mutual relations therefore are involved mutual claims. Whatever may be the position assigned to any creature in the scale of being,-whether placed in the ascending or descending line, that creature has claims on all above him, up to the first-born son of light and intelligence, and claims on all beneath him down to the humblest and the least. Nor are these claims restricted and confined to the intelligent and rational portion of the universe; they extend to every inferior tribe of animals. And though there be few who are not disposed to acknowledge these claims, yet there are fewer still, who adequately feel and regard them. The brute creation is not only held as vastly inferior to ourselves, but treated as if there were no common bond of union between us and them,- -as if they did not owe their being to the same Fountain of life and Source of power with man, and their claims are but lightly estimated, if estimated at all by society in general. Nor is it the least affecting consideration, that amid the almost universal neglect and cruelty with which these inferior tribes are treated, they have no voice to lift up in their own behalf;neither speech nor language which they can employ to vindicate their rights, or rebuke their tyrant--man: unless it be that eloquence which agonies inspire, their "silent tears, and heart-distending sighs;"their sobs and dying shrieks. But we unfeignedly rejoice that in such circumstances, and at a period when the cruelties practised on the animal creation are getting to the very extreme of the gross and the refined, they have found a living voice to plead their cause, and have kindled an eloquence of the sublimest style to enforce their claims. The work before us is one of rare merit, whether viewed in the light of a mere literary production, or as an argument and defence in favour of the author's subject. It is in the latter character, that it comes within our notice; and as such it is all that we could desire. Dr. Styles has thoroughly possessed himself of his subject, and he treats it with consummate skill and power. The book abounds with passages of great beauty. And, convinced that its reasonings and appeals cannot fail of producing their legitimate effect-of enlisting on behalf of the inferior creation all the kindly feelings and sympathies of our humanity, we do hope that it will have not only a large sale, but a wide circulation,—that it will be universally read, and as universally felt. THE PHILOSOPHY OF ARTIFICIAL AND COMPULSORY DRINKING USAGE IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND; containing the characteristic and exclusively national convivial laws of British Society; with the peculiar compulsory Festal Customs of Ninetyeight Trades and Occupations in the three kingdoms; comprehending about Three Hundred different Drinking Ūsages. With copious Anecdotes and Illustrations. By JOHN DUNLOP, ESQ., President of the General Temperance Union of Scotland. Sixth Edition of the Scottish Usages, with large additions. 12mo. pp. 332. London:---Houlston and Stoneman. This is a book of great good common sense. Its philosophy is not of the transcendental character; but is calm, sober, enlightened, rational. Mr Dunlop is a patriot in the highest sense. He sees his country in danger, from a cause which few, comparatively, have suspected, and which is therefore to be the more dreaded; and to avert the woe which otherwise must inevitably come upon it, he interposes his warning voice, and appeals at once to the judgment and the piety of the nation. That the Drinking Usages of our country were conducting to the most palpable deterioration of the public morals, by inducing habits of inebriation among all classes, cannot be denied. And to expose the folly and injury of such usages, is the professed and immediate object of the volume now before us. Mr. Dunlop has well executed his task. And if society in general will only give their attention to the subject-only read with candour and consideration this work, we shall soon witness a very extensive reformation. A new state of things would rise up around us. And for the abodes of misery and wretchedness with which our cities, and towns, and even rural districts are planted, we should have the dwellings of contentment and comfort; and for the haggard and wane appearance of the masses of our population, we should see the countenance blooming with health, and lit up with joy. We strongly recommend Mr. Dunlop's volume to the perusal of our readers. HINTS FOR THE TIMES. By the Rev. W. Spencer, of Holloway Chapel, London. J. K. Starling, Upper-st., Islington; Ward & Co. Paternoster-row, and J. Lemon. Jun. Holloway. This little Tract breathes the very charity of the Bible. It is admirably adapted, at the present crisis, for general distribution; and might prove like oil poured on the troubled waters. To many christians it may read some wholesome lessons. Monthly Chronicle. "Thy kingdom come: -thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven," is the current prayer of Christ's universal church. And every facility which presents itself in the arrangements and dispensations of Providence for diffusing holy truth,—for educating the fallen mind of man in the great principles of the christian faith, is an answer to this petition. And therefore if we avail not ourselves of these facilities, by a corresponding effort to extend the knowledge of the only redemption as far as the curse is felt, we are chargeable either with hypocrisy in preferring the prayer, or we are to the last degree ignorant of its true spirit and import. God may prepare the way for the triumphant advance of the chariot of mercy, but that chariot must be drawn by the church of the redeemed. He may throw back the bolt of every gate which now impedes the entrance of the ark of our christianity into other lands, but that ark must be borne by human hands. The instrumentality of the church is inseparable from all the purposes, plans, and dispensations of Heaven. And never till this instrumentality is universally and faithfully employed, are we to expect that the exalted Son of God "shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth." AGENTS' MEETING :-HELD ON FRIDAY EVENING, 12th APRIL. Several members of the Committee kindly favoured the Agents with their presence at this their last monthly conference, as the first quarterly united meeting for special prayer, on the extending operations of the Society. It was indeed an hour of sacred enjoyment. And we think that the impression on the minds, both of the Committee and of the Agents, was such as mutually to strengthen their confidence in each other, and deepen their interest in the work in which they are engaged. AGENTS' REPORTS. Second Station.-Mr. PALMER.-It is with unfeigned pleasure I review my engagements night after night, and sabbath after sabbath. The present welfare and eternal salvation of seamen is the immediate object of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society; and new instances of good have lately come before me:-pious captains, decided in their conduct and devoted to our cause; but especially the sanctified effects pro duced on the minds of many whose lives were wonderfully preserved, during the storms in November, January, and February last. This evidences that the work is from God. I find also growing improvement in habits of sobriety, morality, knowledge, and religion, principally the results of the varied means used by the Society, both in London, and throughout the world. Some of my visits on board vessels trading to the West Indies, have been truly encouraging. One may be selected, by way of illustration. The captain of the E. of Bideford, who was present at one of our Bethel services, and who engaged in prayer, said, "I have not the privilege of having a clergyman on board my ship, therefore am bound to discharge my duty to God and the crew who sail with me. I have prayers morning and evening(the weather being favourable) during my voyages. This is my accustomed plan. The passengers on board are respectfully invited to attend. And a lady was savingly converted to God by the means used-the evidence of which was manifested on a bed of sickness, and in the hour of death. She died on her passage, and was solemnly committed by us to a watery grave. The minds of others were also seriously and solemnly impressed." I I cannot avoid referring to an unusually interesting service. The dedication of the ship M., of S., Capt. This was a fine vessel, and one of a few saved among the ships wrecked off the coast of Holland, in the month of January last. The mate's account of the scene was fearful in the extreme, particularly when they had nothing before them but destruction and death. never shall forget the narration of his solemn appeal to the captain, at that awful moment,-and when they all bowed before God in prayer, on the deck of the ship. Blessed be a gracious God! we were at this time in this same ship, and the mate's desire was fully accomplished. Prayer and praise were now offered to the God of all mercies; and fixed was the attention of the seamen on the words of the Psalmist, "Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men." The place was excessively crowded, and God was evidently present to bless. Another instance, among others, must not be omitted, the funeral sermon for a captain, who in the midst of his days, was suddenly called into eternity. I felt, I trust, while preaching, more than ever the importance of personal religion, and the solemnity of death, while addressing the seamen from near the same spot where the deceased captain sat but a few days before at the last Bethel meeting. It was a soul-affecting season, particularly while we noticed the tears which flowed down the cheeks of the hardy tar (his mate) in whose arms the captain died. May they never forget the words of the Apostle then presented to their attention,—“ Ye know not what shall be on the morrow." My friend and brother, Captain Prynn, followed with an address and solemn prayer. There were many ships around from which the seamen came, and I trust a saving effect was produced on the minds of us all. I had long wished to have preaching in Billingsgate Dock, and this my desire has been graciously granted, having held services there on the sabbath day, as well as on other evenings in the week, through the kind co-operation of influential persons connected with the shipping in the dock itself. The attendance of some young sailors, at our various meetings, from the fishing smacks, (evidently seeking the kingdom of God) encourages us in pursuing a course so auspiciously begun. Instead of applying to the captains, for the use of their vessels, where Bethel meetings may be held, many of them now request us, as a favour bestowed on them, to hold our services on board their ships. All the meetings have been well attended, with the increased co-operation of captains themselves. I have during the past three months, distributed many hundreds of tracts. Have preached on board thirty-three different ships, and been at fourteen services, on sabbath days and week-days, at the Sailors' Chapel. |