Nana Alibtrate.
PITTEIBURIOI,' tIOTOBER'3I,-185V,
$1.190, In advancs; or in Clubs
91.201 or, dolivared at remittances of Subsoris
*ors, 111.75. flee PrOtlferMirofirk Third Pail, le
ES RAW LT. S should ha' Inoifipt; a ii
whits before ths year expiroo, that we stay
*aka fall furrangemaents for a steady supply.
WIZ RED ; WRAPPER isoUcatos that wo
dein* a rational. If, however, in the hart;
nufliing, this Aiwa 'Monad ba onlitod, we
hope owl.. friends will still notforget ,„
RKIIIITTANCICS.—Send payment by safe
wings, whoa convenient. Or, eend by mall,
iiltilosbig with oirdinaryUare, and troubling
embody with a knowledge or what you 'sirs
Going. Per a large amount, wad a Draft, or
large notes. Porous or two papers,send Gold
or small notes.
TO MABEE CHANGE, fond portage stamps,
Or bettor still, send for =ore` rimers;
or Seeonty numbers, or $1 for Thlrtiotbree
anuaborli.
DIRECT all Lottoto mod Commounteattoni
to REV. DAVID *KINNEY. Pitt burgh,
Po.
AMERICAN ,TRACT SOCIETY.—See our
Eastern Buinmary.
SYNOD OF Ouro.—Our brethren had a
delightful meeting at Wooster. We spent
with them a very pleasant day. A report
of their proceedings was promised to us.
SYNOD OE WHEELING.—This is one of
the substantial portions of the Presbyterian
Church. A friend who attended the late
meeting, speaks of it in glowing terms.
We shall look for a full statement, authori
tatively, of its transactions.
MINUTES OF SYNOD OF PITTSBURGIC.-
Persons desiring pamphlet copies will ;please
send their orders immediately. We wish to
know how many copies we must print. The
price will be 25 cents for one copy, andßi
cents each for any cgdditional copies wanted
for the 'purchaser, or for his congregation.
There are several very interesting docu
ments; which should be extensively circu
lated, and preserved.
'Change of Day.
The Governor of Pennsylvania has ap
pointed the last Thursday (26th) of 'Novem
ber as a;day of Thanksgiving; and : it is pro
bable that the Governor,of ,Ohio .. will . , nomi
nate the same day, or the Thursday previous
(19th). ' It hence 'becomes indispensable to
changeihe day appointed for the . Convention
called by the Synods of Allegheny, Ohio,
Wheeling, and. Pittsburgh. The Committee
of Arrangements, hence authorize us to
name the evening of the First Tuesday in
December, as the'time for the' assembling of
the Convention
Notices of English Literature.
We give, this week,,,the ',first of a series
of Notices of the Literature of Great Britain,.
We know that there 'are a portion of our
readers to whom it will afford no great inter
at; but to many` them it we tritsi,
be both instructive anitentertnining. is'
becoming in us to adapt our sheet to the
advanced, as well as to beginners , in-,knowl
edge. We'mast do so- to "help; all 3 onward.
We cannot think that Presbyterians will be
willing to have their denominational journals
inferior or Inadequate. They wish ,to be
well informed of what is going on in 'the
Social, Literary' and Religious world. •
The improvement, however, will 'cost us
money. To prepare such articles, 'requires
a cultivated mind and great labor; and time,
and talents must be compensated, when thus
summoned to bist r ruct the' public. We trait
that an increasing subscription list will enable
us to sustain our work. ,
Tp*sgliring.
Governor. Pollock, of Pennsylvania, in a,
very judicious and , chaste Proclamation, ap
points Thursday, the 26th
,of,. November, as
a day of. Thanksgiving. S ome would sug=
goat rather that.a.day of National fasting be
observed; Aid Providenee doei call us to deep
humi cation ': We sbould fast and pray, un
der hiiafflictivehand. But we are still in
the enjoyment ,of blessings immense, and
should bestill a most grateful people; and
our gratitude should be expressed with ardor.,
The American Bible Society : andAts Emen-
dations.
It will be remembered,that, some months
ago, we gave our views at considerable length
myth.) work of the American 'Bible Society
in - 'revising` the 'English translation of the
Bible We approved of a large part of the
results of the Society's labors, but thought
that in two respects it:had gone too far, and
should'retnice its' steps; that is, it should
restore the text in instanced ithere alterations
in the seise had been made, and also' restore
the headings, or`,tables of content's, to the
chapters.'' In this we have reason to Velieve
that, we, expressed a very common sentiment
in our Church, and Made a most reasonable
request.-
We were henee very sorry to see, recently,
`a'letter frOm Yermilie which 'ha's been
'e'atensivelyipublished, maintaining and ate-w
-ing to make :permanent all the alterations.
We regretted , it especially as Dr. V. is a
member of the Society's Committee; and be
cause he endeavored to stir up sectarian
prejudices, and to excite odium against the
Old School , Presbyterian Church.
j't is x true= Wet Old School !Presbyterians
*obi express their`sentiments, 'and'etrong . -
13 , manifest their
,desire for conserving
the English Bible in its integrity. This;
however, ai Dr. Van Rensseiaer 'most ably .
lhovre in a recent artielein the Presbytrian,
was•to be expected of their known conserra,
tism, their ardent love to the Bible,. their'
intelligence as scholars and Christians, and
their large interest in and contlibutions to
the Society. It was then in very bad, taste,
An AS...olljust, to ascribe their earnestness
to unworthy motives, or to unholy princiPles.
Letters such salthat to which we allude, will
not deter them from a full discharge'of what'
they regard as, a bitty. They will rather
speak the more, as they may estimate the
necessity the greater.' But we trust that Dr.
Verintlye, who' professes to speak only for
will be found - among the Directors,
solitary
• '
solitary and alone in the leetiW•l4l4 t he has
expressed.
E=llolE===iM!!l
Quarterly Notices of English Literature.
I propose,.D. V., in addition to my usual
weekly letter, to send you, agreeably to your
request, quarterly notices of English Liter
ature. Such notices must necessarily be
brief, andtherefore impeded. But in the
sense of a kind of literary photograph
of current thought, as embodied in books,
they mai:l trust, be found useful and inter
eating. I wish to avoid the aspect n
_of ed
ear dissertations, to Shun the . heaviness Of
formal lectures, and to chat, as it were, fa.
miliarly with ministers, students, and the
general body of your many and intelligent
readers. ' Too much, therefore, will not be
expected from these papers in the way of
fullness, written, as they are, at considerable
intervals. Omissions also will necessarily be
made. The press is too prolific even for a
complete nomenclature to be given of its
literary progeny; and, therefore, AS I CAN,
and doing the best I can, and hoping by
practice to become more au fait in this new
line of writing, I confidently claim both the
indulgence and attention of my American
Presbyterian cousins. •
Let .
me begin with our S.RRIALS. Some
of, these are weekly, others monthly, others
quarterly. Some of the weeklies—like
"Cassel's Illustrated History of England,"
and, his "Arts Exhibition at Manchester,"
or like a new series just begun of an "Illus
trated History of the Bengal Massacre 'and
'Mutiny," just started, or like "Reynold's
Miscellany,'' the " London Journal," the
" Family Herald," the . "Leisure Hour," and
the "Sinday at' Home,"—are issued, not
only in numbers each week, but are sent out
in monthly parts. The same is true of
,"Dickens' Household Werds," as alao of
the'" Christian Treasury." The last men
tioned, maintaining its usual excellence, as
to variety, pungency, and spirituality, is
publishediat Edinburgh. PICTORIAL illus
tration, except in the ease of the "Treas..
ury," "Household Words," and "Chambers'
Journal," is common to all the Serials I have
mentioned. The truth is that WOOD EN.-
Ein.AviNG has attained to a perfection and
acicuracy,,sucht as in its early use, was never
dreamt of. Go into the ; aub.editor's room
of any of the: publications which I have
mentioned. Look at the blocks as carved
by the cunning hand of Gilbert, and other
eminent engraVers, and then you will confess
that in itself it is a beautiful specimen of
art, altogether independent of the invention
and 'genius displayed in'the grouping of the
figiares. Then, it is not to be forgotten that
these wood engravings are well paid for.
.A. l few days ago, I signed,l as Chairman for
the day, of the Tract Society Committee,
orders for paym=ent for a series of such en-
gravings. The eost,' of the main illustration
which you see on the, first page of the
" Leisure Hour," or of the " Sunday at
Home," is £4 or $2O, and so on, in propor
tion to the size of the other smaller illustra
tions found in each number. .
BIM
Bat how ' is, it,, you ask, that these
illustrated Serials, which' are sold at only
a penny per •number, pay? The writers,
as well as the engravers, are well 'paid.
Thus the "Leisure Hour,"'and the "Sunday
at'llome," pay respectively fifteen shillings
and thirteen shillings per, page. In "Dick.
ens' Household Words" and "Chambers'
Journal," the remuneration is, I think,
higher still. How then do' the periodicals
pay? The answer is, by,a multiplied circu
lation, and juskin proportion to that circa.
,latioe. , Thus the "London . Jeurnal" issues-
ievery , week several• hundreds of thousands .
of copies. The property in it was sold the
other-day for a very large sum, many thou
sands, besidei a' life annuity of X7OO 'per
annum settled on and Bemired to the original
proprietor. It was purchased by the owner
of the "Illustrated London NeWs a weekly
which, has a 'very large. capital , invested,
which pays its writers, artists, 'and pictorial
correspondents, sent abroad to every
. scene
of stirring interest, in a princely manner.
It sells at sixpence per', week ; while .a re
cently started rival, the "Illustrated-Times,"
almost its equal in , spirit and enterprise
asks only two and a!half pence, and is doing
well.
War times suit this class of weeklies ad
mirably, in the financial , sense' of the
,term.
People like to have pictorial sketches of
'lndian strongholds, and battle pieces. A
royal.progress, either here or on the cond.
nent,.also helps them well, as does the Arts
lEihibition at Manchester, cr any extraordi
nary.accident or disaster.
The expense is great of all the §erials,
but those I have named. all pay the prop Ti
e
tors; perhaps I err in saying so,, , and, T
would
be glad to be,found milittdie'n.i as t 0,,” Rey
'yield's Miscellany," a vile panderer to yieeV
by its licentious 'tales, .for,ysars, past. lam
.satisfied that its ciroulationvis.mach-
ished of late;; and it<welso very pleaeieg to
be able to say that while , "the , -" London
Journal" is still objectionablC,Yet.that its
moral tone, as well as the real solid. interest
and ipformation,of its contents aa'coetrasted
With trash, has greatly improved:. ~ Therfact
is that periodicals of that class have been,
in spite of themselves, craned up to a Miller
platform by the influence °o'f tipare . litera
ture, now going rapidly apd.extepsively into
circulation.
. ,
Not that Christ is `openly confessed, save
by a fewliterary journals: There are poems
Which appear in "household Words" and
in "Chambers' Journal,". now and then, that
"Saver of hint, 'but thei aro few arid far be-
tween, and .the allusions are mot veryintelli
gible. As for the former, its literary ability
is very great- Dickens himself writes very
little for it, but he ; regularly edits it. Mr..
Saba,,, who wrote articles , descriptive of a
'personal visitto Russia, last yaar; is a writer -
of 'rare and graphic pewer: . In reference to
"Chambers'," it still preserves its high util
itarian standard. Its practical negation of
Christianity all along has been its grand'
-defect If the author of "The Vestiges"
bed as is said, one of its proprietors, and its
editor, clarinet sai,that he is, ) . we need
)q!..1 owti
not Wonder if the Chambers' school of lifer
NUMBER I.
[BY OUR LONDON CORUESPONDENT.]
THE PRESBYTERIAN BANNER Ali I) ADVOCATE.
ateurs expect to work out the regeneration
of society, without Christianity or Divine
revelation. The utilitarian school in English
literature, as, well as in English politics,
seem to be philanthropists and patriots of'
that cold blooded order.
In "Chambers' Journal," papers styled
"The War Trail," have appeared for some
time, from the graphic pen of Captain Mayne
Reid, the son of an Irish Presbyterian min
ister, who , distinguished himself in the
Mexican war. He came to this country in'
1.848, intending 'to proceed to — the help
Hungary just at the time when Georgey
betrayed his ccuntry for Russian gold. Set
tling down in London, Reid has 'become a
noted writer. His " Rifle Rangers" and
"Scalp Hunters" have their scenes in Mex
ico, while his Christmas Books for boys are
full of stirring adventures, coupled with a
rare knowledge of the zoology and botany of
the various regions into which he conducts
his young readers.
Passing by an enumeration of the contents
of our weeklies, I refer now to the Monthlies
and Quarterlies. Of the former, I have be•
fore 'me, denominational publications. I.
"The Evangelical. Magazine," the organ of
the Congregationalists. Doctor Morrison,
of Chelsea, is disabled for editorial duties by
bad health and advancing years. Mr.
Stoughton, of. Kensington, superintends it,
and is an occasional contributor. He seems to
have given it an increased literary excel
lence, although in that respect the "Evan
gelical" had, for several years, made a great
start ,onward. Its old Puritan theology is
retained without the prosiness of the past,
and a greater variety is infused.
Thus the number for October commences
as usual, with one of a series of " Biograph
ical Notices of Men of the Past," giving us
"Vigilantiui and his Times," a Christian
Presbyter, of St. Jerome's days, but de
nounced by the latter, as afterwards by Rome,
as a heretic. He raised an earnest protest
against image and angel worship, against
anonasecism, celibacy, and pilgrimages. I
have no doubt this article is from the pen of
the editor, who, as a series of lectures re
cently publi'shed as delivered in the Congre
gational Library shows, has been latterly
paying great attention to the History of the
anti-Nicene period of Church History.
Then we have as a contribution to the IL
department of each number, "Biographies
and Obituaries of Eminent Christian 4," in
which the life of a valuable country minister,
lately deceased, is sketched. Then come
111. Essays: "The Fathers—Their Experi
ences and Oar Experiences!' By "the
fathers," do not understand the "Fathers" of
the Church, ecclesiastically so named, but
the , godly of the olden time; "our fathers
trusted in thee," &c. IV. Aphorisms, No.
XVll.—Five Minutes with the Old Di
vines. V. Extracts from New Publications;
one from Ruskin, the well known Arebmol
ogist (and shall I add, poetical architect,)
and the other from a book, which I am glad
to be able to name to your readers as worthy
of trans-Atlantic:circulation, "Laws from
Heaven for Life upon Earth!' The other
departments of the "Evangelical" I need
not, allude to.
The "Baptist Magazine" (the profits given
to widows of Baptist ministers,) arranges its
contents 'much like the last mentioned
Monthly. As a day of Humiliation and
Fisting is just about to be observed here, a
leading article on "Fasting" comes oppor
tunely. The question is discussed, "How
far Fasting is a Christian duty at all ?"
After-noticing the prevalence of the practice
among the Jews and ancient heathen nations,
and as a custom which has received the
sanction of, the Greek, the Roman, the An
glican and Puritan Churches, and deprecating
the idea of meritorious bodily mortification,
and , "the commanding to abstain from
meats," as being good in itself, the writer
comes to the following conclusions:-- - That
fasting is no where commanded and enjoined
in Scripture; • that the direct sanction of
Scripture is given to fasting in the instances
where abstinence from food is the natural
result and expression of some great sorrow,
when any difficult or arduous duty, or mo
mentous crisis awaits us, and while we are
led by the secret influences of the Spirit to
special acts and exercises of devotion. Fur
ther, it is never spoken of, "except ,as an
adjunct and accessory to prayer." It may,
indeed, it is added, have a beneficial, moral
and physical influence of itself, in the result
of mortifying the body, and keeping temper
and appetite in subjection. Paul seems to
have used it thus; but this usage is rather a
moral discipline than a religious ordinance,
so that in the latter sense it is strictly true
that fasting -is never disconnected from
prayer. To intensify devotion then, we may
imitate the practice of a Wesley, a Hall, a
Faller, in stated seasons for fasting and
;prayer, and like them, may reap great spirit
' ual benefit. , • And so, under• intense spiritual
feeling abstinence is easy, or when sin is to
be'confessed and deplored. "Partial absti
nence" might prover helpful when total is
injurious.
Wise and weighty are the words of Dr.
John'Brown, of Edinburgh, with which the
article concludes:" Fasting, in connexion,
with religion, is plainly instrumental—a
means. in, order to an end. * * I am afraid
these , seasons are more unfrequent than they
might be. It appears to me that fasting, in
our Lord's sense of the term, is just equal to
observing a season of extraordinary devo
tion, with'which abstinence from food was
connected, as at once the means and ex
pression of devotion."
As a matter of course, the "Baptist Maga- on the great increase of cost of cotton, tree
zine" takes, advantage of seine difference of ing as the writer expresses it, "the intimate
viewi as to the effects of Infant Baptism, be- connexion between the growth of our cotton
tweetk certain ministers of the Free Church manufacture and the extension of slavery in
who haVe lately written on the subject, in the United States," and pointing out India
order to, laugh at the theory itself Not l as a new field of supply,)—artieles on all
long ago, it re-echoed the cry from the Bap- these topics, together with a notice of Ber
tists on your aide of the waters, as to the a 1 anger's Songs; a paper on the Indian Mu
leged.disuse and neglect of Infant baptism. tiny; and an. "Epilogue on Books," fill up
among American Presbyterians. Still, its ; the allotted, and not limited space of the
tone, in general, is not bitter. I "British Quarterly."
Any,ont"Presbyterian Messenger", is a The, ‘ "Westmigster Review." has, always
Third periodical which is a great favorite be-1 been identified with Soiiinianism and semi.
yond our own boundaries, and is not quite
mknown in the United States. The num
ber for October has a second and concluding
article on " Oratorios," which, perhaps,
might be republished in your columns, with
advantage. Beside's, there is a second bio
graphical notice of the late Rev. Dr. Alex
ander, of Princeton. .;You may rely on it,
that Old School and Princeton Theology has
no warmer adherents than English Presby
terians. There is; inthe " Messenger," a re
markable paper on the East India Mutiny,
and - the" Opium trade; not so much indicating
that the . vile traffic is one of the provok
ing causes Of the judgment now upon us,
as showing how the occupation of the opium
' growing districts by the insurgents will
diminish the produce, and that by provi
dential events, there seems an opening for
gradually but surely giving up the -growing
of opium; and if proper pressure be after
wards exercised, of getting rid of the trade
altogether. This article, I have no doubt,
is written by a Liverpool merchant, with
oriental and Chinese experience, and well
qualified to deal with the question.
The " Eclectic " was once edited by
John 'Foster, afterwards by Josiah Conder
and Dr. Price. The present editor, I know
not; but recently, in reviewing Conder's
life, he uttered some melancholy words as to
the neglect of periodical literature, of the
" Eclectic " class, by the wealthier Dissent.
ers. Their patronage to it is limited. It
does not pay. This is to be regretted. It
has been always conducted ably. Seholar
ship and refinement always are prominent,'
and although it defended Mr. Lynch's rash'
apologists, yet I would not set it down as
having decided syMpathies with Negative
Theology.
"The Eclectic," in an article on "Na
ture ar.d Art in the Cure of Disease," gives
its reasons for thinking that Homeopathy,
both in theory and practice, is nothing bat a
delusion. In an interesting paper on'" Mod
ern Judaism," it sa3s, truly, that "the Syn
agogue continues to exist, but Judaism dues
not live." Of George Gilfillan's " Chris
tianity and our Era," it' says, with equal
truth and severity, that it is "exaggerated,
morbid, and therefore mischievous." A
more conceited writer is not to be found any
where.
Turning to the Quarter lies; the "British
Quarterly Review," for October, edited by
Dr. Vaughan, President of the Lancashire
IndepAdent College, is rich in papers of
superior value. To the classical reader, the
article on 46 Statius and ilia Age"—treating,
as it does, of a quasi-epic poet in the degen
erate age which succeeded the Augustan,
and of one who "went on writing Epics as if
he lived in the days of Homer," (very infe
rior Epics, too,) and the first with whose
name the public recitation is associated—
will interest a select class of readers. No
mall but a first class scholar, and familiar
with the first-class models of- Latin poetry,
could have written this article.
"The Ethics of Revealed Theology,"
bears marks of the editor's hand. The ob
jections made on the ground of injustice,
cruelty, deceit, &c., apparently sanctioned in
the Old Testament, are here dealt with. A
preliminary maxim laid down is, "No man
can be a believer in the Theology of the
Bible, who is not a believer in the ethics of
the Bible." The writer then proceeds to
show " what the ethics of the Bible really
are, and how it comes to pass that men who
err with regard to revealed morality, must,
of necessity, err in regard to revealed theol
ogy." Thin, with regard to the impreca
tory-passages in Scripture, it is said, boldly
and honestly, "the indignation is an avowed
religiouS indignation, and can not be mor
ally wrong without being theologically
wrong." The idea of some modern writers,
that the authors of the Psalms were only
partially inspired, is earnestly deprecated.
And as I have felt strongly myself, as Dr.
Duff, and men of that stamp, are now ex
pressing themselves in reference to the hor
rid butcheries in India, and their authors, it
is added:."lt is vain, it is sheer imbecility
to'reply,, it is written, ' bless and curse not,'
for it is also written, 'he beareth not the
sword in vain,' and that, - in a judicial sense,
at least, there are occasions, when it is as
truly humane, aye, and as truly religions, to
curse, as to bless. And who is to say, that
the cases to which the imprecatory Psalms
refer, were not all of them as bad ar; the case
of Doeg, and some of them even worse. Do
we not feel bound to assume, under any
view of the matter, that the wickedness thus
denounced must have been of the most sig
nal and most monstrous description!' After
all, it is not hard to see, how the puling sen
timentality of " peace" newspapers and ad
vooates, and the pretence that the Old-Tes
tament "starriness is inconsistent with New
Testament meekness and mercy, would de
throne Justice herself, uproot the fences of
Law, aye, and even charge the Almighty
with vindictiveness in his awful judgments
on men here, and his dread retributions in
eternity. This sentimentalism is little bet
ter than masked infidelity. Its sympathies
always go with the man to be executed for
murder, not with the murdered—with the
bloody and barbarous heathen, and not with
the Avenging Sword. Thus the "Morning
Star," (a penny London morning paper,)
apologizes for Indian massacre, by calling it
" Sepoy avengement 1"
Electricity, in connexion with a notice of
IC Andrew. Crosse, the Electrician ;" Politics,
in prospect of a new Reform Bill; African
Discoveries, with Dr. Barth's new Book of
Travels; the " Cotton Dearth," (dwelling
Infidelity. It indulges in subtle attacks on
plenary inspiration; and Puritan theology is
its abomination. Mr. Martineau, brother of
Miss Martineau, the writer, (who has now
got beyond the " half-way house" of Unita.
rianism,) is one of its leading contributors.
The London bonk.sellers who publish the
Westminster," Messrs. Chapman & Hall,
are the media of that particular school which
shakes off the trammels of orthodoxy, and
disports itself on the edge of a precipice.
Daring specula ion, and intellectual pride,
find here room and verge enough for their
manifestatien. It has a very pungent article
on " Political Priests," with express refer
ence to Dr. Mcllale and the Mayo Election
Committee's Minutes of Evidence.
In another article, the case of Christiani
ty vs. Heathenism, is thus scoffingly and
falsely put : " We knew, from modern po
lice reports, and other unequivocal proofs,
that London is not one whit better than were
either Athens or Rome. Those who think
that it is, very greatly deceive themselves
Man is man; the same passions and temp
tations exist under every dispensation.
Christianity has not changed man. Per
haps it was not even intended it should do
so." Could any thing be more treacherous
and false than this ! London is as wicked
as was Athens or Rome, just so tar, and no
farther, than Christianity has not had influ
ence. Where its blessed truth falls on the
multitudes, it enlightens and purifies; and ac
cording to its grand design (no ".perhaps"
here) it has changed multitudes in Lon
don into earnest, loving followers of the
Spotless One. Again, the " Westminster "
says that the doctrine of justification by
faith is not found in the early Christian
writings. "It is beheld as a meteoric light
in the Epistles of Paul, and immediately
goes out." And so adds the Reviewer:
" The Natural and obvious inference would
be, that either in the Pauline writings them
selves, this so•called foundation-doctrine is
of the nature of argument and illustration
nor intended as a revelation of spiritual
truth, or that the authority of that Apostle
was not so great with the Primitive Church
as with the Church of the Reformation."
We see the animus here of deadly hatred
to Pauline teaching, going so far as to make
his powerful reasoning what Unitarians long
ago called "false and inconclusive," and
even to tell us that in the early Church's
opinion be was not regarded as an inspired
writer.
I have omitted to notice in their proper
place, " Blackwood," and "Frazer's" Maga
zine& In an article, " Our Hagiology,-'
while the Protestant view is taken as totbe ly
ing or equivocal character of Romish Lives of
the Saints, and all the miracles are rejected,
advantage is taken by "Blackwood," to
throw, light on the real facts connected with
the early history of Ireland as " the Island
of Saints," and of the labors of Columba
and the monks of lona. "Blackwood"
publishes tales or novels, as it used to do, in
Chapters. "Beloobee Traits," throws much
interesting light an the character and life
of a Mohammedan people in Central Asia.
The " Syrian Route" treats of the Euphra
tes river route to India, as suggested by
Chesney, and declares that "the obstacles
to the Euphrates,vallty scheme, arising from
laxity of kovernment and the wandering
tribes, are "mirage dangers which would
vanish on approach." In "Frazer," a
Manchester man gives us an article on the
Alta Exhibition in his own city, and deals se
verely with the grossness of some of the
old Masters. Music, English Civilization,
the Drama, Art, and History, all have pa
pers devoted to them.
It was once my privilege to sit at the feet
of a distinguished Professor of Metaphysics
and Moral Philosophy, who wrs wont to
sly to his students, "Gentlemen, get ac
quainted with the names , of books " He
knew the suggestiveness of names, and how
new thoughts would spring up in connexion
with the titles of books, old or modern, even
if for the present the contents could not be
examined. And so in these Quarterly no
tices, I feel that while it is impossible to
write reviews of new books, or even give ex
tracts, yet that a fair idea may be conveyed
to your readers of the drift of English
thought, and opinion by the names of cur
rent books, adding occasionally , a few words
of commentary.
Of Biotraphy, Fiction, and Poetry, I
may mention, that of the first in connexion
with the second, the recent publication of
the " Life of Charlotte Bronte," by Mrs.
Cashell, a young lady of rare genius, strug
gli og threugh great difficulties, and of mascu
line poser of thought and delineation ; and
also the issues of a cheap edition of her best
work, " Jane Eyre," as well as of " Poems"
by herself and sister, have excited quite a
sensation. The Quarterlies, one or two of
them, have bad papers on Charlotte Bronte
and her works. Then as to Fiction, Trac
tirianism is trying to use it for its own
purposes. Thus we have "Abbey Lands,
A Tale," issued from that notorious manu
factory of cunning falsehood, the Masters
of London, and its object is to popularize
the old idea that earthly misfortunes haunt
the families of those whose property is de.
rived from the spoliation of Church
lands at the time of the English Reforms- ,
Alexander Smith, of Glasgow, a man of
mark in POETRY, already known by his
Life Drama," ere while a brewer's clerk, I
and now a Librarian in Glasgow University,
has published a new work, " City Poems,"
which are highly praised. So, likewise,
there are poems by McCarthy, a young
Irishman, and a joint volume by Wilber
force (son of the late Archdeacon,) and
Blanchard, which redeem the age from the
accusation of being quite prosaic.
And what think you of CONVICT LIT-
ERA'TURE ? I have before me the paper ,f a
Chaplain of a London Penitentiary, in which
he narrates what MS. productions flow from
the pens of imprisoned ones. Here is a
glimpse of them :
Poems on aznatovariety of subjects, grave and
comic. Many,
Essays, moral and didatic, including a legend,
entitled, Dyspepsia Diabali." Several.
Autobiographies. Very numerous.
Reform of prisons, etc. Several.
Inhumanity of the Cellular System of Prison
Discipline. Several.
Excellency of the System Several.
Plans for Improving Public Morals. Several.
Sermons preached in a Prison, etc.; original.
By a prisoner. Several.
A Treatise on Indigestion. By a Surgeon.
The Book'of Common Prayer Reformed. By a
Clergyman ;' and a Metrical Version of Job, By
the same. Etc., etc., etc.
It is to be observed bow many educated
but fallen men are writers here. BA re
is,a ..specirnen of stanzas addressed ., to his
wife, by one who was not a swindler or a
thief, but, inflated with vanity and fond of
society, neglected his business, got embar
rassed, and committed the crime that made
hid) an exile
"Kind Heaven to thee in mercy sent
One gleam of short lived joy,
'When thy fair face in rapture bent
O'er thy beloved boy.
'Tomas but a gleam ; for oh ! how soon
He into stillness pass'd,
And o',r thy reft and lonely home
A deeper gloom was cast!
"Yet 'mid the errors, mad and wild,
That grieved thy gentle heart,
On me thy face bath ever smiled;
To pardon—was thy part.
And now, when round the wanderer lone
Despair's black vapors roll,
Thy love with brighter light bath shone
To cheer his stricken soul.
4. If mortal prayer for others' weal
Availeth aught on high,
Thy cherisb'd name, whene'r I kneel,
Is wafted to the sky.
Him who bath wreck'd thy spirit's peace.
Thou ne'er again may'st see;
But night and day, I'll never cease
To think, my love of thee."
In THEOLOGY, Doctor Pusey appears in
"The Councils of the Church" from the
Council of Jerusalem A. D. 51, to the
Council of Constantinople, A. D. 381; and
also in a second work, "The Real Presence
of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Doctrine of the English Church,
with a vindication of the Reception by the
wicked, and of the Adoration of our Lord
Jesus Christ." The last work is all that
Dennison, or even the Papists could desire
An "Anglo• Continental Association for mak
ing known upon the Continent the princi
ples of the English March, exists." Its first
two publications are Bishop Cosin's work on
the Doctrine and Discipline of the English
Church, translated into German, and, Life
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the words
of Holy Scripture " If the High Church
men can persuade the Continental Papists
that their via media is best, by suck means
as these, it will be a marvellous result in
deed I They have also published a "Life
of Bishop Armstrong, late of Grahamstown,
Cape of Good Hope, with an introduction
by the Bishop of Oxford." Dr. Armstrong
was after Samuel of Oxford's heart and
school. But a true Evangelical and a Prot
estant takes his place now. Then we have
Armstrong's Sermons on the Festivals,
Church, Penitentiaries, Tracts for the Chris
tian seasons.
Doctor Wordlow's Systematic neology,
his cherished work for forty years, is now
published. This forms the staple of his
Lectures to students, and to the very last,
underwent revision. The "Literary Church
men," a strait laced semi•Puseyite journal,
in noticing it, on the whole favorably, refers
to Wordlow's deference to the Assembly's
Catechism, and marvels that be did not fol
low its compilers in their professed belief of
ancient creeds, and of a Catholic Church.
" Scripture Characters," by Dr, Candlish;
" Occasional Discourses," by Dr. Cumming;
Tholuek's Hours of Divot on, and flab.
baugh's Heavenly Recognition, I just men
tion.
I conclude this, vain attempt to embrace
all that I desired to touch upon, by refer
ence-to a curious book in the Department
of PROPHECY, "Echoes from Egypt, or the
Type of Anti-Chiist," by Mr. Grove, an
English Clergyman. It investigates the
"Number of the Beast." " Laternos," and
all the rest of the usual interpretations,
must
- give way before Amenophis, Baalze
phon, and Beelzebub. Here is a consider
able amount of. learning brought to bear on
the foolish theory that Egypt is the Babylon
of the Apocalypse. J. W.
Ecclesiastical.
Mr. T. B. VA'N EMAN was ordained by the
Presbytery of Ohio, on the 20th of Oct.,
and installed in the church of Maple
Creek, Pa. Sermon by Rev. S. Finley,
charge to pastor by Rev. Wm. Smith, D.
D., and charge to the people by Rev. W.
D. Howard, D.D.
Rev. S. C. JENNINGS was installed pastor of
the Valley church, by a committee of the
Presbytery of Ohio, or. the 12th inst.
Rev. C. V. .Mcliaig presided and preach
ed the sermon; Rev. A. B. Brown, D D ,
late President of Jefferson College, gave
the charge to the pastor and people.
Mr. Jennings still retains his relation,
and gives part of his services to the
church of Sharon.
Rev. J. B. Ross, of Charlotte, Va., has re
ceived and accepted a call to the Presby
terian church in Frederick City, Maryland.
His correspondents will address him ac
cordingly,
Rev. Dr. ElAmara, a prominent minister in
the New School connexion, transferred
his relation to the Old School, at the late
meeting of the Presbytery of Baltimore.
Rev. SAMUEL BROWN'S pastoral relation to
the churches of Windy Cove and Leban
on, was dissolved by the . PreFbytery of
Lexington, on the 3d of September.
Rev. R. W. MARQUIS' pastoral relation to
the churches of Linton and Evan's Creek,
was dissolved by the Presbytery of Co
shocton, on the 6th inst.
Mr. RUTHERFORD DOUGLASS, a lieentiate
of the Presbytery of Louisville, has been
invited to take charge of the church of
Pisgah, in Woodford County, Ky.
Mr. J. MORTON SCOTT has received a call
to become pastor of the church , at Win
chester, Ky., to which he has been
preaching for several months past.
Rev. Dr. JEPTHA HARRISON'S pastoral re
lation to the First Presbyterian church of
13 uilington, lowa, has been dissolved at
his own request.
Rev. JOSEPH R WILSot , r, D. 1.) , of Staun
ton, Va , has accepted a call to the First
Presbyterian church of August, Ga.,
and, expects to enter upon his pastoral
duties there on the Ist of January next.
Revival.
Th ere has been an oc,asiori of deep
eat and hopeful conversion, amon , z, the tr,`.
ored people of Lynchhurgh, (Va. ,) and e
neighborhood. The Courier sa 3 sof it
"One of the effects of the great rent,,]
among colored people, has been the est.,.
lishment of a regular system of prayer IV( ;.
ings for their bent 6t. 2ilettiogs are
every night during the week at the
factories, the proprietors of which have h f
kind enough to place those edietef-s
disposal of the colored br th:cn. erk,
els of the several factories prcside ov(-r
meetings, and the most absolute god e , n.
duet is exhibited "
New School Movements
The Synod of Vir2inia has, by a v, t:.
thirty to three, resolved to witLdraw fp.
a
the General Assembl3 North, and uniN.rs
the General Synod inaugaratt d 1 )3 0 ,
late Convention at Richmond, and whio
to be organized at Knoxville, Tenn , in
next This vote shows more u
0aT,.1 01 , ;
in the Synod than what was anticipated H:
some of the New School journals.
Synod of Pittsburgh
The late 'meting of this body, in .)l , ,a n
gahela City, was one of unusual pleat-up: a l ,;,
interest. In a three dais' session, ti..
was a large amount of importont bu , inf• E
well transacted. There were no judimd
cases; no personalities in (It hate ;
ins t 6 interfere with cl.rdial Christian br, ih.
erhood. Some account of the procct dir. 2s
may be expected next week.
A LARGE AUDIENCE —On the rep eEt
Fast Day in England, for India, RIC Mr,
Spurgeon preached, in the Crystal P a l,„ ,
to an audience of Deafly twenty-tour th., ; .
sand people.
!ter the Preebytertan Kanner and Advocate
The Evangelical Alliance,
GLASGOW, Oct 8, 1837,
MY DEAR FRIEND :—I wrote to 30 e g
detailed aleount of the " " uf tb e
Conference, from Berlin [rho coulleuu l .
cation was not received.] In this letter. [
propose to give you a "sketch" of some of
the leading men in the Cocerenee
The presiding officer of the assembly, and
who exercised a controling and diteciiki
influence over all its deliberarinos and a.c,
ings, was Pastor Kuntze, of Berlin. 'l le
pastor is a fine specimen of the manly
man. He is tall and portly, with a e
trance that expresses a great deal of mmiol
ity, and an equal amount of determitilvo:
some might call it stubbornness. He
always present in the Conference, and L e
generally had his own way. He is b u r,
any means, a great man, but a wan of
lent mind well cultivated ; arid, with,d,
cidedly an Evangelical minister, in the
midst of the Formalism of Germany.
A far greater man than the Pastor, and
one of the greatest, if not hituselt the ;low
est and best of all the German delegation,
was the Rev Dr. Krurnaracher, of Potsdam,
where the King mostly resides. Ile is the
Court Chaplain. He is, I think. one of the
master-minds of Germany You see, it;
him ' an old man, with all the fire end
energy of youth about him. His
clear. His voice has wunderful vu.une
sand depth in it; it comes upon you Ike
j tant rumbling thunder —deep, r o triiii,
sonorous; I listened to him witl inou•e
delight, although I understood but little , /
, what he said; his voice and gestures %etc
so singular, and so inpre•sive. He is a
large man, with a very walked face lie
talks with every feature of his ei ULU nal e
Kruturnacher's salutation and welcome la+
duct(' a most favorable impression upon the
Conference, especially as it was most trappi y
, and eloquently translated by Rev 31:
' Cairns, of Berwick.
Professor Jacopi, of Halle, is the =kir:
of a great man He was a student, aria i
believe a favorite one, of the celebrated Ne
i ander. Like Neander, he is a hare/ student.
1 The effect of intense application is seer IC
his sharp features and attenuat-d traale.
His mind is uf a high order, and heing a
close student, his atteinments, of course,
are great. He is not Neander, and beret
will be; .yet still be is a very superior win
i --promising to be one of Gerwauy's great
lights.
There were present other Germans, ni.n
of murk, whose force of intellect was sd‘i
to be very great—such men as Pialat n
Kapff, and Dr. Noll, and Dr. Nitzseh, ned
others like them, who are doing the grot
Fatherland valuable service.
Every one in our own country has beard
of Merle D' Aubigne, the author of the lbs.
tory of the Great Reformation. I was aLS
- ions to see the man whose el. qutnee
thrown so wondrous a fascinatioo around etc
dry details of history. Dr D' A übi.me lea
venerable old wan, tall almost as Dr. Ihr
roD, and very commanding in his api.e-P
twee; old age, however, is beginning to 't•••
slit its right and power over him. Grit
old man, whose heart is lull of kiadtess
and. love liar all the world, and whose hod
is full of mighty thoughts for the redia p
• tiun and elevation uf our race, thou wllt
soon pass away. It will be a deligh fui
te
miniscence to me hereafter, that I have seen
and heard the great historian most distin•
guithed in this, that he loves God Genera
is honored by being the home of D' Auttigue•
France was ably represented in this Con
ference. Dr. Graudpierre. ' of Paris. is a
very distinguished man. As a speaker, I
have heard few wen to excel him He teid
one of the ablest papers presented to d'e ,
Conference, ou the state of Protestaiiiim is
France. He and Dr Fisch, both o f
are strong men of decided piet) ; in ti'=ti
Sandi?, the cause of sound and Eva.iwA"`
religion in France, will be well cared tor _
One of the strongest men from 61 , ":
Britain, in this Conference, was Rev. 3 1 r-
Cairns, of Berwick. lie is a clear-lean d.
warm hearted Scotchman, who did the c,in."'
of God good service iu this meeting.
comparatively a young man, but one of
traordinary promise
You have beard of the Fon. and Ito'.
Baptist Noel. He belongs, by birth, to
English aristocracy, and was at (De time 3
minister in the English Church, with eri.rY
prospect of rilitig to em m m
eminence art ICC
clergynit n. Fur conscien c e sake, l•c 12 , <<•`
up all, left the Establishment and heeler e
dissenter. He carried with him a clear lead
and a godly bears, by Divine grace 11l i.
an honor tv God's Church every ahem -`€)
better man ' nor more hunide Chriztiai s w
there than Baptist Noel. •
The ar,st thuronyh, business rw , ." ,,
the Conference was Sir Culling Eli dley. t ic
is an Euglish nobleman of very great weehlr ,
and of very decided religious chm
arer
lie is after Mr kind of George H Sio:t. r
of Philadelphia, without, h o wever,
the strength of iniud of Mr. Stuart er
remarkable business tact. He is very
for the cause of God, and freely uses Lu
abundant means and hie personal effort i°