with an analysis of the first chapter of Genesis. The account of the creation which is there given he supposes to embrace three periods, and two distinct and separate series of demonstrations of God's creative power. The first of these is included in-Genesis i-the first verse, which he understands to be an account of the creation of the entire universe-especially including and more particularly mentioning the earth, because its creation is naturally a more important matter to us, its inhabitants, than that of any other one of the heavenly bodies. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”— or the entire universe-appears to him not as a kind of heading or index, but a separate account of a distinct work of creation, and one which was much more vast, as calling into being an entire universe, than that which follows. The second period he understands to be described in verse second, where the earth is declared "without form and void," in which condition he supposes it to have been from a period subsequent to the time of the creation, till the commencement of the third period, and second manifestation of creative power, a relation of which is begun at the third verse, and takes up the balance of the chapter. The limits of our article will not permit us to give here more than a very condensed view of the arguments brought forward in support of this commentary on the Scriptural account of the creation. First comes the consideration that the two paragraphs of the first sentencethe first two verses-are too closely connected by the word "and" to allow us to regard the first as an independent heading, or summary, or index, to the balance of the chapter. Second, the words of the second verse point out the condition of the earth at a period subsequent to the events related in verse 1. It was "without form and void." This is anterior to the occurrence of the events related in the succeeding verses. Thirdly, we find in various portions of Scripture, when reference is made to the work of creation detailed in Genesis i, from verse 3, explicit and positive evidence of the existence of the angels and of the stars previous to the time when the sacred historian tells us the latter, with the sun and moon, were created, on the fourth day. Thus, in Job xxxviii, the Lord questions Job: "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? . . Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner-stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Nothing could possibly be plainer than the meaning here expressed, that the stars, "the morning stars," were in existence, and even inhabited-by the "sons of God," or angels-before that creation of the earth, an account of which we have in the latter portion of the first chapter of Genesis. Have we not here, and in other places, at least strong circumstantial evidence of the correctness of the supposition that there was a creation-of the universe-prior to the six days' work, in the fact that we do not, in that circumstantial relation of God's creative work, find any mention made of the creation of angels, while it is certain that they were in existence, and, being so, had their habitations somewhere in the universe? The passage in Job made mention of above plainly proves that good angels existed prior to, and assisted by their praises at the six days' work; and the history of the temptation and fall prove conclusively the existence at that time already of a bad angel-one who had been in existence long enough to fall from his high estate in heaven. For we can not suppose for a moment that God would create an evil principle. The angels being in existence, we come to look for their abodes, and here the passage in Job xxxviii comes to our assistance. The expression, "the morning stars sang together," standing in the connection it does with the succeeding clause, "and the sons of God shouted for joy," can not be regarded as a mere hyperbole or poetical license. Looking at the connection in which it stands, and judging the whole sentence by the ordinary rules of metaphor in use among oriental nations, we do not fail to find the implied sense of the sentence to be that the "sons of God"—that is, the angels-were the inhabitants of the "morning stars." And what are the morning stars? Plainly the stars which stud the entire firmament of heaven: "morning stars" because appearing first after the deep darkness of chaos, and presaging the first dawn of the creation of the earth. The words used in verse 2 to describe the condition of the earth," without form and void," "tohu va bohu” in the original Hebrew, are found in three other places in the Scripture, in each of which they are used to represent a state of confusion, ruin, or disorder, consequent upon some great convulsion or disaster, and succeeding a condition of order and life, in contradistinction to a chaotic state, natural to a body yet in an embryotic or unfinished condition. There is, however, no positive proof that the expression, "tohu va bohu," is not, like its English equivalent, used in both or either of the above senses. As far, however, as we understand the nature of the Creator from his works, we have no reason to suppose that he would turn any thing from his hands in an imperfect condition, such as the earth is described to be in verse 2. On the contrary, wherever we have accounts of the manifestations of his creative powers, we find invariably that his works spring at once from his hand, perfect in all their functions-not, be it understood, perfect in the sense which would bar all further progress, but having within them the germs of a higher perfec tion, and perfectly prepared to bring those germs into immediate use. Thus we find in each of the six days' works, that whatever was called into being by the Creator was from the first fully prepared for the use for which his divine will intended it. Shall we make of the earth alone an exception to such a rule, which appears to prevail throughout all the creation of God? But we come to a more extended consideration of this portion of the subject farther on. In considering upon the third period-Genesis i, from verse 3 to the end of the chapter-our author sees a good reason why the account of the work of creation there given should be literally interpreted, either as to the time occupied in the work, or as to the work itself. While the account of the primary creation of the universe-verse 1-and of the condition of the earth at some subsequent period-verse 2-evidently have the shape of a relation of facts not seen by the sacred historian himself, but recorded by him from hearing or impression, inspiration taking one of those shapes on that occasion, the style of description used in the succeeding verses, on the contrary, leads our author to the conclusion that that portion of the inspired history was communicated to Moses in a series of visions, each presenting to his view a special and distinct portion of the great work of creation, and the vision, and the succeeding interval of darkness before the occurrence of another vision, including a certain space of time. Each vision being complete in itself, the darkness preceding it, and the light existing throughout its duration, were naturally likened in the mind of the sacred writer to "a day," whereof "the evening and the morning were the original chaotic darkness, and the succeeding light. Taking this interpretation of the Mosaic account of the creation, we can not assign any definite portion of time to the fulfillment of this portion of the labors of the Creator. In each of the tableaux presented to the eye of the inspired seer he beheld the beginning and completion of one portion of the work of creation. His attention was called to the matter and manner of the creation, not to its duration. And we are not compelled in this single instance to take the term "day" in its literal signification, when we find it so often used by the prophets, and under circumstances not altogether dissimilar, to signify various periods of time, more or less extensive. It is by the train of reasoning which we have here sketched that our author is led to believe: First, that there was a primary creation of the entire universe, including our planet, the sun, moon, and stars. An account of this portion of the creation he finds in Genesis i, 1. Secondly, that by some convulsion, spiritual and physical, of which we have no account, the surface of our planet was transformed from the perfect state in which it emanated from the hands of the Creator into a condition which is described in verse 2, as "without form and void." And, thirdly, that subsequent to this the Creator changed the chaotic condition of the earth, to one more regular and suitable to the various conditions of animal life-an act certainly of creation, not of restoration, because preparing it for the development of a new phase of life, entirely different from any previously called forth- and then farther manifested his power in the creation of vegetable and animal life, and finally of man, to inhabit the earth and rule over all in it. are meant in Job xxxviii, by "sons of God." The angels are called "sons of God" in many places in the Bible, as in Job i, 6; ii, 1; Psalm xxix, 1; lxxxix, 7; Daniel iii, 2, 5. All created spirit needs both time and place wherein to bring into full use and exercise its life and liberty of action. It stands in need of a place which shall, on the one hand, lend to it a certain consistence, and, on the other, serve it as a place of residence and trial, where to bring out and fully develop its powers. We look, therefore, for a place of residence for the angels, and find it pointed out in the passage of Job before mentioned. The "morning stars" which-or whose inhabitants-sang together were doubtless the habitations of angels. "The heavens," which it is said-Psalm xix-"declare the glory of God," are composed of these stars. And we see, therefore, how these stars were existent before the six days' works-how the heaven which is mentioned in the account of the latter can not be identical with that created "in the beginning." But where was the habitation of the angels who fell from their first estate? As the habitations of the good angels were-and, not having changed their nature, may be reasonably sup posed still to be the stars, so we must suppose the fallen angels to have inhabited one of these spheres. We find in Scripture that when the angels fell they were deprived of their original dignity. This we find written in the general epistle of Jude, the sixth verse, where they are spoken of as "the angels which kept not their first estate, [or principality,] but left their own habitations." As the earth, at the fall of Adam, fell with him under the curse of sin, so it is reasonable to suppose that the abode of the fallen spirits, after their banishment from it, and by the influence of their sin, became a dreary waste, and in the struggle of its inhabitants against omnipotence probably sustained some terrible convalsion, which would make applicable to it the expression "without form." Void it naturally became upon the expulsion of those who had been appointed by God its guardians. Having, by this interpretation of the Scriptural account of the creation, opened the way for its reconciliation with all the acknowledged facts elicited by the discoveries of astronomers and geologists, our author is led to search the Scriptures for farther traces of the history of those beings, the angels, whose existence, previous to the creation of man, we find so plainly asserted in the thirty-eighth chapter of Job. "For data for an inquisition of this kind," says he, "we must depend entirely upon the Bible. And although we may not hope to find there any connected history of this race-as being not pertinent to the purposes for which Scripture is given us we shall endeavor to gather from the fragments which we meet here and there through the Bible such an understanding of their nature, their aims, and their connection with and influence upon our race, as well as the points of difference between the two, and different relations in which we stand toward our mutual God, as will, perhaps, help us to a better understanding designed by God for places of residence and trial for the of the great purposes of the Creator." First, as to their existence previous to the creation of man. Of this we have evidence in the passage-Job Xxxviii-previously quoted, as well as in the fact that the fall of man was brought about by an angel, who had already completed so much of his history or career as to have fallen from his first state. We can not suppose that the Creator of all gave life to an evil being. If we find such in existence, we must suppose that they have fallen from the station in which they were originally placed by the Creator. There can be no doubt as to what species of creatures Look we about now for evidence of such a state of things, and we find precisely such a description given in Genesis i, 2, of the earth. We have here at hand, then, a cause, and an effect-the one a destroyer, the other a thing destroyed or ruined, fitting so closely to one another, that where no obstacle interposes to such a conclusion, but rather every thing favors it, we do not go too far when we admit the connection, and acknowledge the "tohu va bohu" of Genesis i, 2, as a natural consequence of the fall of angels, upon a sphere which had served them as a residence, and with which they stood in so intimate connection. We have reason to believe, then, that the stars were angelic hosts; that, as only a portion of the angels have fallen, those who still remain true to God still inhabit the stars-the heavens; that, as the angels were in existence and inhabiting the "morning stars," the hear ens, prior to the creation of man, this heaven of stars must be entirely distinct, from that which we read was created on the fourth day; that is to say, the stars which were created "in the beginning' were on the fourth day simply brought into that connection with the earth in which they now are. We have now found an earth, which, created "in the beginning," is something entirely different from that which appeared above the waters on the third. And we have a "heaven" which, dating from the beginning, was used for its original purposes before God divided the waters, and made the terrestrial "heaven" to separate the waters above from the waters below. any Having ascertained the probable residence of the angels, the next object which strikes our attention in considering upon their being is this, that they partake of the nature of free, self-conscious, and individually responsible spirits. This arises necessarily out of their condition as intelligent creatures. For we take it to be impossible that any intelligent, reasoning creature can stand in other relation to his Creator than that of personal responsibility to him for all his acts. As creatures of this kind they did not emanate from the creating Hand in that perfect state to which, in the goodness of the Creator, they were permitted to aspire, and to which they might attain. They were not from the first placed upon the highest step of development of which their nature was capable, but could only attain this after struggles and trials, and by a free, unshackled expression of their will. God, in his justice, demands no compulsory service of any of his creatures. As a God of justice and mercy, he gives them free choice, and on their own determination must rest their future. Thus he placed within the angels the necessary germs for that higher stage of development to which, in his divine goodness, he desired them to be raised. But there he rested, and left the final decision to themselves. With the angels, as with Adam, the possibility of a fall existed. Another fact, having a most important bearing upon the nature, and, consequently, upon the history of angels, is this, that they were created sexless. Aside from the fact that this lack of sex is apparent throughout the Biblical view of their condition, we are explicitly taught by our Savior-Matthew xxii, 30-that "in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven." The important bearing of this peculiarity upon the history of the angels can scarcely be realized at first view. As a more immediate consequence of such a state, it is evident that the angels must have been created in their original numbers from the first; that each individual must emanate directly from the hand of God, and sees in himself a living manifestation of the power and goodness of the Creator. It is plain, too, that all the various effects of this one cause, all the different interests, hopes and fears, happiness and unhappiness, the motives to and causes of action, which take so prominent a place in the history of our race, must be to them totally strange. The bond which unites them, and sways a certain influence over their course, can not be, like that which binds our race together, a successive one, arising from the unity of the race, the blood relationship which exists between all the sons and daughters of Adam. The bond which binds them, and unites them into one race, can arise only from the homogeneousness of their powers, of their aims, of their nature. This condition became of especial importance in the history of their race from the fact, that in consequence of it each individual was made entirely independent of all the rest, and the fall of one or more of their number did not by any means, as with our race, involve the fall and condemnation of the rest. (TO BE CONTINUED.) Items, Literary, Scientific, and Religious. BRITISH WESLEYANISM.-The general summary of all 377 377 538 798 8,913 ........111,557 6,478 84,076 Printing establishments..... 8 AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSIONARY UNION.-The receipts of this Society, according to its Forty-first Annual Report, were $114,907.58, and the expenditures $145,528.31. There are under its direction 22 missions, 84 stations, and 574 out-stations, 406 of which are in Germany, connected with which are 57 missionaries, 63 female assistants, and 237 native pastors and preachers; 3 missionaries and 3 female assistants have joined the missions, 3 missionaries and 2 female assistants have retired from the service, and 5 missionaries and 2 female assistants have died. There are 218 Churches, to which 2,910 have been added by baptism, making the whole number of members 17,548; there are 107 schools and 2,500 pupils. A GOOD YEAR'S WORK.-The income of the British and Foreign Bible Society the last year was $625,000, being $40,000 more than that of any previous year. The Society has been the means of issuing nearly 29,000,000 copies of the Scriptures in 170 different languages. CONNECTICUT SCHOOL FUND.-The school fund of the state of Connecticut, on the first day of April last, amounted to $2,049,953; and the income therefrom during the past year was $156,248. This sum was divided among 100,000 children. Independent of this school fund, the state owns $400,000 of bank stock, and is free from debt. OLD SCHOOL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARIES.-In all the theological seminaries connected with the Old School Presbyterian Church, the number of students is 283; if of these one-third, or 94, leave at the close of each year, it will exceed the number of ministerial removals by death only one and a half per cent., or 37; but the population of the country increases at the rate of three and a half per cent., and to maintain the ratio between the ministers and the population, the increase ought to be at least 87. CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.-This ecclesias tical body is but about fifty years old. In 1822 it had but 46 ordained ministers; in 1850 it had 1,000 such ministers, and 800 licentiates, and 100,000 communicants. It has 10 colleges for young men, and 2 for young ladies. Besides these, it has 2 theological schools and 10 academies or seminaries, with 60 instructors, 1,994 students, and 56 theological students; property amounting to $86,700, and endowments worth $126,000. All this, for a denomination that separated from the original Presbyterian Church because too much learning was required for the ministry, as it is understood, argues well for the good sense and hidden wisdom of the body. BAPTISTS IN NORTH AMERICA.-The following table shows the number of Baptist churches and Baptist Church members in North America: Members. ...164.... .498. 90. .833. .299. .258. ..117. .529.. ..534.. .107. .828.. ..24,682 ....... 3,533 .........19.355 .........31,854 ......... 9,691 .........35,644 .......31.358 .......14.074 ....87,754 .635. ........47,755 .........24,958 .......343.. .......34.105 .... .439. South Carolina.............. ..........446............49.119 Tennessee............................. Virginia..... ........567. ........40,334 The states of Louisiania, Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, Texas, and the territories foot up a membership of over 56,000, and a list of about 1,000 churches, making the grand total of regular Baptists in the United States about 842,660, and 10,488 churches. Add the number in the British provinces and the West Indies, the number of regular Bap tists is in Mission of 44, and in the Kentucky conference of 170; in all the other conferences there was a handsome increase. At the time of the secession of the Church South in 1845, their membership was about 483,000, showing an increase since then of 120,000. NEW YORK CITY CHURCHES.-In the city of New York there are 29 Baptist churches, numbering 8,383 communicants; 8 Congregational churches, with 1,050 communicants; 23 Dutch Reformed churches, with 4,806 communicants; 5 Lutheran churches, with 3,048 communicants; 35 Methodist Episcopal churches, with 8,452 communicants; 48 Presbyterian churches, with 13,947 communicants; and 48 Protestant Episcopal churches, with 8,160 communicants. This makes an aggregate of 196 churches, when there should be at least 300, if a place of religious worship were provided for all the inhabitants. NEW METHODIST DOCTORS.-The following Methodist preachers have received the honorary D. D. at the late college Commencements; namely, Rev. Schuyler Seager, of the Genesee conference, from the Centenary College, Miss.; Rev. J. H. Perry, of the New York East conference, and Rev. W. H. Rule, of the British Wesleyan conference, and one of the editors of the London Watchman, from Dickinson College; Rev. Edward Cook, of the Wisconsin conference, and President of Lawrence University, from Harvard University; Rev. L. D. M'Cabe, Professor of Mathematics of the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, O., from Alleghany College, Meadville, Penn.; Rev. J. G. Blair, of the Ohio University, from M'Kendree College, Lebanon, Ill.; Rev. E. E. Wiley, President of Emory and Henry College, from Genesee College; and Rev. D. R M'Anally, editor of the St. Louis Christian Advocate, from Emory and Henry College. COLLEGES.-The Commencement exercises of the Ohio Wesleyan University took place June 13th. Number of graduates, 12; whole number of students in attendance for the year, 511. President, Rev. E. Thomson, D. D. Genesee College Commencement took place June 28th, but we have no account of the number of students or graduates. The institution, under the Presidency of Rev. J. Cummings, D. D., is succeeding nobly. Dickinson College Commencement exercises July 12th; graduated 23 young men. President, Rev. C. Collins, D. D. The institution is in a most flourishing condition. Indiana Asbury University had its Commencement 15.582 July 19th. Graduates, 8; whole number of students for the year, 337. Rev. Daniel Curry, D. D., President. ..24,618 16,958 41,879 .44,252 ...38,438 26,116 .11,761 .39,592 7.315 42,613 ...73.590 .......... 80,258 ...... ..59,684 ........11,136 .... 8,448 ..11,824 .10,150 .... 9,487 886 ........ 3,734 The total number of effective traveling preachers is 1,942, of superanuated 150, and of local preachers 4,359. The total number of white members is 428,511, of colored members 164,584, and of Indians 3,757; showing a grand total of 603,303, or an increase of 23,992 over the numbers of last year. There was a decrease in the Indian Alleghany College Commencement June 27th. Graduates, 21. Rev. J. Barker, D. D., President. M'Kendree College had no graduates this year. President, Rev. Peter Akers, D. D. Ohio University, Athens-Commencement August 1st. Graduates in regular course, 2; scientific department, 2. Rev. S. Howard, D. D., President. Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn.-Commencement August 1st. Graduates, 28. Rev. Augustus W. Smith, LL. D., President. OHIO WESLEYAN FEMALE COLLEGE.-Rev. C. D. Burritt, A. M., of the Oneida conference, was elected President of the Ohio Wesleyan Female College, Delaware, O., in the latter part of July, and entered upon the duties of his office August 9th. IOWA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY.-Rev. L. W. Berry, D. D., President. Number of students, 254. Location, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. NEW BOOKS. Ziterary Notices LIFE AND TIMES OF BISHOP HEDDING, D. D., late Senior Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. By Rev. D. W. Clark, D. D. With an Introduction by Rev. Bishop E. S Janes. New York: Carlton & Phillips.-Such is the title of a work recently issued from the Book Concern in New York, and which is now on sale at the Methodist bookstores generally. It can also be obtained through any Methodist preacher. We doubt whether a finer specimen of typography was ever issued from the Concern-large type, well leaded, fine paper, and beautiful margins make a page grateful to the eye. It makes a volume of six hundred and eighty-six pages. The Agents have published a large 12mo., and also an octavo edition of the work; the former at $1.50, the latter at $2. The latter is a somewhat formidable, but really a splendid book. It is probably the cheapest edition, compared with the expense of getting up. It is not in place for us to speak of its literary char acter. We are too nearly related to it. But we must take the liberty to say a few things about it. Bishop Janes, it is well known, was, in the will of Bishop Hedding, constituted his biographer, with power to choose a substitute. His episcopal duties rendered it impossible for him to perform the work, and, after consulting with his colleagues, the writer was appointed to write the book. No literary labor could have been more congenial with his feelings, yet he entered upon his work with many misgivings. First of all, he was fearful he should not be able to do justice to his exalted subject, or to meet the expectations of the Church. Then he was aware of the great labor necessary to gather the materials for such a volume and work them up into one homogeneous production. This labor he found he had not overrated; for though much had been done in this respect by Rev. M. L. Scudder and others-for which they deserve the thanks of the Church-much more remained to be done; and the author was compelled to wade through old volumes and old files of magazines and newspapers almost without number; also through piles of letters, papers, documents, etc.; gathering one fact of history here and another there. The work was one of no little delicacy as well as labor. Bishop Hedding had passed through and been a prominent actor-that is, made prominent by his official positionin many of the stirring events and controversies in the Church during the past fifty years. The author could not do otherwise than become a commentator upon those events. This often involved personal allusions to the dead as well as the living; it also involved the necessity of presenting controverted points in a light that will not be acceptable to many. In all these matters he has endeavored to study carefully the facts of history; and so well satisfied is he that what he has set forth in each case has a solid foundation in fact, and that his comments are legitimate and truthful, that he has not much fear of their being controverted. Errors there are undoubtedly in the book, mistakes of judgment. It shall be the author's work hereafter to correct them, should any such come to light. erary character of the work, it is proper our readers should know the estimate placed upon it by the press. We therefore subjoin the first paragraph of an extended editorial notice in the Commercial Advertiser, of New York city: us. "Those who loved and venerated Bishop Hedding may well congratulate themselves that the interesting records of his life and ministry have been intrusted to so judicious a biographer. Dr. Clark has executed his task with most admirable judgment, and yet with that warm and genial affection for his subject, without which the biographer is apt to degenerate into the cold critic and passionless essayist. Bishop Hedding was a 'representative man; the type of a class for the full development of whose capabilities, mental and physical, if Methodism was not necessary, it at least supplied peculiar facilities; and upon this idea Dr. Clark has acted in the work before The book is just what its title implies, and upon no other plan could the strong points in Bishop Hedding's character have been harmoniously developed. The 'times' in which he lived are part of his life.' The latter could not have been rightly estimated or rightly depicted apart from the former. The Bishop kept pace with the times in every respect, making his mark upon them as indelibly as they made their impress upon him. And it is impossible to read the felicitous blending of autobiographical sketches with cotemporaneous Methodistic history which Dr. Clark has supplied, without recognizing in the subject of the memoir an instrumentality specially adapted to the marvelous work on which it was employed. The noble introduction, from the pen of one of Bishop Hedding's survivors in the Episcopacy of the Methodist Church, adds largely to the intrinsic value of the volume. A remark often applied to Boswell's Life of Johnson, and also strikingly true of the published 'Journal' of the founder of Methodism, that they have the engrossing interest of the most skillful fiction, will apply to this volume." WHICH RIGHT OR LEFT? is the quaint title of a book that has attracted no little attention. The publishers are Garrett & Co., New York, and the work is a goodsized 12mo. of five hundred and thirty-six pages. It has been highly commended by the religious as well as secular press. We have read it; and we must confess to an instinctive repugnance to it, as to something impure. It smacks of Solon Robinson and his Five Points fictions. Its author gloats in the delineation of those sham professors who dishonor Christ and religion, and shows himself more au fait in the delineation of sham than of true religion. He takes such evident pleasure in exposing the hollowness and hypocrisy of worldly and fashionable professors, that one can not help suspecting he was not profoundly grieved at the existence of those evils. We doubt whether the influence of the book will be healthy. For sale by Moore, Wilstach, Keys & Co., Cincinnati. REV. ROBERT NEWTON is almost as widely known in this country as in England. Mr. Jackson has made an excellent biography, and the republication of it will be welcomed by thousands on this side of the Atlantic. It While we decline making any comment upon the lit- makes a 12mo. of four hundred and twenty-seven pages. |