looked back to by Protestants as containing high authority in its confessions, yet these confessions are not to be set up as popes for all subsequent ages. If all history back of the Reformation could not bind the conscience or faith when the Church departed from the Holy Scriptures, neither can this Protestant tradition bind us absolutely now. All this seems strange in a New England book. German works are familiarly quoted, German words and terms introduced into the text, altogether we seem to be in a different atmosphere from what used to envelop Puritanism in New England.

And this explains to a large extent the change that is coming over the theological science of that section. Intercourse with German theology and German literature has well nigh already revolutionized the theological thinking of New England, or at any rate of its leading scholars and theologians. Some of this German influence some years ago was not of a most healthful kind. Some of our Yankee savans turned transcendentalists, and were in danger of being led captive by the rationalism of Germany. But the healthful theology of Germany as it is renovated in this century is doing a good work there.

The large, growing centres of learning in New England have done much to enlarge and liberalize thinking. Their colleges have grown into Universities. Their professors are in communion with the progress of learning in the Universities of the Old World. They have representatives from those Universities among them. Hence it is no longer the spirit of England, or Scotland that rules, but rather the more cosmopolitan spirit of the continent of Europe. And this, ultimately, will undoubtedly be the spirit that will prevail in all departments in this country-cosmopolitan, not provincial.

The prevailing element in our American nationality from the beginning has undoubtedly been the English life and spirit, but this has become so intermingled with other nationalities, that while the English language will always be the prevailing language spoken in America, its life will be moulded rather by the continent. This may easily be seen in our life generally now already. The American is not selfish, reserved, reticent, like

the Englishman. He is liberal, broad, and free, at least his aspiration and tendencies are in that direction. How could it be otherwise, if we consider the constant influence exerted among us by the various nationalities of Europe. The influences from the continent are growing stronger and stronger. The main stream is from Germany, and it has back of it the great learning and power of thought in the fatherland. We do not mean by this that Germany is about to erect itself into a controlling element in our American life, as Germany. That is a vain thought. German language and German peculiarities soon give way before American life. But the passing out of view of the particular European national peculiarities nevertheless leaves behind a moulding power in our national life.

What is true in general here, is especially the case in the sphere of theology. Not English, nor Scotch, nor French, but German theology, will be the main element from across the ocean, in moulding our theological science here in America. And yet it will be in no slavish way that this moulding influence will be received. Our situation and calling are peculiar. The United States, already one of the greatest powers in the world, destined it may be to become the greatest-cannot merely imitate Europe, or borrow from it, but it must reproduce the various life and spirit that reaches her from abroad.

America has already commenced a literature of her own. She has historians and poets whose claims are recognized in Europe. Perhaps least has been done in theology. This has been owing, it may be, to the intensely practical and secular spirit of the nation, developed during the times of its settling and bringing under control a new country.

The Middle States, with their smaller colleges and seminaries, have been in advance of New England in cultivating communion with German philosophy and theology. Especially is this the case in the German Churches, the Reformed and Lutheran. What is only now beginning to be taken up and used in New England, has been familiar among them for many years. But in the Middle States, in those smaller institutions, there are fewer facilities for literary work. Their libraries are small,

and their professors have scarcely any time to spare from the work of the class-room. Let the German Churches once come up to the liberality of New England, in enlarging their institutions, and they will be able to raise up a class of men who can take their place in contributing to the growing theological literature of America. Meantime we rejoice to see the progress in this direction in the larger seminaries elsewhere in the country.

Prof. Fisher's work has its defects. Some of these are incident to the plan of bringing so much within the compass of one volume, but it will on this account be welcomed by many who have not the time or taste for reading a number of volumes in order to get a correct knowledge of the general facts of the Reformation.

NOTE TO CONTRIBUTORS.--As the present number of the REVIEW has been devoted mainly to articles on the Old Catholic Movement, we have been compelled to hold over several articles intended for this number of the REVIEW. They will be inserted in the July number. Thanking the contributors for their articles, we trust they will be satisfied with our explanation.

THE

MERCERSBURG REVIEW.

JULY, 1873.

ART. I.-CHRISTIAN WORSHIP.

BY REV. J. O. MILLER, D. D., YORK, PA.

WE speak of Christian ethics, Christian doctrine, and of Christian life, and in doing so, mean something real in morals, in faith, and in practice, by each of these terms, distinct and peculiar, as moulded by the Christian religion. Neither of these are the mere rules, opinions or acts of those who hold or practice them, as such, but are conditions of their lives, springing not out of their natural life, but from the revelation of God in Christ, working through their human powers. And by these they govern their doings and dealings with God and man. In the same way, when we speak of Christian Worship we mean also something that is real, and not a mere fancy, or sentiment or opinion, much less a mere show or parade to the eye, but a series of distinct acts in the way of homage and reverence to God. This homage expresses itself in adorations, confessions, supplications, thanksgivings and such like, and thus by outward acts expresses the inward movements of the soul as drawn out after God, in whom it believes, as revealed to it through Jesus Christ. Worship thus becomes a series of acts of faith, by which each one, who recognizes the Church of the Son of God,

the Saviour, seeks to serve God through Him; endeavoring to imitate the example of Him who said, "Wist ye not that I must be about my father's business," and whose meat and drink it was to do the will of God. The Germans call worship, Gottes-dienst, to do God service, which is more expressive than our term worship, as it declares God to be the object of the service, not by mere formal or moral act, but in acts and services through which man's whole inner life comes to a reverent and devout utterance. And yet when we add to our term worship, which is a general one used by pagan, Jew, or Christian, the qualifying word Christian, we express even more than the German term "Gottes-dienst," as we mean thereby, that all our services are not simply directed to God, but associated with and performed in and through Christ, as "the way, the truth, and the life," through whom alone we have access to God, and by whom we expect acceptance even in the least and most imperfect service.

Worship is the sublimest act in which man or angel can engage. And when it is Christian, and of faith it is the crowning act of our lives. As contrasted with ethics, and doctrine, and the philosophy of religion, worship we may say, is the poetry of religion, in which the aesthetic become extatic, as the soul rises to the apprehension of God in Christ, and finds "joy inexpressible and full of glory," in the grace returned to it through the channels of devotion which it employs.

Christian Cultus comprehends more than is designated commonly by the term Christian worship, of which we now treat. Cultus signifies not only what man does towards or for God, but also what God does, and is ever doing for man, in man, and through man to man, comprehending him in a new-creating, life-sustaining power, which moulds his whole life to its end, whilst Christian worship as commonly understood, presents only the one side of cultus, namely that which man does; in which the rational emotional, and social of man, under the guidance of faith in the Son of God, goes out after God, in adoration, confession and prayer, etc. As thus viewed it is a perpetual thanksgiving to God for His mercy in Christ, "offering up spiritual