which Americans state to be the most correct and candid book which has ever been written in England on the subject; the Rev. C. Bridges's valuable work on the Causes of the Inefficiency of the Christian Ministry, especially in the Church of England (a work of great piety and spiritual utility); Mr. Riland's faithful and powerful delineation of " Antichrist;" and Mr. Newnham's able and interesting treatise on Superstition. Others might be added; but the object is not to swell a list of names, but merely to mention as a specimen some of the pieces which happen to occur to the writer. -The value of a periodical publication must, however, chiefly depend upon its ordinary contributors; and living names, much as he values their favours, the Editor is not allowed to specify.-But far the greatest tribute of affection and gratitude, from the friends of the work, is due to one individual, who conducted it for more than half the period of its present duration, and gave to it that character, whatever it may be, which has prevented the necessity for new plans or a new series, and has stamped on it the claim of being at least a consistent work. Long may it be before, not only the friends of the Christian Observer, but of no small number of our great religious societies-the friends of injured Africa, the friends of the oppressed slave, the friends of education, and piety, and philanthropy throughout the world—will be at liberty to say all they think and feel in reference to the zealous and judicious labours of that esteemed and highly-gifted individual.

on the extent and holiness of the Divine law; rescued the preceptive parts of the Gospel from the cold, heartless, insipid commentaries of those who would reduce Christianity to a round of formal observances, and a decent conformity to social duties; and, by inculcating the necessity of combining spiritual affections with an orderly and correct practice, it has laboured to convey and excite the most enlarged, noble, generous, and animated conceptions of the nature and genius of true religion and it has pleased God to bless its endeavours with an abundant success."

Numerous testimonies to the character of the work, and the benefits which, by the blessing of God, have attended its perusal, might be adduced from the writings of individuals, living and dead, whose approbation is honour. One may be the rather mentioned, as the writer is in a better world, and his approval was beyond the suspicion of partiality, he being neither a fellow-countryman nor a member of our own communion. Dr. Dwight, the revered and lamented President of Yale College, Connecticut, united with some other well-known friends of religion to introduce the Christian Observer to his countrymen, among whom it obtained so much celebrity that it was soon regularly reprinted every month, in two rival editions, at New York and Boston; and it has been the model on which several American religious publications, particularly in the Episcopal Church, have been professedly planned and conducted. The following is a copy of Dr. Dwight's recommendatory address :"The publishers of the American edition of the Christian Observer having requested of me a recommendation of that work to the public, I take a peculiar pleasure in complying with their wishes. I have taken this work from its commencement, and throughout the whole of its continuance have considered it as the best periodical publication within my knowledge. It has also been more uniformly supported than any other production of a similar nature. The religious doctrines countenanced by the Editor and his principal supporters are generally those of the Reformation. In a few particulars they differ somewhat from the most generally-received orthodoxy of this country: on these, however, they rarely insist. Those in which the creeds and confessions of Protestant churches have chiefly united, they illustrate and defend with distinguished ability. The spirit which reigns in this work is, I think, singularly happy. Catholicism and zeal are, perhaps, no where more successfully united. The piety of the Gospel is here

strongly as well as amiably displayed; and even controversy is carried on without tarnishing the Christian character. The subordinate contributors, imbibing the disposition of the principal, proceed in the same course of moderation and excellence. The plan of the work includes Religious and Miscellaneous Communications, Reviews, Literary and Philosophical Intelligence, a View of Public Affairs, &c. &c. The heads are well chosen, and are filled up with advantage. The re-publication of this work in America is a public benefit, and reflects honour on the undertakers."

Many similar testimonies from foreigners might be mentioned; but we shall adduce only the following, from the pen of the late Baron de Staël, which we must not omit, lest our Protestant friends on the continent of Europe should think we value their obliging suffrages less than those of their Western brethren. That excellent and beloved nobleman, it is well known, was exceedingly anxious to extend the religious literature of England to France and Switzerland. The following passage from his pen appears in the records of the "Société de la Morâle Chrêtienne :"-" Le plus important des ouvrages que j'ai l'honneur de vous envoyer est la collection, dès le commencement, du Christian Observer, ecrit périodique fort répandu en Angleterre, où il exerce depuis plusieurs années une grande et salutaire influence. Je suis assuré d'avance, Messieurs, qu'en parcourant le Christian Observer vous y reconnaitrez avec bonheur l'union du sentiment religieux le plus intime avec des vues liberales sur toutes les grandes questions de la politique; et j'ose croire que vous penserez comme moi, qu'il serait fort important pour notre Société de recevoir désormais les numéros de ce journal à mesure qu'ils paraitront."

It is peculiarly gratifying to the conductors, that a work which approved itself to a Porteus and a Barrington in our own church, should, without shrinking

from the expression of what a Dwight or a De Staël might think exclusive principles, have commended itself to their suffrages by the spirit in which they were advocated.

Among the subjects which have occupied a prominent place in the work, there are some on which its conductors look back with peculiar interest. At the period when they commenced their labours, Europe appeared to be sinking under one vast overpowering despotism: infidelity and irreligion were also spoiling men of their eternal hopes; and few and feeble were the efforts to counteract their influence. Our own church had not awakened to those zealous labours which now so widely animate her members. The doctrines of the Reformation were very inadequately insisted upon by her clergy: and, with the exception of two or three of the older societies, reduced almost to the torpor of the surrounding mass, scarcely any thing was done to educate the poor, to send the Gospel to the heathen, or to better the general condition of mankind. Our vast foreign possessions were almost destitute of religious instruction; and the vessels which now leave our shores freighted with Tracts and Bibles and Missionaries, or with the productions of a peaceful commerce, were then seen bearing down with warlike equipments, or with chains and cruel arms to desolate Africa. On all these points the eye of a Christian Observer could not but be intently and painfully fixed; and not a few of the pages of this work have been devoted to them. The exposition of the horrors of the slave trade, and, since its abolition, of slavery, at once its source and its fruit; the opening of India to missionary instruction, and the formation of a church-establishment for that immense empire*, and

The Dean of Salisbury, in his highly interesting life of Dr. Buchanan, after alluding to the memorable controversy which took place, relative to the duty and practicability of introducing Christianity into India, and forming an ecclesiastical establishment for that country, is

also for our other colonies; the important discussions relative to the doctrines of our Reformers and our Church; the points at issue with our Dissenting brethren, with the Church of Rome, and also those which divide the members of our own communion; the interpretation of the inspired prophecies (on which not a few of the chief writers who have turned their minds to this subject during the last thirty years have, anonymously or by name, stated their views through the medium of the Christian Observer); obituaries and memoirs of persons eminent for piety in our own and former times, including many original notices, which have rendered this department of the work one of its most interesting and valuable portions; the painful, but ultimately useful, controversies which arose out of those plans of Christian benevolence which began about the period of the commencement of our publication (particularly the Bible Society, and the education of all classes of the poor)— these and similar topics of discussion have employed many a page-not, it is hoped, without benefit-of this miscellany. Bad as is the world, defective as are our best institutions, far as our own clergy and laity are from perfection, and dimly distant as still appears the prospect of a Millennium; much, very much, has been effected during the present century, in which the Christian and the philanthropist must greatly rejoice. In the course of their labours, the conductors of the Christian Observer have had to record, among numerous other subjects of interest to all who are anxious for the glory of God and the welfare of mankind, the struggles and the triumph

pleased to add :-" It would be unjust to close this brief enumeration of the principal writers in this controversy, without mentioning the eminent services of one periodical publication, distinguished by the zeal and ability with which it originally embraced and steadily supported the great cause of Christianity in India. It is scarcely necessary to add the name of the Christian Observer, which, whether in the examination of the productions on either side of the question, or in original communications, may justly claim a very considerable share of the praise which belongs to its successful termination."