near demonstration as the case will admit, and ought not to be contradicted by any who cannot search the heart. Our readers, however, are in possession of facts that fully contradict the Abbé's assertion, and they well know that not only several Brahmins have been converted to God, but that they have proved the happy instruments of converting many of their countrymen. We could readily produce a list of converts who have given as satisfactory evidence of becoming new creatures in Christ Jesus," as any of our fellow Christians in Britain. Our readers will probably see more on this subject hereafter, from the pens of those faithful missionaries, who know that they have not "laboured in vain,nor spent their strength for nought." Suffice it for the present to quote an author whose testi mony deserves far more credit than that of M. Dubois, who only attempts to prove a negative, while this gentleman speaks of facts within his own knowledge.--"More than a thousand persons (in India) have been initiated into a Christian profession by baptism, and more than six hundred of these were formerly idolaters or Mahometans. About fifty of these Asiatics and heathen converts are employed in superintending stations, or as assistants to the missionaries in itinerating. The gifts of some of these native helpers are very respectable; they preach with great fluency, and their labours have greatly succeeded: several large societies have been gathered wholly by their means."-Ward's Farewell Letters, page 168, &c. See also our Memoir of Mr. Ward, above, p. 405, 6. A Catalogue of the Ethiopic Biblical Manuscripts in the Royal Library of Paris, and the Library of the British and Foreign Bible Society, with some Account of those in the Vatican Library, and Remarks and Extracts, &c. By T. P. Platt, B. A. 4to. 15s. Treuttel, &c. THIS work is not a proper subject for our Review, nor do we profess sufficient Oriental skill to vouch for its correctness, of which, however, from the editor's wellknown abilities, we have no doubt. It is sufficient to announce the publication as highly important to the Bible cause. The greater part of the MSS. in the Bible Society's library were recently published in Paris from a private source. They consist of the Pentateuch and three following books; the Psalter, with the Song of Solomon; the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke; three copies of the Gospel of St. John; the Apocalypse; Scripture hymus currently appended to the Psal ter; a fragment in Amharic; the Hymns of Jared; the entire Scriptures in Amharic, translated by Abu Rumi, under the superintendence of M. Asselin; the Gospels of St. Mark and St. John in Tigrè, in Roman characters; and the Gospel of St. Mark in Amharic, in Roman characters. Mr. Platt's object in visiting the Royal Library at Paris was to make investigations with a view to the adoption of the best texts of the gospels in Ethiopic, an edition of which the Bible Society is about to publish, toge ther with the same portion of the Serip tures in the Amharic, or vernacular dialect, from their invaluable manuscript. Mr. Platt has appended to his work some specimens of versions of the New Testa ment into the modern languages of Abys sinia, and a Grammatical Analysis of a chapter in the Amharic. The types and fac-similes are beautifully executed, and the work is of considerable interest to Ethiopic and other oriental scholars. The Oracles of God, Four Orations. For Judgment to Come, an Argument in Nine Parts. By the Rev. E. Ir. ving, M. A. Minister of the Caledonian Church, Hatton-Garden. Second edition. 8vo. 12s. Hamilton. WE have seldom found, in a single vo lume, so much to praise and so much to blame as in the present. It is impos sible to read a page or two without per ceiving that the author possesses great strength of mind, and is able to express his views with uncommon energy. We give him praise for recommending the study of the Bible in his Four Orations, with such force as we trust will induce many to study that holy book with greater reverence and greater diligence than ever; and if this point be gained, Mr. Irving will not have written in vain. The points discussed in the Orations are, The due preparation for receiving the Oracles of God-The manner of consulting them-and, Their strict observ ance. The discussion of these topics occupies nearly 100 pages. This part of the volume is dedicated to Dr. Chalmers, and is perhaps the least open to objection. But even here we cannot always con cur with the author. We were struck, as we suppose most of his readers must have been, with the orator's bold attack on the Christian ministers of our country at large, in his Preface, where he as cribes the ignorance and irreligion of the day" to the want of a sedulous and skilful ministry." It is somewhat extraordinary that a young man just arrived from the North, and little acquainted with the state of, "the religious world" in South Britain, should at once arraign all the clergy at his bar, accuse them of incompetency for their work, and impute the irreligion of the multitude to their incapacity. Nor is it only in his Preface that he assumes the dictator; he has scattered throughout his work many severe and unjust censures against his brethren. "I am convinced," says Mr. I. " from the constant demand of the religious world for the preaching of faith and forgiveness, and their constant kicking (how elegant!) against the preaching of Christian morals; the constant appetite for mercy, and disrelish of righteousness and judgment; or if righteousness, it be the constant demand that it should be the imputed righteousness of Christ, not our own personal righteousness; from these features of the evangelical part of men, I do greatly fear, nay, I am convinced that many of them are pillowing their hopes upon something else than the sanctification and changed life which the Gospel hath wrought."-p. 363. On reading this obnoxious and highly blameable passage, one would be ready to conclude that the author is ignorant of the gospel, and pillows his own hopes, not on Christ, but on his own righteousness, had we not satisfying evidence in other parts of the volume that he, as well as ourselves, makes Christ alone the foundation of a believer's hope. But the tendency of this passage is certainly mischievous, and calculated to bring into contempt those "evangelical men," as he calls them, who feel it their duty so to preach Christ as to make him the prominent object in every sermon; yet these are the men whom he unjustly censures, as using a strain of preaching "the most feeble and ineffectual which the Christian world hath ever heard." In another place he says, "Oh! I hate such ignorant prating, because it taketh the high airs of orthodoxy, and would blast me as a heretical liar, if I go to teach the people that the word of God is a well-spring of life, &c. But these high airs and pitiful pelting words are very trifling to me.' Again, elsewhere he asks, "Now what difference is it, whether the active spirit of a man is laid asleep by the comfort of the holy wafer and extreme unction, to be his viaticum and passport into heaven, or by the constaut charm of a few words sounded and sounded and eternally sounded about Christ's sufficiency to save?" He adds, what at least borders on profaneness, In the holy name of Christ, and the three times holy name of God, have they declared aught to men, or are they capable of declaring aught to men, which should not work upon men the desire and the power of holiness? Why then do I hear the constant babbling about simple reliance, and simple dependence upon Christ." p. 363, &c. It is hard to say whether there be more want of knowledge,or of truth, or of reverence in these passages. Surely Mr. Irving is little acquainted with the strain and character of evangelical preachers, either in or out of the English Establishment, or he would know that this sweeping censure on "evangelical men," as he calls them, is most unjust. There may be a few, a very few comparatively, who call themselves evangelical, that deserve the censure; and it is well known that they stand aloof from their brethren in general, and despise them as not " evangelical' "because they are prac tical, and preach that law (though on gospel principles,) which he charges them with not preaching. This is unjust to them, and injurious to the cause of religion; and taking part with their enemies both in the Church and in the world; the one charging them with being too practical, and the other with being too evangelical. As to the adjuration employed by Mr. I. whatever energy may be supposed to add to his style, it will certainly not recommend his work to pious and humble Christians. it We are no better pleased with the indiscriminate censure which he passes on the use of Catechisms; and are rather surprised to hear a divine who often boasts of belonging to the Presbyterian Establishment, (for he is no Dissenter!) quarrelling with that "form of sound words" to which his countrymen owe their superior knowledge of the Scrip ture and its doctrines; more, we believe, in many instances than to the instruc tion of their pastors; many of whom even Mr. Irving will not charge with "constant babbling about the sufficiency of Christ to save, and his imputed righ teousness." The Assembly's Catechism, though neither inspired nor infallible, has been a most useful instrument of a religious education," to which thousands and tens of thousands have been much indebted. Mr. I. admits that Catechisms are useful in "their proper place, for discerning heresy, and preserving in the church a unity of faith;" but he charges them with having "stepped from their proper place, and that they are become the storehouse of religious knowledge in our families, in our schools, and even in the ministry of our churches." Mr. Irving's forte certainly lies in finding fault, or he would never have thought of censuring catechisms for being storehouses of religious know. ledge! and we could not forbear smiling when he complains of their being addressed to the intellect" rather than the passions: that they have no eloquence, no imagination, no pathos, &c. commending them only for that in which they have been most unsuccessful, preserving "a unity of faith.' Is there then no discrepancy of doctrine, no variety of faith in the Scottish Establishment? And if there were not, (which we should be glad to see proved,) what matter of congratulation is this, if, as he insinuates (but we deny), that all those who hold much acquaintance with human formularies neglect the word of God. That we, however, may not be charged with the same disposition of delighting to find fault, we shall cite a passage which, though not faultless, discovers an originality of thought and energy of expression not often to be met with in inodern writers. ""Tis written, 'tis written, 'tis sealed of heaven, and a few years shall reveal it all. Be assured it is even so to happen to the despisers of holy writ. With this in arrear, what boots liberty, pleasure, enjoyment-all within the hour-glass of time, or the round earth's continent, all the sensibilities of life, all the powers of man, all the attractions of woman! "Terror hath sitten enthroned on the brow of tyrants, and made the heart of a nation quake; but upon this peaceful volume there sits a terror to make the mute world stand aghast. Yet not the terror of tyranny neither, but the terror of justice, which abides the scorners of the Most High God, and the revilers of his most gracious Son. And is it not just, though terrible, that He who brooked not in heaven one moment's disaffection, but lanched the rebel host to hell, and bound them evermore in chains of darkness, should also do his sovereign will upon the disaffected of this earth, whom he hath long endured and pleaded with in vain ?"-p. 64. In our next we hope to be able to notice the Second Part of this work, which, while it is most considerable in bulk, appears to us least exceptionable in matter. Divine justice and truth with the salvation of an innumerable multitude of the human race; as designed to put a stop to the progress of sin; and as presenting in such a glorious light the character of God, as through eternity to increase the happiness of the whole obedient and intelligent creation. These comprehensive views are well supported by scriptural argument, and the treatise is highly edifying and instructive. "In the second Treatise is attempted an illustration of one of the most beautiful pieces of poetry recorded in the sacred volume. The author considers that a part of that Psalm entitled, "The Prayer of Moses" refers, not as is perhaps most generally supposed, to man's returning to the dust, but to the resurrection at the last day; and he has accordingly endeavoured to support this view, by a reference as well to other passages of Scripture as to the context." This interpretation will probably be new to many of our readers; but they will find the proposed elucidation highly in teresting, and the reasons assigned in its favour very forcible. The third Treatise has been long before the public, and is well deserving of a new edition and an extensive circulation. The last Treatise is on the Faith of the Gospel; and we recommend it to our readers with great satisfaction, as a very clear, scriptural and concise exhibition of this most important subject. The pious and judicious author has, we think, fully succeeded in his aim "to remove that obscurity in which the subject is occasionally involved; to show that the mind of the Christian ought not, in the examination of his faith, to be so much occupied with the manner as with the substance of his belief; to show that the gospel cannot be really believed merely speculatively, and that those who either trust to their faith as an act, or to their clear views of the nature of faith, instead of fixing their attention on the great object of faith, are alike entangled in a grand and most fatal error.' In these views we are happy to find a full coincidence between the author of this Treatise and Mr. Erskine, whose valuable Essay on the same subject we have recently recommended to the perusal of our readers. The Heroism of the faithful Minister of Christ displayed, &c: a Sermon at the Baptist Monthly Meeting, July 24, 1823; on the lamented Death of the Rev. W. Ward: with an Appendix, containing a short Biography of the deceased. By Jos. Ivimey. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Offer. MR. IVIMEY certainly judged rightly, that at the moment when the attention of the religious world, and especially the Baptist denomination, was so fully occupied with the melancholy tidings of Mr. Ward's death, no other subject was so likely to be attended to. He therefore selected as his text, Acts xx. 24. "But none of these things move me," &c. and with much feeling expatiates on the "heroism of the faithful minister of Christ.. in reference both to life and death," as remarkably displayed in the character of the apostle Paul; and, secondly, in that of the deceased Missionary. Mr. I. then traces this Christian heroism to its source in evangelical principles, on which subject he gives an interesting extract from a letter of Dr. Carey to Dr. Ryland, written last January: we can only quote two or three lines. In reference to his previous illness, Dr. C. says, "While I lay under my last affliction my mind was much occupied in reviewing my life, and in examining my interest in Christ. But the farthest I could get was, 'Hope in his mercy.' I see no one thing in all my past life upon which I can rest; and am persuaded of the daily and hourly ne cessity of trusting my perishing soul in the hands of my Redeemer." We have read this Discourse with much interest, not only from the subject, but the judicious manner of its discussion, and the pleasing anecdotes with which it is enriched; we feel no hesitation, therefore, in recommending it to our readers; but we feel the propriety of apologizing to Mr. I. for the freedom we have taken with his Appendix in our Memoir of Mr. Ward. The fact is, that we were anxious to pay an early tribute of respect to that Excellent Missionary, and had no sources of information but those which Mr.I. has himself made use of. The Sunday School Prayer-Book; containing short Prayers, suitable for Public Use in Sunday Schools, or as a Guide to the Use of Extemporaneous Prayer. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Offer. THIS interesting manual of Prayers is presented to the public under the immediate sanction of the Sunday-School Union, an Institution which has greatly promoted the important measure of Sunday-school instruction, both at home and abroad. It is not intended by this publication to set aside or discourage extempore prayer, but to supply the deficiency of this, in such schools and at such times as there may be a want of teachers who possess the gift. The prayers themselves are not only scriptural in the matter of them, but there is a rich va riety: while some of them are adapted for general use, others of them are suited for particular occasions. But the best way in which we can shew their nature and utility, and at the same time recommend this useful work to the friends and teachers of Sunday-schools, will be by furnishing an outline of its contents. 1. Morning Prayers-2. Prayers on Opening the School-3. Prayers on Closing the School-4, Prayers before going to Public Worship-5. Prayers for the Sabbath Evening-6. Prayers on particular Occasions-7. Prayers for the Meetings of Teachers-8. Prayers suitable for any Occasions, from the Book of Common Prayer. The Sunday-schools in every part of the British empire, including England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, continue to increase in number, and their importance and utility is more and more evident. The Report of the Committee of the Sunday-school Union this year is most gratifying and encouraging, and cannot fail to produce upon the minds of the friends of this truly benevolent plan of operation, something like the effect produced upon the mind of the apostle Paul, when he saw the brethren who came to meet him as he was journeying towards Rome: "He thanked God, and took courage." The following is a summary of the Institutions in connexion with the Sunday-school Union: Schools, 7,173--Teachers, 71,275--Scholars,-764,991; which is an increase of 108,449 scholars since the last year. When, in addition to this animating de-. tail, we contemplate the National and Lancastrian Schools, the Schools under the management of the Hibernian and Wesleyan Societies, the Charity and Day Schools both in and out of the Church, &c. &c. how can we think or say less than, "Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion, for the time to favour her, yea, the set time is come." Matins and Vespers; with Hymns and occasional Devotional Pieces. By J. Bowring. 12mo. 6s. Whittaker, WE have had repeated occasion to speak of Mr. B.'s poetical talents, which were never exhibited to more advantage than in the present volume; how far the poetry is original we can hardly judge, not being acquainted with the work of Dr. Witschel, to which he acknowledges great obligations. The poeins, however, are both sublime and beautiful; we only wish that they had been more deeply tinged with the peculiar truths of revelation, which we fear (judging by his Dedication to Dr. Carpenter,) his Creed prevented. So far as he goes, however, we have read with much pleasure; and cordially subscribe to many of its sentiments. Ex. gr. This world has nought to soothe or satisfy The spirit, save the lustre it receives (Like sun-beams glimmering through the dewy eaves,) From the bright influence of eternity. The verses are partly in harmonious rhyme, and partly in blank verse of an elevated character. The Convert's Tale; or the Process of Grace a Poem. By Samuel Chandter. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Westley. THIS work contains much truth, and not a little sound argument; here is serious expostulation and solemn warning. The writer appears to be in earnest, and has expressed his meaning in uniformly smooth and regular blank verse. Yet there are very few incidents in the tale, and but moderate attractions in the poetry. Were the whole turned into solid prose, and a text placed at the beginning, it might be rendered a very good sermon. The following lines will show somewhat of the doctrine and manner of this work. O blest contrivance of the Eternal mind The Baptist System its own Con demnation. By Peter Edwards. ls. 12mo. Westley. THIS small piece originated in what the author considered as an improper interference on the part of a Baptist minister. His design is to put the Baptists entirely on the defensive, by loading their system with those inconsistencies which he thinks belongs to it. By this means he hopes to bring the debate into a very narrow compass, and to oblige the Baptists to relieve their system, if they possibly can, from that weight of incoherencies with which he charges them, and which, if not removed, he judges must eventually prove fatal. We merely state the author's object, without any wish to revive the controversy. To be published by Subscription, (in one vol. 8vo. 6s.) with a Portrait, Memoirs of the late Mrs. Smith, of Cape Town. By the Rev. J. Philip, D.D. The profits to be applied to the liquidation of the debt on the new Chapel, Cape Town.-See Advertisement on Cover. Preparing for the Press, (in 1 vol. 8vo.) with a Portrait, the Life of the late Rev. J. Hinton, M. A. of Oxford; comprising Extracts from his Diary and Letters. By J. H. Hinton, M. A. of Reading. Original Letters of Mr. H. will be thankfully received, In the Press, and shortly will be Published. 1. Life, and Letters of Khrishna Pal, the First Hindoo Convert. By the late Rev. W. Ward, Missionary; with a coloured Portrait.-2. Original Letters of the late Rev. J. Newton, from 1784 to 1804; uniform with his other Works.3. A Sunday-school Tour in the West of England.-4. A Sixth volume of Sketches of Sermons, furnished by their respective Authors.5. Sunday-school Teacher's Vade Mecum. Pt. 2. -6. Fourth edition of Memoirs of the late Livesay Mary Towne, to which will be added a Memoir of an only Daughter, with an Address to Parents, &c. By T. Towne.-7. Gleanings of Pious Authors.-8. Letters and Poems. By the Author of "Miscellaneous Thoughts." SELECT LIST. The Works of the late Andrew Fuller. Vol. the 8th and last. 8vo. 12s. The Bible Teacher's Manual. By a Clergyman. Part II. Exodus. 8d. A Second volume of Sermons, by J. Styles, D.D. 8vo. 12s. 6d. Consistent Christians the joy, &c. of their Pastors; an Anniversary Sermon at Fetter-lane Chapel: together with a Sketch of the History of the Church at that place for 160 years. By George Burder. 1s. Baxter's Works. Vol. X. 8vo. 12s. Part IX. of Mrs. Richardson's Abridged History of the Bible, in Verse, to be completed in sixteen Parts. The old Doctrine of Faith asserted, in opposition to certain Modern Innovations. By the late Rev. J. Carlile, Dublin. A second Series of Letters to W. Wilberforce, Esq. M. P. and his defender Melancthon, on the Claims of the Roman Catholics, &c. By Amicus Protestans. 8vo. 5s. 6d. Hebrew (and Chaldee) Dictionary and Grammar, without Points. Also, Scripture Chronology, with several useful Tables, &c. By J. Andrews. LL.D. F.A.S. 8vo. 9s. On the recent Prosecution of Persons vending Books against Christianity, &c. By a Dissenter., 8vo. Is. Superstition; or the Perils of Ireland and the Projects of Rome; a Poem. By Clericus Hibernicus. 8vo. Is. 6d. Beauties from Eminent and approved Authors in Divinity. By Rev J. Denton. 2 vols. 12mo. 9s. Baptism Discussed (in favour of the Baptism of Infants). By. D. Isaac. 12mo. 4s. 6d. Bible Anecdotes, with Remarks. By G. Betts, Alfriston, with a fine Portrait of Wickliffe, 12mo. 4s.-Proof prints separate, 1s. Lectures on the History of Joseph, By the Rev. J. Davis, Bath. 12mo. 5s. 6d. Orations at the opening of Albion Hall. By the Rev. A. Fletcher, F. A. Cox, and Dr. Thornton. 1s. The School for Sisters, or Lessons of Experience. 12mo. Brown's Catechisim divided into 52 Lessons for the Use of Albion Chapel Schools. 6d. Brown's Short Catechism, 2d. |