Page images
PDF
EPUB

APOCALYPTIC SKETCHES. Vol. I. "Things that were." By DR. CUMMING. New Edition.

London: Hall and Co.

THIS volume is a republication, "thoroughly revised, corrected, and arranged," of the first portion of Dr. Cumming's former work on the Apocalypse. It is to be followed by other two; the second, on the "THINGS THAT ARE," and the third, on the "THINGS THAT SHALL BE HEREAFTER,"

Our worthy friend is as confident in his views as ever. In the preface we find him "earnestly praying that God's rich blessing may descend on the study of a work which all late events, from Sebastopol to Calcutta, clearly vindicate and confirm." To our minds, the same events most clearly contradict and confute Dr. Cumming's anticipations. But it is vain to reason with one who, "e'en though vanquished, yet can argue still;" or, if unable to argue, can yet so confidently maintain that he is right. We hope Dr. Cumming may live long enough to be convinced, by the course of events, that his fancy and imagination have led him astray.

This first volume of the three, on the "THINGS THAT WERE," will be found to contain less erroneous matter than the other two. Even those who cannot accept the views which it propounds will find much in it that cannot fail to interest, instruct, and profit them.

MEMORIAL OF AN ONLY DAUGHTER. By her MOTHER, the Authoress of" Shady Side."

London: Sampson, Low, Son, & Co. THIS memoir is from the pen of the authoress of" Shady Side," which many of our readers, doubtless, will remember having read. It is stated in the preface, that after having com menced this work, failing health "obliged the writer to relinquish it for a while, but she still cherished the hope that sufficient strength would be given her to complete it. To this hope she clung until near the end of her pilgrimage. When she heard the summons hence, and knew that she must leave the task unfinished, she committed it, and a few other objects very dear to her heart, in earnest prayer, to the disposal of Infinite Wisdom, and calmly laid herself down to rest."

The work, therefore, has been finished by another hand, we presume by that of her husband. As the point of interruption, however, is distinctly marked in the progress of the narrative, no injustice is done to the gifted writer whose name it bears.

The memoir is one of great interest, and we can most heartily recommend it for the perusal of the young.

THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF GOD, AS REVEALED IN THE APOCALYPSE. Part Second. Edinburgh.

We do not think that this work throws any fresh light on the meaning of the apocalyptic enigmas. The anxiety of the writer to find his views confirmed by events leads him to pen the following queries regarding the last twelve months of English history. Among what people, or at what time in the history of any nation, has there been a year of such great dis. tress and perplexity to a kingdom as has

marked the experience of Britain in the year 1857-8? May it not be said, with strict and literal truth, that this is a "time of trouble so great as has not been since there was a nation, even to this same time?" (p. 305). Few, if any, of the readers of this work will agree here with its writer. We do not find other portions of it to be more satisfactory.

APOSTOLIC MISSIONS; or, The Sacred History amplified and combined with the Apostolical Epistles and contemporary Secular History. By the Rev. J. H. BARKER, M. A., of St. John's College, Cambridge.

London: Groo nbridge & Sons.

Ax intelligent acquaintance with the sacred Scriptures is a most necessary part of the education of our youth. This is equally trae of the historical as of the doctrinal and prac tical portions of the Bible, the former being the groundwork and foundation of the latter. The author of this volume has endeavoured to condense the apostolic records into a eɔnnected whole. He aims to present "a enntinuous history under the form of a paraphrase of the Acts of the Apostles, combined with, and illustrated by, the epistles of Paul and also contemporaneous secular history." We think he has succeeded well in his design. This work cannot fail to be useful to youthfel students of the Word of God, and will be found very helpful in the conducting of Bible classes.

A HALF CENTURY OF THE UNITARIAN CONTRO VERSY, with particular Reference to its Origin, its Course, and its prominent Subjects among the Congregationalists of Massachusetts. By GEORGE E. ELLIS, of Harvard University, Boston, United States.

London: E. Whitefield.

THIS is a Unitarian publication. Had it con tained, along with a history of the controversy, a history of Unitarian churches, it must have exhibited them everywhere in a state of de cline; some of their members, we trust, relinquishing Unitarian error for Bible truth, but most of them, we fear, moving towards Pantheism with Ralph, Waldo Emerson, and Theodore Parker.

GOD IN HIS WORKS; or, Redemption in Creation. By the Rev. R. HEMPHILL, A.M. Second Edition, corrected and enlarged.

London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. THE idea of this work is a good one, and Mr. Hemphill has worked it out well. Look ing at things seen as types of things unseen, he endeavours to lead the mind from the phe nomena of the outward world to reflection on spiritual truths. From "the fog" he illastrates "the Christian's course;" from "light, the love of Gol;" from "the growth of plants, the resurrection of the body:" from "the moon, the church of Christ;" from "fruit-trees, the patience of faith;" from "the dew, God's teaching," &c. We do not always agree with Mr. Hemphill. We should dissent from many of his observations regarding the Jewish nation and the second advent. The volume, however, is an exceedingly interesting one, and will be read with pleasure.

[blocks in formation]

LOVE MADE PERFECT; Illustrated in the Life and Diary of Mrs. Elizabeth Pickford, late of Salisbury. Edited by the Rev. PETER M'OWEN.

London. Hamilton, Adams, and Co. THIS is a memoir of great excellence. Mrs. Pickford was a Wesleyan, and her views and experience partake of the peculiarities by which our brethren of that denomination are characterised. Any earnest Christian, however, desirous of living a life of faith in Christ, and fellowship with God, will be both instructed and edited by perusing these memorials.

HOURS OF DEVOTION: A Meditation for every Day in the Month, translated and abridged from the German of DR. A. THOLUCK. By ANN and CATHARINE H. Dunn. Second Edition.

London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co. THIS is a charming little book, which we are not surprised to find has reached a second edition. As may be seen from the title, it is from the German of Dr. Tholuck, who is not only a learned commentator and an able divine, but a poet as well. We find occasionally, indeed, in this work, a shade of sentiment to which we should object, and which reminds us that divine truth is here flowing through

the channel of a human mind. But we trust that the readers will only be stimulated, by anything of this kind, to further thought and inquiry. With slight exceptions, however, there is so much of the true and the good, in union with the beautiful, in this volume, that we heartily recommend it to our readers.

WANDERINGS AND MUSINGS IN THE VALLEYS OF THE WALDENSES. By J. A. WYLIE, LL.D.

London: Nisbet.

WE have read this book with deep interest and great pleasure. The sketches of scenery are very graphic, and the local historical associations are admirably introduced.

POEMS. By EDWARD CHARLES MOGRIDGE.
London: Judd and Glass.

THE author of these poems is the youngest son of "Old Humphrey." We are glad to find and promising a shoot. that the parent stem has sent forth so vigorous There is great merit

in many of the pieces contained in this little volume. Some, doubtless, will read the work however, will find it recommended by sterling of the son for the sake of the father. Such, qualities of its own.

THE SIGNS OF THE SECOND ADVENT OF OUR BLESSED LORD. In Twelve Sermons. preached in the Church of St. James, West-end, Southampton. By JAMES WILLIAMS HATHERELL, D.D., Incumbent.

London: T. Hatchard.

THIS volume abounds with the loose reasoning and erroneous Scripture interpretation usually found in Millenarian publications. We regret to find such views in union with so much apparent piety, and taught from such a position as that occupied by Dr. Hatherell.

SERMONS PREACHED IN THE CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CHURCH, GORDON-SQUARE. By the Rev. NICHOLAS ARMSTRONG.

London: Bosworth & Harrison.

THE Source from which these sermons have emanated will be, to most of our readers, suf ficiently indicative of their character. The

small amount of truth contained in them is more than neutralised by the very serious error with which they abound.

THE MOTHER'S FRIEND. Edited by AxN JANE. London: Ward and Co., Paternoster-row. Vol. X.

THIS little serial is rightly named. It is well fitted to be useful to mothers, especially of the humbler classes. We are glad to learn that its circulation increases, and can most heartily recommend it.

WILLIAM AND JAMES; or, The Revolution of 1688. An Historical Tale. By J. M. M. K.

London: Wertheim and Macintosh.

In this work the leading events of the Revolution of 1688 are wrought into a tale, the writer of which solicits, as a young beginner, the kind indulgence of the reader. This gentle appeat disarms our critical faculty. It had been well, however, that the tale had been but half the length the young beginner has given to it. Still it may, with advantage, be put into the hands of young persons, on whose minds it cannot fail to impress the historical events it aims to illustrate.

Chronicle.

THE MEN OF THE MONTH. SEPTEMBER.

3. SIR EDWARD COKE, died 1633. Coke was one of the most eminent lawyers this country ever produced, but he was at the same time a conscientious,

Christian man, and the friend and patron of evangelical divines. At his death he was upwards of 90 years of age.

5. EDMUND BONNER, Bishop of London,

died 1569. This haughty, unprincipled, and cruel man commenced as a reformer, but became one of the bitterest persecutors of Protestantism. He died in prison.

5. John Jortin, D.D., a learned and accomplished but somewhat eccentric writer on Church History and other subjects, died, at the age of 72, in 1770.

8. JOHN MACLAURIN, an eloquent Scottish preacher and an elegant essayist, died 1754, aged 61.

9. GILBERT WAKEFIELD, the learned translator of the New Testament, a man of great merit and attainments, died 1801, in his 46th year.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

JOSIAH CONDER, an amiable and useful man, whose writings and efforts were well calculated to advance the interests of evangelical nonconformity, was born in 1789. He died December 27th, 1855.

18. DR. JOHNSON, author of the English Dictionary, and of many other important works, born 1709. He died Dec. 13th, 1784.

22. BISHOP JEWELL, died 1571, in his 50th year. He was an excellent and pious man, and the great defender of the English church against the papacy.

23. THOMAS HALYBURTON, a celebrated and an able Scottish divine, died in 1712, at the age of 38.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

16. DEAN COLET, a learned divine, and tunate Lord William Russell, an amiable

and pious lady, and author of a number of charming letters, died 1722, at the age of 86.

born at Gloucester in 1714, and was one of the most eloquent, earnest, and successful preachers this country has ever

30. WHITEFIELD, died 1770. He was produced.

ABBEY CHAPEL, ROMSEY.

Home.

SERVICES were held in the Abbey Chapel, Romsey, on Sunday, June 27th, and Monday, June 28th, in connexion with the laying of the foundation-stone of the People's Hall, in which the children of the Abbey Chapel Sabbathschool will be taught, and in which meetings and classes of various kinds will be held for the benefit of the working people of the town and neighbourhood, after sermons on Sunday, by the Rev. H. R. Reynolds, of Leeds, the Rev. J. Fowler, of Leeds, and the Rev. W. Crosbie, minister of the chapel.

On Monday morning, at half-past ten o'clock, a public meeting was held, over which the Rev. W. Crosbie presided. Prayer was offered by the Rev. J. Fowler, and addresses delivered by Dr. Beddome, mayor of Romsey, and senior deacon at the Abbey Chapel, and by the Rev. W. Roberts, of Southampton, and the Rev. T. Morris, of Romsey.

purpose of recognising the settlement of the Rev. W. Young, B.A.

The Rev. W. Roberts read suitable portions of Scripture, and invoked the Divine blessing on the proceedings of the day. The Rev. H. Allon delivered the introductory discourse. Cousins proposed the usual questions. The Rev. T. The Rev. J. Woodwark offered the designation prayer, and the Rev. T. Adkins closed the morning service. evening, the Rev. Dr. Ferguson preached In the to the people.

KENT CONGREGATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

THE sixty-sixth Annual Meeting of this Association was held at Marden, on 6th and 7th July. Sermons were preached by the Rev. J. B. Lister, of Lewisham, and the Rev. J. Spence, D.D., of London. During the session, it was reported that new chapels had been opened in the course of the year at Folkestone, Cranbrook, and Lewisham, and that two were about to be built at Woolwich and Erith; the districts were re-arranged, and grants were voted to different places. The Rev. J. Ross read a paper on the "Weekly Offering," which was followed by an interesting discussion on the subject.

At twelve o'clock, the Rev. H. R. Reynolds formally laid the corner-stone, after which the rev. gentleman delivered an address to upwards of a thousand people assembled around the spot. This series of most interesting services was concluded by a tea-meeting, held on the afternoon of Monday, in a grove belong-presented by the district secretaries, ing to S. Bartlett, Esq.

ALBANY CHAPEL, REGENT'S-PARK, THE Rev. Thos. Jones, of Morriston, Glamorganshire, having accepted the cordial and unanimous invitation of the church and congregation to become their pastor, purposes (D.V.) to commence his labours the first Sabbath in October.

HIGHBURY CHAPEL, PORTSMOUTH.

ON Wednesday, the 2nd June, services were held at the above chapel, for the

At the public meeting, reports were

showing the healthy and prosperous condition of some of the churches in the county. Addresses were delivered by the Rev. W. P. Lyon, the Rev. J. Pulling, and others. The attendance of ministers and friends was large, and the services and meetings gratifying and profitable.

RUGELEY.

AN interesting service was recently held in connexion with the settlement of the Rev. John Baker, late of Chorley, Lan

cashire, as the pastor of the Congrega. The Rev. I. Doxsey offered the ordinational church in this town. Addresses, tion prayer; and the charge was delivered suitable to the occasion, were delivered by the Rev. John Watson. by the Revs. J. Cooke, J. Swann, S. B. Schofield, W. Bevan, G. B. Scott, D. Griffiths, and J. Cooper.

CREATON, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. ON Thursday, June 10th, 1858, the Rev. T. E. Noyes, late of New College, London, was ordained to the Christian mi. nistry as pastor of the Independent church at Creaton, Northamptonshire. In the morning the service was commenced by reading the Scriptures and prayer. The Rev. Professor Newth, M. A., delivered the introductory discourse. The Rev. J. F. Poulter, B.A., asked the usual questions. The Rev. E. T. Prust offered the ordination prayer, and the Rev. A. J. Morris gave the charge. In the evening the Rev. J. Spence read the Scriptures and offered prayer, and the Rev. T. Toller preached to the church and congregation.

WIGAN.

THE REV. A. H. New, of Leamington, has accepted the unanimous invitation of the church and congregation at Hope Chapel, Wigan, to become their pastor, in conjunction with the Rev. W. Marshall, who has been the respected and much-esteemed minister of that place of worship for the lengthened period of thirty-six years. Mr. New entered upon the duties of his important sphere of labour on the fourth Sabbath in August.

THAME, OXON.

THE following services in connexion with the ordination of the Rev. J. G. Stevenson (late of Hackney College) were held in the Independent Chapel on Thursday, June 10th.

In the afternoon, the Rev. J. Mason read the Scriptures and offered prayer. The Rev. Samuel Ransom delivered the introductory discourse. The Rev. J. B. Blackmore asked the usual questions.

In the evening, the introductory service was conducted by the Rev. T. Vinson, and the sermon to the people was preached by the Rev. J. Corbin.

OBITUARY.

WILLIAM STROUD, ESQ., M.D.

ON Tuesday, June 29th, this truly eminent servant of God was suddenly called to his rest, in the 70th year of his age. He had attended the anniversary of New College, St. John's Wood, when feeling unwell, he returned to his residence, where a few hours afterwards he was found lifeless.

[ocr errors]

As an author, Dr. Stroud was well known to the literary and religious world from his many valuable efforts to elucidate the sacred Scriptures. His work on The Physical Causes of the Death of Christ," his "Greek Harmony of the Four Gospels," his "Analytical Index to the Gospels and the Acts," with many papers published in various periodicals of biblical literature, will preserve his name in fragrant recollection, while they will increase the regret that he was not spared to complete those kindred works on which he was engaged, and to finish which he had removed to St. John's Wood a few weeks before his death.

As a Christian, his piety was manifest to all, while its unobtrusive simplicity excited the admiration and esteem of the beholder.

For nearly a quarter of a century, he had honourably and efficiently held the office of deacon in Tonbridge Chapel, Euston-road, London, where his funeral sermon was preached July 18th, by the Rev. Henry Madgin, the minister of the chapel, from Luke xii. 43, to an overflowing and sorrowing congregation and an affectionate church, which will never cease to revere his memory, and regret his loss.

3

f

« EelmineJätka »