know not that Jesu means I-ES-U, ("I ease you"); ye have lost the joy and comfort of your lives, and must live miserable and unhappy." We need not say that so heinous a pun is a great blot upon a sermon. It is hardly deserving of a place among the quibbles of the Rabbins, the interpretations of the Cabalists, or the Rosicrucians.

Mr. Spurgeon is wont to exercise a censorship over his brethren in the ministry, which seems rather to offend than to improve them. Like some of our own evangelists, he helps to swell the ribald outcry of the profane against the ministry in general. Now, instead of holding up to public scorn solitary cases of clerical folly and dullness, impiety and unfaithfulness, and then by sweeping assertions, spreading that scorn over the entire ministry of England, and by implication telling his audiences that it is the fault of their pastors that they did not repent long ago,―ought he not rather to show them that their condemnation is all the heavier because they have not heeded the minister whom they have been permitted to hear. "Pride, Covetousness and Envy," says Luther, "are three dogs that should never be allowed to come into the pulpit." Mr. Spurgeon is not covetous, and he has no occasion to envy either the gifts or the graces of any preacher now living.-It can only be pride that can prompt him to look down with contempt upon those whose talents and acquirements make them able and successful preachers and pastors for the few rather than for the many. Who was the instrument of Mr. Spurgeon's own conversion? A man of his own talents,-a man capable of causing such a general excitement and furor? Far from it. He was, according to his own account of him, -"a tall, thin man, with a feeble voice," who preached "in a little place of worship." A man whom he had never seen from that day, and probably never will see till they meet in Heaven. May not Mr. Spurgeon, without any neglect of his prophetic vocation, be a little more charitable to those ministers whom neither nature nor grace have qualified to follow in his own steps? There are, no doubt, in London, many pastors under whose care not a few of the young converts in the New Park Street Church might place

themselves, with a better hope than they now have a right to entertain, of growing up to be men and women in faith, in knowledge and in charity. Shall this Paul who plants, tax with inefficiency Apollos who waters, because he cannot plant also? Why may not men of different gifts discover in each other the same spirit, and their equal relation to the work of contributing to the perfection of the saints? Why should not the son of thunder give the right hand of fellowship to the son of consolation? Why should not the Evangelist cordially co-operate with the pastor, and the pastor with the Evangelist, and all with the missionary?

Our young preacher has also added to the number of his adversaries by denouncing the whole system of collegiate and theological education now in operation throughout the world. He recommends that those who are called to the ministry, be placed under the tuition of some pastor for the acquisition of all the knowledge and wisdom requisite for their work. We will not here dilate on a question which is already practically, and as we think, wisely, settled, at least in our land, and for the present generation of American pastors.

The question has often been asked on both sides of the Atlantic "What is the great secret of Mr. Spurgeon's popularity?" It has seemed to us that all those who have publicly ventured an opinion on this point, have failed because they have hazarded a generalization from one or two darling facts. We rather incline to the view that we should take into the account not only all Mr. Spurgeon's peculiar talents and attractions, but especially also the grace and providence of God. This is, if we mistake not, his own way of regarding his success. He confesses that he sees a thousand chances, as men would call them, all working together like wheels in a great machine, to fix him just where he is; and he looks back to a hundred places where if one of those little wheels had run awry, he might have been occupying a very different position.

We must confess, that for ourselves, the spectacle which is presented by Mr. Spurgeon's preaching to the poor of London, is more affecting than the hearing of the most

pathetic strains of his eloquence. No wonder that it cheered the sad heart of John the Baptist, when in prison he was told that Christ was preaching glad tidings to the poor, and that it prepared him joyfully to lay down his neck for his fidelity to the souls of the rich. See what crowds of artisans are turning away from the halls of the political meetings, of the infidel lectures, and the minor theatres, to gather about Mr. Spurgeon's pulpit. See the weary laborers of Bankside, going to hear him even on the nights of the week days. See twelve thousand of the working people of Bethnal Green, flocking around him in the open field at Hockney. Take a nearer view.-Fix your eyes on individuals here and there. See that poor harlot, who was a few minutes ago passing the doors of the New Park Street Chapel, determined to cast herself off Blackfriars Bridge. She thought she would step in and for the last time hear something that will prepare her to stand before her Maker. She is just in time to hear the text, "Seest thou this woman?" The preacher speaks of Mary Magdalene, her sins, her washing the Saviour's feet with her tears, and wiping them with the hair of her head. There stands the woman, melted with the thoughts of her own past life, as she hears it described, and more melted with the description of the pardoning love of Jesus. Thus is she saved from death, temporal and eternal. Go and hear him, ye Thackerays, who satirize the lying, the lust, and the vanity of the English aristocracy, without offering any remedy therefor.There is a man who is offering the remedy to the vices of some even of these. Go and hear him, ye Dickenses, whose stories of the shame, the loneliness, the misery and the patience of London's poor, have dissolved many a fine lady in tears, without opening her hand to imploring woe. There is a man of liberal and loving soul, who actually shakes hands with all this dirt and rags, searches for the hearts that are buried beneath it, and holds them up to the light of the cross, where they fledge their wings and soar to the glories of Heaven. Go and hear him, ye who are secretly glorying in the large donations ye have made for the benefit of the poor. There you will find a man who in body, soul,

spirit and grace, is God's own donation to the poor, preaching to them the good old Gospel of His grace, in good old English words, and by the aid of His good Spirit, leading them to the Good Shepherd, "God's unspeakable gift."

ART. VIII.-NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

The Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures: Its Nature and Proof. Eight Discourses preached before the University of Dublin, by WILLIAM LEE, A.M., Fellow and Tutor of Trinity College. (New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 530 Broadway. 1857. pp. 478.

This is one of the noblest contributions recently made by sanctified learning to our Christian literature. Next to the evidences of the Divine origin of Christianity itself, no controverted theological question is more fundamental and important in its bearings, than that here discussed. Are the Holy Scriptures the inspired words of God? Or do they merely contain the truth, mingled with human errors and imperfections? Even professed Christian teachers have not always answered these questions in a satisfactory manner. On the one hand admissions have been made, and theories adopted fatal to the infallibility of Scripture; while on the other, its claims to Divine authority have been asserted with a dogmatic and narrow-minded blindness to the difficulties attending the subject. The dangerous tendency to rationalistic views of the Bible, promoted by the learned labors of German neologists, and of Coleridge, Jowett, Morell and Davidson in England, cannot be counteracted by declamation or by dogmatism. It is refreshing, therefore, to find in this volume a Christian scholar, thoroughly familiar with the literature of the subject, bring ing to the defence of "the Divine authority, the infallible certainty, and the entire truthfulness of every part of the Scriptures," a wealth of learning, a candid, fair, yet reverential spirit, and a conclusive logic, in which he is unsurpassed by any of the advocates of a laxer view.

In the first lecture the question is stated; each book of the Old or of the New Testament forms "an essential part of an organized whole,” revealed by the eternal Word,, and inspired by the Holy Spirit. But the Bible contains a human as well as a Divine element, and the opposite views respecting inspiration have arisen from the undue prominence given to the one or the other of these elements, the "mechanical" theory ignoring the human element, and most modern theories exaggerating this to the neglect of the Divine. The problem to be solved supplies two conditions: (1.) The co-existence of the Divine and human elements; (2.) The fact that certain portions of the Bible are not, strictly speaking, revelations of new truth. The first condition, he says, is satisfied by the "dynamical" theory of inspiration; the second, by the distinction between revelation and inspiration.

The second lecture proves, by copious citations from the most distinguished Jewish writers and Christian fathers, that "the Divine inspiration and heavenly origin of the Scriptures" has been "the immemorial doctrine of the Church of God." The third exhibits the indissoluble connection and co-equal authority of the Old and the New Testaments, and

shows that the Logos was the Revealer in both. The fourth and fifth lectures contain a statement of the peculiar theory of the author, the distinction between revelation, (or the direct communication from God to man, either of such knowledge as man could not of himself attain to, or which, from whatever cause, was not known to the person who received the revelation,) and inspiration, or that actuating energy of the Holy Spirit, guided by which, men chosen by God have officially declared his will, either by the mouth or the pen. This distinction is clearly set forth, and shown to be Scriptural, and essential to the explanation of all the facts in the

case.

The sixth and seventh lectures exhibit the Scriptural proof of the plenary inspiration of both Testaments. The proof texts are admirably classified and the whole argument so conducted as to prove conclusively that the Scriptures assert for themselves the highest claims as the inspired Word of God. The last lecture is a recapitulation of the whole, and a vindication of the Bible from various objections, such as: the sacred writers contradict each other;" or "they contradict profane history;" or "they are at variance with the results of science," in which the author displays equal humility and learning, reverence for God's Word, and ability to defend it.

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This briet summary, however, can give but a faint idea of the value of the work. Although it is literally crowded with the fruits of most extensive and varied reading, and is therefore peculiarly adapted to the library of the scholar, still no intelligent Christian would fail to be interested and profited by it. Although its author is a member of the English Church, it betrays no such exclusiveness as to prevent its usefulness among other denominations. Probably, few theological questions are destined to undergo a more thorough sifting than this, and our author seems to us to occupy a safe and almost impregnable position.

Memories of Bethany. By the author of "Morning and Night Watch es," "Words of Jesus," "Mind of Jesus," Footsteps of St. Paul," "Evening Incense," "Woodcutter of Lebanon," "Great Journey," "Family Prayer," &c. (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers.)

Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus; the scene of one of our Saviour's most impressive miracles, and of some of his most sublime words; the home where he loved to retire from the toils of his public ministry, and the spot whence he ascended to heaven, is a consecrated place to all his followers. This book aims to reproduce the "Gospel Home Scene" of Bethany-"one of the very loveliest of the Bible's domestic portraitures;" to interpret the "Bethany Sayings" of Christ, and to draw from them lessons of instruction and consolation. The writer has caught the spirit of his subject, and the volume is pervaded with that tender, devout, and humble piety which can be obtained only where Mary sat. With sufficient beauty to render it attractive, it blends information enough to shed a pleasing light on the sacred narrative, and to invest with new interest that sacred spot, "still fragrant with the presence of Jesus."

Tales and Takings, sketches and incidents from the itinerant and editorial budget of Rev. G. V. WATSON, D.D., Editor of the N. W. Christian Advocate. (New York: Carlton & Porter. pp. 466.)

are

A collection of miscellanies, from the compiler's pen and paper, with a few selections from other sources. The "Tales" and "Sketches generally brief, most of them said to be "facts," and illustrate various