Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1857, An the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the MEM AOBK OU PRINTED BY William M. Innes, 164 Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Md. CONTENTS OF VOLUME XXII. By Rev. J. M. C. Breaker, Beaufort, S. C. 2. Future State of the Heathen, By Professor Enoch Pond, Bangor, Me. 3. The Providence of God in Books, By Joseph Belcher, D.D., Philadelphia, Pa. 4. Cockburn's Memorials of his Times, 6. Alison's History of Europe (Second Series),. By Rev. J. R. Kendrick, Charleston, S. C. 7. Notices of New Publications, By James A. Clark, Newton Centre, Mass. 4. Historical Sketch of Tractarianism, By Rev. Heman Lincoln, Jamaica Plain, Mass. 5." Principles and Practices of Baptist Churches," By Rev. G. N. Hervey, New-York. 8. Notices of New Publications, JULY. Editorial (G. B. T.). ARTICLE 1. Nature of the Argument for the Divine Exist ence, By Rev. Enoch Hutchinson, New-York. 2. Society's Future, 325 356 66 3. The Immaculate Conception, 380 By Rev. George W. Samson, Washington, D. C. 403 By ***, South Carolina. Missionary Explorations in Central Africa, 422 By Rev. Rufus Babcock, D.D., Paterson, N. J. ARTICLE: Jehovah Jireh, OCTOBER. 492 By Rev. Wm. Crowell, D.D., St. Louis, Mo. 2.The Phædon; or, Plato on the Immortality of the Sout 507 By Rev. N. M. Williams, Somerville, Mass. "3. Unitarianism, 533 By Professor E. B. Smith, University of Virginia. THE CHRISTIAN REVIEW. NO. LXXXVII.—JANUARY, 1857. ART. I.-THE FUTURE STATE. A View of the Scripture Revelations concerning a Future State. By RICHARD WHATELY, D.D., late Archbishop of Dublin. 12mo., pp. 308. Philadelphia: Lindsay & Blakiston, 1855. WHATEVER proceeds from the pen of Dr. Whately is sure to attract attention; for aside from his reputation as an author, he is remarkable for the importance of his subjects-for the ability with which he discusses them-and especially for the clearness and naturalness of his style-a quality (this last) by no means invariable in eminent authorship. The work before us has special attractions, from the fact that it treats of such a subject as man's future state, and that it does this, not through the deductions of reason, but by the light of divine revelation. On a subject so vitally important, no sensible mind will care to be told what reason teaches, until it has first ascertained, if possible, what God has revealed concerning it. After this, reason may be consulted, with a view to illustrate and to confirm, but not to discover, the facts which have been revealed. Circumstantial evidence, as in a court of justice, is not to be dispensed with; but where direct testimony is at hand, it is wholly subordinate to this. Dr. Whately's work attempts to lay before us the purport of the direct testimony on the several points involved in the general subject. The office which he has assumed-that of an ex pounder-manifestly requires him to do two things: first, to make a full exhibition of this testimony on any given point, and secondly, to give a fair exposition of this. His success in both these particulars will determine the soundness of his conclusions. Several of the most important of these we purpose to examine. IS A FUTURE STATE REVEALED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT? Dr. Whately begins his work with an attempt to show, that a future state, or the immortality of the soul, is not revealed in the Old Testament. This he regards as unquestionably taught in 2 Tim. i. 10, on which he remarks: We are told by the Apostle Paul, that it is "our Saviour Jesus Christ that hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." That it is to him, and to him alone, that we owe this revelation" the bringing in of this better hope"--(as it is expressed in the Epistle to the Hebrews)-that neither Jew nor Gentile had, or could have, an assurance of a future state, but through the Gospel, is a truth so plainly taught in Scripture, and so fully confirmed by what we read in other books concerning the notions formerly entertained on the subject, that its having been doubted or denied by any Christian, is to me a matter of unfeigned wonder. --Page 13. He charges those who hold the opinion that a future state is revealed in the Old Testament, with maintaining, as a "consequence," that Jesus Christ did not bring life and immortality to light; thus imputing to them a direct denial and a gross misconception of the Scripture teachings on the subject. And this he does without attempting to support his interpretation of the text he adduces, or even hinting that it is susceptible of any other interpretation. In this, as in other places, we cannot but think that Dr. Whately has written more in the character of a Diocesan than of an expositor and logician. The word which, in this passage, is rendered in our version, "brought to light," is owτíoavтoç, from pwricw, which means, according to Robinson and other lexicographers, "to light, to lighten, to give light, to shine, to give light to, to shine upon, to enlighten." It is used eleven times in the New Testament, and in every instance except this and one other (1 Cor. iv. 5) it is rendered in our version by some word or phrase that means to bring light to or render luminous. This we take to be its meaning here. And the passage would accordingly |