the exact condition of the party, they conclude upon the amount which it is desirable to raise, and then they apportion it among themselves, rendering one of their own number treasurer and steward. In this way, I have known the closing months or years of holy and exceedingly useful men soothed and cheered, and at length permitted to close their eyes in their own peaceful homes when they must otherwise have been subjected to deep distress, and perhaps have gone to the workhouse. I commend the subject to those it concerns, and am not without a hope that it may redound to the comfort of some of the excellent of the earth, who might otherwise be overlooked. AN OBSERVER.

April, 1851.

MUSINGS OF THE OLD MAN IN THE CORNER.

BOTH in town and country, my lot in Providence has been such that I have had considerable opportunities of noticing the various aspects which religious society puts on, and the varieties which chequer pastoral life. As a rule, I regret to state, it is my conviction that, in a great majority of cases, the support of the pastor is inadequate, especially where families are large. Society has established a law which they are bound to obey, under a heavy penalty. They are bound to be " gentlemen," with fulfilment of all that this weighty word implies. Now I have often thought with myself, that where the guaranteed support of the man of God is always at the lowest point, there is no provision made for casualties such as occur in every household. The result is, that the recurrence of these is always attended with difficulty, of which the consequence is necessarily serious. In the case of the man of business and tradesman, one may be set over against another. The losses of this season may be repaired by the profits of the next. Not so with the servant of Christ. His outgoings may vary-his incoming is stationary.

Now, it strikes me that this is not sufficiently

considered, more especially by opulent men, who appear to view themselves as absolved from all concern in this matter; and even, if in office, provided that the guaranteed support be forthcoming, although palpably deficient, even for ordinary and necessary outgoings, they give themselves no further concern. Now, I submit that Pastors, generally, ought to be in the same position as respectable tradesmen. Their vessels should be always in water where they can swim; so that, whether the tide of their outgoings increase or diminish, the keel may never get aground. But where this is not the caseand I deeply deplore that it is, generally, not the case-then an occasion is furnished for wealthy individuals to step forward to meet exigencies. Say that a Pastor's family is the subject of affliction. It may be long, severe, and expensive, or it may be increasing with all the consequent increase of burdens in the shape of food, clothing, and education; or it may be that one or more of them are going forth into the world, necessarily involving an extra expenditure. These are times when Christian generosity may find a suitable, and, to rightminded men, most gratifying outlet by a £5, £10, or £20 note, as the case may be. I have often envied men of wealth to whom God, in this way, has supplied the means of an exquisite luxury. Nothing can be more graceful, and few things will be found to bring a more pure satisfaction to the heart of the doer. I have also known worthy men who, apart from extraordinary occasions, have annually presented a token of respect to the servants of Christ, in the shape of a contribution to himself or his wife; and I have reason to believe that, in many of the larger Churches, these things are not uncom. mon. But, however proper there, it is among the Pastors of the secondary and smaller Churches that they are most necessary. might here enlarge, but my object is not a dissertation, but to present suggestions; for I doubt not that, with a number of excellent men, nothing more than a suggestion is wanted. April, 1851.

VIATOR.

I

were angry. Accordingly, having happily fallen foul of the Vatican, and determined to hurl against it his heaviest thunderbolts, he selected his own method of going about it. Eschewing the Sabbath, which he reserved for themes, if not more important, at least more edifying, to simple, pious people, he selected the

Monday evening-an evening, it might have been supposed when, after the toils of the previous day, the pastor might have preferred to rest. No matter-he selected Monday evenings, and, instead of fixing upon a church or chapel, his own, or that of some of his brethren, that might be deemed more suitable, from size or situation,-he actually selected the City Hall, where he addressed himself in an oration of some two hours, to an assemblage of four thousand persons. This is conducting polemic warfare upon a scale Napoleonic. Dr. Anderson says:

The fear of no man's mocking will make me suppress that boast. I boast of my fellow-citizens. Let the hierarchy of England discipline and educate their aristocracy for the discernment of a scriptural argument as we have done with our Scottish artizans and operatives, and there will be no reason for fearing Popery, except as it threatens us through this flood of ignorance from miserable Ireland, misgoverned by statesmen, and abused by priests: but now, more abused than misgoverned, far.

This is good. We like to hear a man talking after this fashion, and happy he that is in circumstances so to talk. We are afraid the aristocracy of England, with all its pride, and polish, and beauty, would form but a sorry audience, compared with Dr. Anderson's operatives and artizans. Were we for once to have from on high the choice of a wish, it would have been to let our Presbyterian orator loose upon the Lords and Commons. We vouch for it, he would have given them more light than all the bishops, and left behind him, upon those who had a little candour and the sense to give a small portion of attention, a deeper impression than has been produced by the mass of miserable homilies -we exclude the small number of masterly orations-that have been already delivered in the House of Commons. Dr. Anderson piques himself somewhat -and not without reason-on that portion of the volume which refers to the Mass, which, he tells us, was not the hurried production of the present excitement, but the result of considerable previous study. He further submits, that if he has not been able to add much to a subject so often explored, as to render invention impossible, he has yet done something to place it in a clearer light than that in which many of those conversant with it have hitherto realized. The preface is a fair specimen of the tone of the volume. It is noble-that of a redoubtable Covenanter-a man on

whom the spirit of Knox has descended, and in whom it is working mightily for the establishment of truth, and the overthrow of error. There is here no mawkishness, no simpering; the voice is the voice of manhood, of a man who believes what he speaks, who is acquainted with Popery and its spirit; who remembers, with horror, its past crimes, and who anticipates with anguish the thoughts of its revival. The close is characteristic. Let us hear him:

Full of bitterness, scorn, and indignation, as the volume is, I feel great liberty of heart in commending it to the Advocacy of the Spirit of Holiness; conscious as I am, that it has been written more under the influence of the Love of Truth, than under that of the Hatred of Error. Of both influences I desire a greater measure but covet the former as the better gift.

The work on the Mass comprises six sections, thus indicated: Its priest and altar - its consecration — the elevation of the host-its oblation as an expiatory sacrifice its sacramental communion

by the priest - its communion by the people. Such are the sections, and every section is a mortar, full of missiles, nails, glass, pieces of broken metal, and all sorts of murderous fragments, which are showered with an irresistible fury upon the Vatican! It is really not saying too much to affirm, that it is incomparably the best disquisition upon the subject extant. We may say with perfect truth, we possess about two hundred dissertations, scattered throughout various works upon this subject, but nothing for a moment comparable to this manifesto of Dr. Anderson. Let no man say we are speaking hyperbolically, till he has examined for himself. The next discourse is "The Man of Sin," which is discussed with great ability; and the last "The Genius and Power of presents Popery," -a powerful and a copious, a penetrating and a magnificent production, by the loftiest intellect of the land.

Dealings with the Inquisition; or, Papal Rome, her Priests and her Jesuits. With Important Disclosures. By GIACINTO ACHILLI, D.D. Hall & Co. THE name of Achilli has been permanently before the European public for the last year or two. Much has he been lied against by parties he knew not, and in quarters where he could make no reply. But a foe is to be measured by his knowledge, rather than by numbers. One man such as Achilli is more calcu

lated to damage the Vatican than the forty thousand veteran soldiers of martial France. As late Prior and Visitor of the Dominican Order, Head Professor of Theology, and Vicar of the Master of the sacred Apostolic Palace, he is privy to secrets, and is a most formidable adversary. The reflecting reader can scarcely fail to look upon it as a special providence that has brought him and the Pope into conflict, since ten thousand assaults from without, by the most enlightened and gifted Protestant means, could not have done a tenth part of the execution against the gigantic system of impiety and imposture, which is done by this volume. Dr. Achilli opens with a narrative of the earlier parts of his life, and the stages of his connection with the Church of Rome, his progress in knowledge, his advancement in office, of the circumstances which at last led him to doubt the apostolicity of the system, and the safety of his longer connection with it. From a statement which is here given, it will be seen that so thoroughly is light barred out, and mind pressed down, so completely are feelings blunted, and consciences seared,-so entirely, in a word, is the man divested of everything manly, and the Christian of all that appertains to Christianity,-that nothing short of a special interposition of the grace of God, of an extraordinary character, can ever rescue a human spirit from this fearful abyss of darkness, wickedness, thraldom, and misery! These matters occupy the first and second chapters, which conduct us to the close of the darkest period of his history,just that which, as in the natural day, preceded the first dawn of the beams of

morn.

-a

At length he gives us a chapter which he designates 66 My Creed," chapter we have read with extraordinary interest. It presents a beautiful delineation of the progress of an honest inquirer, the development of a powerful mind, and the increase of the light of heaven which broke upon him as fast as he was able to receive it. The sketch he gives of the Confessional, and his own experience in relation thereto, is most deeply affecting. It is curious to observe, that just in proportion as intelligence grew, and piety arose within him, he became averse, and still more averse to the exercise, whether as confessing or confessor, till at last he became utterly incapable of either. An interview he gives with one of the Cardinals, who seemed a rare spirit in such a place, is

remarkably striking. The Cardinal seems to have been a man amiable and simple -a man who had some faith in his own system, and who desired Achilli to confess him. Our Author, however, shrunk somewhat in the spirit of John the Baptist, in his refusal to baptise his Lord. This led to discussion and argument, and called forth a complete statement of Achilli of his reasons for refusal, and of his views of the virtue of the so-called Sacrament. The result seems to have been, to shake, if not utterly to confound the Cardinal himself. But the most remarkable feature of this very remarkable chapter, is that which appertains to transubstantiation, which we consider the best refutation of the tenet-the best exposure of the absurdity, that has ever been penned within the same space. If any man will read that chapter, we are satisfied he will require to read no more, that he may reach the conclusion, that this is the climax and the consummation of the Popish imposture. He who shall attain to the belief of this, is prepared to believe anything! The mind can stagger at nothing which has succeeded in spite of sight, touch, taste, and smell, to believe, just because the priest says it, that bread is flesh, and wine is blood-the flesh and blood of God made manifest! We should recommend this chapter for separate publication, especially at the present time. It will constitute an excellent permanent tract, apart from all connection with the book, of which, nevertheless, it forms an integral and important portion; it is complete, and calculated to be exceedingly useful.

Paul the Apostle; or, Sketches from his Life. By the Rev. H. J. GAMBLE. Snow.

FILIAL affection has, in every age, constituted a main ingredient in both individual and national virtue. To this point, the Word of God, both in the Old and New Testament, strongly speaks, and all experience sustains and fortifies, while it illustrates, the Divine injunction. In the present day we have somewhere under a dozen public men, writers or preachers, or both, all excellent, and who have all availed themselves of the opportunities the Press has furnished to express their affectionate veneration for their parents. Of this honoured class, London has supplied several-the last of whom is the Rev. J. H. Gamble. All these excellent men, and efficient ministers,

have dedicated their principal productions to their parents; and the language of both is much to the same effect. Mr. Gamble thus dedicates the interesting volume before us:

To my mother, who first taught me to reverence truth, and trained me from childhood in the ways of holiness, the patient watcher in my sick chamber, the sole survivor of a little circle which death has broken, but which Christ will re-unite, this work is dedicated, as a token of grateful affection, by her Son.

It is impossible to read these words without a thrill of admiring emotion. He who can thus speak shows he has a heart in him, that he is made to love, and to be loved. Men of this kind have a short way of reaching the hearts of others. The present volume professes to exhibit the Apostle not in all, but in a few of the more prominent aspects, in which he is presented in the book of the Acts; and hence we have him as figuring primarily in the martyrdom of Stephen; in the journey to Damascus; in the jail at Philippi; on Mars' Hill at Athens; as a prisoner before the judge; the subject of shipwreck; the prisoner at Rome, and suffering as a martyr. In all these respects the Apostle is exhibited simply, touchingly, and instructively. The volume closes with a review of his character, which will be read with much interest. This, indeed, is the best and ablest portion of the production. It abounds in close, minute observation, developing points which serve to illustrate character, and, by means of character, principles which constitute an important part of the Christian system. The chapter pleases us so well, that we could like to see it thrown off by itself as a separate tract. The volume, as a whole, forms, we presume, a fair specimen of the preaching of Mr. Gamble, and will supply, to those who are anxious to attain it, a specimen of that style of public instruction which, because of its popularity, is calculated to be useful to the multitude. There are no pretensions at profundity, no display of erudition, but an abundance of common sense, and the fruits of an eye that looks abroad, and closely scans the movements of living society. The book bids fair to be at once popular and useful, and presents its Author before the public in a very favourable light. As a piece of literary workmanship, it indicates some improvement since the appearance of his "Letters on Baptism," in reply to the work of the Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel. It is really

well written; but it is still disfigured by that miserable thing called " parenthesis," of which there are two in the dedication to the book on Baptisın; and, throughout the work, no fewer than fifty! We congratulate Mr. Gamble on his deliverance, and hope his example will be imitated by all young writers. We remind all to whom the matter is important, of Johnson's definition, which will cure them. He says, "A parenthesis is a sentence with which a writer does not know what to do."

A Text-Book of Popery; comprising a Brief History of the Council of Trent, and Complete View of Roman Catholic Theology. By W. CRAMP, D.D. Third Edition. Houlston and Stoneman. THIS book has already taken its place, and a very high place, too, on the shelves of controversial literature. It is generally deemed one of the best productions of the sort extant. The appearance of the third edition is highly seasonable; it consists with our knowledge that it has been of late much in demand, while there was no obtaining a copy of it, whether in the new or second-hand shops. The present edition is an improvement upon the former in several respects. An important article in the Appendix is now transferred to the body of the work. One valuable chapter is altogether new; se veral of the too lengthy chapters have been divided; and an Ecclesiastical Glossary has been appended. The work is a treasury, or an armoury, which will sup ply boundless materials for assailing the system of iniquity of which it treats. It exhibits Romanism at the present hour. It is a portrait drawn from the life, and exhibits the hideous object in its natural deformity. Dr. Cramp, who is now discharging a high function in Montreal, has done as much service to Protestantism as any man of his time, and will be regarded by the ages to come as a real benefactor of the cause of truth. We commend the work to our readers, as one specially worthy of their most careful consideration. This work, together with Elliot and Edgar, constitutes a considerable encyclopædia of Papal principles and practices.

The Tenderness of Jesus Illustrated. By the Rev. J. W. RICHARDSON. Snow.

WE greatly like the idea of this production. The point selected is one of the most momentous,

touching, and cheering, within the whole range of inspired truth. In the days of the Saviour's flesh, there was no attribute of his glorious nature that came forth more beautifully than his tenderness. What sympathy he manifested in the case of the Widow of Nain-at the grave of Lazarus—when looking at the city of Jerusalem, as he wept over it-and on many other occasions! The dissertation before us comprises two parts, broken up into sections, of which the range is such as, in no inconsiderable degree, to exhaust the wondrous subject. The whole has been happily conceived, and is pervaded by a spirit most congenial with that of the subject. The dry and the argumentative would ill have comported with it; it required the emotional and the affectionate, and accordingly these strongly prevail. It does the amiable and excellent writer great credit, and bids fair to become very useful. It has our most cordial commendation, as a book singularly suited to encourage the depressed, and to comfort the mourner; to strengthen weak hands, and to confirm feeble knees.

thus giving perpetuity to his labours, while he has diffused the benefit. The book is very valuable, whether viewed in the light of evidence or of doctrine, and while it will contribute eminently to confirm them, it will likewise serve to enlighten judgment. It will be a great mistake even for the general and irreligious reader to suppose that there is nothing here that will interest him. Stupid beyond all stupidity will be the man, the Bible apart, who shall be unmoved, uninterested, or not intensely interested by the perusal. For our own parts, we can hardly mention a volume in connection with antiquity so fraught with sublime and awful exhibitions of the times which have been. The sum of the erudition of the subject, as supplied through many volumes, is here well digested and properly adjusted. The facts of the volume may be compared to thunder and lightning in the dark, by which it is rendered tenfold more terrible. Here are voices upon voices, as the sound of many waters, speaking forth from the graves of nations at the distance of thousands of years. The foundation of Nineveh, and the earlier notices of the old Assyrian Monarchy, occupy the first lecture. Then comes Nineveh in the days of the prophet Jonah, its extent, wickedness, and humiliation; then the invasion of Nineveh by the Assyrians, and the captivity of the Tribes, followed by the siege of Libnah, and its signal overthrow. We have next the prophecy of Ezekiel considered in connection with the sculptures in Nineveh; and, lastly, which is the most important lecture of the series, the doom of Nineveh, as predicted by the Jewish prophets, and its terrible accomplishment. Such is the use to which Mr. Blackburn has applied the facts with which travellers and excavators have supplied him. We very cordially recommend the volume, which, indeed, requires no recommendation from us; it has only to be examined to be appreciated as a valuable digest of a great, awful, and important subject.

The Glory of a Country. By W. RANCE.
Simpkin.

THIS is one of the rejected Sabbath Essays, which, nevertheless, is worthy of publication. While it will gratify the Author's friends, it may also be useful to the general reader.

Cuff, the Negro Boy. A Story for Christian Children. Third Edition. Paton and Ritchie. THIS pretty book is translated from the German of Dr. Barth, and is an intelligent and fascinating narrative.

PAPAL AGGRESSION.-In England, the great matter that still occupies public attention, is the Papal Aggression, and, indeed, Scotland seems as fervent in the matter as England. The Protestant Defence Committee, whose objects are admirable, deserves, and doubtless will obtain, very general approval and support. There is nothing sectarian in its movements.

The object to be gained is thoroughly Protes tant, and so far as Popery is concerned, the reforms to be gone for are thorough and comprehensive. Among other things, they are dead against Maynooth, and all grants of all descriptions for Papal objects, either at home or abroad. We wish it most abundant success.

THE GREAT EXHIBITION.-In London all