Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Hymns for the Young; a Second Series of Hymns for Children. By the Rev. J. M. NEALE, M.A. London: Burns. 1843.

SACRED verses are, indeed, a perilous adventure; in none do more people make shipwreck, and in none is a shipwreck more to be dreaded. Has Mr. Neale split upon any of the numerous rocks in his way? We cannot say that he has. There is nothing in the little collection of hymns before us that one wishes had not been written ; nothing that is rescued from insignificance only to be rendered offensive by its connexion with religion. The tone of his hymns is devout and reverent; their thoughts are graceful and just, and their structure, so to speak, very like that of the ancient metrical devotion. As was the case in the latter, so here, each hymn winds up with a reference, if not always a doxology, to the Eternal Trinity-a catholic feature, to which we recommend the attention of all who purpose writing hymns in any degree congregational, or liturgic.

We doubt whether Mr. Neale has kept within the range of children's understanding; but, perhaps, he has gone somewhat above it on principle, a point on which, as our readers know, we are not likely to quarrel with him. A worse charge against him is, a want of music in his verse, a serious deficiency in any metrical compositions, and especially in such as are designed for the young, in whom the enjoyment to the ear bears a very large proportion to their whole enjoyment in poetry. And, perhaps, we may venture on a doubt how far Mr. Neale is endowed for his present task beyond fine feelings, taste, temper, and principles. We are not quite sure as to the validity of his call to serve the muses in this way. Still we thank him for what he has done, and, amid much which we desiderate, have great pleasure in calling our readers' attention to the following specimens of his powers, of which they may thereby be led, perhaps, to form a higher estimate than we have been able to do :

CONFIRMATION.

ACTS VIII. 15, 16.

Blessed Saviour, who hast taught me

I should live to Thee alone;

All these years Thy Hand hath brought me
Since I first was made Thine own;
Safely brought me, though so often
I have wander'd from Thy fold;

Striving thus my heart to soften,
And as Thou wouldst have it, mould.
Others vow'd and promis'd for me
That Thy law I should obey;

They have warn'd me, sorrowing o'er me,
When I wander'd from Thy way:
But Thy holy Church commandeth
Me myself to take that vow;
And Thy faithful Bishop standeth
Waiting to receive it now.

Many foes will straight assail me,
Craftier, stronger far than I;
And the strife will never fail me,
Well I know, before I die;

Keep me from mine own undoing;
Let me turn to Thee when tried:
Faint, if needs, yet still pursuing,

Never venturing from Thy side.
I would trust in Thy protecting,
Wholly rest upon Thine arm;
Follow wholly Thy directing,

O my only Guard from harm!
Meet me now with Thy Salvation,
In Thy Church's ordered way;
Let me feel Thy Confirmation

In Thy Truth and Fear to-day:

So that might and wisdom gaining,
Hope in danger, joy in grief,
Now and evermore remaining
In the Catholic Belief;

Resting in my SAVIOUR'S Merit,

Strengthen'd with the SPIRIT's strength,

With Thy Church I may inherit

All my FATHER's joy at length!

"An Order of Morning and Evening Prayer for the Use of Schools," (Burns,) extracted from the Prayer-Book, will be found useful. It is got up, too, in a convenient and attractive form.

"How shall I understand the Bible, &c." (Burns,) is a tract on the value and use of Tradition. From our own experience,-and that of our readers will bear it out, since all theological questions are ultimately landed in this question, we have long felt the need of a plain and short statement of Church doctrines upon it: and the lack is in the present tract adequately supplied; should its outline seem hard, we must remember that the times are captious and querulous.

And probably it is from a half-defined feeling, that prayer, under present circumstances, will prove a stronger weapon than controversy, that we especially recommend, from the same publisher, "An Act of Humiliation for Prevailing National and Parochial Sins." It is cheering to find that these beautiful devotions are "used in the author's parish in private by communicants early on Friday mornings." Bishop Andrewes is the author's model, and one richer and more suitable to present needs it were impossible to select.

"Devotions for the Sick Room," (Burns,) is a sequel to "The Companion for the Sick Room," which was lately announced; composed originally for the benefit of the patients of the (medical) Editor, we can safely state that we are acquainted with no single manual of the doctrine and practice of the higher christian graces, more acceptable for the use of a clergyman's patients. Notorious as are the deficiencies of a high religious practice which a sick room exposes, the lamentable ignorance in christian doctrine which the clergy find in it, is, if possible, even more appalling.

"The Two Kingdoms," (Seeley and Burnside,) is an allegory of some merit. There are features in its theology which we think very unsound, but one of the principal ideas is by no means unimportant, that Christians are not to be contented with an entrance into their Master's Kingdom, but are to labour after an abundant one. The late Mr. Irving somewhere described the socalled Evangelical preaching around him, as a continual keeping on the edge of Christ's fold and the world; and without entering on questions as to where that edge lies, or when and how it is generally crossed, we must pronounce the incessant harping on the mere transition from danger and wrath, to a justified state in Christ, to merit his strictures.

[blocks in formation]

An interesting number of the "Ecclesiologist" has just appeared, in which we desire especially to direct attention to an able paper on Organs and Choral Music. We observe that the writer alludes to several publications as having given an impulse to the study of Ecclesiastical Music. We cannot help mentioning, however, our own conviction, that the papers on that subject, which appeared in the volumes of the "Christian Remembrancer for 1841, were among the most efficient-as they certainly were among the earliest-aids to the revival of this branch of ecclesiastical art, in the English Church.

"The Statutes of the Fourth General Council of Lateran, &c." by the Rev. J. Evans, M.A. (Seeley,) is an interesting and erudite discussion of no unimportant question, the authenticity of the Canons of that Council, a question which Mr. Evans decides in the affirmative.

We see little to censure in what we have read of "The Patriarch; or, Oral Tradition; and other Poems," by the Rev. Richard Gascoyne, (Hatchards,) though we strongly suspect the author might find better things to do than writing verses on religious subjects.

We cannot see how young men are to be the better for No. 43 of "The Student's Cabinet Library of Useful Tracts" (Clark, Edinburgh; Simpkin and Marshall, London). It consists of a little work, entitled, "Sketches of Modern Philosophy, especially among the Germans," by J. Murdoch, D.D., of whom we gather from these pages that he is an American writer. The book seems to us much more likely to produce smatterers than anything else; nevertheless, its account of the state of philosophy among the American Unitarians will repay perusal.

We warmly recommend a little treatise which has just appeared, bearing the title, "What is the Church of Christ?" (Rivingtons.) We have seen nothing on the subject which either exhibits so much depth of thought, or contains so much truth within the compass. It is thoroughly adapted to the lay readers of the upper or middling classes, to whom we especially commend our author's distinction between a class and a society, which he illustrates very happily, and which meets some of the prevalent fallacies on the subject of the Church.

"The Three Questions, What am I? Whence came I? Whither do I go?" (Macmillan,) are a fresh contribution to our stock of evidences; a stock already too large. Religion, we can assure this well-meaning and right-minded author, the force of some of whose observations we acknowledge, does not gain by being thus incessantly apologised for. What part of the work is not taken up with evidences consists of practical considerations set before the sceptic.

We call attention to two excellent Tracts, one, (a Cover as well as a Tract,) entitled "Reasons for Daily Service;" the other, "A Few Plain Reasons why Churchmen ought to keep the Festivals and Fasts of the Church." (Burns.)

Archdeacon R. Wilberforce's recent Charge, (York, Sunter,) is so interesting and important, that we should have liked to see a London as well as a provincial publisher's name on the title page.

We need scarcely call attention to Dr. Hook's beautiful and seasonable sermon, "Mutual Forbearance recommended in Things Indifferent," (Rivingtons.) We have also to announce "Acceptable Sacrifices," by Mr. Gresley, with a preface by Mr. Watson, of Cheltenham, in whose church the sermon was preached, (Burns ;) "The Liturgy, a Bond of Brotherhood," preached in All Souls' Church, Langham-place, by the Bishop of Glasgow, (Burns ;) "The Church itself the True Church Union Society," by Mr. Dodsworth, (Burns ;) and "The Coming of Christ," by the Rev. William Henn, M.A. Chaplain to the Lord Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, (Grant and Bolton, Dublin; Burns, London,) a favourable specimen, we may mention, of the theology of the sister island and Church.

MISCELLANEOUS.

[The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed in this department.]

ON THE TENDENCY OF MR. CARLYLE'S WRITINGS.

To the Editor of the Christian Remembrancer.

MY DEAR SIR-The Reviewer of Mr. Carlyle's Hero Worship, in your number for August, complains that the author whom he denounces is read by many Churchmen, because they hope that his voice will, in some way or other, "swell the battle-cry of the Church." This hope he tells us is fallacious: Mr. Carlyle's shout is the shout of an enemy; as such it is hailed by dissenters and liberals. Surely we ought to silence it, if we can; not to listen to it, or be pleased by it.

Sir, I am a reader of Mr. Carlyle's works, and I think that I am under very deep obligations to them; I hope, also, that I am a Churchman; but I quite agree with your contributor, that if I, or any man, have studied these books from a notion that they would swell the battle-cry of the Church, our motive has been a very indifferent one, and our reward will be disappointment. I am aware that Mr. Carlyle's works afford some temptation to the feelings which the reviewer attributes to us and our opponents. He indulges in many bitter censures upon Churchmen-these may be read with infinite delight by liberals; he indulges in many bitter censures upon liberals-these may be read with infinite delight by Churchmen. He has written a number of passages which seem to indicate that he regards ecclesiastical institutions with as much respect as his countryman, Mr. Joseph Hume; he has written others, from which it might be gathered that he entertains an affection for them like that of Mr. Newman, or Mr. Kenelm Digby. One party has only to term the latter the unaccountable inconsistencies of an ingenious thinker, the other to welcome them as glorious concessions from one who was led by his education to curse, and had been forced by his honesty to bless and Mr. Carlyle has a class of admirers from each. What is either party the better for its admiration? I grant you, nothing whatever. It only gets another vote in favour of resolutions which it had carried by acclamation already; it only acquires a new stock of self-complacency and dislike to its opponents, with both of which articles the market was already glutted.

:

I do not know how it may be with liberals, but it seems to me, sir, that a Churchman may act upon a principle very different from this; nay, as nearly as possible the opposite of it. Judging from his professions, one would not suppose that he would be always on the search for that which is pleasing or flattering to himself; for that which would make him easy, or comfortable and contented. One would fancy that he would have learnt to regard that which is painful and mortifying as exceedingly profitable, and, with his better mind, to welcome it. Sharp reproofs must be prized, one would think, by him, if they are by no one else; he may often say, "I do not like this, it fr me and torments me;" but he would not dare to say, "Therefore, a Churchman, I feel it my duty to reject it, and turn away from it

rather he would say, "There is a presumption in its favour, cæteris paribus, this is the thing I ought to choose." If it be asked why we do not, upon this principle, love all the attacks which are made upon us in radical or dissenting journals, my answer is, The main reason for not loving them is, that they are not really attacks upon us, but rather excuses and apologies for us. Most of them say, in terms, "We do not attack these poor, innocent, and well-meaning clergymen, we only abuse the principles which they are supporting, the body to which they belong; apart from these they are well behaved, even useful, members of society." These are evidently apologies; circumstances have made us the poor creatures we are-the worst of these circumstances is, the Church itself. I hope we do all honestly, and from our hearts, hate the men who use such language as this, because they utter what we know to be lies; because they treat that which is innocent as guilty, and that which is guilty as innocent. But such feelings do not the least bind us to hate those who abuse us in a real, manly way; those who abuse us, not for suffering our high virtues to be dwarfed by connecting them with that which is in itself vile and contemptible, but who tell us that the Church was good and glorious till we had to do with it, and that we have made it ignominious. This is, at all events, plain, straightforward language; there is no shuffling in it; there is no doubt whether it is directed against some abstract notion, or against persons. If our consciences say "Not guilty" to it, well and good; then they must be glad that they were put upon their trial; if they confess their sin, they must be glad, too, for what can be worse than keeping it within us unconfessed?

Now it seems to me, sir, that Mr. Carlyle's attacks upon us are of this character: he likes the Church in the middle ages dearly; he has not the slightest respect for the Church in his own day. Yet he does not prefer the one because it was unreformed, or dislike the other because it is Protestant; he looks upon Knox and Luther as heroes and deliverers; he has an intense hatred, hereditary and personal, to Romanism. The reason is, then, that he thinks our forefathers were better and truer men than we are, even under circumstances on the whole less advantageous. I am aware that he sometimes seems to use different language from this; that he talks of the thing which they believed, in being sound and true in their day, and being worn out in ours. I know, also, that he often imputes virtues to Churchmen and statesmen of the middle ages, which they did not possess, and conceals the evidence that they had the same class of vices as ourselves, even when that evidence is contained in the documents to which he appeals. But, if we look a little closer, we shall find that these very facts only show that Mr. Carlyle does mean something, and something very true, against us.. Our own selves granted that the middle ages did not realize the Church ideal as he would pretend they did, but they acknowledged the ideal; they felt it; and it is from our not feeling it, not showing it forth in our lives, but rather merely talking and debating about it, that he concludes the thing has ceased to be,

*

For instance, he has unaccountably passed over an awkward story respecting a certain fish-pool belonging to Abbot Samson, (the middle-age hero of his late fools.) which fish-pool the abbot permitted to deluge the meadows of neighbouring farmers, in spite of their repeated remonstrances, much as any preservers in our day might

have done.

« ZurückWeiter »