nation, that some of the Ministers of the Metropolis, who hold such important stations, do not possess more cultivated minds, and extensive information? It would be invidious to mention names, but I could easily do it, as an illustration of my remark. Besides, let me enquire of " NonAcademicus," where did the most useful and respectable Ministers in our denomination acquire their knowledge, and a taste for constant study and improvement? I could easily enumerate a long list of those, who sustain the most important stations in our churches, and to whose usefulness thousands can testify, who had the misfortune to be educated in our Academies. Let those men, who must be best able to judge of the utility of such Institutions declare their sentiments on the subject. They are not only able to draw these conclusions from general observations, but also from experience. or example to plead for the establishment of many other Societies, whose great utility to the Church of Christ, and to the world at large, I suppose will not be questioned by "Non-Academicus." But as soon as your Correspondent can find men so qualified by the Spirit of God to preach the Gospel, as were the apostles and evangelists, we will abolish our Academies, give up all means of improvement for the Ministry, and wait the Divine teaching. I hope, "Non-Academicus" instead of finding fault only with his brethren, will suggest some plans of improvement, which would tend to accelerate the progress of heavenly knowledge. I beg to apologise for the length of my remarks; and if you consider them not unworthy a place in your impartial Magazine, the insertion of them will oblige, Your's with respect, A Member of a Baptist Church. As it respects your Correspondent's objection against the propriety of reading reading your proposals for a "New SeP.S. I was exceedingly gratified in the Greek and Roman poets; the same ries" of your Magazine in the following objection would come with equal force against private tuition, or a man's being and will certainly promote the object as year. I most heartily wish you success, self-taught, if he would allow that it were lawful for a Christian Minister to be a classical scholar. But is not your Correspondent aware that a selection is far as my influence extends. QUERIES OF A SCEPTIC. made of the most chaste and unexcep- To the Editor of the New Evan. Magazine. tionable authors, many of whom inculcate good principles; and lead into the chambers of imagery, without even putting modesty and piety to the blush, by the objects presented to the view? SIR, I sincerely hope that the title of this little article will not prevent your reading it through. I am at present in all the dark gloom of uncertainty; and write to you, Sir, and to your readers, as to persons enlightened by the quickening ray of religion. It is, then, with the sincere hope of reaping benefit eternal benefit-to myself, and perhaps to others, that I wish an answer to one or two questions. But we are told that we "should prove the system of Academies to be according to the Scriptural plan of introducing faithful men into the ministry. This is your Correspondent's concluding objection, which he considers, I suppose, unanswerable. He seems here to assume the attitude of an enemy, determining to destroy a strong castle, which hitherto braved the storm, and bid defiance to all This time of the year has naturally opposition; but having succeeded in turned my attention to Missions. Per part, he is determined to raze the su-haps, Sir, if you would allow me, I could perstructure to the very foundation. I propose others, indeed, a sad and nufind, however, after the smoke and merous catalogue. dust which he has made are blowing away, that the building still remains immoveable. Certainly we have no account of Academies being instituted either by Christ, or his apostles; we have nothing said in Scripture about theological, classical, and mathematical tutors. Neither have we Divine precept To Calvinists. 1. If out of 10,000 idolatrous, uneducated Hindoos, the salvation of one be predetermined, no matter at what time, no matter by what hand, the means of that salvation must come; why then send Missionaries, who can, at most, REMARKS ON THE QUERIES OF A SCEPTIC. only do what could be done without their assistance? 2. If the 9,999 other Hindoos are elected to damnation, why embitter their lives by holding out to them hopes that can never be realized? why convince them of their ignorance? why exult over their miseries? why boast of our own happier state? and, in short, why send Missionaries? 3. Reverse the quantities of the two, and is there any difference in the conclusion to which we must arrive? His first query regards a difficulty, which he finds in reconciling the doctrines of election and predestination, with the necessity of employing Missionaries to proclaim the Gospel among the idolatrous Hindoos.-"If out of 10,000 idolatrous Hindoos," says he, "the salvation of one be predetermined -the means of that salvation must come; why then send Missionaries to do, that which could be done without their assistance?" Now, the bare statement of this query demonstrates, that our Sceptical correspondent has never read his Bible to any useful purpose; for if he had, he must have found a full and satisfactory answer to his difficulty there ready to his hand. He would have learnt that all the heirs of salvation were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, Eph. i. 4. 1 Thess. i. 4. 2 Thess. ii. 13. These are the many sons whom Christ was to bring to glory," Heb. ii. 10. 2 Tim. i. 9. They are spoken of as being given him of the Father, John vi. 39. and ch. xvii. 6. Jesus himself terms them his sheep, and ་ 215 declares that he laid down his life for them, ch. x. 11. 15. 17.-that he gives to them eternal life-that they shall never perish that none shall pluck them out of his hands, John x. 28, 29. ch. xvii. 22-24. These Scripture testimonies, which might be multiplied in great abundance, sufficiently prove that the doctrine of election or predetermination is clearly taught in Scripture. But, admitting this doctrine to stand, our correspondent asks, "Why send Missionaries to do, what could be done New Testament gives a very plain an without their assistance?" Now the swer to this question; it may not indeed satisfy the mind of a Sceptic, but we ourselves under any obligation to find a cannot help that-nor do we consider better. Be it observed, then, that the Scriptures uniformly connect salvation with the belief of the Gospel. "It pleases God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe," 1 Cor. i. 21. Hence the commission given by Christ to his apostles, before he left the world, "Go, preach the Gospel to every creature; he that believeth shall be saved, he that believeth not shall be damned," Mark xvi. 15, 16. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, might not perish but have everlasting life," &c. John iii. 14-17. It is true, that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved;" but then the Scripture asks, "How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" Rom. x. 13-17. Now, what do we learn from all this, but that the preaching of the everlasting Gospel is necessary in the order of means, to give the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins. It is God's own appointment; and that is the reason which the apostle Paul assigns why he was not ashamed of it, Rom. i. 16. "It is the power of God to salvation, to every one that be lieveth." So much for the Sceptic's first difficulty; we now pass on to notice the second question, proposed by our correspondent -a question which, in our humble tals into the riches of his mercy: "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began," 2 Tim. i. 9. See also Eph. i. throughout, ch. ii. 4-10. Titus iii. 4-7. Having offered our sentiments on the "Sceptic's" first and second queries, we presume it is quite needless to say a word upon his third. In taking our leave of him, we cannot manifest our pity for his unhappy state more sincerely, than by recommending a candid and careful perusal of "the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make him wise unto salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus;" and however he may pour contempt upon them, we tell him from the purest benevolence, that "It is a faithful saying, and worthy of his most cordial accep tation, that CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS," 1 Tim. EDITOR. ANECDOTE. MR. EDITOR, opinion, scarcely deserves an answer. As you are the publisher of Simpson's Plea for Religion, I think you will be gratified with the following narrative. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, VERITAS. A young man, who had been favoured with a religious education, became the intimate companion of a person of deistical sentiments, and was soon perplexed by the fallacious reasonings of his deluded associate. Some time after the commencement of this pernicious acquaintanceship, the youth who had been piously educated, was passing a bookseller's shop, and saw a book in the window, entitled, "Simpson's Plea for Religion;" he went in and purchased it, saying to himself, "Surely there is something in this book which will furnish me with arguments against my infidel companion." He read the im portant contents, and found in it an antidote to the poison of deism. It was the means of confirming him in the principles of Christianity; and he has been for some time, and now is, a consistent member of an Independent church at Leeds. Theological Review. ART. I. A Summary of the Theological Controversies, which of late years have agitated the city of Geneva. By M. J. J. CHENEVIERE, Pastor and Professor of Divinity. Translated from the Original French. London, Sherwood and Co. pp. 40, 8vo. pr. 1s. 6d. 1824. ART. II. Letter from Robert Haldane, Esq. to M. J. J. Chenevière, Pastor and Professor of Divinity at Geneva, occasioned by his "Summary of the Theological Controversies, which of late years have agitated the city of Geneva." Edinburgh, W. Oliphant; and Sold in London by Hatchard and Son; pp. 160, pr. 3s. 6d. bds. 1824. ART. III. Letters from an absent Brother; containing some Account of a Tour through parts of the Netherlands, Switzerland, Northern Italy and France, in the Summer of 1823. In 2 vols. 12mo. Second Edition. London, George Wilson, pr. 12s. 6d. bds. THE CITY OF GENEVA has, in modern times, raised its head to a proud and enviable distinction among the cities of the Continent; and from the prominent place she held in the revival of religion, is entitled to the gratitude of surrounding countries. Though comprising a population of only twenty-five thousand souls, inhabiting about a thousand houses, Geneva is famed for education, talent, industry, and commerce. But its highest glory arises from the noble stand that was there made against prevailing anti-christian delusion by the illustrious Calvin and his associates; and their successful efforts in diffusing divine truth, will ever live in the remembrance of all who value the truth. It is a remarkable circumstance, however, and may be adduced as a strong proof of the proneness there is in mankind to degenerate from the best principles, and corrupt the best institutions, that, at the beginning of the present century, the doctrine of Calvin, which only two centuries ago, illumined Geneva, had totally disappeared the whole body of her clergy had become Socinianized! Though still professing the Christian name, they had taken up their residence in "the frigid zone of Chris VOL. X. tianity;" and the whole city had sunk Among the pastors of Geneva, of the whose name stands at the head of this present generation, Mr. Chenevière, article, holds a conspicuous station; and zeal and ability to lay the ghost! In a he has stepped forward, armed with well-written pamphlet of about forty closely printed pages, he has traced, pretty minutely, the revival of evangelical religion in that city, and presented us with "A Summary of the Theological Controversies, which of late years have agitated Geneva." The following extracts from his pamphlet, will furnish our readers with a specimen of this gentleman's ground of complaint. mitted strangers to the continent of Europe, "When the restoration of peace adGeneva, on account of its geographical situation, and its profession of the reformed religion, was fixed on by a zealous sect for the scene of its labours, the central point whence its Missionaries should go forth to propagate Methodism on the Continent. No means were neglected which could contribute to the accomplishment of this unauxiliaries would be found in the clergy, dertaking, and it was expected that who were the successors of Calvin; the pastors of Geneva, however, would not consent to retrograde by treading in the steps of the Methodists; resistance, therefore, was opposed where numerous and intelligent helpers were hoped for: Inde iro, hence dissatisfaction and anger; hence that accumulation of wrathful and defamatory pamphlets issued against a city hitherto so much esteemed, and against the clergy of that city. Experienced men, with two or three exceptions, saw the danger, and remained firm and on their guard. Unthinking and ardent young fell into the snare. men were then applied to, and they easily A number of women, men who had fallen under evil tongues, and various honest but mistaken persons, joined themselves to the party. Money, 2 F promises, extravagant praises of the converts, violent abuse of the pastors of Geneva and their friends, such are the elements the combination of which has produced theological controversies, puerile in themselves, but afflicting in their consequences. "Geneva is no longer Christian! is the cry which resounds in the city itself, and, reiterated by malevolence, is heard in England, in Holland, in Germany, in France; and has even reached the astonished ears of the inhabitants of the new world. Why this outcry? Why this tumult? Because the people of Geneva have not consented, and will not consent, to become Methodists." M. Chenevière then proceeds to trace the first symptoms of perturbation, which he dates in the year 1810, about which time a few congregations are said to have existed in the city, whose leaders were connected with the Moravians, but they were too insignificant to obtain the notice of the Consistory. In 1813, Madame de Krudener arrived at Geneva, collected assemblies, and placed at their head M. Empaytaz, a young student who had frequented the former meetings. Quitting Geneva, this enthusiastic lady retired into Switzerland, whither M. Empaytaz followed her and soon after published a small piece, entitled "Considerations on the Divinity of Jesus Christ," addressed to his former companions, the Theological students of Geneva. This pamphlet excited some attention, and necessarily alarmed the clergy, who began to think "the plague had broke out," and especially as two other young ministers, Guers and Gonchier, shewed a warm attachment to M. Empaytaz. In this posture of affairs two of our countrymen were led in providence to visit the city of Geneva, and they are thus announced by M. Chenevière, in the pamphlet before us. "A Scotchman, Mr. Haldane, a rigid Calvinist, whose theological principles are to be found in print, especially in his Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, in which those who have the courage to undertake the task may judge of his doctrines;-Mr. Haldane invited to his that in the affairs of religion, reason ought to be. trodden under foot!" Mr. Haldane waged war so indiscreetly against good works, that they were spoken of with disdain in the discourses of his adherents, and in the pamphlets circulated to perpetuate his influence after his departure. In so licentious a manner was it common to treat this subject, that a young ecclesiastic did not blush to translate into French, and to publish The Refuge, in which we read in so many words, that the man most deeply stained with crimes, and the man who has performed the greatest number of good works are perfectly equal in the sight of God! Scarcely had this champion ceased his warfare, when he was succeeded by another, of less skill but greater impetuo sity-Mr. Henry Drummond. The latter kept no terms; he openly urged those who united with him to secede from the Genevan Church; he collected assemblies in which he distributed both instruction and money; he even addressed the pastors directly in a most audacious letter, in which, after giving his opinions in the most dogmatical way, and uttering his decrees like a pope, this banker taunted the clergy as impious blasphemers. He was called before the Syndics, and reprehended by them for his conduct. He quitted Geneva, and his discourses and articles which he published in the journals did much in exciting prejudice against the city." Whether Mr. Drummond will think it worth his while to enter upon any justification of his conduct, against this phillipic, we know not; but the reader will perceive the reason why Mr. R. Haldane has come forward with the small volume, which we have announced at the head of this article. He appears in self-defence, and has addressed a letter to M. Chenevière, which from the ability with which it is written, and the very interesting nature of its contents will, we hope, be extensively read. Thus he addresses M. Chenevière. "Besides exhibiting to your readers that formidable band, in thirteen divisions, which has made "successive attacks on the church of Geneva," you have enrolled my name as one of your opponents. I shall ever have reason to bless the Lord that I house some students and ministers, occu-have, in any degree, contributed to recall pied their minds with the mysterious the attention of the inhabitants of your city points of the Christian religion, and to the Gospel of the grace of God, from inoculated them with his own exclusive and intolerant spirit. He insisted so strongly on the contempt with which reason, proud reason, ought to be regarded, that one of his hearers in going out of his house once cried out, "Yes, I see plainly which they had so generally departed. From Geneva that Gospel once sounded out to all the surrounding countries, and to Geneva, perhaps, not one among them all is so deeply indebted as the country in which I write. This, were it possible, |