possession of it, are apt to think it the highest good. Lucy's mission is to rich and poor; and that mission will be well performed if she persuade but one little reader to share his penny, (if that be all he has,) or his half-crown, that mine of wealth to a child, not with one from whom he expects the same another time, but with one whose only return will be grateful and affectionate remembrance."

The story is well managed, and interesting to readers of all classes. It is true the heroine (as we suppose we must call her) and her family are in humble life; but there is not a trace of low life about them. In fact, there is a refinement, both of sentiment and language, which it must be confessed is far from common in their station of life, though it is by no means inconsistent with or unsuitable to it; and we trust that a time will come when it will prevail more extensively. The first part gives some adventures of Lucy's life as a child and Sunday scholar; the second follows her as she goes, some years afterwards, into service-first as lady's maid to two fashionable, selfish, thoughtless and indolent young ladies, and then in the more congenial position of attendant on an invalid, less affluent, but kind, charitable and considerate, in which desirable and improving situation the story leaves her. The moral of the book is well illustrated in both parts; but the title applies more particularly to the first, which would make an excellent Sunday-school tract, if printed separately. The whole, indeed, is well adapted to the class from which the principal characters are taken, and we should be glad to see an edition printed in a cheaper form for their use. But in either form we cordially recommend it to that encouragement from the public which we think it well deserves.

The Time of the Harvest: a Sermon preached at Huddersfield, before the West-Riding Unitarian Tract Society, on Wednesday, June 13th; and at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, before the North-of-England Unitarian Tract and Missionary Society, on Sunday, June 17th, 1849. By John Gordon. London-E. T. Whitfield.

THIS Sermon, explanatory of the transition-state through which our own religious body, as well as others, is passing, is full of original and instructive thoughts. Mr. Gordon, while he sees signs of hopefulness in the transition going on in the religious world, does not conceal the dangers which attend it. These are the danger, 1, of rejecting Christianity altogether; 2, of a submission to human authority with respect to religion; and, 3, that of seeking an accommodation between truth and error, as they relate to Christianity. The first two dangers he traces to rashness and fear, the third to interest. Religion, in order to pass safely through the transition-state, must be firm as to the faith it expresses, and free as to the mental exercise it encourages. In the concluding portion of his discourse, Mr. Gordon shews that Unitarians have a special calling to, and peculiar fitness for, the spiritual regeneration of mankind. We would gladly quote many passages from this interesting discourse, but it is perhaps better, considering the very low price at whichby the judicious zeal of the Committee of the West-Riding Unitarian Tract Society-it may be purchased, to recommend every individual amongst our readers to obtain it for himself, and read it as a whole. We cannot, however, refrain from quoting the passage in which Mr. Gordon dwells on the congruity of Unitarianism with freedom.

"It is surely not too much to expect that the faith which has been formed, in connection with and under the influence of freedom, should be retained under the same influence. If that expectation be not a valid one, it can only be invalidated on the supposition-a supposition which I indignantly reject-that a settled belief in Christianity cannot be obtained. This indeed is the marrow of the question. Experience has amply proved that religious liberty leads to our opinions; and if those opinions, as to their essential elements, are renounced, the renunciation will imply a renunciation of the revelation itself, one of whose

distinctive exhibitions they express. There is orthodoxy preserved by its bondage on the one side, and Unitarianism supported by its freedom on the other; and besides them, within the Christian pale, there is, in principle at least, nothing else.

"It is not merely by asserting our distinctive principle of freedom that we shall be able to gather the harvest made ready for us, though it be the freedom which has given us the advantages we possess. Freedom exposes both us and others to licentiousness. It may be treated as an end, and not as-what it ought to be a means to a further end. This evil we have to correct in ourselves, in order that we may prevent it in others. We have to prove that our Christian belief is invigorated and enlarged by our freedom. The freedom should be shewn in our characters to be the true condition of an enlightened and settled faith. To this faith, as exemplified in our own hearts and lives, we have to conduct those who, tossed about on the waves of doubt and anxiety, are longing for a compass and a chart to guide them. This is our mission.”—Pp. 17—19.

On the Bond of Union in the Churches of Unitarian Christians: a Discourse preached June 28, 1849, in the Octagon Chapel, Norwich, before the Eastern Unitarian Society. By Thomas Madge, Minister of Essex-Street Chapel. 8vo. Pp. 28. London-Whitfield.

MR. MADGE is entitled to our prompt and respectful acknowledgments for the publication of this right-minded, vigorous and thoroughly timely discourse. It is clear and well-sustained in its argument, and grapples fairly with the strongest, if not with all, the objections which have been alleged against his several positions. Starting with the axiom that Christianity is a social religion, he proceeds to inquire what is the bond of union which should connect Christian churches, and, taking the New Testament as his guide, he finds two great principles distinguishing apostolic churches, viz., "faith in God the Father, and in Jesus as the Christ, the anointed Messenger of God." He defends this as a sufficient basis of Christian union, against those who would extort a different confession of faith as an indispensable prerequisite of Christian communion; and he maintains that such a basis is desirable and necessary, in opposition to those who would substitute for it the mere negation of orthodoxy, as also to those who would confine it to a general recognition of Christianity, irrespective of all doctrinal differences. We quote, as a specimen of the temper and talent of the whole discourse, the arguments with which Mr. Madge exposes the sickly sentimentalism of those who, while they retain the opinions and the worship, would discard the name of Unitarians.

"While important differences of opinion exist in the Christian church, there must be some term, some distinctive term, to mark these differences; and all that we have to look to and to be careful about is, that the name given to us, or the name we take upon ourselves, is a just and appropriate one, expressing clearly and satisfactorily the nature of our worship and the character of our faith. The term Catholic, Catholic Christian, would have been as true and fitting a designation as any that we could have chosen. I very much wish that we could have adopted this appellation. But as it is, and long has been, employed to distinguish another body of Christians, the use of it by us as a distinctive name would not only have led to much misapprehension and confusion, but would have exposed us to accusations of artifice and fraud. By such a proceeding, more, I think, would have been lost to the cause of truth, sincerity and charity, than could have been gained by it.

"Some discriminating term, therefore, seems to be necessary, and I know of none more general and comprehensive, and at the same time more appropriate and characteristic, than that of Unitarian. If we had called ourselves Catholic Christians, or Christians simply, our principles would equally have become known to the world; and as honest men we could not and ought not to have concealed them. We must either have associated together as worshipers of one God the Father, or, under the pretence of liberality and charity, have acquiesced in a worship which we considered erroneous and unscriptural. If we

obeyed the dictates of conscience, and adhered to the worship of one only God, we might perchance have avoided the name of Unitarian, but we should not have avoided the thing. The world would soon have known what we were, and they would have given us--as in fact at various times they have given us-all sorts of names but the one which is justly characteristic of our sentiments, and to which there can be no objection, on the score of correctness, propriety or charity. * Suppose the word Unitarian had never been adopted by us, or suppose that we were now to disuse it, what advantage would result from it? Would it add to the number of our adherents, or give greater popularity to our principles? I believe not. I believe that in the end nothing is gained by timidity and cowardice, by concealment and disguise. It is better on every account -better for ourselves, and better for the cause of truth-that we should profess ourselves to be what we really are, than shelter ourselves under the cover of ambiguous phraseology; and, instead of putting our light under a bushel, to place it on a candlestick, that all may see and all may understand."-Pp. 14-17.

Scripture Illustrated from recent Discoveries in the Geography of Palestine. With a Map. London-Simpkin and Co. 8vo. Pp. 32.

Scripture Vindicated against some Perversions of Rationalism. With a Sketch of the Lake of Galilee. London-Simpkin and Co. Pp. 47.

BOTH these pamphlets are from the rapid and able pen of the Author of the "People's Dictionary of the Bible." The object of the former is to bring forward numerous facts which serve to illustrate expressions, allusions, implications, occurring in the Old and New Testaments. These facts are mostly derived from the accounts given by recent travellers in Palestine, and relate to such topics as the situation of that country in reference to the surrounding countries, the heights and relative position of its principal hills and mountains, the valley of the Jordan, and other kindred subjects. So far as his space admits, the author shews us how entirely in harmony with these ascertained facts are the "Biblical implications and phraseology," and from the review of the whole case draws the fair inference that the Biblical writers were wellinformed and trustworthy men. The following passage, however, will probably set before our readers the manner and matter of this little treatise better than anything we can say in the way of description of its contents.

"Did the prescribed space allow it, we could, by a minute investigation, shew the exact correspondence presented between the unchangeable geographical features of these high lands and the implications and statements of the Biblical history. In general it may be asserted that such an exact correspondence exists, and has become more manifest the more fully the country has become known. The natural features of that country are very marked; their lines are numerous and deep; they are also ineffaceable. What they were of old, that are they now. Here then is a permanent test of historical verity. A history which contradicts those qualities must so far be false, and by such untruth it brings on itself a general suspicion. A history which is ignorant of those qualities must have been written by men unable, if willing, to make a sufficient record, and who can scarcely claim to be natives of the soil. Our Biblical histories are free from these suspicions. Their writers possessed a most intimate acquaintance with the whole range of country. Its natural boundaries they well describe. Those natural boundaries are, with them, the boundaries of separate social communities. Sihon and Og, Reuben, Gad, Manasseh and the several petty Arab kingdoms, all take their limits from the natural lines of the country, and amidst many political and social changes those limits are strictly preserved. Then in pursuits, the Hebrews who settled on the east of the Jordan, were specially given to the care of cattle; while those who went over Jordan were rather habituated to agriculture. Admirably fitted for grazing were the uplands of Perea (Numb. xxxii. 1-4). Still do many of them present pleasing pictures of shepherd life. In Bashan you may find the oaks (Isa. ii. 13), the pastures (Jer. i. 19; Mich. vii. 14), the cattle (Deut. xxxii. 14), for which it is celebrated in the Bible. The 'kine of Bashan' of the present day may bear a comparison 4 I

VOL. V.

with those which the country bred three thousand years ago (Amos iv. 1).” Scripture Illustrated, pp. 18, 19.

The other pamphlet is devoted to a vindication of the historical character of the narrative of the stilling of the storm on the Lake of Galilee, and the feeding of the five thousand, found in Matt. xiv. 13-36, and parallel passages. The author gives us an interesting account of the Lake of Galilee, its dimensions, surrounding scenery, and the changes to which it is subject, with other particulars of this kind bearing on his main object. A skilful use of this information is made to determine some points left unstated in the evangelical narrative, as for instance

"I. From what spot on the western shore Jesus set sail. II. Where he landed, and whither he went on the eastern side of the lake. III. The place which the apostles quitted in leaving the eastern for the western shore. IV. The harbour or creek to which the apostles returned. V. The place of the boat when Jesus was seen and received on board."-Scrip. Vind., p. 11.

In the course of a minute investigation, the author vindicates, successfully as we think, the trustworthiness of the simple Gospel narrative; shews us how certain statements or omissions of one Evangelist, as compared with another, or the turn of an expression, or the use of a particular word, afford satisfactory evidence of the actual occurrence of the incidents related, taken in the obvious, natural meaning of the account as it stands before us. A few sentences from the dissertation itself will again assist us to a knowledge of our author's main design and mode of proceeding.

"The minute investigation on which the preceding statements and observations are founded, has disclosed to my mind an agreement between the four Evangelical narrators which can, as I think, be accounted for on no other supposition than that they spoke of realities, and drew their accounts from credible sources. Matthew and John were in all probability eye-witnesses of the scenes we have spoken of. Differing, as in their Gospels they do, in manner, tone and impression, and, as so differing, proving thereby their personal individuality and historical independence, they are in all essential particulars found, in the points under consideration, to agree with an exactitude and minuteness that characterize trustworthy reporters, and, interchanging support, afford the student an evidence worthy his entire reliance. Each of the four Evangelists tells his tale in his own way, and with some variation. All of them are one in the great facts of the case, and they are in accordance not in statements merely, but in implications. The deficiencies of one being supplemented by the averments of another, a narrative ensues which is consistent in all its parts, and in agreement with the physical features of the country, with historical facts and scientific discoveries, ascertained some eighteen centuries after the recorded events. Surely narratives of which this may be said, are the product neither of fraud nor fancy.”—Scrip. Vind., pp. 14, 15.

In addition to this positive assertion of what we may term the obvious or natural sense of the evangelical account, the author dwells at some length on the explanation of the same passage given by the German Rationalistic interpreter, Paulus, on the interpretation of Strauss, on that of Gfrörer, and that of Von Ammon. In dwelling at length on these different expositions, and pointing out their untenableness, it appears to us that he has done an almost needless work. The best refutation of each is to establish the natural sense of the narrative, by shewing that the various leading incidents depend upon, imply or require, one another, and so form all together one compact and selfconsistent whole; that it is impossible to strike out or explain away what is miraculous without destroying, or rendering essentially defective, the entire account. And this the author has excellently done in the earlier part of his treatise.

The value of these little works is increased by the two excellent Maps which accompany them-one of Palestine, the other of the Lake of Galilee. The former is a little volume of interesting information in itself.

Discourses and Devotional Services. By Russell Lant Carpenter, B.A. 12mo. Pp. 340. London-Whitfield. 1849.

THE author of this volume of Discourses is well known to the Unitarian public as the biographer of his revered father. The qualities of mind that appeared in the Memoir are distinctly discernible in the Discourses, although, as might be anticipated, seven years of study and the earnest pursuit of the Christian ministry have deepened and enriched the author's mind and added vigour to his powers. In the art of composition, the improvement is considerable, although there is in the fourteen discourses of which the volume is composed, an inequality of literary merit rather greater in degree than is desirable. We shall not attempt any elaborate description of this volume, or the former one to which we have alluded, but shall content ourselves with saying, that both indicate on the part of the author a thoroughly religious spirit. As a thinker and a preacher, Mr. Carpenter is evidently in earnest; both the choice of his subjects and the mode in which he handles them, shew that the gratification of fancy and taste, his hearers' and his own, has been always subservient to the faithful performance of his duty as a Christian teacher, and the enforcement of practical and spiritual religion. In knowledge of character, and the detection of the latent springs of human conduct, and, so to speak, the anatomy of the heart (especially in its morbid developments), the discourses shew, as might be expected, increased skill and aptitude. It is a recommendation of the discourses that, coming as they do from the pen of a young writer, and composed during the last ten years, a period of transition and intellectual restlessness, they give no countenance to theological crotchets and metaphysical paradoxes. The author was too intent on the great work before him as a preacher of the gospel, to indulge in affectation and mystical sentimentalism. He has not confounded the pulpit with the chair of the Professor of Theology, or the rostra of the Mechanics' Institute. In this he has a claim to our respect and esteem. The defect of this volume of discourses, as a statement of Christian motives and a persuasive to Christian practice, springs from the same source as their excellence-from the spirit of religious anxiety. There is a want of relief and cheerful hopefulness. We are too exclusively reminded of the bitterness which the heart of man cannot avoid, and too seldom invited to behold the Christian's joy with which a stranger doth not intermeddle. Peace and joy are indeed the mature fruits of the Christian life; they struggle into existence attended by anxiety and fear. We doubt not, as Mr. Carpenter advances in life and Christian experience, hopefulness will shine more and more unto the perfect day.

Without further preface, we will say a few words on the sermons separately, and offer one or two extracts. No. 1, entitled, "For it is Written," is a very pleasing and, in some parts, a striking exemplification of the uses of the writ ten word of revelation. As a composition, it is creditable to the author's skill and taste. The introduction contains some very judicious remarks on the prevalent Bibliolatry, and its natural reaction, Scepticism.

"As some have been prompted to adore the word made flesh, they have bestowed a similar idolatry on the word made letter; and without reflecting that the word of God is whispered more or less to every human soul, they have revered it in the Bible-nay, the whole Bible-as if it were the very Deity himself. The Catholic bowed before the saint, encumbered as he might be by human frailty; the Protestant prostrated his understanding before the images which human minds had fashioned. His was a pantheistic worship. Every thing in the Bible seemed God. The inventions of man, if they found a place in the same canon with the inspirations of the Almighty, appeared alike divine. When the literal sense was too mean for his reverence, he allegorized; and even the tassels on the high-priest's dress were weighty with a spiritual signification. Superstition caused fatuity; things that differ were confounded; and the Christian defended his vindictiveness, narrow-mindedness and cruelty, if he could only shew that such had been the feelings of a Jew. That abuse has led to what seems to me an error of a contrary description. It is the fashion with some to speak of the