[We have to apologize to the respected author of the following communication for the delay in its appearance, which was occasioned by the MS. having been mislaid.] For the Christian Journal. Messrs. EDITORS, I would beg leave, though tardily, to call the attention of your readers to a very interesting article in the last number* of the Biblical Repertory, now edited by Professor Patton, of Princeton, New-Jersey. It is a translation from the German of an essay by Pro fessor Tholuck, of Halle, on the importance of the study of the Old Testament, with a brief preface by the translator. For the present, although the subject is interesting, the manner of discussion able, and the whole replete with profound and varied erudition, I will waive any consideration of the piece itself, contenting myself with pointing it out to the notice of your readers. The important matter and excellence of the preface have induced me to take up my pen. From the insertion of Tholuck's essay, its translator, the editor of the Repertory, takes occasion to notice the late and present state of theology in Germany. After referring his readers to a work to which your readers too have been referred, and which, for its comprehensive and enlightened views, and extensive research, cannot be too often cited with commendation,† for an account of the causes of the lamentable corruption which, for the last half century, has pervaded the theology of Germany, he gives his own reasons for believing that a gradual, but extensive change for the better is taking place, and that the religion of the Gospel, properly so designated, is reviving in that country. "1. The supremacy of philosophy in matters of religion, so long, and with such pernicious consequences, insisted upon in the lecture room, in the pulpit, in the elaborate commentary, and even in the books of private devotion, is beginning to be disputed; or, rather, to speak more properly, a sounder philosophy is taking the place of that rash spirit of speculation which had assumed its name. "The imaginative, discursive, and metaphysical genius of the Germans, freed from those restraining and controlling influences which a humble piety exerts, and forgetting the impassable limits of the human powers, has presumed to sit in judg ment upon the revelation from heaven, invented a standard by which to decide upon the merits of its doctrines, subjected its plainest declarations to the test of reason, rejected or explained away what it could not fathom, called in question the inspiration of the Scriptures, and scattered the seeds of infidelity far and wide, even while clothed in the garb of a divine theological professor has not hesitated unteacher and an ambassador of Christ. The blushingly to declare, when pressed with a genuine and well authenticated miracle, My philosophy forbids me to recognize the existence of a miracle. "Not less than four or five master-spirits have, within comparatively few years, commanded, for the time being, almost universally, the admiration of the German literati. Leibnitz, Wolf, Kant, Fichte, Schelling, like waves of the sea, have cessively overwhelming its predecessor, chased each other forward, each one sucuntil merged, in its turn, in comparative oblivion, by its triumphant successor. In the midst of their ever-varying and discordant systems, some of their writers began to congratulate the nation as the only lived, and breathed, and grew, while that one in possession of a theology which of other nations was in a wretched state of terpor, fraught with error, degraded by irrational views of God, obscured by mysticism, destitute of improvement, invention, and rationality. modifications which the metaphysical phi"If we may judge, however, from the losophy is apparently undergoing, from the relaxing of its more rigid features, and from the disrespect with which these philosophical speculations are beginning to be spoken of by certain influential writers, the sway of this falsely named philosophy is becoming daily less extensive and imperious.* "2. Some of the more serious and judicious of their theologians have, for some years past, candidly acknowledged, and publicly deplored, the state of theological * "Some of the metaphysical writers have lately also enlisted themselves on the side of Christianity. Köppen, in his Philosophie des Christenthums, has attempted to show the truth of the doctrine of original sin on p! "oso phical grounds. A celebrated physician of Leipsic, Dr. Heinroth, has annoyed the Rationalists dreadfully, by a treatise on Anthropology, in which his views of the intellectual and moral part of man are entirely at variance with them, and in unison with the orthodox notions. The masterly nature of the work, and the high reputation of the author, were equally su ject of annoyance with the Rationalists.Rose's Discourses, Repert. vol. ii. p. 10, note." opinion, and the almost imperceptible practical influence of Christianity, whereever these loose opinions have gained currency; and, in some instances, a change of sentiment and a degree of recantation has taken place. The later productions of De Wette, Kaiser, and Ammon, for example, and some expressions which dropped from Staeudlin for some years before his decease, the evangelical views and pious labours of Tholuck, and the increasing seriousness and spirituality among some of the theological students, encourage us to hope that the dawn of a brighter day is begun. 3. The decided position which the present king of Prussia has taken, in favour of the promulgation of pure Gospel truth, his evangelical sentiments-not received by inheritance from his ancestors, but the result of an ingenuous examination of the word of God, because he had * applied himself assiduously to the Bible, and sought therein the doctrines taught by Christ and his apostles"-the influence which his opinions and deportment are calculated to exert, owing to the high and noble sphere in which he moves, not only upon the community at large, and upon his court, but especially upon his universities,† seem to forbode a happy change, at no very distant period, in the moral aspect of Prussia." Tholuck, who is so conspicuously noticed in the last paragraph, "is as much distinguished for his piety as for his learning. I have seen a little work of his on the theology of the ancient Persians, which states, in the title page, that the materials were derived from Arabic, Persic, and Turkish MSS. in the royal library of Berlin. As Tholuck is at present not more than eight or nine-and-twenty, he must have published that work when he was about twenty-four or five! I have also seen a treatise of his to show that Christ is the centre, sum, and key, of the Old Testament. He has also written a work, which has produced a great impression, on the doctrine of redemption." An extracted article in the Episcopal Watchman, Vol. I. No. 26, says of this distinguished individual: "Letter to the Dutchess of Anhalt Coethen, on her renouncing the Protestant religion for the Catholic." "He lately elevated Tholuck to a high and commanding situation in the university of Halle, which is any thing but orthodox." # Private Letter in the Biblical Repertory for April, 1827. "Under the auspices of the king of Prussia, this remarkable man occupies a distinguished place in the university of Halle, which is also honoured by the talents of the celebrated Gesenius. Tholuck has not yet reached the age of thirty years, and yet, with all the disadvantages of impaired health, and a multiplicity of business, has acquired the knowledge of more than fifteen languages, several of which he speaks. He is already celebrated in Germany as a philologist, and is the author of several important works. But that which stamps a higher value upon his character in the estimation of the Christian student, is, that he manifests, in conversation and conduct, a sincere attachment to the truth as it is in Jesus." Now, Messrs. Editors, from the preceding brief compilation, I think it might be possible to draw many very interesting and important considerations. I select, almost at hazard, two. First, I think the fall of German theology to its lowest ebb of scepticism, when traced to its causes, may afford against the danger of carrying religious us a loud and imperative warning feeling and excitement to extremes. The well-meant, but dangerous and fanatical excesses of the Pietists, were confessedly the great originating cause of German scepticism. This has been long ago maintained by Germans themselves, and since, by Rose, (Sermons, &c. p. 36, ss. 45, s.) and, after him, by Professor Patton, who enumerates "the misguided zeal of the Pietists, who maintained that Christianity consisted solely in virtue, and the consequent reaction which produced a philosophical, and even a mathematical school of theology" among the chief causes of the spread of the sceptical opinions of Semler. We are not without Pietists in our own country. Let us beware that they do not bring upon us the curse which their predecessors entailed for so long a time upon unhapPy Germany! and of his illustrious predecessors in Secondly. The example of Tholuck, the defence of revealed religion against the prevailing infidelity, Bengel, Storr, Flatt, Tittman, and Planck, may serve to counteract the somewhat current • Schmidii Duae Orationes, de ratione interpretandi, et de libertate docendi, Vitebergae, 1772, p. 11, 16, 30, 35. opinion, that the philological science so generally cultivated in Germany, is unfavourable to religion. It is true, that even in England, we could produce the examples of Usher, Lightfoot, Pearson, Hammond, Bull; and in later times, of a Middleton, a Heber, a Sumner, a Burgess, or a Blomfield, to prove that learning of that description is not incompatible with the most exalted piety. Nevertheless, the examples drawn from the midst of the general corruption which has given strength to the contrary opinion, are still closer to the point. Yet I have heard some men, even reasonable men, expressing their fears that theology (they had reference particularly to biblical theology) was becoming too much a science-that religion would be lost in it. It may be so. So too may any other of the pursuits of man be perverted and led to destroy itself. But such is not the regular, natural tendency of the study of theology as a science, nor of minute attention to that branch of it which is connected with philology. It has been said that no natural philosopher could be an atheist. Much more truly may it be said, that no thorough theologian, or biblical critic, can be a nominal Christian. The more we learn of the word of God, the more intimately we become acquainted with its outward dress -its inward spirit-its contents-its history-the more is reason humbled, and faith exalted. It is true, a Semler and an Eichhorn may have united a great degree of theological learning with infidelity, but why? because they came to the study with insuperable prejudices-imbued with the philosophical systems of Leibnitz, and Wolf, and Kant, and because their prejudices caused them to leave it before they had arrived at the profound erudition which settled the faith of Pearson and Bull, and which Storr and Tittman have acquired and communicated to the world. Perhaps it is hazardous, but I scruple not to say, that a practised and scrutinizing thinker will discern in Semler, Bauer, Eichhorn, De Wette, and even in many writings of John David Michaelis, a half-learning, which will, in a considerable degree, account for VOL. XI. their rash and ill-digested theological opinions. These were men, it is true, of prodigious reading, but they have read rather much than well. They were, it is true, well skilled in the niceties of language, of archæology, of history, of geography, &c. but they had not extended their researches sufficiently to acquire general views. They resemble the man who should, in taking the survey of an extended country, peep through a microscope at every ant-hill and fungus, but never give a glance at the general prospect, and relative situation of the several parts of the domain. He would probably have a wonderful knowledge of the minutiæ, and might with justice be said to be acquainted with every inch of the ground he had gone over: but would any one think of applying to him for an accurate general idea of the whole? So these Germans, with a few honourable exceptions, have busied themselves in the smaller walks of philological and critical theology, without ever attempting a general or thorough survey of the whole, considered as the science of the respective natures, and mutual relations, of God and man. One such reasoner as Barrow, or Horsley, possessed more knowledge of that science than they all. Let our younger theologians be made. learned-let them be taught to aim at, to thirst for, real theological learning in all its branches, and apprehend no danger. With well-disciplined minds, and principles formed on rational conviction, their learning will but increase their zeal, and give intensity to their faith, and extensive scope to their charity. They may, with Tholuck, be one hour engaged in elucidating some difficult passage of holy writ, with all the nicety of critical acumen, and the varied stores of extensive eruditionand the next, be bestowing their personal services on the cause of Christ, in preaching the Gospel to the poor, in aiding its spread to heathen lands, or in promoting its influence among the hitherto infatuated sons of Israel. V. V. P. S. Since the above was written, two articles on similar subjects have 47 appeared in the London Christian Remembrancer for September and October The first is a translation of a prospectus of an evangelical religious periodical to be published in Berlin, under the name of the EvangelischeKirchen-Zeitung, and professedly devoted to the maintenance and defence of orthodox views of religion, in opposition to those of the self-styled Rationalists. The second is an article by Mr. Rose, in reply to a work written in German by Bretschneider, in answer to his "Sermons." The views in both these articles agree with the statements above given, and the facts which they contain afford still stronger reason to exult in the approaching downfall of sceptical theology in Germany. V. V. From the Church Register for Nov. 24, 1827. Brief Sketch of the late Bishop Kemp. THERE is a melancholy pleasure in tracing back the history of our friends as they fall around us-recalling the hours which we passed with them in congenial pursuits-embodying, as it were, before us, the image of the departed, and again taking sweet counsel together. Imagination and memory seem to combine, even in contempt of the king of terrors, to restore us the treasures we have lost. It proves, however, but a short lived, waking dream-and yet we cannot bring ourselves to part with the fading vision. We cling to it, till something more earthly comes before us; and at length we yield, with a sigh, to the conviction, that we seek consolation in vain under bereavements from the recollection of departed joys, and are driven to look forward to the hope of meeting again, where all tears shall be wiped from our eyes, in the blessed presence of Him who is the resurrection and the life. The Christian feels that this is the only real consolation under the bereavements of mortality; and the bright hope which it leads him to entertain, he would not exchange for the gratification, if such could be, of seeing again around him, in the habits of mortality, the whole circle of the dearly loved beings whom he has surrendered, one by one, to his Saviour. Deeply did the late lamented Bishop Kemp repose in the confidence of this holy hope, and ardently and fervently did he exhibit it to those from whom the blasts of affliction had removed every other, and whose hearts were softened by it. The self-same hope now spreads its tranquil consolations and cheering prospect before those from whom he has been so suddenly, by a mysterious dispensation, removed. But his life has been passed in acts of piety and the warmest benevolence, and though he would look back only upon the cross of Christ, which he has gone to plead at the awful tribunał where God, in his unveiled glories and terrors, sits enthroned, yet those who knew and loved him here may cast an admiring look back upon his luminous path; recall to their minds the remembrance of the bright and transparent virtues which encircled his heart, and shone forth in his life; and devoutly bless God for another name added to the list of those who have departed this life in his faith and fear. James Kemp was a native of Scotland, and was the son of pious parents, who gave his mind an early direction to the path of religion. Little is known to the writer of this sketch of his youth.' At a suitable age he entered the Marischal college, in Aberdeen, where he completed his education. When he had graduated, a friend made to him liberal offers of patronage and assistance, on condition of his remaining in his own country. But, like many others of his young countrymen, he was captivated with the prospects of success and usefulness which were opening in America, on the acknowledgment of the independence of the United States by Great Britain. He accordingly embarked for this country, and, soon after his arrival, engaged as a private tutor in a respectable family of Dorchester county, on the eastern shore of Maryland. In this situation he passed some years. At length, determining to pursue the study of theology, his attention was drawn, by the circumstances in which he was then placed, to the episcopal church. He had been educated a Presbyterian, and till his coming to America, had known little or nothing of the episcopal church. The members of that church, in his own country, suffering under the heavy operation of penal laws, were obliged to withdraw from the light, and to worship in retired places with closed doors. Of course, there was nothing to remind a young collegian that such a church existed in his native land. But in Maryland it had been, up to the period of the revolutionary war, the established religion; and, at the time of his arrival, though suffering from the great changes which the revolution had produced, her claims to attention presented themselves to Mr. Kemp in a very imposing light. Her mode of worship to him was novel, her institutions were peculiar, and he immediately began the inquiries which would enable him to understand the utility and propriety of these peculiarities. He soon determined to apply for admission to the ministry of the episcopal church, and having for some time pursued the necessary duties, under the instruction of the late Rev. Dr. Bowie, then rector of Great Choptank parish, he was admitted to deacon's and priest's orders, by Bishop White, on the 26th and 27th of December, 1789, and, in August of the following year, succeeded Dr. Bowie in the charge of that parish. He remained in the charge of the same parish, greatly esteemed and beloved, till the year 1813, when he was called to succeed the Rev. Dr. Bend, as associate rector, with the Rev. Dr. Beasley, now provost of the university of Pennsylvania, of St. Paul's parish, Baltimore. Previously to this removal, he received the diploma of Doctor in Divinity from Columbia college, New-York. In 1814, the convention of Maryland chose him their bishop, to act as suffragan during the life of Dr. J. T. Claggett, the then bishop, who was prevented from fully discharging the duties of his office by great bodily infirmity, and to succeed him on surviving. It is right to state, for it is matter of record, that considerable opposition was made by a portion of the minority of the convention, and others, to his consecration; but this, in the case of most of those concerned, was a mere effort of party, though in a few it was doubtless caused by a want of right principles, as well as an absence of Christian feeling. He lived to have full justice done to him in this point, and to see, among his most respectful friends, some of those who had, on this occasion, manifested different feelings towards him. He was consecrated at New-Brunswick, New-Jersey, September 1, 1814, by Bishops White, Hobart, and R. C. Moore. Bishop Claggett immediately gave him jurisdiction over the churches on the eastern shore -being in number about one-third of the churches of the whole diocese, where his own strongest attachments lay, and where he had been long and best known. No act of his superior could have been more grateful to him than this, and he subsequently often expressed his gratitude for the happiness which it gave him. On the death of Bishop Claggett, in 1816, he succeeded him as diocesan, and faithfully discharged the duties of that high and important office, till the very sudden dispensation which removed him from the world. The late bishop was a well read divine. He had found time, while engaged in his parochial cure in Dorchester, comprising several churches, and although obliged, in the early part of his ministry, to cultivate a farm, and subsequently engage in teaching, for the support of his family, to read the works of many of the best writers on theology, and its kindred subjects. His Letters to Dr. Miller, which were published in the Churchman's Magazine, at New-York, in 1809, show that he had made himself well acquainted with ecclesiastical history, and that his adoption of the episcopal church was not a mere casual expedient. These letters are brief, but able; and though they will not be considered a substitue for the more enlarged and complete refutation of Dr. Bowden, may well answer the purpose of a popular manual in this country, where every peculiar principle must undergo an ordeal before every description of readers. His mind was well stored with the best |