'is evident that God is not there, but that her apostolic virtue is 'departed from her, and hath left her key cold; which she per'ceiving as in a decayed nature, seeks to the outward fomentations and chafings of worldly help, and external flourishes, to 'fetch, if it be possible, some motion into her extreme parts, or to 'hatch a counterfeit life with the crafty and artificial heat of juris'diction.'*

Mr. Clark attended some of Dr. Chalmers's lectures at the Hanover Square Rooms, of which he gives an account in the eighth chapter of his second volume. The following remark on the views of some of the lecturer's episcopalian auditors sufficiently bespeaks the political complexion of their religion. Let such reasoning be followed out to its legitimate issue, and what is to prevent the profession of Socinianism at Geneva, or of Mohammedanism at Constantinople.

I imagine that one clause in these last remarks, relating to the Church of England's quitting the plea of her exclusive apostolical derivation,' was not very palatable to some of his audience, although the majority continued to clap the speaker throughout the whole lecture. I have, however, been astonished to hear some very high Churchmen say, that had they been born in Scotland, they should be just as thorough-going and high-toned Presbyterians, as they now are Churchmen. This may be very well; but it appears to me that we ought to have some other besides state or political reasons for our connexion with any Church.'-Ib. pp. 107, 108.

Our remarks have extended so far beyond our intention, that waving all further comment, we must limit ourselves to two or three of our author's personal sketches. The following is his description of the minister of Camden Chapel, Camberwell.

Some persons accuse Mr. Melvill of being a copyist of Dr. Chalmers. But this, in my view, is quite absurd. There are certainly points of resemblance in the intellectual character and pulpit ministrations of these two individuals. They pour forth their thoughts, when roused by the contemplation of some great subject, like a mountain torrent or a mighty avalanche. But it appeared to me that there were quite as many points of originality about Melvill as Chalmers.

The first time I heard Mr. Melvill was at St. Andrew's Church, Holborn. The sermon was delivered with a view of taking up a collection in aid of the Newfoundland schools. In consequence of a previous engagement, it was impossible for me to reach the church till after the service had begun; and then it was next to impossible for me to press my way through the vast crowd so as to get even into the vestibule.

*The Reason of Church Government.

This church is very capacious, and I should think would contain between two and three thousand people. On the present occasion, not only was every pew and aisle, and corner and nook upon which human feet could tread, entirely filled, but the entrance to the church was completely choked up with a mass of living beings. It was not till after long wedging and pushing, that I was enabled to force my way through the dense mass to a point just beyond the threshold in the middle aisle. I could there see the speaker; and so profound was the silence through the vast crowd that I did not lose a word. There is nothing remarkable in the first appearance of Mr. Melvill. His countenance, before he begins to speak, bears a mild, benignant look. He is only of middling stature, and rather slender in form. But the moment he begins to speak, you feel that you are in the presence of a master spirit, who has magic power over the sympathies and feelings of the heart. He arrests the attention of his audience at once; and carries them with him, willing captives, to the close of his discourse. And yet I felt greatly disappointed and almost displeased at his manmer, it was so peculiar and I had almost said-disagreeable. The moment he commences speaking, every muscle and fibre in his body seems put in motion. And in the more eloquent and thrilling parts of his discourse, he has a habit of gesticulating or nodding with his head, which struck me at first as exceedingly unpleasant. But no one can long hear Mr. Melvill without losing siglt of, or even loving, every peculiarity of his manner. He carries you along in spite of yourself, to the neglect and oblivion of every thing else but the contemplation of the bright creations of his own mind, or rather the luminous transparencies of divine truth which he holds up in attractive forms before you.'-Ib. pp. 108-110.

Were all names omitted from the following extract, many of our readers would instantly recognize the estimable man described, a man whose catholic spirit and unwearied labors have secured him the esteem of good men of all parties. Mr. Clark is speaking of the anniversary of the London Missionary Society.

Among those upon the platform, who on this occasion addressed the meeting, were a number of individuals, the annunciation of whose names sent a thrill through my soul. Of that number was the Rev. John Angel James, whose Anxious Inquirer,' and Christian Professor,' have been the means, under God, of guiding hundreds, not only in England, but in our own land, to the cross of Christ, and to enlarged experience in the divine life. Although I had previously had with this gentleman some epistolary, I had had no personal acquaintance. When, therefore, he rose upon the stand, my intensest curiosity was awakened to observe his appearance. never more disappointed. I had formed to myself the idea of a small emaciated man, with a dark keen eye, and an aspect solemn as the But there now stood before us a fine portly form, with a countenance lit up with the brightest sunshine of cheerfulness, and an eye

grave.

I was

that seemed to laugh in every glance it cast upon the objects around it. I should think that Mr. James possessed a great deal of native humour, and that nothing would drop so naturally from his lips as words full of sparkling wit. The remarks with which he introduced his address were certainly calculated to confirm this impression. One of the preceding speakers had entertained us with a long, and labored, and highly polished address, which had evidently been prepared and memorised. The whole thing seemed designed to show off the man, rather than to recommend the cause he advocated. Mr. James adverted to this address in a way so humorous, and yet so delicate, that while he seemed to compliment the speaker, he, in fact, expressed just the opinion of the performance which, I presume, nine-tenths of the audience entertained-that it was a mere flourish of trumpets for selfglorification.

'Mr. James alluded to Mr. Williams, the author of the Narrative of Missionary Enterprises in the South Sea Islands,' and who, about a month before, had sailed in the missionary ship, with a band of fellowlaborers, to revisit the scene of his former labors, and to spend the rest of his life among those islanders, whom he had been instrumental in turning to the living God. Referring to that mission ship, and the precious freight it bore, he said that the emotions of his heart, in contemplating that band of missionaries, still on the wide waters, steering their course to those distant islands, to publish there the unsearchable riches of Christ,' he could in no way so well express as in the language of a sweet poet. He then commenced repeating some lines of exquisite poetry, which, in the rich and mellow tones of his fine voice thrilled the whole assembly. And now, when he had repeated about a stanza and a half, and the whole of the vast audience that crowded the extended area of Exeter Hall, were listening in mute and breathless attention to catch every sound,-he abruptly stopped-pausing thoughtfully, as though he could not recall the remaining lines. For a moment there was the most profound silence. Then, with

a pleasant smile, and without the slightest appearance of embarrassment, he said: 'Ah, memory fails me, and I cannot proceed.' This was all done with so much ease, and grace, and humorous playfulness, that a universal burst and roar of laughter rung through the whole hall; and while this was expending itself, he found the mystic thread in his memory, for which, a few moments before, he had vainly sought, and his voice again rose in lofty poetic strains, till every breath was again hushed, and all were listening in delighted admiration, as they seemed to behold the distant ship, bounding over the dark blue waves, when, as suddenly as before, he again stopped; and with the same graceful happy turn, and in perfect self-possession, playfully remarked, Ah, it is gone again!' A second burst of laughter followed, and loud applause, when instantly his memory rallied, and he finished the passage, which, perhaps, produced more effect from these very interruptions. I have seldom heard one speak in a more easy and unstudied manner, than did Mr. James on this occasion. It was evident that he made no effort to set himself off. Occasionally, however, bright thoughts would flash forth, and the view of some glorious truth would

kindle up an ardour indicated by the altered intonations of his voice. It was evident that the man who was speaking could put forth colossal strength if he chose; that his mind was characterized with high intellectual power, and imbued with a deep spirit of evangelical piety.' -Ib. pp. 113-116.

We can make room only for one more extract, which, for brevity's sake, we take from our author's account of Mr. Harris's Missionary Sermon. After describing the introductory prayer 'as exceedingly discursive and very protracted,' Mr. Clark proceeds,

At length Mr. Harris appeared in the pulpit attired in full robes. I scarcely know how to describe the impression he made upon my mind. Standing in the pulpit, and over the ashes of Rowland Hill, pale and delicate in appearance, and pouring forth a tide of thought, new and striking, and accompanied with a heavenly unction and a deep strain of piety, he seemed almost like an unearthly being that had come to deliver his message to that breathless audience that sat listening before him, and then to fly back to his native skies.

In stature, Mr. Harris is about the middle size, with gray eyes, a broad forehead, delicate features, and a look of that meek, chastened, seraphic, and unearthly stamp, which those men are wont to possess, who spend much of their time in the study and contemplation of divine truth, and in communion with God. I should not think that he was more than thirty-three years old; but in this impression I may be mistaken.

I have seldom listened to a more masterly development of principle, or a more eloquent or interesting strain of argumentation, than he poured forth on this occasion. There were no attempts to arrest the attention of his audience by a flourish of trumpets, or any arts of the rhetorician. The whole effect was produced by the simple exhibition of powerful truth. Among all Mr. Harris's published writings I have seen nothing at all comparable with this discourse. It may be, however, that the appearance of the man, the solemn intonations of his voice, and the excitement of the whole scene, lent a charm and power to the sermon, which in the reading it would not be found to possess. He preached nearly two hours and a half, and during all that time there was perfect silence through the vast assembly, and no indications of weariness. His text was, No one liveth to himself.' Rom. xiv. 7. Were I to attempt an abstract of the sermon, I could indicate only here and there a glimpse of that bright stream of consecutive thought which he poured forth.'-Ib. pp. 124, 125.

595

Art. IX. The Fathers and Founders of the London Missionary Society; with a Brief Sketch of Methodism, and Historical Notices of the several Protestant Missions from 1556 to 1839. By JOHN MORISON, D.D. London: Fisher. 2 vols. 8vo.

FEW, if any, persons can enter into an apartment hung round

with portraits of the departed, without being conscious of strong and peculiar emotions. They are so many labels on the great volumes of the world's history, indicating the events of different periods, with which the names of the shadowy personages in the exhibition are connected, and enabling us to pursue with advantage the track of knowledge and improvement. What, we ask, did these individuals do or attempt in their day? Did they live for good or for evil? Are we, their successors, benefited or injured by their achievements? What excellencies may we imitate, or what faults avoid? The disappearance of what is good and great, or of what is base and injurious, must affect deeply every thoughtful mind, though in different ways; and surely to study well the chequered page of providence is both interesting and instructive.

The selfishness of human nature tends to restrict its pursuits and purposes to the narrow limits of individual existence. It moves only in one small circle, and concentrates, so far as intention is concerned, on one point. Personal pleasure or personal aggrandisement is all, and till the high and holy principles of an inwrought Christianity give expansion to the soul, every purpose and feeling terminates in the present. But in point of fact, no man can wholly live for himself. There is an inevitable, though often untraceable, connexion between the living beings of any one period and the whole of futurity; and as we have received a thousand impressions and impulses from those who have preceded us, so by the very necessity of existence, we communicate and transmit them to posterity. The present is, in this aspect, the receiving medium between the past and the future; but it is also the coloring medium; and upon the spirit and efforts of any existing generation will depend much of the character of after

ages.

The picture gallery of Biography presents us with portraitures in classes; and the two great divisions are political and ecclesiastical. The former consists of those who have influenced the temporal destinies of nations; the latter of those who have been intermingled with the affairs of the church. To the former we are in general the soonest introduced from the course of reading to which we are most familiarized in the education of early years, and long does it prove most captivating to the juvenile imagination; but to the latter we come with a better judgment, at the