MEMOIRS of the LIFE of the Rev. JOHN WILLIAMS, Missionary to Polynesia. By EBENEZER PROUT, of Halstead. Second Thousand. 8vo, pp. 626.

John Snow.

THE life of such a man as John Williams may be regarded as an era in the history of the propagation of Christianity. Raised up by God for the accomplishment of a work destined to tell on future ages, there was much in his early training which indicated the guidance of a Divine hand, and which tended to illustrate the wisdom and sovereignty of Him who prepares instruments for his own work in a way peculiar to himself. He who made Saul of Tarsus "the Apostle of the Gentiles," and the Monk of Erfurth the honoured Champion of the Reformation, brought Williams forth from the obscurity of his original position, gave him almost unexampled control over the minds of thousands of heathen idolaters, drew towards him the gaze of all Christendom, and then suffered him, in profound mystery, to fall a victim to the blind and infuriated rage of a group of untutored savages, for whom, doubtless, he breathed out his dying request, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

Who could have imagined that the thoughtless youth, who repaired to the Tabernacle instead of the tavern, at the kind solicitation of one who longed for his salvation, was ever to fill such a conspicuous place in the high field of missionary enterprise and toil; or was ever to enlist the wide-spread and glowing sympathies of the Christian world. Decided as were the evidences of his conversion to God, and marked as was his early devotion to the cause of missions, there was nothing in his youthful years which gave promise of the great honour and usefulness to which he afterwards attained. That circumstances and the providence and grace of God made him what he was, must be obvious to every one who calmly traces the steps by which he was so graciously led. We are ready to admit, that he evinced one quality which proved of incalculable advantage to him in his attempts to introduce the arts of civilized life among the heathen, viz., a strong mechanical genius; but we delight mainly to contemplate him as an instrument specially given by God himself to the missionary cause as one whose eminent quali fications, as a messenger to the heathen world, were developed by the scenes and events by which he found himself surrounded. He was endowed, indeed, by a high measure

of common sense, by great keenness of perception, by a fearless intrepidity in the path of duty, by a presence of mind which rarely forsook him, by a dauntless perseverance in his Master's work, by singleness of heart in prosecuting the grand objects of his mission; but all would have failed to make him what he was if God's signature had not been put upon him and his labours, and if it had not been the purpose of the Eternal to vouchsafe to him a standing in the missionary field which but few of Christ's honoured servants are destined to reach. It is the soundest philosophy, no less than the dictate of piety, to maintain, that John Williams was 66 a chosen vessel to bear Christ's name far hence to the Gentiles," and to impart to the cause of Christian missions a hallowed impulse not speedily to subside. His sudden removal from the scene of his toil, by the hand of violence, was calculated to rivet all the impressions to which his character and his writings had given birth.

We are not without regret that his memoirs have been so long delayed; but we sincerely believe that the delay has been unavoidable, as there were certain documents in Mrs. Williams's possession, without which the biographer could not have completed his arduous undertaking. We now hail, with much satisfaction, the appearance of a work which thousands, and tens of thousands, are anxious to peruse; and it is gratifying to be able to say, that, from the manner in which Mr. Prout has executed his task, they are not likely to be disappointed; though to realize fully the expectations of the public in reference to such a man as Williams, is by no means an easy triumph of literary skill. The "Missionary Enterprises produced such an impression upon all grades in society, and upon all denominations in the religious world, that it is now next to impossible to add any thing to it. Mr. Prout, however, has confined himself largely to those points upon which Mr. Williams could not descant; and has taken great pains to make the public acquainted with the actual character of the man whom all have been taught to look to with veneration and love. In the nearer view of a personal inspection, Mr. Williams will suffer no diminution of honour or respect. As we follow him step by step, from the hour of his conversion to that of his untimely death, we are constrained to regard him as a man of high resolves, of single heart, and of never-failing benevolence.

The first chapter of the work gives a

rapid, but pleasing, sketch of Mr. Williams's childhood and youth, of his remarkable conversion in the Tabernacle, by a sermon from the lips of Mr. East, of Birmingham, and of the steps by which he was introduced into the missionary field.

The second, describes his voyage to the South Seas, and records the events which occurred in the first year of his devoted toil at Raiatea. This chapter abundantly shows that all the seeds of Mr. Williams's future greatness were already deposited in the missionary soil.

The third, presents a striking outline of the dealings of God with his servant and with the mission, from the commencement of his second year's labours until the close of 1822.

The fourth, gives an account of the events of Divine Providence which happened to Mr. W. from his first missionary voyage until his second to the Harvey Islands. Here the hand of God is strikingly displayed.

The fifth, describes the scenes of extraordinary and touching interest through which Williams passed from his second voyage to the Harvey Islands until his first missionary enterprise to Samoa. Much that is here recorded the public knew before; but many new facts are brought out to light which pleasingly illustrate the high missionary zeal and devotedness of the deceased.

The sixth, narrates with great fidelity, and with no mean powers of description, the incidents which occurred from Mr. W.'s first until his second voyage to Samoa.

The seventh, continues the missionary history from the second voyage to Samoa until Mr. Williams's departure for his native shores. Here may be seen, in the agonized feelings of his native converts in parting with him, the surprising and just hold which he had upon their affections.

The eighth, sets forth all that happened to Mr. Williams-all that he was enabled to effect for the cause of missions from his arrival in England until his return to the South Seas. Never did any missionary produce, except Mr. Moffat, if even he is to be excepted, such an impression upon the public mind of this country,-an impression eminently Christian and holy.

The last chapter gives us a full view of Mr. Williams's labours from his final departure in the Camden until his lamented death.

The plan laid down by Mr. Prout, in his memoirs, is very judicious, and in the prosecution of it he has brought to his task a sound discretion, and a warm and friendly heart. He evidently well understood the character of his friend, and estimated at the right value services to the cause of missions that can never be surpassed.

We give one extract to our readers, just to show the style in which the work is written, and the correctness of Mr. P.'s estimate of the honoured man whose history he has traced. The passage is selected from the third chapter, where our author well describes the bent of Mr. Williams's mind.

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"Mr. Williams's temperament," he observes, was singularly sanguine. He loved the light. He reposed in the sunshine. Bright visions of the future, and often as bold as they were bright, were continually rising up before him; and upon these he delighted to gaze. Nor did he, even for a moment, doubt the practicability of his schemes. He was always confident that his fond imaginings might be converted into glorious realities. Difficulties which others would have deemed formidable, he could scarcely discern. No man, either in the walks of secular duty or benevolent enterprise, ever exemplified or established the motto more fully, Expect great things, and attempt them.' And this was the natural consequence of his character and his history. With a firm faith in God, he possessed unusual self-reliance, and almost endless resources, which would scarcely fail to widen, beyond the reach of ordinary expectation, the range of his desires ; and contributed not a little to their accomplishment. Had his previous history been barren of results; bad all his efforts hitherto proved vain, these causes alone would have kept him stedfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.' But this was not the case. Far otherwise. God granted to him success, and that beyond his largest calculations. And he felt its influIt confirmed his hopes; it braced his arm; it lightened his labours; it prompted him to new and nobler enterprises.

ence.

"But sanguine as was Mr. Williams's temperament, it seldom led him astray. His schemes were not Utopian : his anticipations were not extravagant. Had his imagination been as active as his desires and his zeal, these results would have followed; but in this faculty he was deficient. Hence his plans were founded upon a solid basis. They were not the dreams of fancy, but the sober results of thought; calculations; not creations. His desires and designs were ever regulated by a clear discernment and a solid judgment: often bold indeed, but not adventurous; sanguine, but not speculative. Seldom have ardour and discretion appeared in more happy or harmonious combination." Pp. 99, 100.

This is, to say the least of it, good writing; and, what is more, it is a faithful estimate of one whose memory is embalmed in the hearts of thousands, and whose name will be pronounced with veneration and love as long as time shall last.

We feel greatly indebted to Mr. Prout for this valuable effort of his pen. He has done honour to himself, while he has conferred a lasting obligation on the Christian church.

The ADVANCEMENT of RELIGION the CLAIM of the TIMES. By ANDREW REED, D.D. 8vo, pp. 412.

John Snow.

From

This is the very kind of book we have longed to see. May He whose prerogative it is to bless the endeavours of his servants, make it an instrument of extensive and lasting good to individuals, to families, to the Christian ministry, to the churches, to our country, and to the world! the high tone of piety which pervades the volume, we cannot but hope that it will give an impulse to the Christian devotedness of the age. It is eminently practical in all its bearings and suggestions; and is characterised by a directness and tenderness in its appeals to the heart and conscience, which lead us to anticipate great results from it. We might speak of the beauty of its composition, and of the eloquence which sustains and enlivens every page; but these we regard as trifles compared with the noble current of spirit-stirring sentiment which rolls along through every paragraph of the work.

The author first shows that the advancement of religion is an object devoutly to be desired, from an affecting survey of the present state of the world, from a consideration of the perfect and exclusive adaptation of Christianity to its condition, from an estimate of the means now employed for the advancement of religion, and from a due consideration of the facilities supplied by Providence at this period for the promotion of this grand object.

Secondly, the author calls attention to the all-important theme of what is essential to the advancement of religion in individual minds; such as an increase of spiritual knowledge, in a clearer perception and a deeper sense of divine things;-an increase of holiness, in a growing sensibility to the presence of sin, abhorrence of it, humiliation on account of it, and a positive taste for holiness;-the spirit of faith;-and the spirit of love. Then we are directed to the means by which this advanced state of personal piety may be enjoyed-as, for example, we are to mark the source from whence the improvement is to proceed, we are to acknowledge to God our need of such advancement, we are to seek it from on high, by retirement, by meditative piety, by prayer, by hope, by perseverance, by receiving, as freely offered, the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Thirdly, we are reminded of that feature of vital Christianity which consists in seeking the advancement of religion by personal effort. Here it is shown that all life is communicative, that religion is life, the most excellent mode of life; and therefore that it is communicative in the highest degree. It is our duty, then, to seek the conversion of men to Christ; the obligation to this is argued by reference to the plain testimony of Holy Scripture, to the very nature of the Christian profession, to our spiritual relationship, and to the power of admitted sentiment;-then it is shown that nothing less than the conversion of men must be aimed at,-inasmuch as nothing is effectually done for a sinner till he is converted, conversion is not progressive, but a single act of Divine grace, effected at once. To aim at the conversion of men is the duty of all who are born of the Spirit. Then we are furnished with directions for the successful discharge of this duty. It is to be our business; we are to awe our spirits by the sense of its importance, we are to seize on opportunities as they occur, we are to have special regard to those over whom we have special influence, we are to communicate with individuals privately and alone, we are to mark differences of character, we are to present distinctly to the mind the truth as it is in Jesus, we are to endeavour to bring the sinner to a pause, we are to see to it that our intercourse be eminently Christian, we are to take heed to the whole aspect of our character, and we are to begin immediately. The motives which should impel us, should be a sense of duty, a feeling of personal benefit, a sense of infinite obligation, a review of past negligences, the misery of men unconverted, the blessedness of success, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Fourthly, we are led to the contemplation of the advancement of religion in the family. This is shown to be the result of improved personal piety;-of improved instruction-more affectionate, more frequent, more earnest, more prayerful; improved devotion ;-a better improvement of the Lord's day; improved example; - and a commencement afresh in this career of improvement. The inducements which should incline to this service, are relationship, vows, influence, the state of relations, the special promises of God, and the benefits arising from success in labour.

Fifthly, the author discusses the momentous question of advancement in religion by the ministry; by showing that truth, revealed truth, the truth as it is in Jesus, the truth of the New Testament, is the grand subject of the ministry;-the ministers of Christ must be careful that the truth they publish be scriptural even in manner;

it must be delivered in its fulness; it must be presented to "men," and more particularly to unconverted men. Then we have the mode in which the ministry is to be exercised. To be persuasive, it must be enlightened, ardent, simple, direct, pungent, compassionate, urgent, persevering, extemporaneous, catholic, and pre-eminently dependent on Divine influence. As to motive, the ministry must have respect to our Lord and Saviour, to the awful realities of the coming judgment, to the fact that, many will have to make their appearance at the Divine bar unprepared, to the still more solemn fact that ministers themselves may be unprepared, and to the practical point of personally and vividly realizing these things.

Sixthly. On the point of the advancement of religion in the church, many striking things are brought forward. Religion cannot be advanced in the church without some preparatory process;-such as, thorough conviction of present deficiency and sin,the sin of heresy-the sin of schism-the sin of uncharitableness-the sin of formality -the sin of worldliness;-profound repentance; renewed engagement with God;resolved union among saints; - thorough sympathy with the ministry of the word ;enlarged expectation;-and great prayerfulness.

Seventhly. The author calls attention to the advancement of religion by the church; -by the full exhibition of Christian character;-by the devoted exhibition of Christian institutions;-by a supreme regard to the interests of the church universal ;by combined and resolved efforts for the expansion of the church-there must be an aggressive movement on the world-the life of the church must permeate through all existing means —— means which have been neglected, or perhaps not recognised, must be employed-there should be a concerted and determined effort to secure more public attention to the claims of religion-special means may be necessary under special circumstances-every Christian must combine in the use of suitable means for the advancement of religion by the church.

Eighthly. We are invited to the important topic of the advancement of religion in the nation. How may this be done? Religion should be preached to the people as it is, it should be preserved in a state of perfect separation from the world, it should be identified with our common welfare as a people, and it should be marked by a more direct movement of the church on the masses of the people. The considerations which should constrain to this service, are the state of the country, the benefits which have been conferred on it, its responsibility, the indications of an encouraging description

which exist in the midst of us, and the thought that it is our country that demands our help.

Ninthly. We have the advancement of religion in the world. The sphere is vast. How is its salvation to be accomplished? There is the truth-the truth of God;there is the human agency,—the labours of the ministry should be more equalized to the claims of the world-the work of converting the world should be effected by the church-intercourse among religious communities and churches should be maintained -the resources of the church should be made to bear upon the masses of the world's population-the church herself should act in masses-the employment of native agency must become general-missionaries must have a more exact and decided preparation -and the efforts of the church to convert the world must be brought more fully under the observation of the world. Finally, there is divine agency provided as a means to our object.

Tenthly. We have the certainty and glory of the consummation. We have thus given the outline of the author's plan, which we think is excellent, and will commend itself to all, as something very powerful if not original. May the following spirited appeals of our reverend friend be greatly blessed :

"O church of the living God, awake, awake! Is not the time actually come, which we were anticipating ? When wilt thou awake, if not now? Is it not enough, that thou hast slumbered long already, while thy Saviour has been waiting for thee, and millions have perished without thine aid? Is it not enough, that, by negligence, strife, and carnal indulgence, thou hast been long the scorn, and not the terror, of thine adversaries? Is it not enough, that thou hast wandered long, miserable and disconsolate, in the homeless wilderness? Lift up thine eyes! The land of rest, and peace, and promise, is before thee! Providence calls thee; occasion waits on thee; the wide world solicits thee! Old dynasties and old idolatries, which bathed their heads in heaven, are mouldering at thy feet; and all things invite thee to universal empire and supernal glory!

"O Spirit of the living God! wait not for a dilatory church; but graciously now prepare her for supplementary and consummate grace. Awaken her to a conception of thy mind and sympathy with thy designs. Give her the heart of penitential love and perfect devotedness. Heal all her strifes by the waters of the sanctuary, and pervade all her members as one life-all-seeing, all-mighty, and all-glorious. Show her her vocation, and gird her to its accomplishment. Give the mighty heart and perfect faith, to which conflict is easy, and victory certain. And

when the last victory is won, and the last enemy conquered, and the world presented to the Saviour, let no hand be seen, no mercy adored but THINE!" P. 365.

The BIBLE CYCLOPÆDIA: or, Illustrations of the Civil and Natural History of the Sacred Writings, by reference to the Manners, Customs, Rites, Traditions, Antiquities, and Literature of Eastern Nations. In 2 vols., small folio.

John W. Parker, West Strand.

We have been well acquainted with the steps by which this valuable companion to the Holy Scriptures has been conducted through its several stages to its ultimate completion. The original editor, who was removed by death before the last sheets had gone to press, we had the happiness of knowing for many years; and we can bear testimony, from personal knowledge, that few men were better qualified for preparing such a work for the press, than he who now slumbers in the dust. He had devoted the greater part of his time to biblical studies, and had made very respectable attainments in most of the Oriental languages. His reading was all of one kind, as he had contracted a decided taste for those writings which tended to illustrate the sacred text, or to shed light upon the natural history, geography, customs, and manners referred to in the inspired writings.

"In the preparation of this work," he observes, "it has been the aim of the editor to make it, to the utmost of his ability, a useful companion to the Bible,-a companion, however, not in the sense of a master or equal, but of a ministering attendant. He is not one of those who consider the word of God without note or comment, so far as relates to the great doctrines of salvation, as either defective, equivocal, or obscure. On the contrary, he believes that, notwithstanding all the disadvantages of translation, a foreign idiom, and an Oriental drapery, it is, in every really important point, full, unambiguous, and clear. A distinction should, however, always be made between its history and its poetry, between its doctrines and its allusions. The transparent and vigorous simplicity of the former requires little aid from learned.labours: the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein. But, besides its history and its doctrine, or, in other words, its facts, moral principles, precepts, and promises connected with these facts, the Bible abounds in allusions, geographical, historical, and analogical; and those, together with prophecy and its accomplishment, form the proper field for biblical interpretation."

After a careful examination of this Bible Cyclopædia, and a comparison of it with

VOL. XXI.

other similar productions of human industry, we are disposed to give it the decided preference. It not only embraces all the information contained in the older works; but includes, also, whatever modern travel, research, and growing acquaintance with Oriental literature has contributed to the stock of our biblical knowledge. Its hermeneutical character is of a very high order, indicating, in no slender degree, the skill in sacred criticism possessed by the lamented editor.

"The illustration," says he, "of the Holy Scriptures must be considered an object of paramount importance to every devoted Christian. The varied stores of information which have been accumulating for ages in the numerous works relating to the civil and ecclesiastical history of ancient empires, the interesting and valuable researches of modern travellers, particularly those relating to Egypt, have for this purpose been carefully examined,and the results placed before the inquirer, combining and condensing at the same time the works of numerous writers on all subjects within the range of biblical investigation.

"In duly estimating the importance of critical and philological research, in clearing away some of the obscurities of the Scriptures, the editor considers the Bible in its structure, spirit, and character, to be essentially an Eastern book; and, therefore, the natural phenomena and moral condition of the East should be made largely tributary to its elucidation. In order to appreciate fully the truth of its descriptions, and the accuracy, force, and beauty of its various allusions, it is indispensable that the reader, as far as possible, separate himself from his ordinary associations, and place himself, by a kind of mental transmigration, in the very circumstances of the writers. He must sit down in the midst of Oriental scenery, gaze upon the sun, sky, mountains, and rivers of Asia, go forth with the nomade tribes of the desert, follow their flocks, travel with their caravans, rest in their tents, lodge in their khans, load and unloose their camels, drink at their wells, repose during the heat of noon under the shade of their palms, cultivate the fields with their own rude implements, gather in or glean after their harvests, beat out and ventilate the grain in their open threshing floors, dress in their costume, note their proverbial or idiomatic forms of speech, and listen to the strains of song or poetry with which they beguile the vacant hours. In a word, he must surround himself with, and transform himself into all the forms, habits, and usages of Oriental life. In this way only can he catch the sources of their imagery, or enter into full communion with the genius of the sacred penman."

On these sound principles is the "Bible Cyclopædia" constructed; and we are constrained to bear this deliberate testimony re

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