never-failing Almighty friend. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, is big with the deepest wisdom - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and an upright heart, that is understanding.' This is eternally true, whether the wits and rakes of Cambridge allow it or not; nay, I must add of this religious wisdom, Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.' Hold fast, therefore, by this sheet anchor of happiness, religion; you will often want it in the times of most danger, the storms and tempests of life. Cherish true religion as preciously as you will fly, with abhorrence and contempt, superstition and enthusiasm. The first is the perfection and glory of human nature, the two last, the depravation and disgrace of it. Remember, the essence of religion is, a heart void of offence towards God and man; not subtle speculative opinions, but an active vital principle of faith." We would not willingly do injustice either to Chesterfield or Walpole; and lest we should seem to do so, we remind our readers that remarks occur now-and-then in their writings, which might seem to imply some degree of homage to the Gospel, but which, when taken in connection with their sayings and doings, it is to be feared come to nothing. Both of them were bland hypocrites; men whose artificial politeness did not allow of their affronting their company, so that though they would rally a believer in Christianity with polished sarcasm, they took care not to let their infidelity get the better of their good-breeding. We have often heard Hannah More mention some of Lord Orford's irreverent witticisms, which however we will not repeat; yet in apparent seriousness he presented "Saintly Hannah," as he used to call her, with a splendid Bible, inscribed, "To his excellent friend Miss Hannah More, this book, which he knows to be the dearest object of her study, and by which, to the great relief and comfort of numberless afflicted and distressed individuals, she has profited beyond any person with whom he is acquainted, is offered as a mark of his esteem and gratitude, by her sincere and obliged humble servant, Horace Earl of Orford, 1795." Hannah More gave or bequeathed this Bible to Lord Teignmouth; who, like her, did know how to value it; and for an inspired reason which Walpole did not understand; not merely that it teaches pity for the afflicted, and in general the love of our neighbour, but that "It is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." We might adduce many proofs from Walpole's history that we did not accuse him unjustly of insincerity. We remember, among other passages, a letter to Woodfall, entreating him not to continue to print extracts in his Newspaper from his tragedy of the Mysterious Mother, a horrible story of incest and other crimes, saying that it is "a disgusting subject," and that he " has been endeavouring to suppress it as much as lies in his power," and he offers Woodfall money not to quote from it or to mention it. All this sounded well; for what could an author do more than express his sorrow, and try to cancel his book? Yet at the very time when this letter was written, Walpole had already splendidly printed at his own press this very tragedy in the first volume of his collected works, intended for sale; so that it would seem that he only wished to prevent the Newspaper extracts, that the work itself might not be forestalled. We will give another instance of his insincerity more in point to our remarks. He says, in one of his letters : "I go to church sometimes, in order to induce my servants to go. A good moral sermon may instruct and benefit them; I only set them an example of listening, not of believing." Thus with his domestics and neighbours he reaped credit by going to church; while he takes care that his free-thinking friends shall be apprised that he meant nothing by it. Voltaire, with similar hypocrisy, went to church and received the sacrament. We cannot then give Lord Orford credit for religious sincerity, even should a sentiment of somewhat better cast than ordinary occur in his writings, especially in his letters to Hannah More. We must say the same of Chesterfield, who occasionally writes something which, if it stood alone, might be taken for a recognition of the claims of Christianity. Thus, when he was asked at Brussels, by a lady whom Voltaire invited him to sup with, how it was that the English Parliament, consisting of several hundred well-informed men, could tolerate so great an absurdity as the Christian Religion, he replied, "I suppose because they have not been able to substitute anything better in its stead." It may be feared that he had more at heart the shrewdness of the retort than a grave intention to declare his belief that the Gospel is a Divine revelation. Bishop Horne says that he once told Lady Fanny Shirley, in a serious discourse which they had on the evidences of Christianity, that there was one which he thought could not be got over, the present state of the Jews. He might well feel that there is great weight in this argument; it is an argument which must press upon the boldest infidel; and one which acquires force as prophecy becomes gradually unfolded. Chesterfield had heard much Scriptural truth from Lady F. Shirley, and her devout relative, Lady Huntingdon; as Walpole did from Hannah More, who, at her very last interview with him, urged him to read Law's "Serious Call;" but whether with any salutary effect, or only to the sealing of their condemnation, must be left to the Searcher of hearts to decide. No favourable evidence is on record. Hannah More, in mentioning his death in a letter to her sister, could only say: "Poor Lord Orford! I could not help mourning for him, as if I had not expected it; but twenty years' kindness and pleasant correspondence cannot be given up without emotion." We should lament to have transcribed this remark, if we could not add the following: "I am not sorry now that I never flinched from any of his ridicule or attacks, or suffered them to pass without rebuke. At our last meeting I made him promise to buy Law's Serious Call. His playful wit, his various knowledge, his polished manners, alas! what avail they now! The most serious thoughts are awakened. Oh that he had known and believed the things that belonged to his peace! My heart is much oppressed with the reflection." These solemn reflections pressed heavily upon her; for we have heard her twenty or thirty years after speak to the same effect, and with deep feeling. We are glad to say that there are none of her letters in the auctioneer's catalogue; Walpole having directed in his will, with good feeling, that all letters in his possession should be returned to the writers if they claimed them, which Hannah More did; and she also refused to give up his to his executors for publication. Of Chesterfield, about the best strain of remark which we remember is the following; but it is painfully unsatisfactory. "I consider my present wretched old age as a just compensation for the follies, not to say sins, of my youth. At the same time I am thankful that I feel none of those torturing ills which frequently attend the last stage of life; and I flatter myself that I shall go off quietly, but I am sure with resignation. My stay in this world cannot be long. God, who placed me here, only knows when he will order me out of it; but whenever he does, I shall willingly obey his commands. I wait for it, imploring the mercy of my Creator, and deprecating his justice. The best of us must trust to the former, and dread the latter. I think I am not afraid of my journey's end: but I will not answer for myself, when the object draws very near, and is very sure. For when one does see death near, let the best or the worst people say what they please, it is a serious consideration. The Divine attribute of mercy, which gives us comfort, cannot make us forget, nor ought it, the attribute of justice, which must blend some fears with our hope." And was this all? REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. ON CHRISTIAN MISSIONS. 1. The Great Commission, or the Christian Church constituted and charged to convey the Gospel to the World. By the Rev. JOHN HARRIS, D.D., President of Cheshunt College, Author of "Mammon," &c. 1 Vol. London. 1842. (First Prize.) 2. Missions: their Authority, Scope, and Encouragement to which the second Prize, proposed by a recent Association, in Scotland, was adjudged. By the Rev. W. HAMILTON, Minister of Belgrave Chapel, Leeds. 1 Vol. London. 1842. 3. The Jubilee of the World. By the Rev. J. MACFARLANE, Minister of Collesse, Fifeshire; published at the recommendation of four of the Adjudicators of the Missionary Prize Essays, and under the sanction of the Committee. 1 Vol. Glasgow. 1842. 4. Christian Missions to Heathen Nations. By (the Hon. and Rev.) Baptist W. NOEL, M.A., Minister of St. John's, Bedford Row. London .1842. THE first three of these publications (and we should not disparage Mr. Noel in surmising the fourth also) originated in a proposal for inviting the attention of Christians to the momentous subject of missions by means of publications upon the subject; a premium of two hundred guineas being allotted for the best, and fifty guineas for the second best, Essay which should be sent in, upon "The Duty, Privilege, and Encouragement of Christians to send the Gospel of Salvation to the unenlightened nations of the earth." It was recommended that the essays thus submitted for friendly competition, should unfold and vindicate, from the sacred Scriptures, the grand object of Christian missions, the regeneration of a lost world through the all-sufficient atonement of the Lord our righteousness; should illustrate the duty and privilege of making known the Gospel to mankind, as enjoined or sanctioned by Divine commands, evangelical motives, and explicit prophecies, as well as recommended by a review of the beneficial effects of Christianity on the civilization of the world, and the reflex influence of missions in improving the spiritual . tone and condition of the Reformed Churches; and should point out, under the head of duty, the obligation to advance the kingdom of the Redeemer by means of prayer, counsel, pecuniary contributions, and personal services; and also answer the most plausible objections urged against missions. In order to demonstrate the Catholicity of the design, and to inspire confidence in the rectitude of the decision, the following gentlemen were requested, and consented, to become adjudicators, namely: the Rev. David Welsh, D.D., Professor of Church History in the University of Edinburgh; the Rev. Ralph Wardlaw, D.D., Glasgow; the Rev. Henry Melvill, B.D., Camberwell, late Fellow and Tutor of St. Peter's College, Cambridge; the Rev. Jabez Bunting, D.D., President of the Wesleyan Conference, London; and the Rev. Thomas S. Crisp, President of the Baptist College, Bristol. The plan was arranged in the name of the contributors to the fund, by Dr. M'Gill, Dr. Chalmers, and Dr. Duff. Forty-two compositions were sent in, and the first premium was adjudged to Dr. Harris; the second to Mr. Hamilton; and a special adjudication was made in the case of Dr. Macfarlane. Several other essays are stated to have contained much valuable matter, and some of them have been, or are likely to be, pub. lished. If Mr. Noel's was among the number, it is possible that his business-like matter-of-fact volume might not appear so fully to meet the terms of the requisition as the essays to which the premiums were adjudged. We shall not undertake the unnecessary and invidious office of attempting to point out the respective merits of the several volumes before us. Each writer has followed his own train of thought and illustration in his own way, and with good effect; and has supplied much important information and cogent stimulus and we trust that by the Divine blessing great benefit will accrue to the cause of missions from their several and united labours. But a question arises upon the whole proceeding, upon which it may be expected that we should offer an opinion. Without undervaluing whatever is good in any communion of Christians, it has always been our firm conviction that more good would be effected, and less schism generated, by Christians of various bodies employing their zeal and energies where they can act with the fullest devotion of heart and hand, than by attempting ill-assorted coalitions. This doctrine we have maintained in regard to schools, tract societies, and missionary societies; the circulation of the sacred Scriptures without note or comment being almost the only religious object in which Christians of various communions can readily co-operate, without danger of injurious collision; and even in this exempt case, experience has unhappily proved that the excellency of the principle does not always prevent some friction in the machinery. Education cannot be neutral; tracts ought not to be neutral, where important truths are concerned; and least of all can missions be neutral, for they necessarily involve almost every question, not only of doctrine but of discipline. The London Missionary Society attempted the experiment; but it signally failed; for the members of the Church of England found it necessary to have their own mission; the Anti-pædo Baptists could not agree with their dissenting brethren respecting the baptism of households, or the mode of baptizing adults, and therefore set up a special mission; the Wesleyan Methodists did not approve of the Calvinistic opinions of Independents or Baptists, and they too instituted a Methodist mission; so that the London Missionary Society, though still aided by individuals of various classes, is in the aggregate the Missionary institution of Calvinistic Congregationalists. These are plain facts; and to say that they ought not to be so will not alter their character. Not indeed that the Church of Christ should rest satisfied with such a state of disunion; which indicates the imperfection and remaining sinfulness even of the regenerate; but while the disunion exists, peace, we are persuaded, is best promoted, and efficiency secured, by each doing its own work conscientiously as in the sight of God, and to the best of his ability, without strife or debate, instead of laying down irresolute compromising plans, in which none can heartily co-operate. But this is chiefly a practical matter; for there may be cordial union in essential principles, where there would be confusion and schism in working out details. And here we discern a legitimate opening for the present volumes; and the same remark applies to the several opinions above alluded to. The Pædobaptist and anti-Pædo-baptist may be at one as to the duty of dedicating their children to God; though they separate when they proceed to carry out that principle. Episcopalians and Congregationalists, Calvinists and Arminians, the advocates of National Church Establishments and Voluntaries, may all go hand in hand as to the obligation of providing scriptural education for the people; though they are not thereby one step nigher to a feasible plan of mutual co-operation in setting up CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 53. And and conducting schools. thus in the special case before us. We took up these volumes with a pre-determination to yield nothing of what we believe to be sacred truth to a hollow compromise; but none is required. The adjudicators of these prizes, and the writers of these volumes, are not required to carry on a Missionary institution which shall merge their distinctive opinions; but retaining those opinions, and acting consistently upon them, they may still urge the general duty incumbent upon all Christians, to endeavour to promote their Divine Master's glory, and to make known his salvation to the ends of the earth. It is not the question whether Dr. Welsh, the Presbyterian; Dr. Wardlaw, the Independent; Mr. Melvill, the Episcopalian; Dr. Bunting, the Methodist; or Mr. Crisp, the Baptist; is right as to his specific tenets; but indubitably he is right in maintaining that the Church of Christ ought to be a Missionary institution. Thus limiting the application of these volumes, we gratefully accept them as a valuable boon to the Christian Church; and without further ado we shall proceed to extract a few pages of their respective contents. We cannot attempt an outline of facts and arguments which fill more than eighteen hundred pages; much less enter upon the numerous questions which have occurred to our minds in perusing them. A few desultory extracts, however, we can select; and these will be more interesting to our readers than any reflections which we could offer upon them. In replying to objections urged against Missionary undertakings, all three of the Prize Essayists refer to those connected with particular opinions respecting the divine purposes and expositions of un 2 R |