Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Here they have his biography. The book tells them how he spent his early life, how he loved hunting in the woods, how early he crossed the mountains and made a settlement in what is now Kentucky, how he dealt with the Indians, what hairbreadth escapes he made, what strange sights he saw, and how, after people began to settle Kentucky, he removed to Missouri, and there died in 1818. He was a singular man, and his biography, as here related, abounds in striking events.

15.-Invitation to True Happiness, and Motives for becoming a Christian. By JOEL PARKER, D. D., Pastor of the ClintonStreet Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia. New York: Harper and Brothers. 1844. pp. 157, 18mo.

Dr. Parker is a forceful writer. All that he has published has been acceptable and useful. The present volume bears the impress of his mind. It is lucid and attractive, and eminently successful in impressing the invitation to true happiness. No one can read the book without a conviction that the author is right; and every one who reads, must feel, that "sin is incompatible with present happiness," and that the only basis of real enjoyment is in penitence for sin, faith in Christ, and a consequent religious life. The chapters embrace the following subjects-Desire of Happiness addressed-Man constituted for Happiness-Happiness AttainableA Leading Motive for Becoming a Christian-Sin Incompatible with Present Happiness-The Unhappy Consequences of Sin-Happiness of a Religious Life-Consequences of a Religious Life-The Wisdom of Promptness.

We wish that every impenitent man would give it a perusal.

16.-Woman's Worth; or Hints to Raise the Female Character. First American from the last English edition, with a Recommendatory Notice by Emily Marshall. New York: D. Appleton & Co. Philadelphia: Geo. S. Appleton. 1844. pp. 180, 18mo.

"Woman's Worth,"-what a theme! How has the worth of woman been enhanced by Christianity, and how is it destined yet more to shine, under the expanding and elevating influence of a Christian education! This volume, we think, may do much toward directing the thoughts of woman into a right channel; and as topics of great interest are here treated in a winning and useful manner, we trust it will fall into the hands of thousands of those for whom it is intended.

66

Such topics as the following occur: "Influence of Woman "— Society "-"Books "_" Home "—" Dress "—" Trials and Temptations," etc. etc. The mind has indeed thrown off the trammels with which the iron middle ages had bound it, and is now upon the stretch and eager to possess knowledge in some form. It rests with parents and teachers whether they will supply that which is good for food, or that enticing fruit which looks so fair and beautiful, but which, like that fabled to grow upon the Dead Sea's shore, turns to ashes in the mouth." Of Books, the author says: "What a host of romances, and tales, and poems, which work no other effect on the mind than to fill it with fancies and follies!" "If a book is offered to any, which in their conscience they cannot approve, let it be set aside as unworthy of perusal; never let the cleverness of a work be an apology for infidelity. That, which to mention, would call a blush to the cheek, is not fit to be read in secret. Books like these may properly be called the works of an enchantress, who seeks to destroy, by giving a beauty to infidelity and a melody to crime; and all may, if they will, go down to the cave of the wizard, and drink of that draught which fires the imagination and causes those who drink to pant for fresh draughts, though thus to fire the imagination is to shrivel up virtue, and to drink of those draughts is to poison the veins."

17. Grace abounding to the chief of Sinners, in a faithful account of the Life and Death of John Bunyan, with additions. From the London Edition. New York: M. W. Dodd. 1844. pp. 176. 18mo.

"Grace abounding," or the autobiography of Bunyan, will, we think, be acceptable to the Christian public and more especially now, as Mr. Cheever's Lectures on Bunyan have awakened a new interest in this wonderful monument of grace. It will be a suitable companion for those lectures, and we anticipate for Mr. Dodd a rapid and extensive sale. Many have read the Pilgrim's Progress who have never seen this work but the one illustrates the other and ought to accompany it.

It will do the soul of any one good to read Bunyan's simple story of his early wickedness, his strong temptations, his deliverances, his mercies, his assumption of the office of preaching, his persecutions, his twelve years' imprisonment, his tried yet trusting feelings, his humility and his joy.

18.-Narrative of the Texan Santa Fé Expedition, comprising a Description of a Tour through Texas and across the great South-western Prairies, the Camanche and Caygüa Hunting Grounds, with an account of the Sufferings from want of Food, Losses from hostile Indians, and final Capture of the Texans, and their March, as Prisoners, to the City of Mexico. With Illustrations and a Map. By GEO. WILKINS KENDALL. In two volumes. New York: Harper and Brothers. 1844. pp. 811,

12mo.

These volumes are well got up by the Harpers, and are certainly filled with matter of much interest. The title is sufficient, of itself, to give us a pretty good general indea of what is to be expected from a perusal of the book. We all remember the newspaper accounts of the sufferings of some of those poor fellows, whose story is here told. Many were disposed to think that they had foolishly and wickedly exposed themselves to the miseries they endured, by undertaking such an expedition, with the intent to interfere with the rights of Mexico. And however much they sympathized with them in their terrible trials, they could not but feel that they had been rash in their enterprises. Yet, granting that they were thus rash and blameworthy, the cruelties of the Mexicans were outrageous and merit the abhorrence of all civilized society.

Whatever may be said or thought of others, it seems clear that the author of these volumes was innocent of any participation in warlike designs, and accompanied the expedition with far other intentions. He has escaped to tell us a bloody, yet, in some respects, an interesting tale. We should have preferred more recognition of God's providence; but we know this is an uncommon thing at the present day.

19.-Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature. By JOHN KITTO, Editor of the "Pictorial Bible." Parts V. VI. New York: Mark H. Newman.

We have already noticed the character of this work, the reputation of its contributors, and the plan. We have only, therefore, to announce the fact of the issue of the fifth and sixth numbers, extending from "Berosh" to "Creation," and comprising exceedingly valuable information. We notice, under "Chronicles," "Corinthians," "Colossians," "Creation," that the articles in this work are, by no means, superficial, but thorough. The first is written by Rev. Samuel Davidson, LL. D.

20.-Memoirs of the Life and Ministry of the Rev. John Summerfield, A. M. By JOHN HOLLAND. With an Introductory Letter by James Montgomery. Together with Letters and Reminiscences not before published. Sixth edition. New York: D. Mead. 1844. pp. 460. 8mo.

This is a beautiful edition of the Memoirs of Summerfield, and contains 100 pages more of reminiscences, than any preceding edition. Few men have been so universally admired and loved as Summerfield, and we presume the publisher will be compensated for his painstaking in issuing the volume in so attractive a style. We have so recently and so favorably noticed a previous edition, that we shall be excused from further commendation.

21.-History of the Westminster Assembly of Divines. By the REV. W. A. HETHERINGTON, author of the "History of the Church of Scotland," etc. New York: Mark H. Newman. The volume is divided into five chapters, with an Appendix. I. Introductory. II. Meeting of the Westminster Assembly. III. The Independent Controversy. IV. The Erastian Controversy. V. Conclusion of the Westminster Assembly. Under these heads is embraced the entire history of this great assembly-certainly one of the greatest ever convened on earth. Mr. Hetherington, in an interesting style, introduces us to this venerable assembly, by a brief recapitulation of the principal events which led to its appointment; then graphically portrays the meeting itself, and recounts, at length, the controversies which occupied its attention, and its final dissolution. Every Presbyterian and every other man, who cares for ecclesiastical history, will desire to read this book, and ought to read it. And who will deny himself the pleasure and profit, when he can now procure it for twenty-five cents?

We believe it to be a faithful history, derived from the best sources-those most to be relied on. We quote a single passage: "Numerous and startling are the coincidences between the period of the Westminster Assembly and the present time. So strong are these that they force upon a reflecting mind the thought that all human events move in revolving circles, one age but reproducing a renewed aspect of the past. In England we see again the dread aspect of Laudean Prelacy, called indeed by a new name, Puseyism, but displaying all the fearful lineaments of its formidable predecessor, the same in its lofty pretensions, in its Popish tendencies, in its supercilious contempt of every other church, and in its persecuting spirit."

22.-The Necessity of the Reformation. By JOHN CALVIN. TO which is appended the Articles of Agreement on the Sacramentarian Question, between the Churches of Zurich and Geneva. Translated, with a Preface, by M. M. Backus. NewYork: Published by S. W. Bendict & Co. 1844.

We are indebted to M. H. Newman for a copy of this excellent treatise. It was originally addressed to the Emperor Charles V. and those convened in the Diet of Spires, urging upon that Diet a restoration of the church, and in a most masterly and forceful manner illustrating the whole controversy. It is characterized by Calvin's strength of intellect, and at the present time is well worthy of a place among the multifarious writings which are called forth by the state of the church. Calvin begins with an Introduction, then portrays the Disease—the Remedies-the Application of the Remedies. -The Agreement on the Sacramentarian Question, between Calvin and the Zurichers, forms an appropriate accompaniment of this address.

23.-A Dissertation on the Rule of Faith; delivered at Cincinnati, Ohio, at the Annual Meeting of the American Bible Society, and published at their request. By GARDINER SPRING, Pastor of the Brick Presbyterian Church, in the City of New York. New York: Leavitt, Trow & Co. 1844. pp. 104.

The design of this Dissertation is, "to compare the fallibility of the Church of Rome with the infallibility of the Sacred Scriptures, as a Rule of Falth" and it is sufficient to say of it that it is executed in Dr. Spring's usual masterly manner. The infallibility of Rome must hide itself in shame before the clear shining of the truth as here exhibited.

24.-The Tractarian and Evangelical Systems: considered as developments of the Letter that killeth and the Spirit that giveth Life. A Sermon preached in the Church of Monaghan, before the Lord Bishop of Clogher and the Clergy of his Diocese. By GEORGE SYDNEY SMITH, D. D., Rector of Aghalurcher-Professor of Biblical Greek, and formerly Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. Dublin: William Curry, Jun. & Co. London: Seeley, Burnside and Seeley. 1843.

Dr. Smith, who honorably and successfully, as we happen to know, fills the new professorship of Biblical Greek, in the University of Dublin, thus speaks, in the Preface to this

« ZurückWeiter »