not responsible for their belief;" that the light of nature is a sufficient guide in matters of religion; that if we act according to our conscience we can not err; that if the life be right it is no matter what one thinks or believes about religion; that religion is the creature of education; that there are so many religions and religious opinions in the world that we can not decide on their respective claims; that religion is unworthy of credit because its credibility depends on human testimony; that if God desire the happiness of men and can not effect it, his power is impeached, while if He can and will not, his goodness is equally impeached; and, finally, that religion is a gross delusion. The refutation of these maxims is triumphantly achieved by a clear and searching analysis of each in its order. The author next examines into the origin and tendencies of Infidelity, its influence on social and domestic happiness and on the eternal welfare of mankind, concluding by a chapter on the general nature of truth in its bearing on human destiny. He has done, we think, in this work, good service to the cause of religion. His book is the more needed because the infidel maxims of which it treats infest society, and have even gained some foothold in the church. They are springing up everywhere like weeds in the garden, and threaten by their rank growth to choke the tender plants of grace. Any thing to be rid of them. Our author's endeavor is manful and triumphant. He shows clearly that while specious and plausible in appearance, these maxims are really false and pernicious. In the crucible of his analysis they utterly disappear, and his book is worthy of being bought and read for its lucid and logical refutation of them. He writes in a fluent and graceful style, always interesting and sometimes truly elegant. We are more disposed to find fault with the binding than with the book. We should indeed have thought ourselves unfortunate in the particular copy we obtained, had not our experience of late been similar with other books from the same bindery. In argumentative works, loose leaves may suggest the idea of loose arguments. The buyer will at least rise from the perusal with as cordial a dissatisfaction in the one case as in the other. The Early Conflicts of Christianity. By the Rev. WM. INGRAHAM KIP, D.D., Author of "The Christmas Holidays at Rome," "The Double Witness of the Church," "The Lenten Fast," "The Early Jesuit Missions in North America," etc., etc.—79 vizuv xai ira vez. New York: D. Appleton & Co., 200 Broadway. Philadelphia: Geo. S. "Appleton, 164 Chesnut street. London: Longman, Brown & Co., Paternoster-Row. 1850. pp. 288. THERE are certain prejudices arising from the very circumstances in which man is placed in this world of probation; there are certain "foregone conclusions" made by our inclinations rather than by our judgments; there are certain modes of thought, habits and feeling, and forms of the association of ideas, contracted in the very development of the mind, which make men everywhere disinclined to the reception of Christianity. With these, by an easy personification, Christianity may be said to have a conflict. But these pre-judgments if we may use this word as a general term to embrace all those various states of the mind which preoccupy and in some sense disqualify it to apprehend and feel the truths of Christianity, have accidental variations dependent upon the age, the degree of civilization, civil and religious institutions, modes of life and education; and the like. Now it is the object of this work, to describe those peculiarities hostile to Christianity which prevailed in the minds of men at the time Christianity was first propounded for reception. The human mind, at that period, was preoccuppied with religious opinions, with philosophical doctrines, with associations, with prejudices, which were peculiar to that age, and peculiarly opposed to Christianity. At the same time, there were distinctions among these peculiarities. Christianity would meet with one kind of obstacle in the mind of the Jew, and with another in the mind of the Gentile; while in the latter case it would make a material difference whether the individual was bred under the influence of Athenian philosophy, of Corinthian licentiousness, or of Barbarian ignorance. Dr. Kip has divided his subject on this principle, and accordingly he describes the conflicts which Christianity carried on with "Judaism," with "Grecian Philosophy," "with the Licentious Spirit of the Age," "with Barbarism." and, as common to the whole heathen world, "with Pagan Mythology." The work itself is of course divided into as many parts, which together form a natural and consistent whole. The manner of treating these several topics is somewhat different, perhaps, from what most readers would have anticipated. It consists in a vivid portraiture of the various external scenes, under the influence of which the human mind at that period was developed. Indeed the work is composed of a series of paintings, the subjects of which are taken from whatever is beautiful in ancient life and manners. To present an example of this, and at the same time to give a fuller view of the contents of the book, we refer to the account of the conflict of Christianity with "Judaism." The author first describes the more important Jewish rites and ceremonies; he next speaks of the antiquity of the law, under which topic the sublime circumstances which attended its promulgation are delineated: next, the feasts are described, particularly the Feast of Tabernacles and the yearly gathering of the people at Jerusalem at the Feast of Passover; next, the Temple and the Temple-worship; and, finally, in accordance with the notions entertained by the Jews, the predicted reign of the Messiah in the most glorious of earthly kingdoms. So, too, in speaking of the conflict of Christianity with "Grecian Philosophy," the author opens before the reader a gallery of pictures, each of which forms a part of one general subject. First, the reader is presented with a sketch of the natural features of the country; then, the Pnyx, the Agora, the Theater pass before him: then there follows a scene from daily life representing the sophists disputing and the rhapsodists reciting: then, a gorgeous view of the Olympic Games, with Herodotus reading his history and Thucydides a listener. This completes one series of the paintings. Another series presents Saint Paul on "Mars' Hill, surrounded by every thing that was lofty and intellectual in the queen of cities." Interposed between the two series is a sketch necessarily brief and in a style less poetical, of Grecian Philosophy itself. This is the manner in which the subject is treated throughout the book. The scene of the conflict with the Licentious Spirit of the Age," is laid at Corinth-of that "with Pagan Mythology," at Rome. And whatever in each of those cities can be used with pictorial effect, is most skillfully wrought into the picture. But it is not necessary for us to enumerate the details. Dr. Kip has sought to reproduce the Past in its material forms as a living reality; and, in this, he is quite successful. But he leaves to his readers the more difficult task of reproducing the Past in its spiritual forms. Unquestionably, a knowledge of the external circumstances under which life is past, is a necessary prerequisite to a knowledge of the intellectual and moral condition of a people at any particular period; but not necessarily does it give that knowledge. Without intending to find fault with Dr. Kip for not doing what he did not profess to do, we may be permitted to say, that the disquisition, if it had unfolded the workings of the mind with as much success as it has depicted the external circumstances under which the mind worked, would have been more complete and would more surely have attained its object. The style in which the work is written deserves some comment. The author seems to look at every object with the eye of an artist. It is almost amusing to observe with what instinctive appetency his mind fastens upon every thing which is capable of producing a pictorial effect in a sentence or paragraph. We select a single example-not for its beauty though it is beautiful-but to show the skill with which the picturesque views afforded by the subject are presented. The author is speaking of the Olympic Games. After describing the assembling of the crowds from "their home upon the continent -from the shores of Asiatic Ionia-from the colonies which luxurious Corinthi had spread through the Mediterranean-and from the islands of the broad Agean" he brings before us Herodotus, "who has returned from his long sojourn in the East and among the antique temples of Egypt, and he holds in his hand that picturesque narrative which has made him immortal." It was a beautiful incident that Thucydides was present at the real scene. Hence we have him introduced into the picture. "The young Thucydides is there-the tears which fall from his eyes are a proud homage to the writer's genius—and perhaps the remembrance of that hour induced him in after years himself to frame the tragic story of his country's fall-a history which in its commencement he declires to be an everlasting heir-loom for the future." But the narrative of Herodotus is "picturesque." Hence we are permitted to read somewhat of its contents,-" Of the monuments of those ancient dynasties which had passed away-the colossal temples of Ipsambul and Thebes-the Babylonian gardens-and the mysterious pyramids of Egypt." "They," the auditors of Herodotus, “hear with superstitious awe of the solemn rites of the Magi on their mountain-tops-of deities whose very name no lip must utter— and of the dread secrets of the Egyptian priests, which they had graven with a pen of iron on their own antique monuments." We might cut short our extracts at this point, so far as our immediate object is concerned, but the remainder of the description is so beautiful that we present it to our readers as a fair specimen of the manner in which Dr. Kip handles a topic. It "But he comes to scenes which awaken an interest even more intense. is the glowing narrative of their country's glory. They trace the progress of the Persian host as it spreads over the land, and its fleet, in all the luxury of Asiatic pomp, sails slowly along the deserted shores. Nature seems to yield to their sway-the mountains are cut through-the seas are bridged—the rivers of the plain are drained to quench the thirst of these countless thousandswhile desolation and famine follow in their path. But the hour of retribution is at hand. He leads his hearers to the pass of Thermopyle, and with stormy brow and flashing eye they hear the story of its gallant deeds. He pictures to them the plain of Marathon-the gay armor of the Medes, 'whose very name in Greece had hitherto excited terror'-the solemn hush for vows, and sacrifice, and prayer-the loud clang of the trumpets-the desperate onsetthe millions of Asia scattered like dust before the wind-when suddenly his voice is drowned by the deafening response of excited thousands. The children of those who won the fight can not restrain their shouts of patriotic enthusiasm. Again the scene has changed, and he points them to the Bay of Salamis-the serried order of the Grecian fleet-the furious attack-the flying Persians and the grief and indignation of Xerxes, as, from his lofty throne upon the shore, far off and impotent, he saw his power buried beneath the waters. Look at the strong contortions of countenance with which they hear the tale, and the impassioned gestures in which they give vent to their emotions. Do you wonder? Those wild hands, now flung upward in delight, grasped spear and sword on that memorable day. See the multitude turn from the historian with one spontaneous move, to hail a majestic personage who sits among the audience. Can they withhold their praise? That is Themistocles, the leader of their fleet, when, in the words of a warrior-poet who fought that day 'from every Greek with glad acclaim Burst forth the song of war, whose lofty notes Spreading dismay through Persia's hosts.'"-pp. 106-108. This surely is beautiful; and the whole book is made up of just such picturesque descriptions. In truth, there are too many of them. However beautiful each individual scene may be, the whole together palls upon the mind. Although Dr. Kip has a keen perception of the beautiful, we have observed a great many inaccuracies and even inelegances of style. We shall mention some of them, for in such a writer they are not to be passed over. We find such expressions as these: "the Church sprang up from every struggle with fresh strength for the next;" it should have been from each struggle, as every has no next: "the Israelites were withdrawn from the rest of their fellowbeings:" "the highest culminating point:" "the mass of the whole people:" "every where that man is found:"they appealed to the imagination like the trophies of Miltiades to the mind of Themistocles:" "the rebuilding the demolished walls of Athens:" "the remodelling those forms of ancient worship:" "and now they waited for the hour when He should be revealed in His glory and sitting on the throne of David reign over a kingdom" it should have been, should reign. Ellipsis in cases like this, however common, is improper: "a single other sect sums up the number of those among the Palestine Jews." Our author nowhere uses the demonstrative and possessive pronouns with any great felicity. We can not but regard the following expressions as wanting in elegance: "to build up a list of traditions;" "to strike a deadly blow at a dream" "to mould up the brooding hopes of vengeance;" "to mould up a creed;"" to mould up the wild legend into a creed;" "But now we are obliged to change the scene and display the Apostle of the Gentiles while striving to impress the truth upon those who had no advantage of civilization." But we will not proceed farther; we were sorry to see such blemishes in a style which has many and great excellencies. We cheerfully commend the work to the attention of our readers, for we think they will be much interested in it. The Doctrine of the Church of England as to the effects of Baptism in the case of Infants. With an Appendix containing the Baptismal Services of Luther and the Nuremberg and Cologne Liturgies. By WILLiam Goode, M.A., F.S.A., Rector of St. Antholin, London. New York: Stanford & Swords. 1850. pp. 562. THE little church of "St. Antholin" in London, has a historic celebrity. Not its least distinction is that it was assigned by the Parliament in 1640 to the Commissioners from Scotland, whose negotiations with Charles I. for the liberty and ecclesiastical independence of that kingdom had been transferred from Ripon to London, and who as representing a foreign state in the metropolis of England had a right to perform there their own national worship. Clarendon speaks with great bitterness of the crowds who resorted to St. Antholin's to see the naked simplicity of Scotch worship, and to be excited with the rugged and fervid energy of Scotch preaching. Either by accident, or by some peculiarity like that which perpetuates Calvinistic doctrine and not high churchism in St. Stephen's, Coleman Street, where the presentation to the living is in the hands of the parishoners, and where Josiah Pratt, of "the Clapham Sect," was the last successor of John Davenport, the rector of St. Antholin in these days is none other than William Goode, whose doctrine as to the way of salvation, as we understand him, is of the same sort with that which was preached there two hundred and ten years ago by the fiery Alexander Henderson. Mr. Goode is widely and favorably known in this country by his very thorough work on the "Divine Rule of Faith and Practice," a work which no Tractarian has attempted to answer. The work now before us is of the same sort with that-thorough and very difficult to be answered. Episcopalians in this country, of the evangelical party, can not but be greatly obliged to the long established house of Stanford and Swords, whose imprimatur has great authority in the Church,' for bringing out this American edition of the ablest work on their side in the controversy to which it relates. The drift of the book is to show that the Tractarian doctrine of baptismal regeneration—the doctrine which Bishop Philpotts has attempted to enforce in his diocese the doctrine "that every child baptized is ipso facto regenerated in the Scriptural sense of that term"-was not at all the doctrine of those who framed the Anglican Liturgy, catechism and articles, nor the doctrine of the great dignitaries, leading divines of the Church of England from the refor mation to the age of Laud; and that since that age the doctrine introduced by Laud has been constantly repudiated, not only by the evangelical party but by eminent divines and dignitaries of the Arminian school. And the conclusion is, that the formularies of the English Church were framed with the intent of permitting the members and ministers of that Church to enjoy much liberty of opinion in regard to the effect of infant baptism-a conclusion which is doubtless good against the Bishop of Exeter, and is sanctioned by the final decision of the case between his lordship and Mr. Gorham. But there is another question which Mr. Goode can not so simply dispose of. It is a question between the evangelical party in the Church of England and evangelical men in other churches. The question is, What does the baptismal service of your church mean-not as interpreted by a reference to the opinions of its compilers-not as expounded from a Calvinistic pulpit-not as the Church permits it to be violently construed-but as it is naturally construed by a confiding congregation of English peasants, or of English shopkeepers and artisans, whose religion is taken from the prayer-book more than from the Bible? Expository Lectures on the Epistle to the Ephesians. By the Rev. ROBERT J. MCGHEE, A.M., M.R.I.A. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 285 Broadway. New Haven: T. H. Pease. 1849. THIS is a reprint from the second edition of a practical and devotional commentary on the Ephesians by a clergyman of the English Church, formerly living in Ireland and now in England. The lectures were delivered extemporaneously during a period of ill health and in the Infant School-House at Bray near Dublin. They were taken down by a short-hand writer, and afterwards published by the author, without much revision. This is the reason why many sentences consisting of parts are cut up in printing, so as very much to confuse the reader. With regard to doctrinal views, the author belongs to the Calvinistic school, and more than once expresses himself with the greatest earnestness against the other Gospel' of forms which threatens to destroy religion in his Church. The defects of the work are an occasional want of felicity in penetrating into the meaning of the Apostle, and a certain vagueness and prolixity arising from the want of a thorough philological foundation. On the whole, however, the work is deserving of the highest praise. We have read none for a long time, which seemed to be in so high a degree the free outpouring of sincere religious emotion. Nor does it consist of mere emotion it abounds in fine original remarks and happy illustrations, and is, we think, one of the best books we have ever taken in hand for private reading. We hope that the excellent author, whose soul seems devoted to his work, may long live to bear a testimony in his church to the truths which Paul preached and loved. Daily Bible Illustrations; being Original Readings for a Year, on subjects from Sacred History, Biography, Geography, Antiquities and Theology. Especially designed for the Family Circle. By JOHN KITTO, D.D., F.S.A., Editor of "The Pictorial Bible," "Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature," etc., etc. tediluvians and Patriarchs. New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, No. 285 Broadway. 1850. An THIS work is composed of short papers on particular passages of the Scriptures. These passages are for the most part historical, and have been selected so as to present the events which are commented upon in the order of their |