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quality of the Author is good sense, of which we shall offer one instance. Attention to this rule would save reviewers much trouble. "Here it may be well to warn parents against the hasty adoption of all those books which profess to be simply Bible stories. It is a bold measure at any time to tamper with the words of Scripture, and, from the idea that they are mere words, to substitute one phrase for another. The attempt is hazardous, and the result generally most unsatisfactory. Instead of the simple, correct statement of the fact which Scripture gives you, you find a bald, pointless anecdote, or a highly garnished tale, in which the Patriarchs and Saints of old are made to express in words the thoughts or the motives which the commentator imagines that under the circumstances they probably entertained; and so when the child grows a little older, and begins to look out in the Bible for the originals of those stories which delighted his infant mind, he either finds that Abraham and Moses and Aaron are never asserted to have said or thought as he was led to suppose, or, that if they did, it was a far less circumstantial and satisfactorily familiar conversation than what he had previously learnt. He will take up

the Bible merely as a book of amusement; and, as such, will like it much less than the well-adorned and amplified story-book that he had known before."

Annals of Virgin Saints. By a Priest of the Church of England. London: Masters. Cambridge: Walters. Royal 18mo. pp. 416. 1846. To persons in a certain state of mind, we should earnestly counsel the abstaining from this little volume. The scoffer, and the sceptic, and the irreverent critic, who may even write Reverend before his name, should not open its pages; for it professes to give the lives of a class of persons, whom the parties referred to have already concluded in their own minds, are hypocrites and impostors. Such, therefore, have no right to read about them: to learn lessons of righteousness they have no intention; to indulge in ridicule and scoffings, even at the semblance of holiness, is a dangerous habit to the mind; it may be upon the very confines of the unpardonable sin against the HOLY GHOST.

Again, it may be argued, as it has been, not without some show of truth, against the translation of Romish books of devotion-that it is not prudent to present forms of piety to the admiration of the reader, for the imitation of which our existing religious system offers few or no facilities; whilst another contiguous system avowedly does offer such facilities.

To this objection, the Author of the present volume, we conceive, would reply-first, that the objection did not strictly apply to his publishing the work, but to certain individuals, who ought to be able to judge for themselves, reading it. Secondly, that the fruits of other systems should be fairly stated and candidly considered, especially in points like the present, where, if it were judged right, no impediment seems to exist why institutions of a conventual kind might not be naturalized among us.

Passing by this question, a more delicate one arises; viz., whether in introducing a subject notoriously likely to arouse the prejudices of a large party of persons, all that circumspection has been employed which the case deserved or the writer was capable of exercising. This is the point, we conceive, more than any other, on which a writer should be "fully persuaded in his own mind."

Touching the volume itself, we do not pronounce it faultless. But neither is the world so good that it can afford to lose the contemplation of so much Christian excellence as in this volume is portrayed, simply because the picture is not drawn by an unerring pencil. The annals, we should add, are so arranged as to present a continuous sketch of Church History, so far as regards its inner life, from the days of the Apostles to the middle of the seventeenth century; and is the work of one well skilled in composition.

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English History for Children. Cambridge J. Walters, 1845. THIS little book goes a certain length in supplying a deficiency that is much felt at present. Correcter views with regard to history have in the last ten years obtained, and a material change has taken place in the estimation of many of the famous people of England. People begin now to regard the personages of history rather as they are good than as they are successful, and a juster value is being put upon those little understood and unappreciated characters, which have exhibited in a world of sin the stern yet gentle lineaments of the Gospel. But this reform has not penetrated yet to a very important place the nursery. The young idea is still haunted with the terrors of Bloody Mary, and the cruel monks who scourged King Henry, and the imagination is courted by finely drawn pictures of Bluff King Harry, and Great Queen Bess. We ourselves well recollect the effect of a certain print upon our sympathies in early days. It represented a jolly looking monk, an equally jolly looking dame, and a touching gradation of little children all on their knees, before an austere prelate, who was scolding them in round terms. The whole being described as Anselm forbidding the priests to marry-a prohibition that seemed to be somewhat tardy.

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We said, that the present work goes a certain length in supplying a deficiency. Yet it is much too sketchy, and, in some places, bald. The characters at the end of each life do not coincide with the facts detailed-in short, a perfect History of England for the nursery or school room we do not consider it. There are marks of haste and carelessness throughout: e. g. at p. 174, the author declares that he has seen on the floor of a room in the Castle of Stirling, the dark stain of the blood that flowed from Rizzio's fifty-six wounds"- -a fact that can only be accounted for on the supposition that the author aforesaid was clairvoyant, inasmuch as the murder was committed at Holyrood. We think also that more might have been made out of King Henry VI. and James II. The best part of the book is the account of Charles I., which is very interesting indeed. Our author excels in description, and we should like to see from his pen some vivid sketches of medieval history, illustrating the church temper in those days. It is individual character vividly portrayed, that seizes on the imagination of the young, and no age in the world is so marked with individuality as the period of the latter days of the Feudal System.

On the whole, we can conscientiously recommend this nice little book, and, we trust, that it is the first step towards the banishment from nursery and school room of those odious compilations that at present disgrace the name of "Histories for the Young," and which are fraught with eminent danger to the moral rectitude of those who read them.

From the same publisher, and preceding the little volume already noticed by a few months, is an English History in two volumes, for the upper classes of schools, by the Rev. G. A. Poole. The ecclesiastical principles of both are the same: though in the latter case they are marked by a more positively expressed anti-Roman bias. The narrative in Mr. Poole's runs, perhaps, more fluently than that in the Juvenile History, but scarcely displays the same power of sketching characters. However, it is well fitted to do for the school room, what the other purposes to do for the nursery.

Sharpe's London Magazine. Imperial 8vo., with Illustrations. 64 pp. THIS elegant periodical is just two months older than ourselves. It is a most spirited and praiseworthy undertaking, and better calculated to afford healthy recreation to the mind than anything we have ever met with. If merit is any passport to success, this must certainly succeed. It is fit for all classes of readers, and is a very prodigy of cheapness.

"Probatio Clerica; or, Aids in self-examination to Candidates for Holy Orders, or for those of the Clergy who may desire them," by the Rev. W. E. Heygate, M.A., (London: Cleaver. 12mo. pp. 122) is a sound and earnest Manual, as well as a witness against the laxity of our system. It is an attempt to lessen the liability of persons seeking Holy Orders, without any adequate conception of the duties and responsibilities of the office. Mr. Heygate confesses that this was his own case; and no wonder; since we have no authorized books setting forth the nature of the Priestly Office, or even giving any detailed system of doctrine.

We very earnestly recommend the series of "Sermons for Sundays and Festivals," now in course of publication under the editorship of Mr. Alexander Watson, of S. John's, Cheltenham. (London: Masters.) It has too long and too truly been a reproach cast in our teeth by the unstable members of our flocks, that they hear and see the very same things at the Meeting House as at Church. Now, as the remedy for the latter of these evils is the paying some more attention to the ceremonial of our public Services; so will the former be very materially abated if the Clergy in their sermons are careful to follow the course of the ecclesiastical year. In carrying out this object we can assure them they will receive much assistance from this series of Sermons, which numbers among its contributors some of our ablest and most successful Parish Priests.

The Practical Christian's Library (Burns & Parker) is proceeding admirrably. The last four Nos. are :-(1.) A Companion to the Prayer Book, compiled chiefly from Sparrow and Comber; (2.) Parochial Sermons, by Bishop Andrewes, the only specimen of Parochial preaching in the sixteenth century (excepting Latimer's buffoonery) with which we are acquainted; and two very interesting Biographies of the pious Scholar and the active and learned Pastor, Ambrose Bonwicke and Bishop Bull.

Mr. Adams' "Fall of Cræsus" (Walters) is an attempt to point one of Herodotus' most graphic narratives with a moral directly Christian, which is done in a series of Conversations following the history of the fall. The book of course is best suited for the higher classes; but we venture to say that the attention of no intelligent child will be found to flag in reading the little volume -and those who read cannot fail to be benefitted by the simple earnest tone of the Writer.

We have been very much pleased with "Short Instructions and Devotions for the Sick." (Burns.) They are what any Clergyman may with advantage place in the hands of a person in serious illness; and, what is their great merit, there is not anything which one could wish omitted in them. They are, beyond comparison, the best manual that has ever fallen in our way. We should add also that they are printed in good large type.

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We cannot bestow quite the same measure of praise on Prayers for Children and Young Persons," proceeding from the same Publisher. They are earnest, and thoroughly well-principled; but they appear to us far too eumbrous for the purpose designed.

ECCLESIASTICAL RECORD.

THE APOCRYPHA QUESTION AND THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING

CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.

SIR, I should feel obliged if you would give a place in your next number to the following statement of the Apocrypha question; for, though I am no advocate for the discussion of theological matters in a newspaper, I think it important, that when they do appear there, they should appear correctly, especially at such a time as this, and if they are questions likely in any way to agitate the public mind. Your notice of my argument at the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, on Tuesday, December 2, is very imperfect, and, I fear, likely to mislead: of course you are perfectly free from blame in this matter, as no one but myself could, by possibility, furnish you with a correct statement of the argument; it being a rule of the Society “That no person be at liberty to publish, or to supply to any newspaper, or other periodical work, reports of any discussions which take place at Meetings of the Board;" a rule, the infringement of which is considered a dishonourable act, by every Member except those connected with the Record.

I. Art. VI. of 1562, denies to the Apocrypha the term Holy Scripture; at any rate, in the same sense it awards it to the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testaments; refusing to include it with them in the term "The Holy Scripture." And while it states concerning all the books of the Apocrypha, (for it recites them all,) "the Church doth read them for example of life, and instruction of manners;" it states also that "it (the Church) doth not apply them to establish any doctrine."

Here, then, is a plain and very intelligible distinction marked out between the books of the Apocrypha, and the books of the Canonical Scriptures. The question is,

2. Does this distinction exclude the Apocrypha from the volume which the Church calls "the Bible"? or, on the other hand, is it not, in the mind of the Church, a part of the Bible, and that, not as a distinct division of it, but as being part of the Old Testament?

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3. Now in Cranmer's Bible, not only is the Apocrypha included, and the list of its books included in the list of the books of the Bible, but it is distinctly called a part" of the Bible; and in a copy which I produced at the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, printed in 1562, the very year of the Article, the Apocrypha is not represented as a distinct division of the Bible, but is taken up on the same page on which the book of Malachi ends.

4. In 1568 Archbishop Parker's Bible (called the Bishops' Bible, because several of the translators were bishops) was published; being a book of much larger volume than the former. In 1571 this was ordered to be placed in all our churches, and the Eightieth Canon of 1604 repeats the order, in the words, "If any parishes be yet unfurnished of the Bible of the largest volume." the Churchwardens are to provide it: now, this same Canon directs that "the Book of Common Prayer," and "the Book of Homilies," are also to be provided. And thus means are provided for carrying on the Services of the Church, according to her own directions; the saying of Matins and Evensong-the administration of Sacraments-the performance of the "Occasional Offices"-the reading of Homilies—the reading of Holy Scripture :—but what provision is made for the reading of the Apocrypha which the Church appoints for Lessons during so large a portion of the year? None at all, (as far as this Canon goes,) unless the Apocrypha is included in the term "the Bible:" and none at all, any where else, unless some unwritten traditionary Canon can be produced, commanding every clergyman to carry a private copy of the Apocrypha in his pocket. Accordingly we find that "The Bible of the largest

volume," ‚""Parker's Bible," does contain the Apocrypha, included in the book called "the Holie Bible," and included in it under the special title of "the fourth part of the Bible, called Apocryphous."

5. Both these Bibles, and every edition of them and of every other version, were superseded by the present "authorized version," the first and second edition of which were issued by authority in 1611. And these are the editions to which we must appeal, ultimately, for the settlement of this question. The title is "the Holy Bible." And these editions do, under this title, contain the Apocrypha, (as do all subsequent ones, as far as I find, up to the time of the rebellion,) the names of its books standing in the list between the book of Malachi and the gospel of S. Matthew.

I cannot see, then, how there can be any doubt that, in the language of the English Church, the Apocrypha is a part of "the Holy Bible."

6. But the authorized title of "the authorized version" is still more explicit: it is not only "the Holy Bible," but "the Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments." And this volume, without any distinct mention of it in this its title-page, contains the Apocrypha; moreover, the position of the Apocrypha, in this volume, is at the end of the Old Testament and before the New; and we find it there introduced without any distinct title-page, whereas the New Testament has a distinct title-page. Surely, then, if words are to have any meaning at all assigned to them, if this volume and its title were not put together for the very purpose of misleading, we must conclude that the Apocrypha is a part of the book which the English Church calls "the Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments;" as being, in her estimation, a part of "the Old Testament," viz. the uncanonical, as distinguished from the canonical books thereof. And accordingly, in the list of books in the authorized version, which is headed, "The names and order of all the books of the Olde and New Testaments, with the numbers of their chapters," we find the books of the Apocrypha immediately before those of the New Testament; but whereas the latter are distinguished from those of the Old Testament by the separate heading, "The books of the New Testament," the former are only distinguished from the canonical books of the Old Testament by the introduction of the heading, "The books called Apocrypha," and not, as the printers now have often the assurance to alter it, "The Apocrypha," for "The books of the Apocrypha !"

7. Now, let us see whether the Articles and the Prayer-book bear out this theory thus drawn from the authorized version of the Bible, that the Apocrypha is, in the language of our Church, a part of the Old Testament, being the uncanonical, as distinguished from the canonical books thereof.

The Sixth Article assigns the title, "the Holy Scripture," to "the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments;" and having so done, it heads a list of the canonical books of the Old Testament with the words, "Of the names and number of the canonical books;" and having recited them, it gives the list of the Apocrypha, under the title of "the other books;" and then, and not till then, speaks of the books of the New Testament. Thus the former part of the Article contrasts the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments with some other books which exist under that title; and the list contrasts the canonical books of the Old Testament with the books of the Apocryphawhich it calls, in contrast to them, THE other books, so that the Sixth Article speaks one language with "the authorized version" as to this matter. And now for the Prayer-book.

In the former of the two Rubrics which immediately precede the Te Deum, we read, "Then shall be read distinctly with an audible voice the First Lesson, taken out of THE OLD TESTAMENT, as is appointed in the Calendar, except there be proper lessons assigned for that day." And the Rubric before the Magnificat has, "Then a Lesson of THE OLD TESTAMENT, as is appointed." Now if we turn to "the Calendar," we shall find that "the first

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