at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy." True, all the praise will be to the riches of the grace of God,the power of the Almighty Spirit,-that any of our guilty race shall be, at last, holy souls who have been formed here for bliss and the perfect service of God in heaven. But for a redeemed minister, as he walks the streets of the New Jerusalem, and as he worships before the "throne of God and the Lamb," to be permitted to associate and rejoice with those who, by the blessing of God, became holier for him, on earth, and advanced in their preparation to

"Approach a spotless God
And bow before his throne,"

and sing high praises to the "King of kings and Lord of lords;" there can be but one joy richer than this, one point of bliss higher,—to dwell with Christ Jesus and to see him as he is.

ARTICLE VIII.

LITERARY NOTICES.

1. A Pictorial Geography of the World. By S. G. GOODRICH. Boston. Otis, Broaders & Co. 1840. Cambridge University Press.

We have not given the title of this work entire. It amounts to a complete description, in fact, and that covers a wide ground. It is founded on Mr. Goodrich's well known Universal Geography, and might doubtless as well have been named so, but for the obvious desirableness, so thoroughly understood by an author of practice and skill, of conveying to the popular mind, by a single prominent word, a more conspicuous characteristic of the work, fitted to add exceedingly to its circulation and general favor. There were, indeed, a good many illustrations and embellishments in the original volume; but the one before us is in that respect not merely an improvement on its predecessor, but really a kind of marvel,-one of the marvels typographical and artistical of the age. There are said to be more than a thousand engravings interspersed through its pages, making it, whether number or quality be chiefly estimated, the foremost achievement of its class we have yet produced in the United States. Eleven hundred royal octavo pages, thus ornamented, with sixteen maps, a sheet (on steel) of fourteen plans of cities in our own country, and an immense variety of cuts of articles of natural history, features of the earth's surface, costumes,

&c.-all this we have before us, bound in a fashion of elegant neatness, and done upon paper that, a few years since, would have been called, as the bibliomaniacs say, "presque introuvable,”—all this for about the sum, we believe of seven dollars! Surely, if this is in every respect a day of novelties and things incredible, most emphatically is it so in the great business of books. The world, certainly, must get wise. At any rate, they must be amused.

Here we must allude, at least, to one of the leading excellences in what may be called the book-making style, as well as the mere composition, of Mr. Goodrich. This is a great part of the secret of his well-known success. He has an extraordinary tact,-a word which we should avoid using, if another would fill its place as well. Every body, however, feels, at least, what it means. They know the quality, and the effect of it, in business, in conversation, in society at large. And it is just the same thing here, and no where else more desirable and available,—more indispensable, we may say,—than in the preparation of works like this before us, designed to communicate science to the great body of the people, and diffuse it as extensively as possible among men. How essential in these cases the style, manner, arrangement, the whole paraphernalia of the arrangement, are, is known to many of our readers by abundant early experience of their own,-the experience of contrast, at least. Herein is the great peculiarity of Mr. Goodrich. We call it, moreover, his great excellence. It will not do alone, we know, but it is not alone in his case. This volume, imposing and literally picturesque as it is, must by no means be regarded as principally a typographical marvel, or an artistical marvel, which we have termed it. It is not more a splendid book than it is a splendid work. It deserves its costume.

T.

2. An Inaugural Address, delivered in the Chapel of the Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution, Aug 21, 1839. By JOHN S. MAGINNIS, Professor of Biblical Theology. Published by request of the Students of the Institution. Utica. 1840.

The Address before us is, by the obvious sobriety and justness of its views, happily distinguished from many, which, in these days of discovery, are delivered on similar occasions. The author seems to have had no fervid thirsting after notoriety; he utters no paradoxes for the sake of getting a hearing, a trick which some of late appear to have learned from the example of Absalom in burning the barley-fields,— but he evidently aims at avoiding all extremes, and of presenting every thing which he touches in its true colors. Every friend of religion must feel deeply solicitous that our teachers of theology, if no other class of persons, be sober men, preferring the old and well-proved to the new and untried, the just and the true to the extravagant and the startling. It is the more pleasing in the case before us, because it is the result of that perfect freedom of thought, which prevails in our Baptist schools of theology, though, we are happy to say, is not limited to them. We cannot present this feature of our theological seminaries more happily than in the language of the author:

"The circumstances in which theological professors enter upon their duties in this Institution are peculiar, and such as lay them under

obligations of the most delicate and solemn character. No one interrogates them upon their theological sentiments; they are presented with no creed, which they are compelled to subscribe under the formal sanction of an oath; nor are they expected to conform to any other creed than the Bible. This sacred volume only, is placed in their hands, and they are required to teach its holy and unadulterated doctrines, according as God may favor them with a sanctified judgment and an enlightened conscience. I cannot do justice to my feelings on this occasion, without acknowledging the touching power of this appeal. I am very sure that no preliminary restrictions could have served more effectually to deepen, in my mind, a sense of my own personal responsibility. In no other way could I have been better made to feel the importance of diligence and impartiality in the study of divine truth, and of looking to the great Source of all spiritual light for his unerring guidance.”

The object of the Address is to exhibit the importance "of more enlarged attainments in biblical theology." A truer picture of the state of feeling which in some places exists on this subject was never drawn than that contained in the author's introductory remarks:

"That public sentiment, in this respect, is yet but imperfectly enlightened, notwithstanding all the recent advancement which has been made, is still lamentably obvious; the subject, therefore, cannot be too earnestly pressed upon the attention of our churches. In a community where all are beginning to participate in the pleasures and advantages of liberal studies, few indeed will question their importance to the teacher of religion; but, then, how very few there are who sufficiently appreciate the value of those studies, purely theological, which are immediately necessary to prepare him for his sacred work. Upon the importance of ministerial education in general, little need be said; there is already a morbid sensibility upon this subject. Every little church in our land is seeking for an educated minister; and if they can only be favored with one who bears with him the honors of a college, and knows something of Latin and Greek, they will seldom pause to inquire what his advantages have been for acquainting himself with the doctrines of the Bible,-doctrines which it must be his chief employment to teach. And yet, many an older minister, destitute, it may be, of the same literary training, but who has treasured up, from the prayerful study of the Scriptures, more theological knowledge than such youth can be expected to obtain for years, may have been comparatively neglected and set aside. But that must be a spurious or diseased respect for education, which excludes all reference to the study of the Bible; and the cause of religion would profit little by the change, should such a feeling supplant, in every instance, an avowed and deadly hostility to all literary culture. While this feeling exists, to any degree, among our churches, it is not surprising that it should extend its contagion to those who are themselves preparing for the ministry. Accordingly, few of this class aspire to any thing higher than a collegiate education. It is a deplorable fact, that comparatively few pass from the halls of our colleges to our theological institutions; and of these, comparatively few can be prevailed upon to complete an

VOL. V.-NO. XVII.

17

entire theological course. If, in addition to their classical attainments, they can acquire a little knowledge of Hebrew, biblical antiquities, and of the principles of interpretation, they have gained the zenith of their highest aims, they are then ready to rush into the midst of all the vast responsibilities of the pastoral relation, while as yet they have not even attempted an investigation of the grand scheme of redemption, in all the length and breadth in which it is revealed in the word of God."

In defining the object of biblical theology, Prof. Maginnis makes the following just remarks:

"The object of theology is not to impart a knowledge of the original languages, or to teach the principles of biblical interpretation; these are preparatory studies, and a knowledge of these will be brought into constant requisition in theological investigations. The object is not to instruct in ecclesiastical history; yet frequent reference will be necessary to the history of the church, of her doctrines, and of her controversies. It is not properly the province of biblical theology to administer lessons in homiletics; yet it supplies the materials, without which all instruction in sermonizing can be of comparatively little importance; for where there is a deficiency in doctrinal truth, neither rhetoric, nor logic, harmony of arrangement, nor style of address, can greatly benefit the heart, or prove successful in winning souls to Jesus. The appropriate task assigned to the student in theology, after having read and interpreted the Bible, is, to acquaint himself with the evidences of its divine authority, to collect all the scattered instruction it imparts respecting the various doctrines it professes to reveal, to arrange them in their natural order, to ascertain their connection, their relations to each other, and the practical uses to which they are there generally applied; also, to examine the grounds of the various conflicting views, which have been entertained of these doctrines, by different denominations of professing Christians. Who will deny that all this is necessary to the gospel minister, that he may be able to teach the doctrines of the Bible in their scriptural simplicity, to defend them from the assaults of skepticism and infidelity, and that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works?""

The practical Christian, as well as the theologian, will yield his cordial assent to what is here said of Christ, and his place in the Christian system of doctrines:

"Whoever will prosecute an attentive study of the sacred volume, cannot be long in perceiving that all its stupendous developments are made with respect to one great Personage, the Mediator between God and ruined man,-the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world, who liveth, and was dead, and is alive for evermore. It may justly be said, therefore, that the specific object of biblical theology is, to acquaint us with the preeminence which the Bible assigns to the character and offices of Christ as the Redeemer of lost sinners, and with the relation which all its other instructions sustain to him. Little respect is due to any system of theology which has not Christ for its sun and centre. Little regard can be paid to any doctrines which do not, directly or indirectly, relate to him. Little importance can be

attached to any moral principle which does not draw from him its life and power. Let no one suppose that this view of the subject is adapt- ́ ed to contract the field of theological investigation; it only directs us to an eminence from which our horizon continually recedes, while every object upon the expanding surface presents itself with new distinctness and beauty. Paul did not restrict himself to a narrow circle of thought, when he announced to the Corinthians his resolve to know nothing among them but Christ and him crucified. The universe, surely, is not less broad to him who finds its true centre, than to one who would make all the heavenly orbs revolve around some inferior planet; the difference would be, the former only could perceive its regularity and its order. It is to Christ that all the doctrines of the Bible relate,-from him they all proceed, to him they all return. However important these doctrines may be in themselves, as distinct and separate topics of consideration; and whatever interest of an historical, a moral, or a philosophical character may attach itself to each, they all derive their chief and special importance from the relation they sustain to Christ and his cross,-a truth which must be generally felt and acknowledged before the science of theology can ever be brought to its highest perfection."

We might make some strictures upon the order of study laid down in the eighth and ninth pages of the Address; but as the passage contains only a general and popular outline, it would probably be unjust to subject it to a rigid scientific ordeal.

As it is not our object to exhibit at length the contents of this discourse, nor to go into a formal examination of the various topics discussed, we will close with one more extract, believing that these specimens will be its best recommendation :

"The interest of the Redeemer's kingdom demands that our religious instructers be enlightened men, that they may never be driven to the necessity of denying a doctrine for want of ability to explain it. Such instructers are especially needed at the present day. With all our confidence in the general stability of our churches, and in the general faithfulness of our ministry, it is deeply to be regretted, that there is still occasionally manifested a disposition to soften down and accommodate the truths of the gospel to the tastes and prejudices of man. Whatever cannot be explained must be concealed or denied; and whatever will tend to hasten members into the church must be introduced, whether it be new measures or new doctrines. But our safety requires us to search for the old paths, and to suffer nothing to allure us from the doctrines which were first preached by Christ and his apostles, and were then the means of shaking the foundations of paganism and idolatry; which were revived at the time of the Reformation, and have since been the means of infusing into the whole body of the Protestant church the life of a spiritual religion."