14.-Anecdotes, Religious, Moral and Entertaining; alphabetically arranged, and interspersed with a variety of useful observations. Selected by the late Charles Buck. From the ninth London edition. New-York: Dayton &

Saxton. 1841. pp. 514.

This book is too well known to require any description or commendation. It has been out of print for some years in this country; and hence the present publishers have stereotyped the work, and put it at a price which, they think, will facilitate its general circulation. It may be useful to all, particularly to ministers of the gospel.

15.-The Prelatical Doctrine of Apostolical Succession Examined, and the Protestant Ministry Defended against the Assumptions of Popery and High-Churchism, in a Series of Lectures. By Thomas Smyth, Pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church, Charleston, S. C. Boston: Crocker & Brewster. New-York: Dayton & Saxton. Philadelphia: Hooker & Agnew, and Henry Perkins. Charleston: S. Hart, Sr. Cincinnati : Weed & Wilson. 1841. pp. 568.

This well filled octavo volume has come into our hands so recently that we have had time to read only a portion of it. Our impressions, however, of its value, from a partial examination, are such as make us unwilling to delay the present notice; with the hope that some correspondent will hereafter furnish for our pages a more searching review of the work than it is possible for us at present to give. Its leading subjects, as indicated in the titlepage, are of sufficient importance to demand a thorough discussion; and we agree with our author in the belief that the time has come when such a

discussion is necessary for the proper vindication of the rights and duties of the great body of the Protestant ministry and churches, against the assumptions of a portion of their own number who take common ground with Romanists in excluding from the pale of communion in the "holy, catholic and apostolic church," all who dissent from their doctrine of "exclusive apostolic succession.' These assumptions are not only found in many of the old and standard divines of the Church of England, but have been of late zealously put forth in the Oxford "Tracts for the Times," have been avowed by English and American bishops and by a great number of the Episcopal clergy of both countries; and the assurance with

which they are urged in many recent publications calls for a patient and thorough examination of the arguments advanced in their support.

Such is the work undertaken by our author; and the "subject matter" of the present volume, as we are informed in his Introduction, " is the prelatical doctrine of apostolical succession, or the exclusive claim of high churchmen and Romanists to be the ONLY true church of Jesus Christ, his ONLY true and valid ministers, and the ONLY sources of efficacious ordinances and covenanted salvation. This doctrine, and not episcopacy, is the subject of our animadversion. The principles involved in this assumption, and not the character or standing of the Protestant Episcopal church, we condemn." The topics of the twenty-one Lectures comprised in this volume are as follows: Necessity and plan of the discussion, etc.—the tribunal by which the doctrine in question must be adjudicated,―tests by which it must be tried,-tested by Scripture,-by history,-by facts, is essentially Popish in its tendencies and results,—is intolerant in its tendencies,-is unreasonable,-is contrary to the more approved and charitable judgment of the English and American churches,—is schismatical in its tendencies and results, the Presbyterian church vindicated from the charge of schism, the true doctrine of apostolical succession asserted. These subjects are discussed with great earnestness and strength; and the ample and numerous authorities by which his statements and reasonings are confirmed show that the author has spared no labor, and dispensed with no available aid, in his investigations. As far as we have examined them, they appear to us thorough and satisfactory, and we cordially commend the work to the diligent study of our readers.

The same author has in preparation a second volume, which will complete his proposed discussion of PRELACY AND PRESBYTERY, in which he will take up the latter subject. We shall look with interest for its appearance.

16.-An Ecclesiastical Catechism of the Presbyterian Church;

for the use of Families, Bible Classes and Private Mem. bers. By Thomas Smyth. 1841. pp. 124.

This little volume is issued by the same publishers as the preceding work, by the same author. It is a well digested system of questions and answers on the church, its government,-its officers, its courts,-its power,-its fellowship, and the relation of the Presbyterian church to other denominations. It is a useful manual for Presbyterians, and may be instructive to others.

ADDITIONAL NOTICES.

We are obliged to condense our notices of the following works for want of room.

The Hannahs; or Maternal Influence on Sons. By Robert Philip, Author of the Marys, Marthas, Lydias, etc., etc. New-York: D. Appleton & Co. 1841. pp. 308. The design of this work will be readily inferred from the subjects discussed. These are the Peculiarities of Christianity toward Mothers," a maternal Lamp,' ""Eve's mater

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nal Character," "maternal Influence on Isaac,"-" on Jacob," on Joseph, on Moses," on Samuel," on David," Solomon," " on John the Baptist," on the Saviour." As to the execution of this plan, it will suffice to say that it is in the usual style of this popular and prolific writer.

Memoir of Normand Smith; or the Christian serving God in his Business. By Rev. Joel Hawes, D. D. Published by the American Tract Society. pp. 72.

This is a faithful and exceedingly instructive sketch of an eminent Christian. He was distinguished neither by his talents nor his station in life, but solely by his consistent, vigorous piety, and his extraordinary devotedness to his Master's service. Few have been so successful in carrying their religion into their daily business; few have shown so uniformly that their plans and interests were identified with the Redeemer's kingdom. As the Tract Society now hold the right of publication, we hope they will give the work an extensive circulation.

The Doctrines of Christian Baptism, examined by the ac

knowledged Principles of Biblical Interpretation. In two parts, including both the Mode and the Subjects. By James J. Woolsey. Philadelphia: Printed by I. Ashmead. 1841. pp. 364.

The author of this volume is the pastor of the Baptist Church in Norwalk, Connecticut. Having preached a series of sermons to his people in advocacy of the views of his denomination, he was requested to give them to the public. This he has done in a form somewhat enlarged from the original discourses. He has evidently bestowed much thought and study upon the subjects here discussed, and he appears to be fully persuaded of the legitimacy of his conclusions. The argument is managed with considerable ability, although, as it seems to us, it is not conclusive.

A Spiritual Treasury for the Children of God; consisting of a Meditation for each Day in the Year, upon select Texts of Scripture. By William Mason. Selected from his Morning and Evening Meditations. Published by the American Tract Society. pp. 528.

These Meditations were written towards the close of the last century, with "the chief aim to exalt the Lord Jesus, the perfection of his atonement and righteousness, and the glory of his salvation." They are pervaded by an excellent spirit, and have been found exceedingly useful. The selections have been revised by the Tract Society, and published with some changes in obsolete or other defective forms of expression.

Practical Piety; or the Religion of the Heart on the Conduct of the Life. By Hannah More. Published by the American Tract Society. pp. 412.

The date appended to the Preface of this volume is March, 1841. Few books have been more popular or more useful. We have no doubt that the estimable writer is destined to exert a lasting influence upon the Christian world.

The Persecuted Family; a Narrative of the Sufferings of the Covenanters in the Reign of Charles II. "By Robert Pollok, A. M., Author of the Course of Time, etc. NewYork: Robert Carter. 1841.

pp. 115.

Helen of the Glen; a Tale of the Scotch Covenanters. By Robert Pollok, Author of the Course of Time, etc. NewYork: Robert Carter. 1841. pp. 113.

"The Persecuted Family" is a thrilling story of those times of cruelty and blood, which have loaded the memory of Charles II. and his minions with eternal disgrace. "Helen of the Glen" belongs to the same dark period; the tale itself however is less replete with the sufferings and the wrongs of the covenanters. Both are real incidents presented in the attractive style of the author.

A Discourse on the Moral Influence of Rail-Roads. By L. F. Dimmick, Pastor of the North Church, Newburyport, Mass. Newburyport: Charles Whipple. 1841. pp. 125.

The first half of this little volume is devoted to "the Perpetuity of the Sabbath." The author next considers "the ways

in which the Sabbath is violated; this leads him to speak of Sabbath trains on rail-roads. Many weighty suggestions are made in connection with this last topic. We should like to see a copy of the book in the hands of every stockholder in Sabbath-breaking rail-road companies.

ARTICLE XI.

RECENT LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

Great Britain.

AMONG recent publications we notice Bellamy's New Translation of the Bible, Part VIII.-Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Canticles; Essays on the Christian Ministry, selected from the American Biblical Repository and other American Publications, with a Preface by Dr. Murch, Pres. of Stepney College; D'Aubigné's History of the Reformation in the 16th Century, translated D. D. Scott, Part I.; Ranke's History of the Popes, translated by Mrs. Austin, 2d edition; Keith's Evidence of the Truth of the Christian Religion, 24th edition; The Biblical Cabinet, Vol. XXXII.—Rosenmüller and others on the Messianic Psalms; Dr. Prichard's Researches into the Physical History of Mankind, Vol. III,-containing the History and Ethnography of the Nations of Europe and Asia, to be completed in two volumes.

France.

Dr. Hodge's Commentary on Romans,-translated into French by Rev. Horace Monod of Marseilles, and accompanied by a Preface from the pen of Rev. Adolphus Monod, Professor in the Theological Seminary at Montauban,-is received with general favor by evangelical Christians. A very flattering notice of the work has been published in the Archives du Christianisme; the writer, however, differs from the interpretation of Rom. V., denying the doctrine of imputation as set forth by Dr. Hodge, and affirming its opposition to the sentiments of the early Reformers, of Calvin in particular.Stephens' Incidents of Travel in Central America, etc., has been translated into French.-A poem, entitled: De Tristibus Franciæ, by an unknown author of the 16th century, has recently appeared. The subject is the civil wars by which France was desolated under the three sons of Catharine de