"Old Redstone" has nothing to do with Hugh Miller, as our readers might suppose, but was the name of the parts of Western Pennsylvania and Virginia centering at Pittsburgh. "It derives its origin from the name of a creek, which enters the Monongahela below Brownsville, which place was long known by the name of 'Redstone Old Fort.'" The name is said to have originated from the burning of masses of coal, which turned the earth and stones red, on the banks of Redstone creek and the river. The name was given to the first Presbytery constituted west of the Mountains. It was established by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, May 16, 1781.

We are very much interested in this book, and much pleased to see that our exscinding brethren are preserving the memory of the fathers of our Church. We trust that in doing so they will catch their spirit. The work is based upon the Records of the Presbytery of Redstone, which are given nearly in full, with notes containing sketches of all the early ministers and congregations. There are more elaborate memoirs of Rev. Messrs. Joseph Smith, Charles Beatty, Thaddeus Dodd, Dr. McMillan, Dr. James Power, James Finley, John Clark, Dr. Dunlap, and Joseph Patterson, with notices of the early history of the country, &c.

Such books ought to meet with encouragement from all lovers of the Church. The old Scotch-Irish character is sturdy, manly, pious, honest, honorable, full of love of truth and freedom, and willing to peril all things, even to martyrdom itself, for what it believes to be right. It has its faults, too; it is obstinate and rough, often lacks discrimination, and is so excitable and full of prejudice that it may be misled by skilful and bold leaders. The Stoic philosophy, Calvinistic doctrine and Presbyterian republicanism underlie this entire development of human nature-not a perfect one, indeed, but for the practical and stern uses of the world, one of the most noble yet seen.

Of course this book would not do without some flings at the "New School." They are very harmless, however; not very witty, and not at all argumentative. Our exscinding brethren have this peculiarity, that being too honest to falsify the facts of history, they admit, whenever they are not trying to make out a case against the "New School," everything necessary to prove themselves in the wrong, and whenever one attempts to gather up the facts into consecutive principles, they doggedly resist, for the plain reason that these principles would condemn their course since 1837.

We are much pleased with the thorough love of the author for Western Pennsylvania. He makes it the source of all blessing to the great West, and its pioneers the layers of the corner-stone of the Republic and the Church, for the Valley of the Mississippi. This enthusiasm for a subject is absolutely essential to the production of valuable books, and we have been so fortunate as to know, by personal experience, that Western Pennsylvania has enough in it to warrant any man's love for it. Put "Old Redstone" into your library, by all means.

VIII. The Religious Denominations in the United States: their History, Doctrine, Government and Statistics. With a preliminary Sketch of Judaism, Paganism, and Mahomedanism. By Joseph Belcher, D. D. With nearly two hundred engravings. Philadelphia: J. E. Potter. 1854. pp. 1024.

If the reader will settle in his mind, once for all, that the author of this large book is a Baptist, and very much devoted to his denomination, it will enable him to make suitable allowances. It is no doubt much in advance, as a whole, of any other work in this country giving an account of all denominations, and none, however small in number or odd in notions, seem to have been omitted. The Baptists occupy 200 pages, the Methodists 78, Presbyterians of all kinds 100, Congregationalists 100, &c. The view taken of the division in our Church, and of its two branches, is more correct than anything we have yet seen in any work not written by a Presbyterian, and is a pleasant assurance to us that the truth will make its way. The engravings are not very fine, but generally characteristic. Some of the portraits, however, are caricatures. Dr. Belcher tries to be impartial, though too earnest and decided a Baptist to be so, when questions arise in which his own denomination are especially interested.

1854. pp. 286.

IX. On the Inspiration of Holy Scripture; or on the Canon of the Old and New Testament, and on the Apocrypha: twelve Lectures delivered before the University of Cambridge. By Chr. Wordsworth, D. D., Canon of Westminster, &c., &c. From the last London edition. Philadelphia: Herman Hooker. While there is a great deal that we like in these Lectures, we must think that the ground on which Dr. Wordsworth places the main stress for the evidence of the truth of Scripture, is infirm; and that his method of handling the subject is calculated materially to weaken the faith of men in God's Word. While he admits the secondary force of the argument from the internal evidences and the results of the reception of Scripture, and while he acknowledges that there will be a correspondency between the truth and the views and feelings of a Christian, he yet deems it vital to base the certainty of the truth of Scripture on the evidence of the Church; not the present Church of England, indeed, but the Church Universal. The Church received the testimony of Christ, he says, to the truth of the Old and New Testaments, and He having promised to be with His Church always, its testimony as to what is canonical is to be received. We object to this, that it is not Protestant doctrine. The author, indeed, endeavors to distinguish between his view and Popery, but it cannot be done. Either every man must decide for himself whether the Bible is the Word of God and what it contains, or others must decide for him; the first is Protestantism, the second Popery.

Do we then reject the testimony of the Church? Not at all. It is part of the evidence which a man considers in deciding whether Scripture is

divine, and a most important part. But in resting the truth of Scripture on the Church, we establish the infallible by the fallible. We have often been struck with the condensed force and clearness of our Confession in expressing truth, and turned to see how it handled this. “The authority of the Holy Scripture," we find, "for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or Church, but wholly upon God, (who is truth itself,) the author thereof; and therefore it is to be received because it is the word of God." "The full pursuasion and assurance" of the truth of Scripture, the Confession finally rests upon the work of the Holy spirit in the soul.

The evidences of the truth of Scripture may be considered as five-fold. 1. External; 2. Internal; 3. Historical; 4. The results of the reception of Scripture; 5. The teachings of the Holy Spirit in the heart.

We must also object to the position given by Dr. W. to the Apocrypha. With these abatements, we are glad to speak favorably of the general character of the Lectures. They are intended to maintain the via media, and oppose the worst errors of Romanism, and while unable to consider the position very logical we can praise its good intention. A mass of valuable information is well presented.

X. How shall Man be just with God? By Albert Barnes. Presbyterian Publication Committee. Depositories: Philadelphia: Presbyterian Publication House, 386 Chesnut street; New York: Ivison & Phinney. 1854. pp. 132.

The American Presbyterian Almanac for 1855. pp. 50. Same publishers.

The Committee feel that the Churches will be gratified with their labors so far as these two publications, at least, are concerned. Of the Almanac an edition of ten thousand has been published, being double the number printed last year. About seven thousand of them have already been sent out, and orders for the remainder are arriving every day. It contains, beside the usual calendar matter: fundamental principles of Presbyterianism; constitutional facts of American Presbyterianism, deduced from its history; American Presbyterian chronology; doctrinal views of American Presbyterians; statistical tables; sketches of the Church Erection fund, Education cause, Publication cause, and Publication House; clerical authors in our Church, as far as the editors could ascertain them; statistics of our theological seminaries, periodicals, and the societies with which we co-operate, with miscellaneous matter. It is a manual of the present position of our Church, containing the facts which any one wishes to find, a dozen times in a week, and knows not exactly where to look for them. It is embellished with an engraving of the Presbyterian Publication House.

Mr. Barnes' tract, or rather treatise, has just passed through the stereotyper's hands. We entirely mistake the character of our Church if it does not meet a most gratified and cordial reception. We need say nothing

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of the importance of the doctrine of justification, after Luther has given his opinion. The treatise is full. Mr. Barnes shows that all men are sinners; that they can find no ground of justification in their own merits, or in those of any created beings, separately or in any combination, living or dead; that the ground of justification is solely the merits of Christ, an idea illustrated fully and forcibly, and including all that Christ did as well as all that he suffered; the place of faith in justification; the union of Christ and the believer. The special characteristic of Mr. Barnes' writing a singular clearness and simplicity, which, commencing with first principles recognized by every one, proceeds, generally by an analogical method, to establish the truth, step by step, until it is impossible for a sound mind to resist the conclusion-appears strikingly in this treatise. The work will appea· both in paper (overs and in a bound volume. Orders addressed to the "Presbyterian Publication Committee,” in Philadelphia, or to Ivison and Phinney, New York, will meet with prompt attention.

XI. Recent Publications of the American Sunday-school Union. Philadelphia, 316 Chestnut street.

1. Irish Amy. pp. 312.

2. Little Maggie's Trials and Triumphs. pp. 161.

3. The Heroine of a Week. pp. 133.

4. The Two Carpenters. pp. 152.

5. The Boundary Tree. pp. 72.

The Union have kindly favored us with the above samples of their collection of boos.

"Irish Amy" is the largest and latest of these. We have read it all over to a family circle, on one or two Sabbath evenings, and have been very much delighted with it. The story is very well and interestingly told. Amy is the poor child of the worst possible parents, in a narrow and dirty street of a large city, who, by the kindness of a lady, is recommended to a Christian gentleman in the country. The family at the farm become warmly attached to her as her character improves and mellows under their acquaintance, and after many troubles she becomes a most valuable member of society. The authoress-we think we cannot be wrong in the sex-states that "all the main, and many of the minor incidents of this tale are literally true, and have occurred under the author's own observation." It is intended especially to call the attention of residents in the country to the good they might do in removing children from the pestiferous atmosphere of the worst parts of cities.

The "Heroine of a Week" is a classic affair. Certain noble ladies, as Arria, Quintilia, &c., are selected, and their heroic qualities held up for imitation. The "Boundary Tree" is a book for neighbors to read who have petty quarrels.

We take this occasion to say a word for ourselves, as well as for the "Union," in commendation of the printing of these books. If there is a a better printer than Mr. Ashmead in any of our cities, we should be at a loss to find him.

The Sunday-school Union are now occupying their new building, on Chestnut street, about two squares below our Publication House. It is a beautiful structure and admirably adapted to its purpose. The Assistant Secretaries recently appointed, Rev. Messrs. Dulles and Westbrook, are eminently calculated to advance the interests of the cause, by their affability and friendly intercourse with the clergy of all denominations. Such appointments tend as much as possible to remedy what we consider a great defect in the Constitution of the "Union," that clergymen of all denominations are refused admission into its Board of Directors. We consider all proscription of one profession or class of society as entirely anti-American. William Penn engrafted upon his principles a studied neglect and dislike of the Christian ministry. Error is never harmless. A great Christian Institution, composed of all evangelical denominations, adopt in their Constitution a formal proscription of the Christian ministry, just as though they were the most unsuitable persons to superintend the education of the children of the Church. An immense marble palace, one of the finest and most costly buildings in the world, is next erected at Philadelphia, with money left by a prominent citizen, under authority of the City Councils, with millions to support it, for the education of orphan children. In this case, the Christian ministry are never to be allowed, not even though a poor child in an agony of distress of mind should wish a minister to talk and pray with him in sickness and approaching death; not even though a clergyman should be the nearest surviving relative of a dying orphan, to enter the enclosure in which the building is situated! How much farther Philadelphia will allow the principle to be carried, remains to be seen.

XII. The Papal Conspiracy exposed, and Protestantism defended, in the Light of Reason, History and Scripture. By Rev. Edward Beecher, D. D. Boston: Stearns & Co. 1855. pp. 420.

We have no hesitation at all in saying that Popery, as a system, is the worst thing in the world; worse than intemperance, licentiousness, murder, despotism, or anything else. Some very sensitive Protestants think that manuals of Popery like this do more harm than good. If they do, it is not because they make out the system to be worse than it is, because it is not in the power of man to do that.

Dr. Beecher has gathered up all the main arguments against Romanism, and strengthened them with indubitable facts. The book is intended for popular reading, and contains pictures of an Auto da fè, Massacre of St. Bartholomew, &c.

XIII. The Divine Character vindicated; A Review of some of the principal Features of Rev. Dr. E. Beecher's recent Work, entitled "The Conflict of Ages." By Rev. Moses Ballou. New York: Redfield. Philadelphia: H. C. Baird. 1854. pp. 412.

We must confess our surprise that this book has not excited more atten