NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.

I. ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN PULPIT; or, Commemorative Notices of Distinguished American Clergymen of Various Denominations, from the early Settlement of the Country to the close of the Year 1855. With Historical Introductions. By WILLIAM B. SPRAGUE, D.D.; vols. II. and Iv. New York: CARTERS. 1858, pp. 632, 836.

THIS is an exceedingly valuable and interesting book. The author has pursued the same course as in the first two volumes. A sketch is given of each minister, usually followed by letters from persons more or less intimately acquainted with him. Many of these letters are from eminent persons, and some of them are very important.

It is natural that these two volumes should be more interesting to us, as Presbyterians, than the former two; but we think we speak the general sentiment when we say that they are so to the general reader. The North American Review makes the following remarks on this subject:

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We feel ourselves-we are sorry to say so-among men of higher mark in these two volumes than in those which commemorated the Trinitarian Congregationalists, . . . Among the leading divines of the Presbyterian Church we discern, as we think, a more uniformly elevated standard of distinctively clerical talent, learning, and character. . . . The circumstance which has impressed us most of all in these narratives, is the very large number of men of surpassing ability, endowments, and sanctity, who have been settled for life, or for many years, in very obscure localities and humble pastorates. And the "Annals” give us the name of hardly a single Presbyterian divine whose eminence was not solely or chiefly professional. These volumes, therefore, are a richer, more instructive, and more edifying contribution to clerical biography than their prede

cessors.

We regret to differ, in any thing, from so candid, impartial, and gentlemanly a man as Dr. Sprague; but, however it comes, he has made statements in his Historical Introduction which are contrary, we think we may say, to established fact. We entirely acquit Dr. Sprague of any thing like intentional misrepresentation. But the matter has been thoroughly canvassed between this Review and the Presbyterian Magazine, and every point in question has been investigated. We will state the main facts, and request a rëexamination of the statements in the Annals.

Dr. Sprague says: "The Presbyterian Church must undoubt

edly be considered as of Scottish origin. Near about the period of the Revolution of 1688, Presbyterians began to emigrate from Scotland and the North of Ireland. ***** The Puritan element was early introduced into the body, by way of New England, and contributions have, from time to time, been made to it from the Reformed Churches on the Continent of Europe; but though this may have served, in some degree, to modify, it has never essentially changed its organization."

Now, the origin of our ministers, from the formation of the first Presbytery to the Adopting Act in 1729, according to the intensely "Old School" authority of Mr. Webster, was:

This mixed basis prepared the way for the Adopting Act, respecting which Dr. Sprague makes the following mistaken statement:

"In 1729, after several years of diligent exertion on the part of the strict Presbyterians, and in consequence of an overture drawn up and prosecuted with great zeal the year before, by the Rev. John Thompson, of Delaware, the Synod passed what was commonly called "The Adopting Act." This last consisted of a public authoritative adoption of the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms, and made it imperative that not only every candidate, but every actual minister of the Church, should, by subscription or otherwise, in the presence of the Presbytery, acknowledge these instruments respectively as their Confession of Faith. This Act had to encounter great opposition, especially from those ministers of the Synod who had come from England, Wales, and the New England Colonies.

"The strict Presbyterians having thus gained their main point, the other side thought themselves entitled to be gratified in THEIR private object." Then follows the controversy about examining candidates as to personal piety.

It is perfectly amazing that, at this day, such statements should

be made as those in italics. The Adopting Act, 1. Bound every officer to adopt only the necessary and essential articles of Calvinism and Presbyterianism. 2. It was a compromise between the strict and the liberal Presbyterians. 3. It was satisfactory to the latter and not to the former-just the reverse of what Dr. Sprague says. We will prove all this briefly from the records and from "Old School" authority.

Look at the document itself. Ministers are required to adopt the Confession "as being, in all the essential and necessary articles, good forms of sound words and systems of Christian doctrine." Candidates are to be allowed to state any scruple to the Synod or Presbytery, who shall, nevertheless, receive him if they "shall judge his scruple or mistake to be only about articles not essential and necessary in doctrine, worship, and government."

Dr. Hodge says: "It is very evident, indeed, that the Act was a compromise. Mr. Dickinson (New side) had avowed his wish to establish the essential and necessary doctrines of Christianity,' as the condition of ministerial communion. Mr. Thompson (Old side) wished the explicit adoption of the Westminster Confession to be that condition. The common ground on which they met was the essential and necessary articles of that Confession." It is true that Dr. Hodge makes a statement afterwards inconsistent with this; but that we cannot help. We have quoted his ipsissima verba.

Dr. Green says: "The Presbyterians, at first, were but a handful. The Congregationalists, although more numerous, ** were willing to form a coalition, which would manifestly extend their influence." "We consider the foregoing Adopting Act as one of the most curious compositions that we ever read. It seems to us to give and take, say and unsay, bind and loose, from the beginning to the end. It plainly put it into the power of any Presbytery to declare as many articles of the Confession of Faith and Catechism as they might choose, to be 'not essential and necessary,' &c. Thus one corrupt Presbytery might corrupt the whole Church.'"

Again; Dr. Green continues in reply to Dr. Miller: "Professor Miller's statement is wide of the fact when he says that this Adopting Act was, at length, peaceably acquiesced in by all.' Some immediately left their former connection and joined the Secession Church in consequence of this Act. *** There is little reason to doubt that the Adopting Act had its influence in fostering and perpetuating the dissatisfaction of the strict Presbyterians, till it

ripened into a formal secession. But the dissatisfaction was not confined to individuals and congregations." So far from being pleased or satisfied with the Adopting Act, the Old side Presbyteries of Newcastle and Donegal established an entirely different form of subscription, an ipsissima verba form, which Dr. S. will find in the Presbyterian Quarterly Review, No. VI., p. 226, quoted method Dr. Green's Christian Advocate.

We cannot go over all this matter again, as it has been already done at full length in this Review; but the facts are:

1. That the Presbyterian Church was of mixed origin at the first, the Scottish element not then preponderating.

2. That the Adopting Act' was a compromise in which, for the sake of securing subscription to the Westminster Confession, the strict side agreed to adopt it for substance of doctrine, or as containing the necessary and essential articles of Calvinism and Presbyterianism.

3. This method of subscription became thus the foundation principle of the Presbyterian Church in America, was reproduced in the document of reunion in 1758, and incorporated into our Constitution in 1789.

4. The Old side were dissatisfied with it as early as the fall of 1730, when their two Presbyteries referred to above, adopted ipsissima verba subscriptions. And, in the year 1736, great numbers of Scotch-Irish Presbyterians having come over, the Synod attempted to change the form of subscription. This, with other things, led to convulsion, to the excision of the New side by the Old, and the division of the Church. The New side, which became three times as large as the Old, never agreed to the reunion until the Old side consented to come in again on the principle of the Adopting Act-a systematic as distinguished from an ipsissima verba subscription.

Nothing will give us more pleasure than to prove these things against all gainsayers.

For the rest, we greatly admire Dr. Sprague's work. We should be very much pleased, had we room, to make large extracts from it. It is gratifying to find that it meets with universal favor.

II.-CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICAN HISTORY. Memoirs of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Vol. vi. Philadelphia: LIPPINCOTT & Co., for the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 1858, pp. 429.

THERE appears to be great diversity of taste in regard to history. For ourselves, we find it deeply interesting. The mixture

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of triviality in current movements has passed away; we see things in their principles. Time has filtered events for us. The great and permanent remain; the frivolous have passed away.

An historical society is therefore much to our taste. It will not be found that those who are devoted to its researches are least active in important affairs now transpiring-least influential in Church and State. History does not fossilize; but it enables us to perceive what is valuable and what is trifling in current events. The Pennsylvania Historical Society has established a publishing fund, the interest of which is to be expended in issuing works of permanent value. The fund now amounts to $13,500, and the present volume is the sixth of its contributions to American history. We propose to analyze it at some length.

The first paper was read before the Society by Major Alexander Johnston, and gives an account of the Society of the Cincinnati. There are few persons who do not desire to know more of this venerable institution, once exciting so much fear of a hereditary nobility. The Society appears to have originated with General Knox. It was heartily approved by Washington, who presided over it until his death. The first meeting was held on the 10th of May, 1783, on the banks of the Hudson. The following is the order or eagle adopted:

"It consists of a bald-eagle of enamelled gold, bearing upon its breast a medallion charged as follows: On the obverse, the principal figure is Cincinnatus; three senators present him with a sword and other military ensigns; he is reclining upon his plough, and at his side are minor implements of husbandry. On the reverse, the sun rises over a city with open gates; vessels are seen entering the port, and, in the midst, Fame crowns Cincinnatus with a wreath, inscribed Virtutis premium. Below, hands joined support a heart, with the motto, Esto perpetua. The whole is pendent to a blue ribbon edged with white, descriptive of the union between France and America. Around the principal charge is the legend, Omnia relinquit servare rempublicam."

A formal meeting for investiture of recipients was held in New York, surrounded by splendor similar to that of the orders of the old world, and in France, Lafayette, at the foot of the throne, sought permission from his sovereign to wear along with the cross of St. Louis, the eagle of the Cincinnati. The only order hitherto suffered to be borne had been the Golden Fleece, but the French Cincinnati were allowed to wear the eagle by a special act of condescension.

Sixty thousand livres were made up by the French army officers,