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must satisfy any careful observer, that the subjects of these lectures are highly important, and that they embrace every thing relative to revivals of religion that can be deemed material-We cannot go into an analysis of them at present. As to the treatment of them by Dr. Sprague, we have no hesitation in expressing the most favourable opinion. We think he has done great justice to every topick he has handled. We had a right to expect, and did expect, much, from the deliberate and studious attention which we had been told he had given to the deeply interesting concern of religious revivals, as well as from the character of his former publications; and we now say in the simplicity of truth, that our expectations have met with no other disappointment than a very pleasing one-The preacher of whom we thought highly, has done better than we thought he could do; or than we supposed any one would be likely to do, in managing the several difficult and delicate points which are here discussed. This work ought to be extensively circulated, and generally read throughout our country. It is calculated to correct errors of opposite character in regard to revivals of religion; and to teach much, very much, which needs to be taught to very many who are called to take a leading and active part, wherever these glorious manifestations of the grace and power of God are witnessed. We do hope that the salutary influence of this publication will be widely and sensibly felt; both in promoting genuine revivals of religion, and in discountenancing all the measures which tend to change their character, arrest their progress, and render them productive of evil, rather than of good.

Dr. Sprague's book, we are sure, will be much read in Europe. In Britain, the general subject of which

he treats has recently excited great attention, and is regarded with deep interest by all the friends of vital piety. They hear much, and the varying and discordant accounts which they receive leave many good men in doubt what estimate to make, of the wonderful appearances of a religious character which are reported to exist in the United States. Discussions are taking place, and publications are sent abroad, some laudatory, some cautionary, and some condemnatory. It is manifest that correct information is needed; and it will be furnished by the volume under review. Here it will be seen what men of sober piety in our country consider as genuine revivals of religion, as contradis tinguished from those wild excitements which assume the name, while they are as different from the thing as fanaticism is different from true religion, or darkness from light. It will be perceived that discerning Christians with us regard a real revival of religion as nothing else than the very same conversion of sinners to God, occurring in numerous instances at a particular time and place, which all believers in the doctrines of grace have ever held must take place, when additions are made to the number of the truly godly. Generally, hitherto, these conversions have not occurred in a multitude at the same time; but now one and then another has been brought into the kingdom of God-in some places and congregations more rapidly, and in others more slowly; and often as the blessed effect of early religious instruction and pious parental example. Yet, beside what we read in the New Testament of the day of Pentecost, and the fruits of apostolick ministrations, there have been, in modern times and in European countries, as marvellous displays of divine power and mercy, in sudden and numerous

conversions, as any that have been witnessed in our favoured landThe record of some of these may be seen in Gillies' collections. We have heard of nothing in the United States, equal to what is reported of a single sermon preached in Scotland, by the Rev. John Livingston, by which, as the instrumental cause, five hundred individuals, it was believed, were speedily made the subjects of renewing grace.

Still it is true, that the United States must be regarded as the region of the frequent occurrence of these astonishing manifestations of the Holy Spirit's operation-the land, peculiarly and pre-eminently, of religious revivals. What they really are, and how they are here viewed by those who may be considered as competent and disposed to judge rightly, it is of immense importance that the inhabitants of the old world should know correctly. They have learned from us the value of civil liberty; and it will be a still richer blessing, if they derive from us information and animation which shall contribute, under the blessing of God, to the rapid multiplication of the subjects of Christ's spiritual kingThe needed information, the work on which we remark will, as we have already said, impart. It will correct errors and recommend truth; and among other beneficial effects, it will be likely to save us from some of the reproach which we might otherwise receive from British criticks, reviewers, pamphleteers, and travellers. It will show that all those extravagancies, for which we have recently been censured and ridiculed, are as much disapproved of and deprecated, by the enlightened friends of revivals here, as by those who make them the objects of their scorn, and us, on their account, the subjects of reproach. In this view of the matter, Dr.

Sprague has deserved well of our whole religious community.

The lectures before us are, and were intended to be, chiefly of the didactick kind. They would indeed have lost much of their value, if they had been of a different character. The style in which they appear is well adapted to compositions of this description. It is perspicuous, smooth, chaste, and lively-sometimes, but not often, it rises to animation. Now and then, especially at the close of a lecture, we meet with a short and touching appeal to the hearts and consciences of the hearers. This is all as it should be. There is, however, an Americanism, and we believe we may call it a New Englandism, which we wish Dr. S. had avoided. He uses the single and unconnected term Christian, very frequently, to denote a renewed and sanctified individual, as discriminated from one of an opposite character. When a man is converted from sin to holiness, in Dr. S.'s language, he becomes a Christian. We readily admit that in the best sense of the word, this is true. But is this the common use of language? We think not-Johnson's definition of the term Christian is, "a professor of the religion of Christ." And we know that all the religious denominations who differ from infidels, heathen, Jews, and Mohammedans, are distinctively called Christians. Dr. S. may be assured that his use of this word is a local use. Are we asked what substitute we would recommend? We answer we would connect an adjective with the substantive-We would say a practical Christian, a sincere Christian, a devout Christian, &c. We would also vary the expression, and call renewed individuals true believers, the godly, the children of God, the truly pious, &c.; but we confess that we like best of all the term saint, which strictly denotes a

sanctified one. This was the term generally used by evangelical writers till lately-We find it frequently in Dr. Witherspoon's works; and we believe it has been sneered out of use by loose and infidel writers. It is the scriptural term, and the vulgar translation of the Bible is among the very best standards of the English language. Let any one open an English concordance, and he will be surprised to see how often the terms saint and saints are used in the sacred volume, to denote those, and those only, who are sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Dr. S. also puts the unconnected term sinners, in contrast with Christians. This too is a local use. Christians themselves are still sinners, and often confess themselves to be such. We would say impenitent sinners, unconverted sinners, thoughtless sinners, careless sinners, &c. The contrast between saints and sinners, was often used by the old writers, and as good use is the law of language, this form of speech seemed to be legitimated; but the contrast between Christians and sinners is not yet legitimated. We do not recollect to have ever met with it in an English writer, and but rarely in any speaker or writer out of the eastern section of our country, or one who had received his education or formed his habits there. Far be it from us to speak lightly of the literature of New England-it is the most intellectual section of the American union. But its localities of speech should be avoided in writing, as well as those of other portions of our countryTheir best good, we hope will never come into general use. But enough of verbal criticism, after recommending to our younger clerical brethren to read an essay of Foster, on the propriety of avoiding in composition, all modes of expression which, from their local or technical use, cannot be readily

or fully understood, beyond the cir cle in which they have become familiar.

We have, as yet, said little of the letters, which compose the Appendix to Dr. S.'s lectures; and as one of them was written by the present writer, perhaps some may think that he ought to have said nothing, either of the lectures or the appendix. Let the reader then be assured, that there has been no concert between the reviewer and Dr. Sprague. When, at his request, we furnished him with a letter for his appendix, we had never seen a word of his lectures, and knew nothing of their number or their contents, beyond the general subject and design. Nor has Dr. S. ever given us any intimation that it was his wish that we should review his work, nor have we told him that we should. He will have no knowledge of this review till he sees it in the Christian Advocate-But we recollect that a man may need an apology for his apology, more than for any thing else; and not being quite sure that we are not in this predicament at the present moment, we will say no more.

We briefly remark in regard to the letters, that there is a singular coincidence of thought and opinion, both among the writers of them severally, and between all of them united, and the author of the lectures. We have not observed a single position, or suggestion, among them all, that clashes or militates, one with another. Now we do think it is worthy of notice, that more than twenty different men, of six different religious denominations, should write at some length on the same important topick of religion, no one knowing what another has written-and that when all their productions are exhibited together, there should be found nothing discordant among them; that while the different writers have each something that

is his own, all should agree in their general views and statements; all should agree in what constitutes a genuine revival; in the manner in which it ought to be conducted; and in the abuses to be guarded against or corrected; all should agree in the unspeakable importance of desiring, cherishing, and promoting true revivals of religion, and in the propriety of deprecating, discountenancing, and as speedily as pos

sible terminating, those spurious excitements which pirate the name, while they are not only different from, but deadly hostile to the reality. Opinions and views

in which so many men, thus circumstanced, entirely harmonize, have a presumption in favour of their justness and conformity with truth, of the strongest kind-a presumption which it is certainly not easy for a candid mind to resist.

Literary and Philosophical Intelligence, etc.

Influenza and Cholera.-We well remember the time when we had never heard of such a disease as the Influenza; and that when we did first hear of it in Europe, we had difficulty to find out, with any distinctness, what it was. We believe it was first known as an epidemick in the United States, in 1789. Then we fully learned by experience what it was. Since then, it has appeared and vanished frequently, as every body knows. In like manner, we often heard of the Cholera in Asia, before we could obtain any clear idea of its nature. But like the Influenza, it has, alas! given us recently a full opportunity to learn its true character. Whether, like the Influenza, it is to come and go, for years in succession, remains to be seen. That it will, is our impression. It has done so in Asia, where it originated, as the Influenza also did; and it seems reasonable to believe, that it will do so in Europe and America: And probably when we shall have known it, as long as we have known the Influenza, it will not be more alarming, or more mortal.

It appears from the following summary, and we believe, correct history of the origin and progress of the pestilential Cholera, (which is taken from the National Gazette) that it has been nearly fifteen years in travelling from Jessore, the place of its birth, to the United States. have no doubt that it will pervade the world; and probably the places which escape in one season, will be visited in another. The afflicting and destroying angel will fully execute his commission.

We

"The Cholera, since its origination at Jessore, in August, 1817, has extended over more than three-fourths of the population of the world. In that year it occupied a space extending from Silhet on the east to the Sinde on the west, through eleven degrees of longitude; and from Muzzuf

ferpore on the north to Balasore on the south, through nearly five degrees of latitude. Its tendency seemed, therefore, westward. That was the general course also of the armies and internal commerce of British India. In 1818 it extended only three degrees eastward from Jessore, while it reached Bombay to the west, and Deyrah Doon, at the very sources of the Ganges, on the north-west, and Ceylon to the south. In the end of 1818, therefore, -sixteen months after its appearance at Jessore-the Cholera was found 1000 miles to the west and 1000 miles to the south of its point of origination. Its mean rate of progress was therefore 62 miles per month, or little more than two miles per day. But neither rate nor course was regular. In six weeks after its appearance it had reached a point 400 miles from Jessore, observing a mean rate of 10 miles a day. It did not always affect places in the order of proximity, but overleaping certain points to attack more distant ones, it seemed to retrograde upon the former. Although in process of time every place of note in India had its share of the malady, it seemed to advance most rapidly along the navigable streams, and to prevail most severely in the most unhealthy districts. But it not unfrequently affected a town severely, whilst, without apparent reason for the exemption, another town in the immediate vicinity escaped entirely, or sustained a very slight attack. A remarkable exemplification of this was shown in the immunity of Altona, when the city of Hamburg was affected: and Brooklyn escaped for nearly a whole month, while Cholera exhibited great malignity and diffusiveness in New York.

"In 1819 it made its way southward to Mauritius, nearly 2000 miles from the Peninsula of India, and 20 degrees to the south of the equator. That has been its

extreme southern limit. In the same year it entered Java, at a nearly equal distance from Jessore, in a south-eastern direction; but its progress in the north-west course which in 1818 it had so rapidly taken, was so very slow that it is only in 1821 that we find it in Persia.

"In 1821 it attacked Pekin, 1600 miles to the east and 1000 miles to the north of Jessore. That city is in the latitude nearly of Philadelphia. In the same year it pervaded Persia, reached Muscat and Bahrein in Arabia, and thus in a northeast, north-west, south-east, and southwest direction, the Cholera had extended to a nearly equal distance from the point at which it was first observed.

"In 1823 it was found at Antioch on the Mediterranean and at Astracan on the Caspian, and at the mouth of the Volga. This year was remarkable for the sudden pause and retrogradation of the Cholera. It did not pass beyond Syria in Egypt, nor did it ascend the Voiga from Astracan, but disappeared from the whole country between the Persian gulf, the Caspian, and Mediterranean, until the years 1829

and 1830.

"In 1830 having a second time prevailed in Astracan, it ascended the Volga and its tributaries, and in September, of that year, obtained a footing in Moscow. "Its subsequent progress has been an accelerated one, but as the details are familiar to your readers, I shall not detain them with the recital. Suffice it to say that in 1832 it affected London and Paris, in 1831 Bucharest, Vienna, and Berlin, while the whole country lying between these two lines, has enjoyed entire exemption. The Netherlands, Holland, Bavaria, Saxony, &c., have not yet been affected by a malady which has prevailed on every side of them.

"So various are these countries, both as to character of population and of surface, that we are at a loss to account for the exemption, and confess that in this, as in many other respects, this curious epidemic forbids even a plausible conjec

ture.

ENGLISH REFORM BILL.

"M. K."

As so much has been said about the English Reform Bill, we presume that our readers, now that it has passed, will be glad to know something of its nature. We therefore give the following:

Abstract of the Reform Bill.-The qualifications for a Borough Elector (not being otherwise entitled) are

1. That he shall be of full age, and not subject to any legal incapacity.

2. That he shall occupy, as owner or tenant, within the borough, a house, warehouse, shop, or other building, being separately, or jointly, with any land under

the same landlord, of the clear yearly va lue of not less than Ten Pounds.

3. That he shall occupy such premises for twelve calendar months next, previous to the 31st of July.

4. That he shall be rated to the relief of the poor upon the same premises.

5. That he shall, on or before the 20th of July, have paid all the poor rates and assessed taxes, which shall have become payable from him in respect of such premises, previously to the 6th April.

6. That he shall have resided for six calendar months, next previous to 31st July, within the borough, or within seven statute miles thereof.

The occupation may be of different premises, in immediate and continuous succession.

Joint occupiers of premises, in respect of which the above conditions have been complied with, are each entitled to vote, if the clear yearly value of such premises, gives not less than ten pounds for each oc cupier.

Tenants of premises, the rates of which are payable by the landlords, may claim to be rated, and upon payment of the rates and taxes, will be entitled to vote.

Upon complying with the above conditions, electors will be entitled to vote at any election of members that may take place after the 31st of October, 1832, and before the 1st November, 1833, and so on in successive years, unless the dates are altered by the privy council.

A sufficient number of booths are to be prepared, so that not more than six hun dred electors are to poll at any one compartment.

The polling to continue, if required, for two successive days only, for seven hours on the first day, and for eight hours on the second day; but the poll is not, on any ac count, to be kept open later than four o'clock on the second day.-Liverpool paper.

Germany-The Bergedorf Messenger [Bergedorfer-Bote] is a weekly paper, consisting of four quarto pages, edited at Hamburgh, by Mr. Leonhardt. It com prises Theological Disquisitions, Practical it is conducted with marked ability, with Advices, and Religious Intelligence; and candour towards opponents, and with an enlightened attachment to evangelical truth and piety. Amidst the dreadful desolation of the German Protestant churches, from their helpless subjection to secu lar dominion, and from the flood of false Rationalism which has spread among them, it is a matter of gratitude and en couragement to find, in many places and in various laudable ways, a vigorous stand made on behalf of truth and holiness. It is not among the least important of these instruments of good, that several periodi

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