The New evangelical magazine and theological review

Theological Review.

Sketches of Human Nature; or Hints, | been any length of time members or

a Christian church, that have not had cause to lament the want of concord and harmony in the body, arising from a deficiency of love, the remainder of corruption in the hearts of their brethren, the imprudent conduct of some, and the imperfections of all. It is this melancholy state of things that lays a foundation for the numerous exhortations with which the New Testament abounds, to "forbear one another in love"-to have "compassion one of another"-to

love as brethren"-to put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering," &c. &c. There is, certainly, very much propriety in the following remarks which we extract from the introduction to this work.

chiefly relating to the duties and difficulties that occur in the intercourse of Christians with one another, and with the world. BY WILLIAM INNES, Minister of the Gospel. 2nd edition, considerably enlarged. Edinburgh. Oliphant and Co. and Hamilton, London, 1817. about 300 pages 12mo. 4s. 6d. boards. THE former edition of this book was published eight or nine years ago, and it has been for some time out of print. 'Tis a pity this should ever have been the case; for a work calculated to be more extensively useful we know not where else to look for. Our opinions, indeed, upon a few points of minor importance, do not exactly quadrate with those of Mr. Innes; but that is no reason with us why we should with-hold from his "I recollect," says Mr. Innes, "when performance the commendation to conversing some time ago with a friend, which it is fairly entitled. The ob- on the effects of mutual watchfulness, ject of it is not to teach the doctrines and of the observance of scriptural disciof Christianity; for it addresses itself pline, he remarked: One thing, at least, to those who are supposed to be al- appears very obvious, that, where these ready instructed in the first principles will find the corruption that is in human are attended to in churches, Christians of the oracles of God, and who con- nature made much more manifest than in sequently are become members of a other situations. Now, it has been with Christian church: and it sets before me a question, Is this a recommendation them the evils they should avoid, and of such churches? These occurrences, it the rule they should follow if they must be allowed, in the history of indivi would promote their own edification, duals, which bring the evil that exists in the glory of Christ, and the peace their hearts to light, often form an imand prosperity of his kingdom in the portant source of improvement, as they world. And now let us ask, " Where tend to inspire humility and watchfulness: is the Christian to be found, who can may not this, then, be the way in which say that these things do not concern that Christians, in their associated capathe great Head of the church designed him?" The truth is, it is a practical city, should promote the improvement of treatise on the subject of church-fel- one another?"-Whatever has been the lowship-evidently the result of much issue of this inquiry, in the case of the painful experience in the ministry of individual referred to, the fact on which it the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is founded is unquestionable. Where comes home to every Christian's busi-Christians acknowledge no authority, and ness and bosom.

The work is divided into four Sections of which the following are the titles. SECT. I. Of the discipline of a Church, offences, &c. SECT. II. Of the pernicious effects of Tale-bearing, rash judgment, &c. SECT. III. Respecting Pastors and Teachers. SECT. IV. Remarks on Miscellaneous Subjects. These four Sections are subdivided into fifty-six short Essays with a Conclusion and an Appendix. There are few persons who have

have no bond of union but the word of

God, restraints of a merely external kind in the discipline which the scriptures reare in a great measure removed; and as, quire to be observed in a Christian church, many things sufficiently disagreeable to human nature must inevitably occur, the observance of that discipline certainly does tend to bring to light much secret depravity, which, in less trying situations, might never have been discovered.

It is a lamentable fact, that among the great body of Dissenters throughout England, the state of things sup

posed or implied in the preceding extract, is at least sufficiently understood, to determine them to have as little to do with discipline as possible! Members of the same church may statedly come together for years in succession to worship God without ever exchanging a word with one another-they may have causes of dissatisfaction and grounds of offence towards each other, existing for years, without a single effort being made to remove them-and if the parties themselves can be content to let matters hang over, in this state, they may live and die at enmity with each other. This is shocking to reflect upon-but it is a true picture of the generality of the present race of churches. The great thing with most of the pastors is, to keep peace and quietness-but the very means by which they seek to accomplish it, namely, by smothering the einbers of disaffection, eventually ruins the church. Christ in his great wisdom and love, hath instituted discipline to be observed among the members, for the purpose of keeping clear the channels of brotherly love; and it is at the peril of any body of Christians, how they neglect it. Mr. Innes understands this subject well-few men understand it better; and his book is replete with the most excellent advice to brethren associated together in the profession of the gospel, on this important subject. No member of a Christian church ought to be without it.

Were it necessary to justify the opinion which we have given of the work before us, by quotations from it, the task would be easily executed; but our limits do not admit of it. Should what we have said, induce any of our readers to procure the volume, and to make themselves masters of the salutary counsel it contains, they will have much more reason to thank us for advising them to it, than the author will,

A Defence of the Wesleyan Methodist Missions in the West Indies: including a refutation of the charges in Mr. Marryat's "Thoughts on the Abolition of the Slave Trade, &c." and in other Publications; with facts and Anecdotes illustrative of the moral state of the Slaves, and of the operation of Missions. By RICHARD WATSON, One of the Secretaries to the Com

mittee for the management of
the Wesleyan Methodist Missions.
London. Blans hard; Butterworth
and Son; and Baynes. Price 3s. 6d.
8vo. pp. 163. 1817.

THE abolition of the traffic in human
beings, which has swept from the
ocean every ship bearing the British
flag, and set an example to every
other nation of the triumph of huma-
nity and justice over the sordid prin-
ciples of gain, is an achievement
which no benevolent mind can con-
template with unconcern. Until that
monstrous engine of oppression and
cruelty was once fairly destroyed, the
concentrated energies of all the friends
of truth and freedom were necessarily
required to crush the hydra, and rescue
our fellow creatures from his savage
claws. But the victory was won;
and it is in itself of sufficient conse-
quence to reflect a lustre on the age
in which we live. Africa was there-
by relieved, and if her children in the
West Indies, were, during the con-
flict, in a considerable degree for-
gotten, some apology might possibly
be offered for the sin of omission.
The principle of Christian benevo-
lence, however, which of late years
has been so powerfully called into
action, rendered it highly improbable
that such a vast scene as that which
the West India Islands presented to
view, of human wretchedness and the
want of moral cultivation, should be
long overlooked. The bare reflection,
that there existed considerably more
than half a million of blacks and
people of colour, subjects of the Bri-
tish empire, separated from us indeed
by a little water, who are still held
as slaves in the British Colonies; who
live and die, not only without per-
sonal liberty and the enjoyment of
many important civil rights, for
which, in truth, they are not in every
case prepared, but without any reli-
gious instruction, except such as is.
offered by voluntary charity; without
education of the lowest kind; with-
out any attempt to civilize or moralize.
them; without even the forms of
marriage, and of course. without
domestic relations; being left to vege-
tate and die on the soil, without ever
feeling the powers of immortal man,
ignorant of themselves, of the God
who made them, and of the end of
their being-all this is surely an af
fecting consideration.
"Such," says
Mr. Watson, " is, however, the con-

dition, at this moment, of by far the greater part of the slave population of our colonies; and in this condition have lived and died the successive millions, who, from the commencement of the slave trade have passed through the life of toil and injury which our practice, if not our laws had assigned them, to depose before the bar of Eternal Justice, the general neglect of a Christian people towards the promoting in any efficient degree, their moral happiness."

work. The Moravians commenced their

portion of the globe. The Wesleyan Missionaries have been singled out by the Anti-mission party as the special object of attack-and a new periodical publication under the title of "THE QUARTERLY COLONIAL JOURNAL," has been the vehicle of the grossest misrepresentation and most slanderous abuse of them. Mr. Marryat, too, in his "Thoughts on the Abolition of the Slave Trade" has powerfully aided in the same bad cause. But the Missionaries have found a most able advocate in Mr. "The West India islands have not, Watson, " One of the Secretaries to however, been wholly neglected. If no the Committee for the management efficient legislative provision has been of the Wesleyan Methodist Missions" adopted for the Christianising of their slave population, it has been attempted -a man who, whether we regard him by the spontaneous zeal of several Chrisas a preacher or a writer, is deservedtian societies, and with a success, which, ly entitled to rank in the forevery though far from rendering larger exermost class of either. We have tions unnecessary, will ever be contemp-listened with delight to his eloquence lated by Christians of every religious from the pulpit, and have been not persuasion with the highest satisfaction. much less charmed with the pam The Society founded by Bishop Porteus, phlet now before us. It is indeed a has two missionaries employed in this triumphant " Defence" of his Mis labours in the Danish West India Islands sionary brethren; and should any in 1732: 'in Jamaica, in 1754; in Antigua, our readers have been led to adopt in 1756; and in St. Kitts, in 1775. The prejudices against the cause which is efforts of the Wesleyan Methodists comhere defended, we beseech them to menced in Antigua in 1760; and from read Mr. Watson's pamphlet or if 1786, when four missionaries visited that any of their acquaintance should unIsland, they began to spread over the happily be so circumstanced, they British colonies, in most of which they cannot do better than put it into their have raised societies, congregations, and hands. places of worship, and now employ thirtynine missionaries. The Baptists have three missionaries in Jamaica, and the London Missionary Society have lately occupied stations in Demerara, Berbice, and Trinidad. In this work, all, who have long exerted themselves, have had to toil through great difficulties, and to make the most painful sacrifices. The result of their united efforts, however, is, that probably more than 200,000 negroes and people of colour enjoy, either as members of religious societies, or as hearers of the preachers of different denominations, the benefits of religious instruction, For this work of patriotism and benevolence the rewards which the missionaries, have in many cases met with, have been opposition and persecution abroad, and calumny at home, But their judgment is with the Lord, and their work with their God," Surpass in appropriateness, all other books in the world. Of this descripIt can hardly excite surprise, how-tion are the historical parts of the ever affecting the consideration may Old Testament, particularly the inbe, that the sordid love of money, teresting narratives of Joseph, of should so far gain the ascendant over Moses, and of David; the whole of the principles of humanity and bene- the book of Proverbs; and the Evanvolence, as to stimulate interested in-gelical history of our Saviour. It dividuals to raise a clamour against gave us sensible pleasure, therefore, the persons that have undertaken to meet with the work before us, bethe task of enlightening this dark cause it appears to us to remedy an

The Bible Class Book; or Scripture
Readings for every day in the year:
being three hundred and sixty five
lessons, selected from the most in-
structive and improving parts of the
Sacred Scriptures. Adapted to the
use of schools and families. London,
Lackington and Co.; 6s. bound.

EVER Since we were capable of form-
ing a judgment on the subject, it
struck us that strong objections might
be urged against the practice of mak-
ing the Bible indiscriminately a school
book.
that there are portions of it, which
And yet it is past all dispute

evil of which we have frequently complained and supplies what has hitherto been a desideratum.

lessons from the epistles to the Corinthians, he has fallen into some inaccuracies which of course will be The Lessons are selected with due corrected in the next edition. The discrimination; and the titles are in first epistle, is always mentioned general appropriate; beginning with "Corinthians" without the numeral; The Creation the first Sabbath-the and those lessons which have been fall of man-the death of Abel selected from the second epistle are Noah's Ark-the Deluge the Rain-uniformly said to be taken from the bow-the confusion of tongues-the first! The volume consists of 550 call of Abraham, &c. &c. The in- pages, and at the head of each lesson comparable history of Joseph and his is prefixed a text of scripture. Upon brethren occupies twelve lessons; the the whole, we think the publication history of the Israelties, beginning certainly deserves the attention of with the birth of Moses, and termi- teachers in general: and at a period nating with their settlement in the like the present, when unexampled promised land, makes nearly fifty. efforts are making to distribute the The book of Proverbs upwards of Scriptures universally abroad-awork, twenty. It is with propriety that the such as the one before us, so well compiler has been sparing in his use adapted for utility, cannot fail, we of the Prophetic writings, and also think, of public patronage, and in of the Apostolic epistles. But he process of time, of being very genehas very judiciously harmonized the rally used. life of Christ. In selecting a few

To the Editor of the New Evangelical
Magazine.

SIR,

It is now some months since I addressed you on the importance of universal education, and 1 am induced to request your favourable reception of a few lines again, in consequence of the great satisfaction I have experienced in reading the sixth Report of the Society for Gaelic Schools, and which I trust will be acceptable to your readers.

In the year 1811, a respectable associ ation was formed, for the purpose of investigating the actual state of the Highlands and Islands, in regard to instruction, and to provide the means of teaching them in the Gaelic their native tongue. These inquiries demonstrated the necessity of immediate exertion in their behalf, and the Society determined to adopt a plan, which had the sanction of experience in Wales, viz. the employment of Itinerant Teachers, in what are called ambulatory Schools. The result has fully answered the expectation of the Society. The Gaelic Society, is not opposed to The people old and young, most eagerly the respectable Society long since es- assemble together to learn, and a desire tablished in Edinburgh, for promoting is excited thereby to learn even the En Christian knowledge in the Highlands,glish language. At a small expense and and Islands, but is different in its object, and its operations are principally directed to plans which have had little or no benefit from the laudable operation of Much commendation is

that Society.
undoubtedly due to the Society for pro-
moting Christian knowledge in the High-
lands, &c. but it appears from experience,
and from facts, that by teaching the
English language alene, they have made
far less progress than would have been
made by teaching the Gaelic, The in-
struction thus given conveyed no ideas
the people only read what they did not
understand, and felt no interest in that
kind of education which conveyed no

new ideas.

by means of teachers who remain only a few months in one place, instruction is afforded to 3557 persons, of all ages from 5 to 117, for even at this advanced age, one person appeared as a learner, and actually made some proficiency, when it pleased God to arrest his progress, by dimness of sight, and soon after to remove him from this world.

The Report states, the visitor of the School at Glencalvie found "A house crowded with 60 Scholars of all ages, from the Glencalvie veteran Ivirach, now in his 117th year to, literally speaking, the infant in the cradle; for the mother, of the infant his one of the Scholars, and such was here desire to learn, that she

work. The Moravians commenced their

from the pulpit, and have been not much less charmed with the pamphlet now before us. It is indeed a triumphant "Defence" of his Missionary brethren; and should any our readers have been led to adopt prejudices against the cause which is here defended, we beseech them to read Mr. Watson's pamphlet-or if any of their acquaintance should unhappily be so circumstanced, they cannot do better than put it into their hands.

"The West India islands have not, however, been wholly neglected. If no efficient legislative provision has been adopted for the Christianising of their slave population, it has been attempted by the spontaneous zeal of several Christian societies, and with a success, which, though far from rendering larger exermost class of either. We have tions unnecessary, will ever be contemp-listened with delight to his eloquence lated by Christians of every religious persuasion with the highest satisfaction. The Society founded by Bishop Porteus, has two missionaries employed in this labours in the Danish West India Islands in 1732: in Jamaica, in 1754; in Antigua, in 1756; and in St. Kitts, in 1775. The efforts of the Wesleyan Methodists commenced in Antigua in 1760; and from 1786, when four missionaries visited that Island, they began to spread over the British colonies, in most of which they have raised societies, congregations, and places of worship, and now employ thirtynine missionaries. The Baptists have three missionaries in Jamaica, and the London Missionary Society have lately occupied stations in Demerara, Berbice, and Trinidad. In this work, all, who have long exerted themselves, have had to toil through great difficulties, and to make the most painful sacrifices. The result of their united efforts, however, is, that probably more than 200,000 negroes and people of colour enjoy, either as members of religious societies, or as hearers of the preachers of different denominations, the benefits of religious instruction. For this work of patriotism and benevolence the rewards which the missionaries, have in many cases met with, have been opposi-book. tion and persecution abroad, and calumny

at home. But their judgment is with the Lord, and their work with their God,"

The Bible Class Book; or Scripture Readings for every day in the year: being three hundred and sixty five lessons, selected from the most instructive and improving parts of the Sacred Scriptures. Adapted to the use of schools and families. London, Lackington and Co.; 6s. bound.

EVER Since we were capable of forming a judgment on the subject, it struck us that strong objections might be urged against the practice of making the Bible indiscriminately a school

And yet it is past all dispute that there are portions of it, which surpass in appropriateness, all other books in the world. Of this descripIt can hardly excite surprise, how- tion are the historical parts of the ever affecting the consideration may Old Testament, particularly the inbe, that the sordid love of money,teresting narratives of Joseph, of should so far gain the ascendant over Moses, and of David; the whole of the principles of humanity and bene- the book of Proverbs; and the Evanvolence, as to stimulate interested in-gelical history of our Saviour. It dividuals to raise a clamour against gave us sensible pleasure, therefore, the persons that have undertaken to meet with the work before the task of enlightening this dark cause it appears to us to remedy an

us,

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The New evangelical magazine and theological review, Volume 3