Page images
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

PRIESTS.

M. Allen, B. A. Trin. coll. Dublin.
F. B. Roberson, B.A., Univ. coll. Durham.
W. H. Stokes, B.A., Wadham coll. Oxf.
J. H. Bastard, B.A., Trin. coll. Camb.
E. H. Nelson, B.A., Trin. coll. Dublin.
C. J. Carr, B.A., Univ. coll. Durham.
W. Brown, B.A., Univ. coll. Durham.
B. C. Kennicott, B.A., Oriel coll. Oxford.
Blythe Hurst, Literate.

G. Walker, Univ. coll. Dublin.

DEACONS.

T. J. Bewsher, Univ. coll. Durham.
H. Humble, M.A. Univ. coll. Durham.
H. S. Hawkins, B.A., Jesus coll. Oxf.
H. Simpson, Univ. coll. Durham.
H. R. Pitman, B.A., Clare hall, Camb.
C. E. Wyvill, B.A., Univ. coll. Durham.
F. S. Robson, B.A., Univ. coll. Durham.
J. Spedding, B.A., Emm. coll. Camb.
A. F. Pettigrew, B.A., Trin. coll. Camb.
C. D. Bell, B.A., Trin. coll. Dublin.

On Sunday, August 13, by the Lord Bishop of Norwich:

PRIESTS.

H. S. Anders, B.A., Caius coll. Camb.
T. A. Anson, B.A., Jesus coll. Camb.
Edm. Bellman, B.A., Queen's coll. Camb.
W. P. Borrett, M.D., Caius coll. Camb.
T. W. Boyce, B.A., Sid. Suss. coll. Camb.
T. H. Chase, B.A., Queen's coll. Camb.
W. Collett, B.A., St. Peter's coll. Camb.
C. N. Cooper, B.A., Corp. Chr. coll. Camb.
Geo. Crabbe, B.A. Queen's coll. Camb.

J. M. Cripps, St. John's coll. Camb.
G. W. Darby, M.A., St. John's coll. Cam.
H. Goulding, B.A., Trin. coll. Camb.
T. G. P. Hough, B.A., Caius coll. Camb.
G. Jackson, M.A., Caius coll. Camb.
C. W. Lohr, B.A. Corp. Chr. coll. Camb.
H. P. Marsham, S.C.L. Trin. hall, Camb.
D. B. Moore, Queen's coll. Camb.
T. H. Mynors, B.A., Wadham, Oxf.
J. Postle, B.A., Corp. Christ. coll. Camb.
J. U. Robson, B.A., Magd. hall, Oxf.
G. Shand, B.A., Queen's coll. Oxf.
R. Surtees, B.A., Cor. Chr. coll. Camb.
G. F. Turner, B.A. Trin. coll. Oxf.
W. C. Ward, B.A. All Souls' coll. Oxf.
DEACONS.

G. L. Allsopp, B.A., Emm. coll. Camb.
F. A. Bickmore, Trinity coll. Camb.
W. C. Bidwell, B.A., Clare hall, Camb.
C. T. J. Blake, B.A., Jesus coll. Camb.
J. W. Devlin, B.A., Trin. coll. Dublin.
H. Evans, B.A. Corp. Christ. coll. Camb.
J. W. Evans, B.A., Trin. coll. Oxford.
G. C. Geldart, B.A. Peter's coll. Camb.
R. A. T. Gregory, LL.B. Trin. coll, Dub.
H. N. Gwyn, B.A., Jesus coll. Camb.
F. C. Halsted, B.A., Trin. hall, Camb.
E. J. May, B.A., Worc. coll. Oxford.
D. A. Moullin, B.A., Trin. coll. Dublin.
H. J. Muskett, B.A., St. Pet. coll. Camb.
W. L. Onslow, B.A., Emm. coll. Camb.
C. Palgar, St. John's coll. Camb.
H. Symonds, M.A., Madg. hall, Oxford.
C. C. G. Townshend, B.A., Cl. hall, Cam.
J. L. Warner, St. Bees.

T. Wilson, M.A. Corp. Christ. coll. Camb.

:

IRELAND.

Appointments.-The Very Rev. Dr. Vignolles, to the deanery of Ossory.-The Rev. H. Usher Tighe, to be dean of the Chapel Royal.-Rev. G. S. Monk, to the united rectories of Clonegam and Newtown Lennan, in the cos. of Waterford and Tipperary patron, the Crown. Rev. F. Thompson, to the vicarage of Kilpatrick : patron, the Bishop.-Rev. F. Owen, to the rectory of Killegney: patron, the Bishop of Ferns.-Rev. Thomas Walker, to the vicarage of Belfast.-Rev. Pryce Peacock, to the vicarage of Crecoragh, co. Limerick.-Rev. Wm. Archdall, to the prebend of Telcome, and Rathasbrick rectory, Queen's co.-Rev. Thomas Walker, to the vicarage of Belfast: patron, Marquis of Donegal.-Rev. R. B. Booth, to the vicarage of Vastina, Westmeath: patron,

the Crown.-Rev. J. H. Powell, to the vicarage of Mosstrim, co. Longford: patron, the Bishop of Ardagh.-Rev. C. Robinson, to the rectory of Kilglass, co. Longford: patron, the bishop of Ardagh.-Rev. J. Ko binson, to the rectory of Tullamoy, Queen's co.: patron, the Bishop of Leighlin.-Rev. P. M. Cumming, to the union of Cahir, co. Kerry patron, the Crown.

Deaths.-The Hon. and Very Rev. Dr. Burke, dean of Ossory.-Rev. H. Rochford, rector of Vastina, co. Westmeath: patron, the Crown.-Rev. Alex. Lindsay, rector of Rathdrumin, co. Louth.-Rev. A. C. Macartney, vicar of Belfast.-Rev. R. Jessop, rector of Kilglass, co. Longford.-Rev. James Ellard, of the union of Kilfinane. co. Limerick -Rev. Dr. Vaudeleur, rector of Jullianstown, co. Meath.

THE

CHURCHMAN'S MONTHLY REVIEW

AND CHRONICLE.

SEPTEMBER, 1843.

FIRST ELEMENTS OF SACRED PROPHECY: including an Examination of several recent Expositions, and of the YearDay Theory. By the REV. T. R. BIRKS, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. London: Painter. 1843.

We believe, or we should rather say, we are most thoroughly convinced, that the maintenance of Protestantism, i. e. of evangelical truth, in the present day, and in this part of the world, very principally depends on the success of those who are striving to prevent the obscuration of the prophetical portions of God's word. Hence such works as the present are not, in our view,-what some good men have regarded them in times past,-merely curious and unprofitable speculations. On the contrary, St. Peter's description clearly covers them with its commendation. "We have also a

[ocr errors]

"more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take "heed: as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts." A vigorous effort is now making, and that by a singular confederacy of men differing on many other subjects, to extinguish this light,—to persuade the Church of Christ that there is, in fact, no such light,either by assuming that the chief prophecies of scripture were fulfilled many centuries since, or by maintaining that they have reference solely to some future state of things, the very dawn of which the Christians of the present day can scarcely hope to see. The bearing of this attempt on the present critical condition of the SEPTEMBER, 1843.

4 M

Church, is vividly exhibited in the closing passage of Mr. Birks' viith chapter:

to prove that the

'It is one strange and mysterious feature of the present times, that Christian writers should be found who cast aside the universal judgment of the Church from the beginning, on passages the most vital to the faith of Christ; and this apparently from no other cause than their own inability to explain fully its minor details. The prophecy of the seventy weeks has, from the first, been reckoned among the most conspicuous testimonies to the sufferings of Christ, and his rejection by his own people. The leading outlines of the prediction are eminently clear, and their correspondence with the history of our Lord and the calamities of the Jews is of the most striking character. To scatter doubts and suspicions against a truth so evident, because we have not the patience to decide on the minuter details of chronology, nor discernment enough to fix each clause of the prophecy in its true place, is nothing less than to overturn the pillars of the Christian faith, in order to rear an altar to our own pride. Such rash speculations cannot fail to produce the most deplo rable effects, if ever they shall obtain a wide currency in the Church. Already a large class of divines, in their zeal for tradition, decry, as rationalistic and presumptuous, all reliance on the internal evidence of divine truth. A second class, we have seen, have busied themselves in attempting supposed fulfilments of Scripture prophecy are deceptive and untrue. Isaiah Daniel, and Revelation, and our Lord's own prophecy, are, in their view, entirely unfulfilled. The plainest correspondence between the predictions and events can be boldly explained into the mere effect of dishonest artife. and those who are less incredulous derided for the ir amusing simplicity. With such principles, what anchor is left for the faith of the Church? These wri ters, or most of them, profess to believe that, in the last days, lying signs and wonders will be permitted to appear. And what a fearful preparation have they unconsciously made for the wide success of those awful delusions, whenever they may arise! The school of tradition, under pretence of exploding rationalism, will have cut off all appeal to moral and internal evidence. The Futurists, on the other hand, will have done their utmost to sweep away the evidence of fulfilled prophecy. The evidence of miracles alone will be left to us; but how should antiquated miracles, two thousand years ago, counteract the present impression of Satanic wonders? Those who have adopted. on trust, the declamations of the "Tracts for the Times" against the internal I will be left as hopeless victims, bound hand and foot, and surrendered to the evidence of the Gospel, and, along with these, the maxims of the Futurists, spirit of delusion, whenever the last Antichrist shall seek to build his empire

on the ruins of the Christian faith.'—(pp. 179–181.)

It is indeed "a strange and mysterious feature" of the pre Isent fearful assault of the Church's great enemy upon her very citadel; and greatly confirms the view which the most thoughtful writers have taken, of the distinctly supernatural character of the

whole movement.

The overthrow and entire eradication of the views of propher generally held throughout all the Protestant churches for the last three hundred years, was absolutely essential to the success of that conspiracy which now avows its object to be, re-union with Rome. It would have been useless to exalt tradition and the sacraments, so long as Rome was left in the condemnation under which Mede Church of England might become semi-Romish, but nothing like and Newton, Hurd and Van Mildert, had declared her to lie. The

re-union could ever be even hoped for, if Rome was still viewed as Babylon, and the Pope as the "Man of Sin."

Yet to assail the established interpretation merely by the pens of the Newmans and Palmers, would have been a coarse and unskilful line of policy. The great conspirator against the Church's peace is too consummate a master of the sapping and mining art to employ the same parties in the open assault and the secret stratagem. Hence an entirely different body of assailants undertook the reduction of the prophetic rampart; and, as might be expected, they commenced their operations some time before the open assault was prepared. They have, it is true, sufficient marks and badges to establish an identity of object; they speak the same language of fondness for Rome and hatred to Protestantism; but still they have always formed a distinct brigade. Neither Mr. Maitland, nor Dr. Todd, nor Mr. Burgh, nor Mr. Tyso, nor Mr. M'Causland, nor Mr. Govett, can be fairly charged with being " of the Tractarian school." But while we entirely admit their distinctness of view and of operation, we cannot overlook the fact, that though assailing Protestantism on a different flank, and by different arms, and with a different war-cry, they are still only a single corps d'armeé of that grand confederacy which has been called together by "the prince of the power of the air," for his greatest, and we would trust, his final assault, upon Christ's little flock.

The success of both movements was, at first, considerable; and from the like cause,-the state of drowsiness and laxity into which the Church had fallen. A generation had grown up which knew little of the hardships to which their fathers had been subjected. The offence of the cross had greatly ceased. Men of evangelical views began to find their way even to the episcopal bench. New churches were built, for which men of talent, whether evangelical or otherwise, were eagerly sought. The great religious societies called men out of their studies, for the platform and the deputation-excursion. All this, with much that was good and necessary, joined many obvious disadvantages, and causes of deterioration. Meanwhile, crowds of young men were pouring forth from the universities, with characters altogether unformed and unfixed. Many now called themselves" evangelical,"-for there was no longer any risk or disgrace connected with the term,-while their whole title to the name consisted in their possession of "Simeon's Skeletons," and their adhesion to the Church Missionary Society. They had read "Horne's Introduction," and "Burnet on the Articles;" and for the Prophecies, they had cast a hasty glance over Bishop Newton.

It was upon such a slip-shod generation as this, that the move

« PreviousContinue »