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tend to make easy to all classes the acquisition of ability to read the Greek New Testament, are among those which we hail with the greatest complacency, not merely for the sake of the personal advantage of those who avail themselves of them, but for the sake of their usefulness in the church and in the world.

This is exactly a work of the kind. The Tables of Paradigms are very lucid and well planned. The analytical portion is more scientific and complete than Dawson's volume, which nevertheless has been useful to many; and the Lexicographical Illustrations of the meanings are exceedingly well executed.

BRIEF NOTICES.

Memoir and Remains of the Rev. James Ha rington Evans, late Minister of John Street Chapel. Edited by the Rev. JAMES JOYCE EVANS, M.A., Trin. Coll. Cantab., Chaplain to the Home and Colonial Training Schools. London: 8vo. pp. xxviii. 666. Price 12s.

To this volume we are indebted for that biographical sketch with which our present number commences. It is edited by the son of our late respected friend, who, if we may judge from the work, in spirit at least, bears a strong resemblance to his father. He has felt the delicacy of his position, as "the son writing the Memoir of his father-a Churchman editing the Remains of a Dissenter," but he has fulfilled the duties he had undertaken in a manner that will be satisfactory, we should think, to all his father's friends; and among that portion of them with whom we should rank ourselves the publication will rectify some misapprehensions and raise his father's reputation. The Memoir extends to above ninety pages. The "Remains" consist of a Memoir by the late Mr. Evans of his first Wife, an excellent woman; General Correspondence, arranged in chronological order, including a great number of letters, addressed principally to his family and to very intimate friends; Pastoral Letters, addressed to the Church in John Street, which will assist pastors to solve two difficult problems,-how to acquire, and how to retain, the affection of their flocks; Ministerial Letters; Original Thoughts on Scripture, extracted from common place books; Sketches of Sermons; and the commencement of a Commentary on the Ephesians. Mr. Evans was evidently a man who habitually enjoyed much intimate communion with his unseen Redeemer, and the tendency of the whole book is to promote holy obedience and devout habits. We have marked many passages as suitable to be transferred to our own pages, as soon as space

can be found for their admission.

On the Religious Character of our Public Schools; a Paper read at the Conferences of the Voluntary School Association, holden at London, on the 9th of December, 1851, and at Manchester on the 2nd and 3rd of February, 1852; and containing an Examination of the Scheme of Secular Instruction proposed by the National Public School Associ

ation.

By JOHN HOWARD HINTON, M.A. London: Č. Gilpin. pp. 23.

A keen exposure of the fallacious character and mischievous tendencies of the scheme for obtaining compulsory support of schools for secular instruction alone, advocated by gentlemen at Manchester. Mr. Hinton shows that "the education imparted will not only be nonreligious, but anti-religious; and the race of youth so trained will grow up, not only practically without God in the world,' but eminently prepared to fall into the wiles, and to follow the steps of the atheist and the infidel."

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Memorials of the Life and Trials of a Youthful Christian, as developed in the Biography of Nathaniel Cheever, M.D. By the Rev. HENRY T. CHEEVER, Author of "The Island World of the Pacific," "Life in the Sandwich Isles," &c. With an Introduction by the Rev. George B. Cheever, D.D. London: Routledge and Co. Fcap. 8vo. pp. 375.

In this volume we are presented with the mental history, drawn chiefly from his own letters and journals, of one whose life from the age of twelve was one long and painful struggle with disease; whose rare maturity of character and great sweetness of disposition must have given promise of a useful future, though they must at the same time have awakened fear lest that promise should never be realized; whose almost incessant languor served to stimulate his thirst for knowledge; and whose forced attention to the body seemed to increase his interest in the welfare of his own and others' souls. The serious perusal of this narrative cannot but be of service to every thoughtful mind; and its issue in Routledge's cheap series puts it for a

few

ceded by a characteristic sketch by his eldest
pence within the reach of any. It is pre-
brother, the well-known Dr. Cheever of New
York,

Christian Watchfulness. A Sermon delivered
Jan. 11, 1852, at Grey Friars' Street Chapel,
Northampton. By JOSEPH PYWELL.
Northampton: Phillips. pp. 16.

A serious exhortation to watchfulness, in which the preacher recognizes not only the

perils arising from worldly influences and cor-
rupt dispositions, but also those which arise
from the machinations of invisible but active
foes, which are too much overlooked in modern
ministrations, and shows the necessity for vigi-
lance in reference to the mind, the heart, the
tongue, and the outward life.

The Half Century: its History, Political and
Social. By WASHINGTON WILKS. London:
Gilpin. 12mo. pp. 348.

It is enough to say of this work that its substance has appeared in the Nonconformist. That is a sufficient guarantee that it is written with ability, that it is thoroughly opposed to church establishments, and that in pronouncing sentence on princes or statesmen, of whatever party, Justice is never hindered or restrained in the slightest degree by the interference of Mercy. The whole period to which this volume refers lies within our recollection; and we do not know any other account of it equally truthful and instructive.

Gospel Reminiscences of the West Indies. By LEONARD STRONG. Bath: Binns and Goodwin. London: Nisbet and Co. 32mo. The first and longest piece in this volume is an account of the Labours of John Meyer, a native of Switzerland, who dwelt in Demarara some years teaching the negroes, relying on divine Providence for support, without any connexion with missionary societies, with much simplicity of purpose, and apparently with much success. The second is an account of a Negro Driver, who was converted to Christ in a remarkable manner, and who after enduring the most severe persecution was made very useful to his countrymen. The third is an account of an innocent negro who was executed for rebellion. The whole is worthy of perusal, as illustrative of the power of a living faith, and of the adaptation of the gospel to the condition of the most ignorant of the human race, though it is somewhat disfigured by a studied peculiarity of phraseology, which seems to us to savour of affectation.

Philip's Commercial and Industrial Atlas of the World; comprising Seventy-five Maps aud Charts, on a Large Scale, Constructed from the most Authentic Sources, accompanied by a Concise View of General and Physical Geography. By WILLIAM RHIND, Author of "A Treatise on Physical Geography." With a Copious Consulting Index of Places, carefully compiled from the Maps themselves. By J. H. JOHNSON. Contents of Part I. Australia. Canada, With Descriptive Letter-press of England and Wales. Liverpool: published by George Philip and Son, pp. 10.

It is promised in the prospectus that the maps shall be very carefully printed on superfine paper; that the index shall comprehend about thirty thousand names of places; and that the work shall be issued in monthly parts, each containing two maps, with two pages of descriptive letter-press, price two shillings and sixpence. If the other thirty-seven parts are executed in a style equal to the first, this will be a magnificent publication.

VOL. XV.-FOURTH SERIES.

229

The Leisure Hour: a Family Journal of In-
struction and Recreation. London: 56,
Paternoster Row, and 164, Piccadilly. Parts
I. and II.

It is by no means an easy task which the conductors of the Religious Tract Society have isting periodicals of low price and popular undertaken. They wish to supersede some excharacter, by producing one equally attractive have the most extensive circulation are notoand more improving. Some of those which riously irreligious; some covertly insinuate principles which are fundamentally erroneous; while the best of them are distinguished by an entire avoidance of everything evangelical and devout. The effort to make a work of general information which may be acceptable to all classes, and especially interesting to the young, a vehicle for the occasional introduction of remarks subservient to man's highest interests, is worthy of the excellent society from which this publication emanates; and we certainly think plan than we did before these two portions more favourably of the practicability of the appeared. We hope that the committee will spare no expenditure in the effort to make the work popular, and that the friends of the society of all ranks, denominations, and tastes, will exercise great forbearance, and criticise with great candour, for it is absolutely impossible that it should be so conducted as to please them all.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Approved.

[It should be understood that insertion in this list is not a mere announcement: it expresses approbation of the works enumerated,-not of course extending to every particular, but an approbation of their general character and tendency.]

Letters on the Church of Rome, addressed to the the King of Sardinia, and Italian Missionary to Rev. Emmanuel Faraut, D.D., LL.D., Chaplain to

England. By BAPTIST WRIOTHESLEY NOEL. Letter
IV. The Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory; to which
are prefixed Further Remarks by the Rev. Abbé
Faraut. Letter V. The Worship of the Church of
Rome. London: Nisbet and Co., 16mo.

Sermons to Young Women. First Sermon. The Influence of Christianity on the Condition of Woman. By J. A. JAMES. London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co. pp. 48.

The Conspicuous Place which Woman sustains in
Sermons to Young Women. Second Sermon.
Scripture. By J. A. JAMES. London: Hamilton,
Adams, and Co. pp. 48.

Monthly Series. James Watt and the Steam Engine. London: R.T.S. Price 6d. pp. 192.

The Eclectic Review. March,1852. Contents: I. The Genius and Writings of Bunyan. II. Siberia, and American Colonization. III. Sir James Stephens' Lectures on French History. IV. The Poetical Works of John Edmund Reade. V. Bishop Philpotts. VI. Lord Mahon's History of England. VII. Hildebrand and the Excommunicated Emperor. Brief Notices. Review of the Month. London: Ward and Co.

2 E

INTELLIGENCE.

ASIA.

THE BURMESE WAR.

The Macedonian, a paper published by the American Baptist Missionary Union, contains the following observations:

Most of our readers will have heard before this sheet reaches them, that the Governorgeneral of India has sent armed vessels to Rangoon, to obtain redress of the Burmese government for outrages committed on British subjects. The squadron, consisting of two steamers and a frigate, under the command of Commodore Lambert, reached Rangoon on the 26th of November, and its arrival created, as might be expected, intense excitement throughout the city. Communications had been made by the commander of the squadron to the government, the precise character of which was not known to our missionaries, and thirty-five days had been allowed for the answer to be returned. The missionaries, however, had no apprehension of personal danger. Mr. Kincaid closes his letter of Nov. 28, by the significant declaration that "all is safe." He evidently regards this unexpected movement on the part of the East India government as a signal, if not a decisive event in the history of recent measures to regain possession of Burmah as a missionary field. No thoughtful Christian can doubt that this movement will, in the end, contribute in the highest degree to the work of evangelization in Burmah. Indeed, considering it in connexion with the triumphs already achieved by the missionaries at Ran

and the glorious hopes which their comgoon, munications have awakened, we can scarcely resist the conviction that the empire of Burmah is henceforth to be classed among the fields in which evangelical labour may be safely performed on the broadest scale. It has been well said of the evangelization of that empire,-including its six or eight millions of Burmans, Karens, Pegnans, Toungthoos, Kemmees, Salongs, and Shyans,-that the assignment of it to American baptists was so evidently of God, and its progress to the present day has borne such marks of his presence and power, that we can only regard the service as a divine commission to be sacredly discharged; a work to be prosecuted until it is done. Its execution is reserved to us by the general consent of the Christian world. Missionaries of no other Christian denomination share the work; and the question

comes to us now, with a force unknown for the last fifteen years, Are we ready to sustain the sole responsibility of giving to all the races of Burmah the blessings of a pure Christianity?

EUROPE.

GERMANY.

In a letter dated Hamburgh, January 27th, Mr. Oncken says:-"I have just returned from a missionary tour to Oldenburg, and various parts of East Friesland, where we con

tinue to meet with much success in the work

of the Lord. The want of labourers is felt much everywhere; and for want of these our numerous stations for preaching the gospel can, in many instances, be visited only once in six weeks, and sometimes even only once in three months. May our gracious Lord have compassion on the perishing multitudes, and send forth devoted labourers into the field ripe for the harvest. At Weener, Leer, Bunde, Feld, Oldenburg, and Bremen, I preached to large and attentive audiences. Oh that God would move and open the hearts of British Christians more to aid us in our struggle for God's truth. We need aid for missionaries, and for the circulation of the holy scriptures and religious tracts. In 1851 we circulated 26,033 copies of the holy scriptures, 45,000 gospels, and 500,200 tracts. If the present system of politics continues, we shall soon I fear be exposed to severe trials, as the persecutions are everywhere renewed against us. May God prepare us for the contest, and keep

us faithful to the end."

The apprehensions thus expressed have been fully realized, as the following letters addressed to Mr. Oncken by two of his fellow labourers show :

RENEWED PERSECUTIONS.

February, 27th 1852.

DEAR BROTHER ONCKEN,-Some time ago it was my pleasant task to inform you, that our prospects with regard to religious liberty were brightening, and my assertion was founded on the promise of government, that a concession should be granted us as baptists. As the aspect of things has, however since then entirely changed, I with deep regret recall my words.

It was in accordance with the wish of the brethren at- that I spent Lord's

day the 22nd inst. with them, and baptized the wife of our venerable friend;

a young lady, who had requested us to inform her when a baptism would take place, was present at the ordinance. She is the daughter of an officer in the customs, and twenty-six years of age. Half-a-year ago this person was a free-thinker, such as there are, alas! at present, thousands in our country, who deny the existence of God and the Saviour, of eternal life and eternal perdition. The spark of life had been almost extinguished in Miss by intercourse with intellectual but unbelieving friends. The first salutary impressions received with regard to divine things were from conversations with brother to whom she had avowed her infidelity, and whose words of remonstrance and admonition became spirit and life to her. As she was unacquainted with any of our brethren, and had never attended our services, I visited her, and was much gratified by her child-like reception of the truth as it is in Jesus. When she came to shortly afterwards, to be present at the baptism of's wife, she communicated to me that she had found peace in believing, and desired to be examined and baptized as soon as possible. On Sunday morning, 22nd inst., a meeting was held at brother house, at which from thirty to forty persons were present. In the afternoon a similar service was held ; but which passed off less peaceably. We had already commenced by prayer and praise, and I was on the point of giving out my text, when suddenly the door of the apartment was thrown open, and to our amazement, several dragoons and a gens d'armes rudely entered.

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The gens d'armes held in his hand a paper from the magistrate authorizing him to dissolve our meeting. My first impulse was to continue the address; but when our enemies began to use violence I at once desisted, and said: "Dear friends and brethren, we may not employ force in opposition to the powers that be; let us, therefore, now quietly return to our houses."

The congregation then dispersed, amidst the hootings and shouts of the mob in the street. I went with several friends to brother

-'s house to remain there until the following morning. At seven in the evening a report reached us that Miss and brother

(who had escaped to another house) had been taken prisoners, and a quarter of an hour later we heard the trampling of soldiers approach our asylum. Soon they entered the house and room we were in, and inquired whether there were any strangers present? All were silent. Then turning to me they inquired my name, and learning it to be from they declared me to be their prisoner. I wished to produce my passport, but remonstrance was vain; I was escorted to a public house, where our two other friends

we were

were already in confinement. Here we were guarded by gens d'armes, and the profane language we were compelled to hear made us almost long for the solitude of the dungeon that awaited us. On Monday morning, previous to our removal from asked whether we should prefer to ride or to walk to which is several miles distant. As the night had been cold, I advised my companions to walk; besides, we should have been obliged ourselves to defray the expense of taking a carriage; but our dear brethren, who had under some pretext gained admission to the room we were in, no sooner heard a carriage mentioned than they hastened to procure us one at their own expense. Our kind friends also provided us with a good breakfast, and soon after we parted from them with tears of sorrow and joy, and took our seats in the carriage, two soldiers with loaded muskets being seated behind us. During our journey they asked us to explain to them the difference between our faith and that of the Lutheran church, which I endeavoured to do. interest gradually took the place of idle curiosity in their manner, and during the remainder of the way they treated us very politely. At eleven o'clock, A.M. we reached

An eager

and descending from the carriage at the gates of the city walked to the Town Hall, where we were delivered up by our escort to the authorities. The chief officer, however, being absent, we were at once conducted to the jailor, and our pockets searched by him in the presence of the soldiers, and everything, even the little money we had with us, taken away; then we each were led into a separate apartment, and the heavy key turned upon us. We had not been here long, before we were again led out, and taken to an office of the judicial court, where brother and Miss

underwent an examination which lasted three quarters of an hour. They had been arrested on account of their having entered without a passport, and as soon as they could produce their credentials, they were dismissed with an injunction never again to attend a baptist meeting in --. I was now summoned to appear. and a multitude of questions relative to the object of my visit to put to me. I was asked whether I had preached and baptized at my own or at the instigation of any one else, and whether any person besides myself had preached yesterday. Ans. "No." Ques. "Why did you not quit - as soon as you had performed the act of baptism?" Ans. "Because it is against my conscience to travel unnecessarily on the sabbath."

Here the examination ended, and I was remanded to prison till my next citation. The jailor, at the command of the officer, who had examined me, took me to a cell which contained two culprits, one accused of theft and fighting, the other of some minor

offence. The cell was barely large enough to hold three persons, the walls were high and thick, and a feeble light was admitted by a small skylight. A short board reached from one wall to the other, and served both as seat and table; the bed consisted of a thinly filled straw sack, that did not shield us from the damp of the floor. Cleanliness was out of the question, as prisoners are admitted in any condition, and the cold rendered it necessary to retain every article of clothing during my imprisonment. The fare was of such a quality that a strong healthy man might exist on it, but my weak heaith would not allow of my taking much; we received our food through a small trap-door in the wall. As we had no candle we were obliged to feel for our supper. But I experienced that, even amidst such inconveniences, it is possible to have sweet communion with God, and as I lay unable to close my eyes on my miserable pallet I remembered that the apostle Paul had been confined with his feet in the stocks, and that even our adorable Saviour said:"The Son of man hath not where to lay his head," and sympathy with sufferings infinitely greater made me forget my own. Before I was again summoned to appear before the chief officer, brethren and

had been examined, and their evidence fully agreed with mine. Sentence was at length passed on me to the effect that as I had been the chief instigator of the baptismal act, and had held an 66 anabaptist meeting;" I should be imprisoned for eight days, receiving bread and water every alternate day. Brethren and

have been sentenced to eight days of milder imprisonment and to defray one half of the costs, while I am to pay the other half. Brethren and --, who, since the above took place, had gone to a neighbouring village to converse and pray with the people, have in consequence been sentenced to three days' imprisonment. With regard to our marriages we have been informed, that neither will the clergy marry us, nor are we permitted to have them performed by our own ministers. Brother must therefore give up his place, because he cannot be married. The minister of state has advised him to emigrate with his bride* to America, and the upper church councillor has told him that he will do all in his power to oppose his settlement here. You have now a brief sketch of these later events, and I only add our united entreaty to you, dear brother Oncken, and all who love the Lord, to assist us by your prayers, and committing you and ourselves to the God of all grace, I am your most unworthy brother in Christ, &c.

MY DEAR BROTHER ONCKEN,- Pardon

The term bride is used in Germany before marriage; wife afterwards.

my long silence, for I well know how you long to hear from us. Brother has doubtless communicated much that is important to you, but as he could not be with us last ordinance sabbath I now inform you of things that have taken place since then. On Christmas day we had a tea meeting at not only for the church but also for such of our congregation, who felt sufficiently interested to wish to be present. We had agreed to give little addresses alternately, and thus the evening was spent in singing and speaking of Him whom our soul loveth. Our gracious Lord shed rich blessings upon us, and streams of living water flowed. I must not omit to mention that we had agreed a week before to entreat the Lord in private richly to dwell amongst us, for we all needed to be stirred up from the spirit of coldness and torpor that had crept over us of late. Thanks be to our Father in Jesus Christ that we felt where the want lay; spirit and life were awakened among us, and even many of the strangers present were so affected that, notwithstanding the derision of those around them, they have since then made no attempt to conceal the impressions received. Several of these friends at their return home sent me pressing invitations to preach at their villages. Brother and I therefore applied to the ministerium (ministry) for permission to preach, which was granted us, on condition that we would not admit strangers to our services, but we could send none away who demanded admission, on the contrary we were willing, most willing, to warn them of their inevitable destruction if they perished in a course of sin and rebellion against the Lord. With gratitude we also record that the Almighty has not left our imperfect labours unowned. Three persons have applied for reception into the church. of these have long sought and now found the Saviour to their own and our great joy. The third candidate for baptism is my dear wife. Unaided I feel incapable of thanking the Lord worthily for his incomprehensible mercy and goodness, join me, therefore, dear brethren, in presenting the incense of gratitude at his footstool. Several of the meetings we held were crowded to excess, as such as could not find room within the house listened at the windows. At brother held a meeting at the house of a Christian friend and sister from had invited two persons to attend, who however did not come. Brother and I also invited many of the villagers to be present. We escaped unharmed, but sister has been imprisoned six days for having given the above-named invitations. Sometime ago she was imprisoned one day, for not permitting her children to learn the Lutheran catechism. The notary wished to keep her shawl to cover the law expenses of her examination. While our sister (a widow) was thus detained in prison,

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