which we might have referred, we record, once more, our solemn conviction that, during the year 1861, many were added to the church of Christ, and that of this man and that man, it shall be said, he was born then.

If we withdraw our view from the Church, and look forth upon the world, it will be found that the " things touching the King" are possessed of the deepest interest. It is no matter of wonder that the events transpiring around us should powerfully affect the current of thought in a Church which has for so many years upheld a testimony for the Headship of Christ over the nations. The year that has now passed has, in this respect, been fraught with lessons of the deepest importance. The world, indeed, presents at this moment such an aspect as may well make even the most unthinking pause and reflect; the elements of some terrible revolution have been accumulating for years, it requires but a spark to fall into the vast magazine, and the work is done. The problem of an Italy politically free, seems day by day approaching its complete solution. All the bayonets of France cannot much longer sustain the temporal dominion of the Pope; one thing forbids it were there nothing else Rome has, since 1849, cost France upwards of £60,000,000; in the present state of her finances, our neighbour across the channel cannot afford to expend many more millions of pounds for an "idea." Meanwhile, the icy fetters of Papal dominion are melting away under the gleams of the sun of liberty. The rapidity with which the changes have been wrought out in the Italian peninsula, has taken the world by surprise; but a grander change shall one day be effected in a shorter space, when the kings of the earth shall stand afar off for fear of the torment of Antichrist, and shall say " Alas! alas! that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come." All who think of that mystery of iniquity, drunken with the blood of God's saints, will unite with us in saying, "Would that the hour were struck," For the progress which the "hands" have made on the dial-plate of liberty, during the year that has closed, we humbly thank the King of nations, and take courage. Sicily and Naples are at length under a constitutional government-the Bourbon is plotting in vain under the shadow of the Vatican, hiring assassins to destroy the newly-found liberty, but without effect; and, most blessed change of all, there is a free Bible for a free Italy. That Austria should have looked with evil eye and chafed spirit at such changes, is only what was to be expected. The concordat with Rome seems every day hastening her doom; with Hungary in sullen discontent, scorning all proffered gifts from the hand of her master, and requiring the stern repression of military law; with Venice yearning to be free; with one impatient heart in Caprera, and thousands ready to leap to arms when the word is given forth, the empire of Francis-Joseph has work enough before it. Poland heaves under the influence of revolutionary fires, whose extent may be judged of by recent events in her ancient capital. France, though free during the past year from those revolutions which had become associated with her name, is

nevertheless passing through a grave financial crisis brought upon her by the unbounded prodigality of the imperial dynasty.

But, of late months, the attention of our readers must have been turned quite as frequently to the events transpiring on the other side of the Atlantic, as to the politics of European kingdoms. No sooner was the election of President Lincoln an ascertained fact, than the fires which had long been smouldering burst forth. Threats of secession were at first held out, still the general impression seemed to be that, after much boastful talk, the ferment would subside; instead of subsiding, it has increased, till at length the world looks upon the sad spectacle of North and South in hostile conflict. All efforts made to subjugate the seceding States have hitherto failed, success in the field having as yet declared for the Southern Confederacy. Few sadder wars than this have occurred in the history of the world. A population of over 28,000,000, with every man's hand turned against his brother; thousands of human lives sacrificed; trade paralysed; fierce passions raging on every sideall this is sad. A Cabinet which must clearly perceive where lies the origin of all the mischief, yet blindly endeavouring to follow out a policy which cannot but prove suicidal; no effort made to remove or destroy the accursed thing; generals frowned upon or dismissed, who endeavour, in the slightest degree, to make the war one of liberation for the oppressed sons of Africa—this is sadder still. Our firm conviction is that the war, if continued, must ultimately develop itself into a war of liberation; and this, from the very necessities of the case. The motives from which this development may spring, may not be of the highest or holiest cast; but the Almighty will here, as elsewhere, cause the wrath of man to praise him. The system of iniquity which has wrought the evil is doomed, and when the end comes, our beloved brethren in the testimony of Jesus will thank God that they have had grace given them to raise, from the first, their voices against it. They, in the trying position in which they are placed, may rest assured that they command the warmest sympathies and most earnest prayers of the Church of the Covenant in Scotland.

That such should have been the position of affairs in America, without seriously affecting the interests of this country, was not to be expected, when one considers the close bonds which exist through our being sprung from the same stock, through commerce, and even through the ties of blood-relationship which have been formed in the course of years by the tide of emigration which has flowed from Britain to the United States. We cannot but feel amazed at the perversity which could have at any time permitted entrance to the thought that the troubles of America were a cause of rejoicing to this country. Had these troubles been regarded, on the other side of the Atlantic, in the same light in which they have presented themselves to the minds of men here, many of them would have been avoided, and those which were altogether unavoidable would have excited, not angry passion, but deepest sorrow. Starting with this wrong impression, the Transatlantic republic has at length suc

ceeded in perilling the peaceable relations that formerly existed between the two countries, At this moment, a very dark cloud hangs over these relations; whether that cloud shall have commenced to discharge from its bosom the thunders of war, or shall have been dispersed, in the merciful providence of God, will, in all probability, be determined before the words we now write fall under the eyes of our readers. All the intelligence received from America, the fierce and malevolent passions of the mob, together with the ungenerous policy of the American Cabinet, go to strengthen the fear that we shall have war. There is no Christian heart in Britain but prays that such a terrible calamity may be averted; already the united supplications of many in the land have ascended to this effect, let us hope that, dark as matters at present are, we may have to sing of mercy rather than of judgment. It is questionable whether, even at the risk of being deemed mean-spirited, of being compelled to listen to the fierce vauntings of the New York mobocracy, and the self-gratulations of Mr Secratary Seward, it were not, after all the most Christ-like part to forbear. Britain, at present, is strong enough in men, in money, in all the materiel of war, to repel the charge of fear, and sufficiently in the right to vindicate such forbearance in the sight of the other powers of Europe.

The last month of the past year has not only cast the gloom of apprehension over the land, but has drawn over the royal palace a darker cloud. The husband of our much-loved Queen has been suddenly removed from the bosom of his family by the hand of death. The Prince-Consorts of England have not, in the past years of the nation's history, won for themselves an enviable reputation. Philip of Spain, though doted on by Mary Tudor, gained for himself no place in the English heart. George, Prince of Denmark, the Consort of Queen Anne, was certainly undistinguished by qualities tha secure for a prince either the gratitude or respect of a nation. It has been far otherwise with him who has, in the prime of life, and in the full possession of mental vigour, been taken away from us. For twenty-one years he had occupied a position, of which it is hard to say whether the responsibilities or difficulties were the greater. During all those years, the Prince-Consort had borne himself with remarkable wisdom and prudence, securing for himself, while in life, the respect and affection of the people, and now, that he has passed away, their deep, heartfelt regrets. His death, indeed, may be mourned as a national loss, occurring as it does at a time when his presence and sage counsel might have done much to comfort and strengthen the Queen. Sorrow makes all hearts kin, and hence the sympathies and prayers of the nation go forth for her who has been thus left a widow, and for the children who have been left fatherless. Our space for such reviews of the past, and for remarks upon the present, is exhausted. To our readers we offer one word as we lay down the pen-"Seeing that these things are so, what manner of men ought ye to be in all conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God."

PSALMODY.

III. THE EXERCISE OF THE Understanding UPON THE PSALMS.

(Continued from the October No.)

In our last paper we adduced four reasons to shew that, in our psalmody worship, the exercise of the understanding is specially called for and specially needed. The illustration of the fourth, and some practical lessons from the whole theme, we were obliged to defer. With these accordingly, after a much longer interval than was intended, we now begin.

4. God intends and expects that, in the celebration of his praise, our affections should be in a condition of the most lively and vigorous exercise. It may be said, indeed, that the exercise of our affections should be as entire and intense in the other acts of worship as in our service of song. Well, be it so; God should have the whole heart, no doubt. But we waive the question in this form. We prefer to ask, What does God plainly expect and intend in this service? Let us see how fact and experience bear upon this point. Are we, when engaged in prayer, in ordinary circumstances, as deeply and powerfully moved as when we are engaged in praise in the same circumstances? Our belief is we are not. The soul is under the influence of a more sensible and powerful excitement is acted upon, quickened, and stirred up much more intensely in offering praise than in offering prayer. Whatever may be said theoretically in regard to what ought to be, this is the fact, the common experience, notwithstanding the defects that at present mar this service.

Moreover, this is just what is to be looked for in our service of song. We may reasonably and lawfully expect to be under the influence of a more conscious and powerful excitement in praise than in prayer. There is an element in praise which is not in prayer; the element of music, to wit-an element which, even without words, acts upon the soul like the rushing wind upon the smouldering embers, which spreads the ruddy glow, and kindles the eager flame. In prayer, one person is the mouth of the congregation; and even when his matter and elocution are both faultless, the social sympathies of the congregation are not drawn out, nor are their souls quickened and their hearts stirred as when, in the inspiring strains of harmonious music, they lift up their voices together in praising the Lord, whose mercies endure for ever.

Now, it will not be denied that God, who appointed this service, and, in his wondrous wisdom, adapted it to our active and social nature, intended that his worshippers should experience this peculiarly powerful quickening and excitement which it is fitted to produce, and does produce; intended also that their spiritual benefit should thereby be promoted, and his own glory made great. This design, too, is sufficiently obvious from the fact that the psalms embody and express the most powerful emotions and the intensest mental conflicts of which human nature is capable.

During this part of divine worship, accordingly, we have often felt exceedingly moved, especially when worshipping with a congregation in which the psalmody was conducted with skill and spirit. Kindled into enthusiasm, every faculty fully and delightfully alive, we have sung with all the power of which we were capable. Yea, at times such a commotion and upheaving have been raised within the breast during this service, as to deprive us for a space of self-control, and reduce us to silence.

But it must be owned that we have found ourselves in a similar state, carried off our feet by a rush of uncontrollable emotion, when listening to secular music, both vocal ar instrumental, with words and without them. It is, indeed, true that some individuals are more sensitive and excitable

than others, and more keenly alive to the thrilling and captivating influence of sweet sounds. Still it is our belief that, though many may have been fairly overpowered by a flood of tumultuous feeling, yet most people have been affected, more or less sensibly, under the influences of skilful music.

What then? Why, it obviously follows that, in our psalmody worship, strong and overmastering feeling may not be religious feeling; it may be merely sensuous, and not spiritual; the offering of strange fire before the Lord, and not the sacred fire that is kindled from heaven. The stirring of our hearts in this delightful service may be due solely to the influence of the music, and not in any respect to the sentiments expressed in the psalm sung. If the music which is sung with taste and spirit to the words of an appropriate psalm were sung to the words of secular poetry, or even to the meaningless sol-fa syllables, it is quite possible that the feelings raised during the performance, would not, in each instance, be in any respect different. And hence, where the loud swelling song of praise fills the house of God, enthusiasm may be kindled, and emotions of exhilarating joy, or melting tenderness excited, and all the while the professed worshippers may be only pleasing themselves and pleasing one another, as when they sing for practice, or for recreation and their worship, instead of being glorifying to God, may be nothing else than splendid mockery. Their hearts are warmed and moved in this exercise; and they delude themselves into the belief that they are serving God and receiving spiritual benefit, while they are only contracting guilt; and the good done to their hearts (as it is called) proves illusory like a dream, or evanescent like the morning cloud or the early dew. When the service is concluded, and the excitement passes away, their hearts settle down into their habitual state of opposition to God and holiness; they have no relish for the saving truths of the gospel; the sacred duties of the closet and the family are felt to be as distasteful as ever; they feel that the world's business has lost none of its absorbing interest, and the world's pleasures have lost none of their zest.

It is to be expected, then, that the affections will be moved in our service of song in the Lord's house. God intends that they should be moved, and even moved more powerfully than in any other part of his worship. Hence it is that the exercise of the understanding is specially needed in our psalmody worship. Let it be our prayerful endeavour to perceive clearly the prominent and leading thoughts expressed in the psalms we sing, to make them our own, and imbibe their spirit, not so much that we may restrain our rising emotions, as that we may guide them into the right channel-that we may not be carried off from the psalms into the music-that sensuousness and delusion may not take the place of true and lively devotion-and that the music to which we sing psalms may be a handmaid to their sense, and the nicans not of lifting us out of the psalms, but of enabling us to get deeper into them.

We are to "sing with the understanding;" and we have endeavoured to shew that, in singing praises to God, the exercise of the understanding with regard to the psalms is specially needed. Before considering the exercise of the understanding upon the music when engaged in praising God, we would suggest the following practical lessons from the subject we have just been discussing :

1. The Psalms should be carefully studied. We would neither honour ourselves nor honour our friend if we addressed him in words which we did not understand. And surely we neither benefit ourselves nor glorify God if, in his worship, we employ words (however excellent they may be) of whose meaning we are entirely ignorant, or about which we are wholly uncertain. Yet, strange to say, this is done every day, not by the heedless and hypocritical alone, but by grave and godly men. Around the family altar, or in their places in the house of God, they sing (Psa. xviii 25, 26)—