LINES WRITTEN FROM THE RECOLLECTION OF THE LATTER MOMENTS, PREVIOUS TO MY LAST DEPARTURE FROM HOME. 'Twas a fair morning, and the day In crimson curled upon the wave, Giving its glory to the gay Fond things of earth, the good, the brave, Put on their robe of light again, And green and fresh they looked, as though The calm lake was before me, and No wild breeze stirred its sleepy breast, Of storm, had never woke its rest. And I did kneel and worship there, 'Twas placid all in Heaven, and earth Green hills and still more lovely lake, The world to do, the very worst that world can do. Within my father's halls there are Glad faces that will brighten all, And hearts, whose thrilling pulses were, Aye true to Nature's fondest call; A mother's love-the truest, best, As then they were, to bid me welcome once again! Frankfort, Sur-Mayne. Oct. 9, 1828, D. S. L. THE LAST DAYS.' A HOWEVER awful the title which we encountered on opening this volume, it produced a less solemn effect upon us than the appearance of the athletic author the first time we had the curiosity to see him mount the sacred rostrum from which he is in the habit of dealing "damnation round the land." It is not necessary now to furnish the reader with his portrait; it is universally known that he has got an obliquity of vision which enables him to keep at the same time an eye upon both worlds;heaven and earth have an equal share of his attention; and though he appears indifferent, if you take his own word for it, about the creaturecomforts, he is most solicitous regarding his personal appearance. studied neglect gives him that Calvinistic cast of countenance which did such wonders for John Knox, and no coquette ever did so much execution by the artful disposition of her hair. His flowing locks, black as the raven's wing, descend in puritanic regularity; and the shake of his head which arranges them, when they obtrude on his eyes, adds to that sanc tified ferocity of his manner which inflames the piety of the AngloCaledonians. He is a holy lion aroused into indignation at the iniquities of an abominable world. His sacred oratory is part and parcel of himself, it is affectation, and the matter is in perfect keeping with the manner. Words, words, words, constitute the beginning, middle, and end; and if a gleam of common sense breaks now and then upon the dull monotony of the discourse, it comes as it were to assure us that Mr. Irving could do better if he would condescend to be rational. We have no doubt whatever of his sanity; but he will excuse if we are less explicit respecting his sincerity. 66 as we The world, no doubt, is extremely anxious to know the particulars of the private life of such a man; and, for the purpose we are sure of gratifying so laudable a curiosity, Mr. Irving has insinuated a piece of autobiography into the dedication. "Now for as much," he says, (Rev. Edward Irving, William Dinwiddie, and William Hamilton) have endured together much grievous misrepresentation of our enemies, for these six years, I count it good to put upon record in this place, and under the sanction of those to whom the truth of what I am to state is so well known, certain facts connected with my coming to this city; because, I think, they form another testimony to God's faithfulness, and another encouragement for all devoted ministers, and for all dispersed flocks, to put their trust in the great head of the church." Preferring the honourable calling of a missionary to even the bishopric of Canterbury were it offered him (" sour grapes,"), he heard with delight that he could be of use to the souls of all the presbyterians in the metropolis. "The merchant shepherds-the hireling pastors" scorned him when he laid down the spirit of the apostolic missionary (?)" but the result is a justification of God's Providence, and a refutation of my most calumnious enemies." Before proceeding to London, he thought proper to qualify himself for the duties of a preacher, by making a journey to-the Highlands. He "The Last Days:" a discourse on the evil character of these our times: proving them to be the "Perilous Times" of the "Last Days." By the Rev. Edward Irving, A. M. minister of the National Scotch Church, Regent Square. London, 1828. Seeley. wished to acquire a knowledge of the Erse, but how that ancient tongue could be useful to him in London is somewhat difficult to conjecture. The Vicar of Wakefield's son went to Holland for the purpose of teaching Dutchmen English, and did not discover until he reached the Hague that a knowledge of the Dutch would greatly facilitate his labours. Mr. Irving did not commit quite so palpable a blunder; but we question if he has found since his arrival that Cockneys are in the habit of saying their prayers in the Celtic tongue. Expatriated Donalds, do not trouble the Caledonian chapel with their presence; broad Scotch being, according to a veracious authority, the language of Paradise, is the only dialect familiar to Mr. Irving's flock. If he has not found the Erse useful, his visit to Sunderland was not unproductive of benefit; for, we suspect, it was in these sublime wildernesses that he acquired that gift of the second sight which has enabled him to forewarn a thoughtless world of the rapid approach of "The last days." 66 It ought to be more generally known that he " came up on the day before the Christmas of 1821, to make trial and proof of his gifts.""Wherewith being satisfied, I took my journey homewards, waiting the good pleasure of the great head of the church. Many were the difficulties and obstacles which Satan threw in the way." The trial of his gifts but ill accorded, we should think with one whose views were so spiritualised; but he does not appear to have considered it any degradation to submit a specimen of his work-after the manner of a blacksmith. He was accepted however, and For one year, or nearly so, beginning with the second Sabbath of July 1822, our union went on cementing itself, by mutual acts of kindness, in the shade of that happy obscurity which we then enjoyed. And I delight to remember that season of our mutual love and confidence; because the noisy tongues of men and their envious eyes were not upon us. And you know, and can bear testimony, whether the public opinion, or the desire of it, had any thing to do with the nature of my pulpit discourses or private ministrations. I can say with a safe conscience, that to this hour it never cost me a thought to gain it, nor to keep it, nor to lose it. I count it so volatile and so wicked, that, upon the whole, I would rather have it against me than with me. can I not look back, upon the second, and third, and fourth years of my ministry, without astonishment and amazement, that God should have honoured a man unknown, despised, and almost outcast (save by you and a small, small remnant of my native church), to preach his gospel to every rank and degree of men, from the lowest, basest of our press hirelings, up to the right hand of royalty itself. Of this honour I will boast, and none shall prevent me boasting of it, in that spirit, I trust, of foolishness for Christ's sake in which Paul boasted before the churches of Achaia. My God honoured his servant, whom the religious world despised. By a man spoken against, reviled, suspected, and avoided, by those who usurp the Evangelical name as if it were all their own, my God did speak unto the heads and representatives and nobles and princes of this nation. In the review of which high and honourable distinction, I desire again to humble myself before God, as his most unworthy servant; and especially to acknowledge that power which he gave me to speak, without fear or dread, his holy word unto princes." Yet Mr. Irving's modesty does him great honour; but who were the princes who listened to his preaching in Hatton Garden? The audience however increased; and a new tabernacle arose near Regent Square. "They C. M. Dec. 1828 2 U who have given of their substance in its behalf, will know themselves no poorer." This is a comfortable assurance, and coming from one who foresees the immediate approach of the last days," is the more worthy of credit. They have too the consolation to know that they have opposed a barrier to the flood of iniquity that deluges the land. My conviction is, dearly beloved brethren, that many trials and many sacrifices abide us. The spirit of the church, and the spirit of the nation, grows worse and worse. The times are both perilous and evil. This city is the place in which the church will have to abide a fearful struggle. We are not unknown, nor unnoticed, by the enemies of Christ. Satan owes us many a grudge; and he will come; and whatever he hath in us he will wrench away from us." We live, if Mr. Irving be correct, and he speaks positively, in "The Last Days;" for "After Christ, for it is no other, had revealed all the mysteries up to the resurrection of the saints, Daniel heard (ver. 6) a questioner ask further information as to the time, how long it should be to the end of these wonders.' Who received for answer, that it should be for a time, times, and a half;' that is, the period of the little horn's tyranny over the saints: but how much longer he saith not, but signifieth that it should be for a season longer, until God should have accomplished to scatter (that is, should be done or finished with scattering) the power of the holy people; then all these things should be finished. That is to say, they would run through the papal period, and continue till the restoration of the Jews. Daniel, not understanding this, because it was sealed till the times of the end, and bath only lately been opened, did inquire at one of the questioners, 'What shall be the end of these things? and in answer received this information (ver. 11); From the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination which maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that watcheth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and thirty days. All the time up to the conclusion of the papal usurpation is reckoned by times, being one thousand two hundred and sixty days; but all beyond it is reckoned by days, being thirty days and forty-five days, these being the odd days over the three times and a half; a time or year being three hundred and sixty of these days, as we learn from the Apocalypse. (Compare xi. 2, 3, with xii. 6, 14.) The times and the fulness of the times, so often mentioned in the New Testament, I consider as referring to the great period numbered by times; the days, to the thirty and the forty-five days by which the course of the Lord's purposes overwent the three times and a half. Of these days, I should consider the forty-five days to be the last of the days in which these great events are to be revealed. Now if this reasoning be correct, as there can be little doubt that the one thousand two hundred and sixty days concluded in the year 1792, and the thirty additional days in the year 1823, we are already entered upon the last days, and the ordinary life of a man will carry many of us to the end of them. If this be so, it gives to the subject with which we have introduced this year's ministry, a very great importance indeed. Further, if you will look to the opening of this vision (x. 14), you will see a great confirmation of this our conclusion; for it is there said, that this vision was expressly given to show him what should befal his people in the latter days. Now in all the vision the Jewish people are not once mentioned till xii. 1, when they are delivered immediately upon the fall of Anti christ, which is not yet happened, and is, as we believe, just about to arrive." This is very intelligible, and forcibly reminds us of the observation of a learned Abbé, which is by no means very complimentary to those who familiarise themselves with the mysteries of the Apocalypse, a straitwaistcoat being necessary either before or after the commencement of their studies. Mr. Irving, however, has some misgivings on the subject; but to make assurance doubly sure, he proceeds to justify his interpretation by adducing testimonies from the iniquities of the age. In the first place men do not pay that reverence which they ought to do to a sermon, even though it be delivered in the Caledonian chapel; they speak of it "with the same gesture of the hand, smiting the body in the same place with which they speak of a dinner," (below the pit of the stomachthe gourmands!) It did me good, sir,-I felt the better for it!" Blasphemous ! 66 Besides this is an age of covetousness, "And whether this be not the character of trade and merchandize, and traffic of every kind, the great source of those evils of over-trading which are every where complained of, I refer to the judgment of the men around me, who are engaged in the commerce and business of life. Compared with the regular and quiet diligence of our fathers, and their contentment with small but sure returns, the wild and wide-spread speculation for great gains, the rash and hasty adventures which are daily made, and the desperate gamesterlike risks which are run, do reveal full surely that a spirit of covetousness hath been poured out upon men within the last thirty or forty years." Our fears we confess here begin to subside. The "Oracle of God," as Mr. Irving, with holy familiarity calls himself or his book, is here at fault; the interpreter is hard to be understood at all times, but here he is evidently in error, in a mere matter of fact. It is well known, on the Royal Exchange, that the dangers of commercial enterprise have latterly greatly diminished, notwithstanding the flood of cant with which newspaper men have deluged the reading public. Storms no longer alarm the merchant-Lloyd's provide all accidents of the weather; and the frequency of intercourse has enabled the speculator to calculate the amount of risk before he ships his goods. As for profils, it is well known our forefathers-good men as they were-would have lifted up their eyes in wonder, could they have contemplated the miserable per centage with which their degenerate children of the city are obliged to be content. But these are questions of political economy, and what cares the Rev. Edward Irving for political economy-that science he is convinced is the harbinger of Antichrist! Commercial men, however, are not the only worshippers of mammon, the religious world have grievous sins to answer for on this head. "You have only to be present and hear what is the first subject of conversation in all their meetings, and the great theme of their delight: is it not the state of their funds? What the great end of their speeches? the increase of donations and subscriptions. What the great labour of their travellers, and what the proof of their success? the amount of their in-gatherings. What the qualification for honourable office? the amount of your contributions. What the great fear and apprehension? lest the funds should fall off. What, in short, the bulwark of their strength, and the anchor of their hope, and the assurance of their faith? If these things do not |