TODD'S LECTURES TO CHILDREN; familiarly illustrating important truth. Written by John Todd, Pastor of the Edwards Church, Northampton, North America. REVISED. Religious Tract Society.

It is strange, that, in these elementary books, so much of what is vitally important should be withheld from children. We are mistaken if Lois and Eunice gave young Timothy such partial and garbled statements of divine truth. Now, here is a small book, nicely written, as the greater number of these works are, and certainly containing a fair account of the great doctrine of substitution, which the Abbott school generally see through a glass, very darkly; but without one word of the necessity of the Holy Spirit's influence in converting a soul to God. There is no account of the manner in which sin entered into the world, and death by sin; consequently the fundamental doctrine of man's natural corruption is left in deep obscurity: while the mighty, the indispensable work of regeneration is not even touched upon. Much care is bestowed on the point of convincing children that there is a God, and that they have souls; leading them to the conclusion by a process of analogical reasoning, which we conceive to be both unnecessary and injurious. It is enough that those facts be distinctly stated to a child, as unquestionable, and what he is bound to believe: the very suggestion conveyed to his mind by attempts at demonstration, must naturally be, that our statement requires proof; and thus the seed of scepticism is sown in that period of life, the humility, placidity, and teachableness of which our

Lord has recognized, by saying, that a man must become as a little child before he can enter the kingdom of heaven. How different from this modern plan, whereby little children are required to become as men!

In Dr. Watts' first catechisms, we see a much wider field of divinity thrown open to infants, in the compass of three or four diminutive pages, than these books contain; because he has brought prominently forward, in a form of undisguised instruction, the mighty truths revealed in God's word. Following the unerring model of the sacred volume, he broadly asserts that these things are so the ground is afterwards taken up, in catechetical forms adopted by the Churches of England, Scotland, and so forth, on the same principle; and however expedient it may be to provide the adult inquirer with collected evidences of Christianity, we can by no means approve of putting such weapons into the hands of little children, at the hazard of prematurely enticing them into the arena of disputation. So much time and space are devoted to the superfluous task of proving to the child the existence of God, and of his own soul, that no room is left to enlarge on such weighty points as the Deity of Christ, the personality and office of the Holy Spirit, the strivings of indwelling sin against implanted grace, and similar momentous subjects.

We do not mean to apply all these remarks to the volume before us: it is less the individual, than the species, of which we complain. But we must observe, that it follows the general rule of these little American books, in strongly insisting that repentance is the 'condition' on which a sinner obtains pardon

and peace. In no instance do we remember to have seen repentance spoken of as a gift from God; nor that sound and wholesome doctrine advanced which asserts, 'The condition of man, after the fall of Adam, is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, and calling upon God.'

The title page informs us that, this little book has, like its class-fellows in general, been 'revised.' We wish the expurgators of objectionable volumes would employ their talents in writing something to supersede them. For ourselves, we should not much enjoy a ramble in plantations, however well laid out, and otherwise tempting, when it was found necessary first to employ a person to take up numerous spring-guns from the paths. We should apprehend a possible oversight, and an unexpected shot, that might send us limping on for the rest of our days.

THE SACRED HARP. Second Series. Wakeman, Dublin.

THE multiplication of these little collections is almost endless. Nevertheless we do not quarrel with them, for they afford much pleasant variety to cheer a lonely home, and to harmonize with the beauties of creation, during a solitary walk. The present book is, like most of its fellows, of very unequal merit, and we must deny to some of the pieces a right to appear under the head of sacred' poetry. Still it contains some gems, and nothing very exceptionable. We were glad to meet that graceful poem of Moultrie's, entitled 'My Brother's Grave,' so touchingly, so graphically true to nature and bereaved affection.

POLITICS.

'My dear uncle! I am frightened at the idea of a general election: I wish it was over.'

'So do I, my dear niece: but I cannot say that I partake much in your alarm. On what is it grounded?'

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Why, partly on the uncomfortable feeling that one is conscious of in the midst of a row; partly on the inroads sure to be made on Christian charity, when friends and acquaintances embrace dissimilar views; and, perhaps, most of all on an apprehension that the insubordinate spirit now abroad, may lead to consequences disastrous both in their present bearing on the safety of society, and their more distant effects, in sending to parliament turbulent men, after the pattern of those parricidal representatives from poor Ireland, of which O'Connell is the head.'

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Nevertheless, my dear, we can by no means dispense with this ancient and constitutional exercise of an invaluable right. It is the glory of a government not to fear an appeal to the general sense and feeling of the country; and though, with you, I

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