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Theological Review.

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Sketches of Human Nature; or Hints, been any length of time members of chiefly relating to the duties and dif- a Christian church, that have not had ficulties that occur in the intercourse cause to lament the want of concord of Christians with one another, and and harmony in the body, arising with the world. BY WILLIAM from a deficiency of love, the remainINNES, Minister of the Gospel. der of corruption in the hearts of 2nd edition, considerably enlarged. their brethren, the imprudent conEdinburgh. Oliphant and Co. and duct of some, and the imperfections Hamilton, London, 1817. about 300 of all. It is this melancholy state of pages 12mo. 4s. 6d. boards. things that lays a foundation for the THE former edition of this book was numerous exhortations with which published eight or nine years ago, the New Testament abounds, to “forand it has been for some time out of bear one another in love"-to have print. "Tis a pity this should ever compassion one of another"-to have been the case; for a work cal-" love as brethren"-to "put on culated to be more extensively useful bowels of mercies, kindness, humwe know not where else to look for. bleness of mind, meekness, and longOur opinions, indeed, upon a few suffering," &c. &c. There is, cerpoints of minor importance, do not tainly, very much propriety in the exactly quadrate with those of Mr. following remarks which we extract Innes; but that is no reason with us from the introduction to this work. why we should with-hold from his performance the commendation to which it is fairly entitled. The object of it is not to teach the doctrines of Christianity; for it addresses itself to those who are supposed to be already instructed in the first principles of the oracles of God, and who consequently are become members of a Christian church: and it sets before them the evils they should avoid, and the rule they should follow if they would promote their own edification, the glory of Christ, and the peace and prosperity of his kingdom in the world. And now let us ask, " Where is the Christian to be found, who can say that these things do not concern him?" The truth is, it is a practical treatise on the subject of church-fellowship-evidently the result of much painful experience in the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it comes home to every Christian's business and bosom.

The work is divided into four Sections of which the following are the titles. SECT. I. Of the discipline of a Church, offences, &c. SECT. II. Of the pernicious effects of Tale-bearing, rash judgment, &c. SECT. III. Respecting Pastors and Teachers, SECT. IV. Remarks on Miscellaneous Subjects. These four Sections are subdivided into fifty-six short Essays with a Conclusion and an Appendix. There are few persons who have

I recollect," says Mr. Innes, "when conversing some time ago with a friend, on the effects of mutual watchfulness, and of the observance of scriptural discipline, he remarked: One thing, at least, appears very obvious, that, where these will find the corruption that is in human are attended to in churches, Christians

nature made much more manifest than in

other situations. Now, it has been with me a question, Is this a recommendation of such churches? These occurrences, it must be allowed, in the history of individuals, which bring the evil that exists in their hearts to light, often form an important source of improvement, as they tend to inspire humility and watchfulness: the great Head of the church designed may not this, then, be the way in which that Christians, in their associated capacity, should promote the improvement of one another?" Whatever has been the issue of this inquiry, in the case of the individual referred to, the fact on which it is founded is unquestionable. Where Christians acknowledge no authority, and have no bond of union but the word of

God, restraints of a merely external kind in the discipline which the scriptures reare in a great measure removed; and as, quire to be observed in a Christian church, many things sufficiently disagreeable to human nature must inevitably occur, the observance of that discipline certainly does tend to bring to light much secret depravity, which, in less trying situation, might never have been discovered.

It is a lamentable fact, that among the great body of Dissenters throughout England, the state of things sup

posed or implied in the preceding extract, is at least sufficiently understood, to determine them to have as little to do with discipline as possible! Members of the same church may statedly come together for years in succession to worship God without ever exchanging a word with one another-they may have causes of dissatisfaction and grounds of offence towards each other, existing for years, without a single effort being made to remove them and if the parties themselves can be content to let matters hang over, in this state, they may live and die at enmity with each other. This is shocking to reflect upon-but it is a true picture of the generality of the present race of churches. The great thing with most of the pastors is, to keep peace and quietness-but the very means by which they seek to accomplish it, namely, by smothering the einbers of disaffection, eventually ruins the church. Christ in his great wisdom and love, hath instituted discipline to be observed among the members, for the purpose of keeping clear the channels of brotherly love; and it is at the peril of any body of Christians, how they neglect it. Mr. Innes understands this subject well-few men understand it better; and his book is replete with the most excellent advice to brethren associated together in the profession of the gospel, on this important subject. No member of a Christian church ought to be without it.

Were it necessary to justify the opinion which we have given of the work before us, by quotations from it, the task would be easily executed; but our limits do not admit of it. Should what we have said, induce any of our readers to procure the volume, and to make themselves masters of the salutary counsel it contains, they will have much more reason to thank us for advising them to it, than the author will.

Defence of the Wesleyan Methodist Missions in the West Indies: including a refutation of the charges in Mr. Marryat's "Thoughts on the Abolition of the Slave Trade, &c." and in other Publications; with facts and Anecdotes illustrative of the moral state of the Slaves, and of the operation of Missions. BY RICHARD WATSON, One of the Secretaries to the Com

mittee for the management of the Wesleyan Methodist Missions. London. Blanshard; Butterworth and Son; and Baynes. Price 3s. 6d. 8vo. pp. 163. 1817.

THE abolition of the traffic in human beings, which has swept from the ocean every ship bearing the British flag, and set an example to every other nation of the triumph of humanity and justice over the sordid principles of gain, is an achievement which no benevolent mind can contemplate with unconcern. Until that | monstrous engine of oppression and cruelty was once fairly destroyed, the concentrated energies of all the friends of truth and freedom were necessarily required to crush the hydra, and rescue our fellow creatures from his savage claws. But the victory was won; and it is in itself of sufficient consequence to reflect a lustre on the age in which we live. Africa was thereby relieved, and if her children in the West Indies, were, during the conflict, in a considerable degree forgotten, some apology might possibly be offered for the sin of omission. The principle of Christian benevolence, however, which of late years has been so powerfully called into action, rendered it highly improbable that such a vast scene as that which the West India Islands presented to view, of human wretchedness and the want of moral cultivation, should be long overlooked. The bare reflection, that there existed considerably more than half a million of blacks and people of colour, subjects of the British empire, separated from us indeed by a little water, who are still held as slaves in the British Colonies; who live and die, not only without personal liberty and the enjoyment of many important civil rights, for which, in truth, they are not in every case prepared, but without any religious instruction, except such as is. offered by voluntary charity; without education of the lowest kind; without any attempt to civilize or moralize them; without even the forms of marriage, and of course, without domestic relations; being left to vegetate and die on the soil, without ever feeling the powers of immortal man, ignorant of themselves, of the God who made them, and of the end of their being-all this is surely an affecting consideration. Such," says Mr. Watson, " is, however, the con

66

dition, at this moment, of by far the | portion of the globe. The Wesleyan

greater part of the slave population of our colonies; and in this condition have lived and died the successive millions, who, from the commencement of the slave trade have passed through the life of toil and injury which our practice, if not our laws had assigned them, to depose before the bar of Eternal Justice, the general neglect of a Christian people towards the promoting in any efficient degree, their moral happiness."

Missionaries have been singled out by the Anti-mission party as the special object of attack-and a new periodical publication under the title of "THE QUARTERLY COLONIAL JOURNAL," has been the vehicle of the grossest misrepresentation and most slanderous abuse of them. Mr. Marryat, too, in his "Thoughts on the Abolition of the Slave Trade" has powerfully aided in the same bad cause. But the Missionaries have found a most able advocate in Mr. Watson, "One of the Secretaries to the Committee for the management of the Wesleyan Methodist Missions" -a man who, whether we regard him as a preacher or a writer, is deservedly entitled to rank in the very fore

most class of either. We have

"The West India islands have not, however, been wholly neglected. If no efficient legislative provision has been adopted for the Christianising of their slave population, it has been attempted by the spontaneous zeal of several Christian societies, and with a success, which, though far from rendering larger exertions unnecessary, will ever be contemp-listened with delight to his eloquence lated by Christians of every religious persuasion with the highest satisfaction. The Society founded by Bishop Porteus, has two missionaries employed in this work. The Moravians commenced their labours in the Danish West India Islands

of

from the pulpit, and have been not much less charmed with the pam phlet now before us. It is indeed a triumphant "Defence" of his Mis sionary brethren; and should any our readers have been led to adopt prejudices against the cause which is here defended, we beseech them to read Mr. Watson's pamphlet or if any of their acquaintance should unhappily be so circumstanced, they cannot do better than put it into their hands.

The Bible Class Book; or Scripture Readings for every day in the year: being three hundred and sixty five lessons, selected from the most instructive and improving parts of the Sacred Scriptures. Adapted to the use of schools and families. London, Lackington and Co.; 6s. bound.

in 1732: in Jamaica, in 1754; in Antigua, in 1756; and in St. Kitts, in 1775. The efforts of the Wesleyan Methodists commenced in Antigua in 1760; and from 1786, when four missionaries visited that Island, they began to spread over the British colonies, in most of which they have raised societies, congregations, and places of worship, and now employ thirtynine missionaries. The Baptists have three missionaries in Jamaica, and the London Missionary Society have lately occupied stations in Demerara, Berbice, and Trinidad. In this work, all, who have long exerted themselves, have had to toil through great difficulties, and to make the most painful sacrifices. The result of their united efforts, however, is, that probably more than 200,000 negroes and people of colour enjoy, either as members of religious societies, or as hearers of the EVER Since we were capable of formpreachers of different denominations, the ing a judgment on the subject, it benefits of religious instruction, For this struck us that strong objections might work of patriotism and benevolence the be urged against the practice of makrewards which the missionaries, have in ing the Bible indiscriminately a school many cases met with, have been opposi-book. And yet it is past all dispute tion and persecution abroad, and calumny that there are portions of it, which surpass in appropriateness, all other books in the world. Of this descripIt can hardly excite surprise, how- tion are the historical parts of the ever affecting the consideration may Old Testament, particularly the inbe, that the sordid love of money, teresting narratives of Joseph, of should so far gain the ascendant over Moses, and of David; the whole of the principles of humanity and bene- the book of Proverbs; and the Evanvolence, as to stimulate interested in-gelical history of our Saviour. It dividuals to raise a clamour against gave us sensible pleasure, therefore, the persons that have undertaken to meet with the work before us, be the task of enlightening this dark cause it appears to us to remedy an

at home. But their judgment is with the Lord, and their work with their God,"

evil of which we have frequently complained and supplies what has hitherto been a desideratum.

The Lessons are selected with due discrimination; and the titles are in general appropriate; beginning with The Creation-the first Sabbath-the fall of man the death of Abel

lessons from the epistles to the Corinthians, he has fallen into some inaccuracies which of course will be corrected in the next edition. The first epistle, is always mentioned "Corinthians" without the numeral ; and those lessons which have been selected from the second epistle are Noah's Ark-the Deluge the Rain-uniformly said to be taken from the bow-the confusion of tongues-the call of Abraham, &c. &c. The incomparable history of Joseph and his brethren occupies twelve lessons; the history of the Israelties, beginning with the birth of Moses, and terminating with their settlement in the promised land, makes nearly fifty. The book of Proverbs upwards of twenty. It is with propriety that the compiler has been sparing in his use of the Prophetic writings, and also of the Apostolic epistles. But he has very judiciously harmonized the life of Christ. In selecting a few

first! The volume consists of 550 pages, and at the head of each lesson is prefixed a text of scripture. Upon the whole, we think the publication certainly deserves the attention of teachers in general: and at a period like the present, when unexampled efforts are making to distribute the Scriptures universally abroad-awork, such as the one before us, so well adapted for utility, cannot fail, we think, of public patronage, and in process of time, of being very generally used.

Keligious and Literary Entelligence.

To the Editor of the New Evangelical
Magazine.

SIR,

It is now some months since I addressed you on the importance of universal education, and 1 am induced to request your favourable reception of a few lines again, in consequence of the great satisfaction I have experienced in reading the sixth Report of the Society for Gaelic Schools, and which I trust will be acceptable to your readers.

In the year 1811, a respectable associ ation was formed, for the purpose of investigating the actual state of the High lands and Islands, in regard to instruction, and to provide the means of teaching them in the Gaelic their native tongue. These inquiries demonstrated the necessity of immediate exertion in their behalf, and the Society determined to adopt a plan, which had the sanction of expe rience in Wales, viz. the employment of Itinerant Teachers, in what are called ambulatory Schools. The result has fully answered the expectation of the Society. The Gaelic Society, is not opposed to The people old and young, most eagerly the respectable Society long since es- assemble together to learn, and a desire tablished in Edinburgh, for promoting is excited thereby to learn even the EnChristian knowledge in the Highlands,glish language. At a small expense and and Islands, but is different in its object, and its operations are principally directed to plans which have had little or no benefit from the laudable operation of that Society. Much commendation is undoubtedly due to the Society for promoting Christian knowledge in the Highlands, &c. but it appears from experience, and from facts, that by teaching the English language alone, they have made far less progress than would have been made by teaching the Gaelic, The instruction thus given conveyed no ideas the people only read what they did not understand, and felt no interest in that kind of education which conveyed no new ideas.

by means of teachers who remain only a few months in one place, instruction is afforded to 3557 persons, of all ages from 5 to 117, for even at this advanced age, one person appeared as a learner, and actually made some proficiency, when it pleased God to arrest his progress, by dimness of sight, and soon after to remove him from this world,

The Report states, the visitor of the School at Glencalvie found "A house crowded with 60 Scholars of all ages, from the Glencalvie veteran Ivirach, now in his 117th year to, literally speaking, the infant in the cradle; for the mother of the infant his one of the Scholars, and such was here desire to learn, that she

dition, at this moment, of by far the greater part of the slave population of our colonies; and in this condition have lived and died the successive millions, who, from the commencement of the slave trade have passed through the life of toil and injury which our practice, if not our laws had assigned them, to depose before the bar of Eternal Justice, the general neglect of a Christian people towards the promoting in any efficient degree, their moral happiness."

"The West India islands have not, however, been wholly neglected. If no efficient legislative provision has been adopted for the Christianising of their slave population, it has been attempted by the spontaneous zeal of several Christian societies, and with a success, which, though far from rendering larger exertions unnecessary, will ever be contemplated by Christians of every religious persuasion with the highest satisfaction. The Society founded by Bishop Porteus, has two missionaries employed in this labours in the Danish West India Islands in 1732: in Jamaica, in 1754; in Antigua, in 1756; and in St. Kitts, in 1775. The efforts of the Wesleyan Methodists commenced in Antigua in 1760; and from 1786, when four missionaries visited that Island, they began to spread over the British colonies, in most of which they have raised societies, congregations, and places of worship, and now employ thirtynine missionaries. The Baptists have three missionaries in Jamaica, and the London

work. The Moravians commenced their

portion of the globe. The Wesleyan Missionaries have been singled out by the Anti-mission party as the special object of attack-and a new periodical publication under the title of "THE QUARTERLY COLONIAL JOURNAL," has been the vehicle of the grossest misrepresentation and most slanderous abuse of them. Mr. Marryat, too, in his "Thoughts on the Abolition of the Slave Trade" has powerfully aided in the same bad cause. But the Missionaries have found a most able advocate in Mr. Watson, "One of the Secretaries to the Committee for the management of the Wesleyan Methodist Missions" -a man who, whether we regard him as a preacher or a writer, is deservedly entitled to rank in the very foremost class of either. We have listened with delight to his eloquence from the pulpit, and have been not much less charmed with the pam phlet now before us. It is indeed a triumphant "Defence" of his Missionary brethren; and should any of our readers have been led to adopt prejudices against the cause which is here defended, we beseech them to read Mr. Watson's pamphlet or if any of their acquaintance should unhappily be so circumstanced, they cannot do better than put it into their hands.

The Bible Class Book; or Scripture Readings for every day in the year; being three hundred and sixty five lessons, selected from the most instructive and improving parts of the Sacred Scriptures. Adapted to the use of schools and families. London, Lackington and Co.; 6s. bound.

Missionary Society have lately occupied stations in Demerara, Berbice, and Trinidad. In this work, all, who have long exerted themselves, have had to toil through great difficulties, and to make the most painful sacrifices. The result of their united efforts, however, is, that probably more than 200,000 negroes and people of colour enjoy, either as members of religious societies, or as hearers of the EVER since we were capable of formpreachers of different denominations, the ing a judgment on the subject, it benefits of religious instruction, For this struck us that strong objections might work of patriotism and benevolence the be urged against the practice of makrewards which the missionaries, have in ing the Bible indiscriminately a school many cases met with, have been opposi-book. And yet it is past all dispute tion and persecution abroad, and calumny that there are portions of it, which at home. But their judgment is with the Lord, and their work with their God," surpass in appropriateness, all other books in the world. Of this descripIt can hardly excite surprise, how-tion are the historical parts of the ever affecting the consideration may Old Testament, particularly the inbe, that the sordid love of money, teresting narratives of Joseph, of should so far gain the ascendant over Moses, and of David; the whole of the principles of humanity and bene- the book of Proverbs; and the Evanvolence, as to stimulate interested in-gelical history of our Saviour. It dividuals to raise a clamour against gave us sensible pleasure, therefore, the persons that have undertaken to meet with the work before us, be the task of enlightening this dark cause it appears to us to remedy an

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