God and the souls of men. He is one to whom a whole tribe in Judea would have sought to receive his blessing, and we are glad to have his wise counsel once more in our General Assembly.

Mr. Clark indicates the nature of his work thus: "The belligerent or caustic character which most of the publications on this subject bear, has seemed to me to render even those designed for popular use, and in which the argument is conclusive, highly objectionable as works to be put into the hands of recent converts; and for the same reason, not at all calculated to be extensively useful in relieving the doubts and correcting the erring faith of older Christians. And such as are not liable to this objection, are, for the most part wanting in that simplicity, clearness and force of argument, and that condensed yet comprehensive treatment of the subject, which are required in a work of this kind intended for general and permanent use." Of course his work aims to avoid these faults. Its spirit is kind; the discussion well conducted, including both the mode and subjects of baptism.

Mr. Clark's view of the relation of baptized children is somewhat peculiar. He considers them as members of the Church general, but not of any particular church; an opinion we are not quite prepared to endorse. We commend the book very cordially to our readers.

The third of the above works is by a Baptist brother, who manifests in his controversial works a spirit of Christian kindness which induces us to listen cordially to any thing he says. Our only difficulty with such a brother, is to understand by what sort of idiosyncrasy he can imagine it of any importance, since water is only a sign of the purifying influences of the Holy Spirit, how little or how much of it we have in baptism. We have no doubt that he does regard it of importance, since he says so, but it is utterly impossible for us to understand how so candid a man is able to do so. In regard to infant baptism, we just now hear our children singing in another room as we write, and as we rejoice that the covenant of Abraham is sealed upon them, we are very sorry that our Baptist brethren cannot see their way clear to baptize theirs.

XIX. American Presbyterianism. A Sermon, delivered on Lord's Day, November 11, 1853, by George Duffield, Jr., Pastor of the Coates street Presbyterian Church. Published by request. Philadelphia: Isaac Ashmead. 1854. pp. 23. A Church Extension sermon from the text, "The glory of children are their fathers." Our hearts cannot choose but warm to this sermon. We would give extracts if we could possibly make room, but as it is, we can only cordially recommend it to our readers.

Our National Religion. A discourse delivered at Auburn, on the day of public Thanksgiving, November 24, 1853. By Henry A. Nelson. Published by request. Auburn: W.

The Memories of the Metropolis: a Discourse delivered on Thanksgiving Day, in the First Presbyterian Church, Washington City. By Byron Sunderland, the Pastor. Published by request. Washington: Wm. M. Morrison & Co. pp. 23. A Discourse on the Life and Character of Rev. Charles Hall, D. D., delivered in the City of New York, January 1, 1854. By Rev. Asa D. Smith, D. D., Pastor of the Fourteenth street Presbyterian Church. New York: American Home Missionary Society. 1854. pp. 47.

Mr. Nelson's theme is, the Religion of the Bible our National Religion, which he presses with force and earnestness; Mr. Sunderland traces the history of Washington from the beginning, and amidst its inspiring memories finds wise counsel for the future; Dr. Smith's is a feeling tribute, which does him honor, to the memory of his friend.

XX. Seventh Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Washington: Robert Armstrong. 1853. pp. 96.

Annals of the Minnesota Historical Society. Number IV. Printed by order of the Executive Council. St. Paul: Owens & Moore. 1853. pp. 72.

Mr. Rush has been kind enough to send us the Smithsonian Report. The entire fund, including accrued interest, is $665,169, of which the interest to be annually expended is about forty thousand dollars. A noble fund for science and literature!

Our friend Rev. E. D. Neill, has given us the Minnesota Annals. Amongst the papers published are, Sketch of the Life of Nicollet; Sketch of Joseph Renville; Mounds of Minnesota Valley. Mr. Neill contributes Dakota Land and Dakota Life. Why do not all our States gather together papers on their history, archæology, &c.? Let them be excited to emulation by this young and sprightly sister.

XXI. The Closet Companion; or, a Manual of Prayer designed to assist Christians in their Devotions; with an Introduction by Rev. Albert Barnes. Fourth edition. New York: M. W. Dodd. 1854.

We are very happy to announce the fourth edition of this admirable work. It is not exactly a book of forms of prayer, nor of directions for devotion. It takes up almost every topic of prayer, and moulds for each one appropriate petitions, each topic occupying a page or more. These are, of course, fragments to be wrought into an entire structure, or to be used as general models. Though fragmentary, the parts are entirely methodical, and arranged with the admirable regularity characteristic of the author's mind. The style is very chaste; probably it approaches as nearly to the average of taste among Christians as any Manual that could be written; sufficiently ornate, never extravagant, carefully tempered. Wherever the topic becomes vast, as the Incomprehensibleness of God, the author takes shelter in scripture language. It is entirely unsectarian; and of course suitable for all evangelical churches.

There is probably a prejudice against studying prayers, as though it prevented the natural outflow of devotion; but is not this quite erroneous? The reader must have observed the obvious fact that highly cultivated people, when under the strongest emotion, and utterly inattentive to the style they are using, yet express themselves with beauty, force and propriety. The fine player on an instrument runs over the keys and draws forth sweet music, without a thought of the previous instruction or practising. In the same way, careful thought and reading of suitable petitions, would discipline the mind and, indeed, the heart, so that when the hour of devotion came, it would spontaneously express itself in chaste and beautiful modes. Our approval of the book is unqualified.

We do not know why the author should conceal his name, except that modesty is in him a kind of disease. He is a ruling elder, so much we will say, in a prominent Presbyterian Church; and we take this occasion to remark that the great thing which Presbyterianism needs, as a polity, is that the eldership make more of their vocation, not of course in the way of assumption, but of cultivation, study, activity. The gap is much wider now, than in primitive times, between the teaching and ruling elder, and the Church suffers much from it.

WE dislike meagre and uncharacteristic notices, and yet we try to condense as much as possible. Notwithstanding all our efforts, about thirty books remain on our table. We beg the indulgence of Authors and Publishers, until we have more space at our command.

I. THE PROBLEM OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY.

II. ORIGIN OF EPISCOPACY.

Dr. Coleman's Ancient Christianity Exemplified.

III. PLATO.

Bekker's Complete Works of Plato.

IV. WORDSWORTH.

1. Wordsworth's Works.

2. Wordsworth's Memoirs.

V. OLD AND NEW THEOLOGY.

1. Wood's Old and New Theology.
2. Rice's Old and New Schools.
3. Chalmers' Theology.

4. Brown's Discourses of our Lord.

5. Brown on the Epistle to the Galatians.

VI. THE SPIRIT OF AMERICAN PRESBYTERIANISM,

No. III.

1. Records of the Presbyterian Church.

89

VI. Hardwick's Church History.

ib.

VII. Maurice. Prophets and Kings of the Old Testament.

Theological Essays.

VIII. Catalogues of Union Theological Seminary.

Addresses at Danville Theological Seminary.

161

163

IX. Life of Haydon.

165

XIII. Dr. Hickok's Philosophical Works.

169

XIV. Report of the New York Children's Aid Society.
XV. Dr. Coleman's Hist. Geography of the Bible.

ib.

170

XVI. Dr. Coleman's Text-Book of Biblical Geography.
XVII. Mr. Barnes' Commentary on Daniel.

171

ib.

XVIII. Recent Works on Baptism.

172

XIX. Recent Presbyterian Sermons.

XX. Report of the Smithsonian Institute.
Minnesota Annals.

XXI. The Closet Companion.

173

174

ib.

Types of Mankind: or Ethnological Researches, based upon the Ancient Monuments, Paintings, Sculptures, and Crania of Races, and upon their Natural, Geographical, Philological, and Biblical History; illustrated by selections from the inedited papers of Samvel George Morton, M. D., (late President of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia,) and by additional contributions from Prof. L. Agassiz, LL. D., W. Usher, M. D., and Prof. H. S. Patterson, M. D. By J. C. NOTT, M. D., Mobile, Alabama, and GEORGE R. GLIDDON, formerly U. S. Consul at Cairo. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co. 1854. pp. 738.

To read, with great and constantly increasing reluctance, a quarto of more than seven hundred pages, in which one may find nothing that he would care to remember, but much that he would gladly forget; such is the infliction which we have laid upon ourselves. To prevent mischief to those, who, not familiar with the signs of real learning, may be induced, even for a short time, to imagine that there is any thing like it in this farrago, we have forced ourselves to notice a publication which offers next to nothing to commend, much to censure, more to condemn.

VOL. III.-12