Review of Books.

AN APPEAL TO CHURCHMEN IN BEHALF OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. A Sermon preached in Gainsborough Parish Church, on Sunday, June 23, 1844. By the Rev. CHARLES SMITH BIRD, M.A., F.L.S. Vicar of Gainsborough and Prebendary of Lincoln, late Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. 8vo. pp. 16. London: Hatchards and Seeleys.

THE recently appointed Vicar of Gainsborough does not seem at all disposed to shrink from avowing his sentiments on any subject which he deems worthy public attention, whether or no these sentiments be in accordance with the views of his brethren in the ministry among whom he may be called to move and act. We lately noticed his admirable Sermon on the day appointed by our Church for the Commemoration of the Popish Gunpowder Plot Conspiracy; and on a former occasion we called attention to his very valuable volume entitled, A Defence of the Principles of the English Reformation &c.,' the object of which was to defend the doctrines of our Protestant Reformed Church against the Semi-popery which, under the somewhat absurd name of Tractarianism, has been gaining so considerable a hold upon the minds of some of the lay, and many of the clerical members of that church. In all Mr. Bird's publications, there is a manly and strait-forward adherence to principle, which it is truly delightful to contemplate in these trimming and degenerate days. It is stated that the work last alluded to, was one of the modes by which the attention of the Bishop of Lincoln was drawn to its excellent Author, and his patronage gained for one whose selection reflects equal credit on the judgment of the Bishop, and the character of the Vicar of Gainsborough. That place also, and its vicinity owe a debt of gratitude to their Diocesan for his appointment of Mr. Bird, as they do to Mr. B. himself for the manner in which he discharges the duties of the new sphere in which he is called to

move.

We have seldom known any Author who seems so well calculated as Mr. B. to illustrate the very important maxim' suaviter in modo, fortiter in re.' In this point of view his style may bear comparison with that of Dr. Turton, the present learned and accomplished Dean of Westminster; while, as regards spiritual discernment, and decision of character and principle, he has greatly the advantage of that eminent individual.

But we turn our attention to that discourse which is to form the subject of our present remarks. Its title will doubtless be regarded as extraordinary, by many of those who imagine that they shew their zeal for the Church of England, by reprobating that Society whose simple object it is, widely to disseminate the sacred book on which that Church is founded! For ourselves, we have ceased to wonder, that when semipopish principles are growing so rife within the bosom of our beloved Church, the aiders and abettors of them should shrink from everything which might tend to shed the light of scriptural truth on their nefarious proceedings. This must evidently be the case, the more the Word of God is read and circulated; and while on the minds of our people

1844.

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is inculcated the Scripture maxim, "To the law, and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

To be a member of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in the present day, very generally earns for a man-and especially for a clergyman-the epithets of party-spirited,' low-church,' and others of a kindred nature. But Mr. B. is not to be moved by fear of the stigma implied in these foolishly bestowed appellations. He is concientiously convinced, that the British and Foreign Bible Society has been an honoured instrument in the hands of the Almighty for the dissemination of sound scriptural truth both at home and abroad; and, as such, he thankfully lends it his own support, and cordially recommends it to that of his Parishioners. He is far from wishing to make so fatal a thrust at the Church of England, as to suppose for a moment that, the circulation of the Bible can be injurious to her real interests, however it may be so to the views of some of her ill-affected and unworthy sons ! The text which Mr. B. selects, is 2 Thess. iii. 1. Brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified." He states, at the commencement, that his purpose is to dwell mainly on the latter clause of the verse. He briefly touches on the low state both of personal religion, and of active exertion for the spiritual welfare of others, which characterized the last century,—the two mutually acting and re-acting one upon the other. He then treats of the Origin of the Bible Society-just forty years ago,' and the circumstances which led to its formation, after which he says,

The then Bishop of London immediately joined it; so, amongst others, did that illustrious man, whose name is an honour to England, the lamented Wilberforce. In doing this there was no compromise of religious opinion. The sole and single object of the Society was, and is, to print, for the purpose of circulation, the word of God, without one human annotation. It is therefore, in reality, a great printing Society-the greatest and noblest printing Society which ever existed. It turns that glorious invention, the art of printing, to the best account to which it has ever been put, since it was brought to light. It makes it a blessing indeed to mankind, and infinitely overbalances all the mischief, which in the hands of wicked and foolish men, it has been the instrument of effecting.'

Perhaps our Author a little understates the object of the Society. We imagine that that object may fairly be said to embrace-to a considerable extent at least the circulation as well as the printing of the Holy Scriptures. Else what is the intent of all the machinery and organization treated of in such works as Dudley's Analysis &c.? But, if such be the case, we see no room for the slightest exception being taken to the objects which the Society contemplates. Mr. B. indeed, in an after part of his sermon, seems to accord with this remark, as he says at p. 6;

'You see, Brethren, the single object of the Bible Society, and the single mode by which it accomplishes that object. Its sole desire is to spread the unadulterated word of God. Its single mode of doing this, is, by printing the Inspired Volume, and helping to put it in universal circulation.'

The great majority of the objections which we ever heard urged against the Bible Society, have respect, not to the constitution of the Society, but to what may be termed the adventitious circumstances connected with it. If the Bible is to be printed and circulated, funds

APPEAL IN BEHALF OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. 387 must of course be raised for carrying out these objects. And if funds are to be raised, from the voluntary contributions of the English Protestant public, they must be informed as to the application of those funds-the benefits conferred by them-the success &c. attending the efforts of the Society to which they contribute. In order the more effectually to accomplish these objects, public meetings have been held and speeches delivered by various members of the Society-lay and clerical. No doubt much has been said on these occasions which would have been better left unsaid—just as numberless works are issued from the press, as to which the sometimes too complacent Authors had incomparably better have saved their own time, trouble and expenseto say nothing of those of the public. But, as the latter is hardly sufficient reason for fettering the liberty of the press, so the former is scarcely cause enough for putting a stop to public Meetings. But supposing this were done; the Bible Society remains intact-as to its original constitution; and if worthy Churchmen-like Mr. Bird-will preach, in its behalf, sermons containing anything like the arguments and statements in that before us, we have no doubt far more effectual assistance will be afforded to the Society than by the former method. We confess ourselves, that we feel little or none of the difficulty, which seems to hamper some excellent persons, with regard to Bible, or even Tract Society Meetings; but we are perfectly willing to yield to the scruples of those who do so long as they make up for the omission by some such means as those to which we have referred. We are certain that in the actual constitution of the Bible Society, there is no more danger of compromise of principle, than there is in co-operating with persons of different religious creeds for the erection and maintenance of a County Hospital or General Infirmary. Nay, we are satisfied that there is less difficulty and danger in the former, than in the latter; as the object, in the one case, is so perfectly simple and definite, that it is impossible to misunderstand it; while, in the other, since religious instruction has to be provided for the inmates of the Hospital or Infirmary, there will necessarily arise a question—perhaps a dissension-as to the nature of that instruction, and the mode of its administration.

But we feel that the extensive character of the subject has drawn us into greater length than we intended, and has caused us to swerve, more than we wished, from the actual language and sentiments of our author, which it was our intention to pourtray. After all, though the subject of a single Sermon may be most important, the design of a Review or notice should rather be to prompt the readers to peruse it for themselves, than to supply them with its contents. We cannot, however, refrain from presenting one or two extracts from our author's discourse, for the benefit of our readers. Speaking of the authorized version of the English Bible which is disseminated by the society, he says:

'If the Society had done nothing else than render it now a thing next to impossible, that the Authorised Version should ever be annihilated, it has entitled itself to the warm gratitude of every true friend to religion. By its choice of that version as its English Bible, it has also given us an assurance that the character of the translations which it prints in other languages will be such as to merit confidence. We have a guarantee that no wilful deviation from the truth of God's word, as it exists in the original Hebrew and Greek, will be allowed in any version which is circulated by the Bible Society. Im

perfections there may be, but even these will be gradually purged out, as they are gradually discovered: and in the mean time, God will bless the imperfect versions which are the best and most faithful that the Society finds ready made, or can procure to be made: and which it sends abroad, in dependence on His blessing, for the immediate and pressing use of those who “lie in darkness and the shadow of death." One ray of the light from heaven, though it be transmitted through a medium not absolutely without speck, may suffice to save their souls.'

We cannot sufficiently admire the large-minded view which the preceding paragraph developes. What an inadequate sense of the miserable imperfection of everything pertaining to humanity, must they have, who would rather delay handing "the bread of life" to perishing souls, till they can convey it in a casket of gold, unmingled with the smallest particle of dross!

Again, alluding to the The Reformation-to which we are so infinitely indebted for the best and dearest of our blessings,' he

says;

'The Bible Society, my Brethren, is one great preservative of the blessings of the English Reformation. It is a barrier against the return of Popery : it is the union of all Protestants in the central point where they all agreethe acknowledgment that Holy Scripture is the sole standard and source of truth in articles of faith. This is a light in which the Society exhibits itself as unspeakably precious. The time may come when our common Protestantism may be in imminent danger-for who knows when a nation deserts or forgets God, what God may leave that nation to endure?-and if so, I hesitate not to say that the Bible Society will be found to have been one of our best friends and guardians. Brethren, the benefit which the Society has thus conferred on Religion, will be estimated by you in exact proportion to the value which you attach to the Reformation.'

Once more-speaking of the scruples which many have felt in supporting this society, Mr. B. observes,

At any rate, I think it a matter to be greatly rejoiced in by those who wish well to our Church, that the whole body of Churchmen did not share these scruples. It would have fixed a stigma on the Church of England—it would have alienated from her the esteem and confidence of the country, to an extent, perhaps, scarcely to be calculated, at a time when her practical value and excellence were but too little visible-had all her Clergy, and all her Prelates, opposed, instead of a large proportion of them affectionately supporting the Bible Society. I repeat, it is a matter in which even those, whom their conscientious scruples do not allow to join the Society, have cause to rejoice, that we, their brethren, do not share their scruples, and that thus our beloved Church has escaped the danger and shame which would have attended even an apparent distrust, on her part, of the free and universal circulation of the pure word of God. Entertaining this opinion firmly, as a Son and Minister of our Church, I am bound to support this Society myself, and to recommend it, my brethren, to your support.'

We feel assured that our readers will not complain of our dwelling longer than usual on so limited a publication as a single sermon presents. Would that such sentiments as these were more common among the clergy of our beloved Church. Then truly should we think that our adorable Redeemer was about to 'cast his bright beams of light upon his Church; and that the heart-cheering exhortation was addressed to her with omnipotent effect, "Arise! shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.”

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WANT OF MINISTERIAL SUCCESS. A Sermon preached in the Parish Church of St. Mary's, Lancaster, on Saturday, June 15, 1844. At the Visitation of the Lord Bishop of Chester, and published at the request of his Lordship and the Clergy. BY WILLIAM CARUS WILSON, M.A., Rector of Whittington, and Incumbent Minister of Casterton. 12mo. pp. 22. Seeleys, 1844.

It would be difficult to select a more painfully interesting and important subject, on which to dwell, than that chosen by Mr. Wilson for his Visitation Sermon at Lancaster. We would ever keep aloof from the spirit which is ready to exclaim, "the former days were better than these," but we cannot avoid feeling, at times, a melancholy conviction, that the preaching of the gospel, in the present day, is not attended with the same blessed effects which used to follow from it at other periods of the history of the Church of Christ. Let us not be thought to hazard a rash assertion, or to give utterance to groundless and desponding feelings. We heartily thank God for the immense increase of active exertion, in the cause of his holy religion, which characterizes the age in which we live, and for the greatly enlarged incomes of many of the most excellent religious societies which are the glory of our land. We cheerfully indulge the hope, that much of true religion springs upoften almost imperceptibly-through the teaching of the Holy Spirit of God, in the hearts of the numerous young persons especially, placed under the sound of the gospel in our beloved Church; and we are sure, that an incalculable amount of moral influence is exerted, by these means, when true spiritual conversion does not take place. But, notwithstanding all this, we cannot but lament to observe the paucity of cases, in which—to use the Apostle's expression-the gospel seems to come home to the sinner's heart "in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance."

We profess not to assign reasons for this apparent decline in the extent and profundity of the power of vital godliness in our land. It is doubtless often the case in spiritual, as in intellectual and physical matters, that where the stream flows more widely it becomes more superficial. We doubt not that all classes, both of clergy and laity, might trace home many sources of failure and defect to themselves, did they but diligently and impartially examine their own hearts and consciences in this matter.

It is doubtless with a view to this, that the excellent Rector of Whittington has penned this discourse, than which nothing surely can be more appropriate to the times and circumstances under which it was delivered.

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The text on which the discourse is grounded is Jer. viii. 22. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered ?"

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The author commences with expressing his deep sense of the "awful solemnity" of such occasions as those on which they were assembled, and earnestly deprecating that vicious "custom," or "natural heedlessness and insensibility of heart," which can detract from our ideas of this solemnity. His language is striking on this subject, and we give a brief extract,

have now in the midst of us our Spiritual Head, coming to take