social order and established law, alike over the spirit of ferocious revolution and the arbitrary rule of insatiable ambition. No event in modern history better illustrates the agency of Heaven among the affairs of nations, than the disastrous termination of the French revolution. In the words of one whose authority in history and in Christian theology is deserving of no common respect," At the distance of thirty years, those who lived in the time of danger, and remember its magnitude, and now calmly review what then was in human strength to avert it, must acknowledge, I think, beyond all controversy, that the deliverance of Europe from the dominion of Napoleon, was effected neither by Russia, nor by Germany, nor by England, but by the hand of God alone."* ARTICLE VI. THE PSALMIST. The Psalmist: A new collection of Hymns for the use of the Baptist Churches. By BARON STOW and S. F. SMITH. Boston: Gould, Kendall & Lincoln. Philadelphia: Am. Baptist Publication and Sunday School Society. pp. 702. 18mo. 1843. SEVERAL Collections of hymns for public worship are used in the Baptist churches in the United States. Those known as Winchell's Watts and Watts and Rippon, have been, perhaps, more generally adopted than all others; the former in New England, the latter in the Middle and Western States. Rev. Messrs. Broaddus, Mercer, and Dorsey, have each prepared collections of hymns which have been used in the Southern States. These books, and others, the authorship of which we do not remember, are identified with the rise and progress of the Baptist denomination in America. Whatever may be their defects, it will not be denied, that they have done good service for the cause of religion, and something, it is believed, towards improving the character of American psalmody. * Dr. Arnold's Lectures on Modern History, London, 1843, Lecture III, p. 140. The Psalmist was originated under circumstances, and from a source, which give it a claim to our respect and attention. Both the editors and publishers of the book are so well and favorably known to the religious community, that their motives in this undertaking will not be called in question. It is presumed, that various opinions exist, as to the necessity for a new hymn book for the use of the Baptist churches. The attachment felt to the several collections in use, amounts, in some instances, almost to veneration. Nor will it be possible, by any argument, to convince those who feel this attachment the most strongly, that better hymns can be made. This is natural. The hymn, which, when children, we heard read so devoutly, and sung to a tune as sweet and solemn as it was familiar, is still cherished as an old companion; and this, too, in despite of our better judgment as to its inappropriateness for public worship. This regard, however, for that which has become familiar by use, and venerable by old association, should not be indulged to excess. Whatever respect we may cherish for a production, we ought not to be averse, where truth or principle is not involved, to such changes or improvements as the clearer light of the age in which we live may furnish. It should not be overlooked, that a pious spirit is the chief, if not the only recommendation, of a large number of hymns in several collections of English and American psalmody. Nor is it derogatory to the fame of the excellent men who wrote these hymns, and of others who have preserved them for public worship, to say, that their attention was directed less to true poetic merit, than to pious sentiment, and supposed adaptation to awaken emotions of a character indicated by the hymns in question. Several hymn books in circulation, too, bear the appearance of having been made, because a necessity, real or imaginary, existed for a new book; but the engagements of the compiler permitted him to do little more, than collect together a certain number of hymns in good repute in the churches. Hence, in these collections, are many hymns very objectionable for public worship. Not all that rhymes, although tolerable poetry, is proper to be sung. For example, the hymn written by Dr. Watts, beginning, "With holy fear and humble song, The dreadful God our souls adore-" has been republished in a score of different collections of VOL. VIII.-NO. XXXI. 57 hymns; but what choir could sing, with any propriety, the third stanza? "Eternal plagues and heavy chains, Tormenting racks and fiery coals, or the fifth stanza? "There, guilty ghosts of Adam's race However correctly this hymn may portray the despair of the lost, or the justice of God, it cannot be sung with devotional feeling; it is, therefore, unsuited to a collection of hymns for public worship. The saints in glory, saved from the just desert of sin which the wicked are enduring, may be able to sing, Alleluia, when "the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever." But we are not saints in glory. We can warn men to flee from the wrath to come. We can weep over their danger; but we cannot sing of it. The following stanza, from a hymn book at our side, is liable to the same objection: "Leave all your sports and glittering toys, These are but a few specimens of many hymns which, until quite recently, have cumbered the pages of our hymn books. Moreover, a proper distinction has not been, in all cases, made, between what is suitable for the closet, and what is adapted to the sanctuary. Many very beautiful hymns are of individual applicability only; they are proper for the private devotion of the Christian, and not to be sung by a mixed multitude. Of this class, are some of the sweetest strains of Cowper, Mrs. Steele, and others. The Psalmist is a more successful compilation of hymns for public worship, than any of its predecessors. We hazard little in saying, that it is the best collection of hymns ever published in the English language. They have been drawn from the best sources, and, probably, from a greater number of authors than those in any other hymn book extant. The Psalmist contains 1180 hymns, besides doxologies and chants. Of the hymns, 303 are by Dr. Watts, or about one quarter of the whole collection. Next to Watts, are Doddridge, 57 hymns; Mrs. Steele, 52; Beddome, 41; Montgomery, 33; S. F. Smith, 26; Kelly, 17; John Newton, 16; Charles Wesley, 12; Toplady, Stennett, and Cowper, 10 each; Heber, 8; Collyer and Heginbotham, 7 each; Bowring, Mrs. Barbauld, Dwight, Fawcett, and Mrs. Sigourney, 6 each; Hart, Hawes, Needham, and Scott, 5 each; Addison, Bathurst, Fellows, Gibbons, Hemans, Kippis, Tappan, Reed, and H. K. White, 4 each; Conder, Edmeston, Judson, T. Moore, Noel, Raffles, Swain, and Wrangham, 3 each; thirty-two other authors, 2 each, and ninety, 1 each. The hymns are by 161 writers, besides pieces credited to fifty collections of hymns or other works, and the authorship of which is unknown. Forty-five are anonymous, being traced neither to author nor collections. We are pleased to find so many hymns from the pen of Mrs. Steele. They breathe a quiet simplicity, and an earnest devotion, which must render them acceptable to every Christian. It will be seen, also, that copious selections have been made from the compositions of Montgomery. They are among the best in the book. We should not have objected to more from Charles Wesley. Few writers have drawn from the harp of David strains of a deeper, purer devotion. His hymns have not been justly appreciated. The order of the book is clear and natural, a due respect being paid to the several subjects of religious worship. Beginning first with a universal, and then a particular, invitation to acts of devotion and praise, it proceeds to the time appropriate for such employment, the Sabbath,—the place, the sanctuary,— the object, God, the reasons, his adorable perfections. After this series of hymns pertaining to the worship of God, as God, the doctrine of the Trinity is developed. Christ appears in his pre-existent glory, his humiliation, sufferings, death, merits, ascension and glorification, and the harmony breaks out anew, and continues till the whole Trinity are celebrated in the closing paan. This department of the book embraces 351 hymns. Afterwards the Holy Spirit is introduced and invoked, in his several offices. Next, the Scriptures are presented, as the fruit of his inspiration, and the invitations, expostulations and warnings of the word of God are successively poured upon us. Then we have the Christian, having been awakened by these influences of the divine word, conducted from his first emotion of alarm and godly sorrow, through every successive state of the believer's life, the whole train of joys and trials, hopes and fears, duties and ordinances,-till he takes his place in heaven, and the anthem before the throne in glory, shuts the scene. Hence, as the editors remark in the preface, the hymns are arranged "agreeably to the natural order of mental association and of Christian experience, so that a person disciplined in evangelical truth and pious emotion will find in his own bosom an index to the sequence of the several topics." We question whether it would be possible to arrange a collection of hymns in better order. The numerous objects of Christian benevolence have created a necessity for a much greater variety of hymns than was formerly needed; and of which no book in use furnished the requisite number. The Psalmist meets this deficiency, particularly in hymns upon the subject of missions, the number of which is 76. The hymns in the Psalmist are of convenient length; most of them containing four, and some, but two or three verses. The preacher using this book, will seldom find it necessary to abridge a hymn,-a service always unpleasant to him, and disagreeable to the congregation. The variety of metres is good; we do not see how it could be improved. We notice with pleasure that a large proportion of the hymns are in long and common metre ; the measure in those metres being especially suited to the dignity of public worship. The whole number of hymns in these two metres is upwards of 700. The character of the hymns we consider unexceptionable. We do not say that they are perfect. The critic may discover here and there a blemish. But, as a whole, we do not hesitate to pronounce them unsurpassed for true poetic excellence, and deeply imbued with devotional sentiment. We have not discovered any thing which will offend the most delicate or refined taste. A hymn cannot be regarded as truly valuable, the use of which does not awaken devout sentiments, and inspire higher and more comprehensive views of Christian truth and duty. The devotional exercises of the sanctuary should ever be conducted with intelligence and solemnity. Nothing that is loose in sentiment, or wanting in true dignity, should ever be indulged. We think the hymns in the Psalmist will sustain examination by this test. We must be permitted, in passing, to record our testimony against a class of hymns of most injurious tendency, which,often incorrect in doctrine, and sadly deficient in poetic |