pose, as we are told in the Prospectus, of concentrating talent and patronage, and the work is hereafter to be conducted by the gentleman who has had charge of the Observer. We hope that the biblical department will be as ably sustained as when in the hands of Professor Robinson. The first Number contains a paper by Professor Stewart, on the "Designations of Time in the Apocalypse," in which he arrives at last at the following sound conclusion. "To every devoted disciple of the Saviour, whose heart's desire and daily prayer to God is, that his kingdom may come, I would say, Never occupy your precious time in seeking out some possible sense of the Apocalypse by giving it a literal interpretation. I might even say, ' The letter killeth, but the spirit maketh alive.' (p. 82.) This number also contains a translation, by Professor Torrey of Tholuck's "Exposition of the Lord's Prayer," taken from his "Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount." We also have a short but favorable notice of the first number of Professor Bush's Commentary on the book of Psalms, in which the writer observes: "It would be manifestly improper to give any decided opinion of the merits of a commentary on one hundred and fifty Psalms, when a tythe is published. We shall, therefore, mainly confine ourselves to the correction of a few errors." (p. 239.) Then follow a number of these errors, consisting for the most part of misprints of the Hebrew. We shall take leave to point out a few errors of the same kind in the Biblical Repository itself; for in one of the articles just mentioned, the "Exposition of the Lord's Prayer," the following mistakes occur. On page 228 we find the following strange combination of letters; We would say of these errata, in the words of the writer of the notice on Professor Bush's work: "We are aware that the above criticisms are minute, and do not affect at all the general merits of the commentary; yet they are not unimportant. Every author and publisher, particularly of works of this sort, ought to aim at entire accuracy. The proof-reader should look well to his calling." THE CHRISTIAN EXAMINER. No. LXVIII. NEW SERIES-No. XXXVIII. MAY, 1835. ART. I.-1. The Young Christian; or a familiar Illustration PERHAPS no books have issued from the religious press, more true to their title as "Illustrations," than those of Mr. Abbott. Familiar illustration is his characteristic, and reason, nature, and life, the sources from which he draws most freely, --not to the neglect of Scripture, for he aims to base everything on that, but to a much greater and bolder degree than has been common with writers of his faith. In this respect, if in no other, his writings may form an epoch in religious composition. -- We have felt a reluctance to draw into controversy books of so practical an aim and devotional temper. Mr. Abbott deprecates any such use of his works, which makes us the more unwilling to evince the least disposition to take them up for that purpose. We cheerfully accord him the justice which he asks in his Preface to "The Corner-Stone," "to admit, that I have made this exhibition of the Gospel, with reference to its moral effect on human hearts, and not for the purpose of taking sides in a controversy between different parties of Christians." No one can read a single chapter from his pen, without seeing that to affect the heart is his great object, and that he does not contend for doctrine, so much as seek to illustrate and apply it. Still, we are sure, no one would be VOL. XVIII.- N. S. VOL. XIII. NO II. 18 1 less averse than himself to a temperate discussion of any doctrine or principle which he has advocated. Nor will he object to a candid, free examination of his books themselves. The notice that we shall take of them here will be general and free, we hope candid. These books deserve consideration. Their author possesses a happy power of illustrating the highest truths, and recommending them to the understanding and interest of the lowest minds, minds indeed of almost every grade. His works are calculated to find, and they have found, a ready reception and extensive circulation. We have seen accounts, though we do not retain particulars, of their great popularity and multiplication in England as well as this country. It does not surprise us, nor cause any regret. The increase of practical religious works, and the increased demand for them, we welcome as one of the best indications of our time. We are particularly glad, when any one succeeds in the difficult task of dressing religious truth in a garb which will make it attractive to the young, and even to the lovers of mere narrative and fiction. We are glad, when any thing is written, which will fix the mind upon religion in its private hours, and compel or allure it to contemplate its own habits, dangers, and duties. As we know not the form of Christianity which does not seem to us better than infidelity, so we hardly know the book, aiming to elucidate and enforce religion, however defective in doctrine, which we would not put into the hands, or see in the hands, of the young, more willingly, than the vapid, noxious trash, which usually passes under the name of light reading. We certainly recollect no book of a practical moral character in common use, which we would not prefer to have read, rather than that nothing of this character should be read, no interest engaged, or inquiry started. Much should we distrust our own interest in religion, our impartial joy in its spread, if we could treat any such book or writer, as some of our own practical writers have been treated. They have something to answer for, be they of our name or another, who attempt to stamp with opprobrium any works, whose unquestionable design is to awaken or strengthen religious feeling, and whose prevailing tendency, however feeble or with whatever exceptions, must be in that direction. In that direction clearly is the tendency of all we have seen in the books now before us, and several others, from the pen, or the supervision of Mr. Abbott. We have admired his copiousness and tact in illustration, and though we have seen defects in style, doctrine, and judgment, they have seemed to us to be exceptions, not the rule. We find no difficulty in sustaining interest, and no despair of deriving profit, from such books. They can hardly be read by any one, without leading him to self-examination, serious and deep thought; a good result, whether produced by what we approve wholly or in part only. We should be sorry to think, that any could read them, without seeing more clearly his own deficiencies of character, and mourning over his sins; a still better result, though not the best. And here we may mark one of the defects of Mr. Abbott's writings. They often come short, and are apt to come short, of the highest and best moral effect, that of convincing the sinner that he has something to do and can do something towards his reform, showing him what it is definitely, and then stimulating him to its performance. Their effect is oftener depressing than stimulating, and we fear would so be felt by many, who need to be stimulated and encouraged more than to be depressed. This defect arises partly from too great amplification, want of definiteness, want of strong impression with clear instruction as to this or that duty. It arises still more perhaps from the author's peculiar views. He may not regard it as a defect. He may think that all men ought to be depressed; that a conviction of guilt, sorrow for sin, and a loathing, trembling abhorrence of it, humiliation and self-condemnation, are the beginning, and must be the beginning, of that thorough change and new life, which are essential to all. To a great degree, we believe it; to so great a degree, that we are not inclined to divert attention from what we approve in it, to what we disapprove. Men do need to be convicted of sin, all men. They must be brought not only to resist sin, but to abhor it, to see in it no charm, but feel that to them, as to God, it is an abomination. They must understand what the Apostle meant, when he spoke of sin as "exceeding sinful." Such a knowledge of it, such conviction and habitual contemplation of it, are salutary, are indispensable to thorough repentance and Christian progress. It is plain that no obdurate offender can be roused and rightly impelled, until he is brought to this conviction, and humbled and abased by it. may be that no common offender, no sinner, that is, no man, It is led to enter upon a decided Christian course, to see the necessity of it, and resolve upon it with all the strength that God has given or promised, without a new and vigorous impulse from convictions of this kind, pertaining to himself and his own sins, and not to men in the mass, or sin in general. It is this that the Scriptures often denote by conversion; and this we would urge upon all, using only the qualification which Mr. Abbott has well expressed, that "conversion is not a change completed, it is a change begun." If his friends would regard more than they do the importance of the distinction there conveyed, and if our friends would consider more than they do the importance of the duty there implied, something would be gained on both sides. That men, to become Christians, must make a beginning at some period of their lives, often an emphatic, marked beginning in their convictions and purposes, their motives and efforts, so marked that it may well bear the name of a new birth, and they be called new creatures, we consider one of the fundamental truths of the Bible, and one of the clearest lessons of reason and life. Obviously the doctrine has its qualifications, and the duty its distinctions, as applied in Scripture to Jews and Gentiles, and applied now to those born under the light and influences of Christianity. But the principle is not changed. Its importance is not lessened, nor indeed its necessity. We have more reason to desire, than to fear, its application to ourselves or to any around us. In all this, however, every one sees, there should be great discrimination and definiteness, strict truth as well as earnestness. It is the want of discrimination, not the vehemence of appeal or closeness of application, that we regret in most preachers and writers of Mr. Abbott's stamp. That he himself uses more discrimination and independence, though not enough, is one reason of our interest in his books. To show this trait, and to avail ourselves of views so just and important, we make a few extracts here from the concluding Chapter of "The Corner-Stone." They are directions suited to every one who wishes to become a Christian. "Become wholly a Christian, if you mean to become one at all. Do not try to come and make half a peace with God, or to seek a secret reconciliation. If you have been in sin, renounce it entirely. If you have been in error, abandon it openly. Do not be ungrateful or cowardly enough to wish to conceal your new at |