hood, in treating of doctrinal points; and whether it would not have been more proper to express, by proper and perspicuous words, those things which the Sacred Writers, for wise purposes, clothed in figurative language, is another question.* Tittmann shows in this how he would answer this question for himself, and we are willing he should answer in the same way for us too. The question of the existence and agency of Satan, and the reality of demoniacal possessions,' cannot be discussed in the limits we must here prescribe to ourselves. One thing, however, is clear. Christ nowhere directly teaches these doctrines, and we find cases in which the evangelists, in relating the same events, indifferently say, that our Saviour cast out demons, or that he healed certain diseases. And though, on the other hand, he has nowhere expressly denied them, he has given us principles, which, traced to their consequences, show them to be absurd and untenable; and this was all he was bound to do. He did not come into the world directly and immediately to attack every errour and abuse he found in it, but left many things to be corrected and discovered in the ordinary progress of improvement. Farmer's work upon this subject, we consider a most triumphant argument, and to this we beg leave to refer all who feel an interest in the subject. After all, we most cheerfully recommend the undertaking which has occasioned these remarks, to the patronage of the publick. It is doubtless intended to have the character of a party work, as is most clearly evinced by the present number. But we still believe, as we intimated above, that it will be of essential service to the cause of pure Christianity. Besides, the diffusion of knowledge has a tendency to liberalize men's minds; and one good effect the work doubtless will have, and that is, to bring sect better acquainted with sect, and thus do much towards disarming controversy of its sting, and promoting better feelings among the various divisions of the Church. *P. 132, 133. ART. IV. An Explanation of the Apocalypse, or Revelation of St. John. By ALEXANDER SMYTH. 12mo. pp. 59. Washington City. 1825. It is not our purpose to enter into the details of this singular pamphlet. But, as it seems to have attracted some attention, our readers may expect that we should offer them a few words of comment upon it. The object of the author is to show that the Apocalypse is a forged book, written by Irenæus bishop of Lyons, toward the end of the second century, in praise of the Roman tyrant Caracalla; and that its contents are nothing else than sketches of contemporary history in symbolical language. The question concerning the authenticity of the Apocalypse is a very complicated one, and we have not the smallest desire to go into the discussion of it. We cannot avoid saying, however, that Mr. Smyth's summary way of setting it at rest is as superficial as any thing we ever saw, that made the least pretension to learning or criticism. It has been the fortune of that remarkable book to be the earliest controverted, and among the earliest mentioned, of all the writings of the Christian canon. We say among the earliest mentioned, because the testimony of Justin Martyr to its existence in his day is as express as words could make it; and, until we paid fifty cents for these lucubrations of Mr. Smyth, we never heard it denied that Justin was acquainted with the work, and ascribed it to John the Apostle. Whether or not it was really composed by that eminent disciple, and on which side the weight of evidence preponderates, many men grown old in these studies. have found harder to determine, than our member of Congress appears to have done. But, happily, the question is not one, in which the Christian religion has any deep concern. This we are anxious to make understood, because the popular impression is not apt to be discriminating on these subjects. To assail the authority of an established opinion, or of a writing that is generally accounted holy, seems to many to be an attack on Christianity itself; but our faith is placed quite beyond the borders of these debateable lands.' The Apocalypse has met with a singular fate in another respect. It has always been a riddle without a full solution. Visionary men have interpreted it into whatever they wished to make it. The curious have so puzzled over it, and the ingenious so trifled with it, as long since to have convinced many sober men, of orthodox repute, that it was either inex plicable or unmeaning. Luther, in the prefaces to his German translation of it, made no scruple of speaking of it in the following language. Let every one think of it what his own spirit suggests. My spirit can make nothing out of this book, and I have reason enough not to esteem it highly. Though many have made the attempt, no one to the present day has brought any thing certain out of it, but several have made incoherent stuff out of their own brain.' Since the days of Luther, the sarne superstitious and insipid schemes,-or dreams, of interpretation, have been resorted to, of which he complained, and of which some of our readers may have seen fair specimens in Newton and Faber. It was a small thing that the Pope and the Mussulmans should make a conspicuous figure in it. The minutest points of modern history have been found distinctly described there, and even the leading events of the French revolution down to the entrance of the allies into Paris. A very different system of explanation, however, has grown up of late years. Many learned men look for nothing in the Apocalypse but an enigmatical relation of past events,' and a prophecy of Christ's second coming according to the prevailing conceptions and imagery of that age. Mr. Smyth is not without authority then, for supposing that the history and opinions of that early time are the proper clue through the labyrinth; but his historical researches seem to us very perversely applied, and his utter ignorance or disregard of the religious thoughts and language of the primitive Christians is perfectly astounding. Who in his senses could imagine, that a christian writer of the second century should apply the terms lamb of God,'' word of God,' and many expressions that had long become appropriated to the Saviour, to any other person whatever,-especially to a Roman prince, and that through a whole book? But nothing staggers Mr. Sinyth, who will have them all belong to Caracalla. Our author has usually no lack of confidence in his statements, and his UNQUESTIONABLY stands out in very imposing capitals. But when he comes to the number of the beast, he seems carried beyond himself by the transports of his demonstration. 'His number is 666.' The name of Decimus Clodius Albinus, written in Greek, contains this number. This is the proof required by the writer that his enigma is solved. There can be no mistake. The interpretation is sure.' Now though we should grant that 666 is the precise number contained in the name of Albinus when written fully out in Greek letters; what would this prove, but that Mr. Smyth bad added one more to the many names, from which that number may be extracted? We had enough of them before, in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, from Simon Zelotes, through Genseric, Mahomet, Pope Benedict IX. Loyola, Luther, and many more, down to Bonaparte himself. But no one was ever so presumptuous before, or counted so largely on the ignorance of others, as to pretend that he had thus proved beyond all doubt that his theory was the true one. It unluckily happens, however, that the power of the letters in the name of D. C. Albinus, when that name is written in the nominative case, is not 666, but 1116. The only reason that can possibly be given for our author's preference of the accusative case, is that no other could be twisted into his theory. One word on the effrontery of charging Irenæus of Lyons with having forged the Apocalypse. In this passage,' says Mr. Smyth, after quoting a sentence from that father, Irenæus intimates that, if he thought proper, he could disclose the name which contains, by the Greek letters, the number 666.' This may seem very cunningly said. But it is not so cunning as to conceal from his readers the fact,-if he knew it himself, that Irenæus does disclose the name which contains, by the Greek letters, the number 666.' And though that venerable bishop, who spoke Greek as his native tongue, sixteen centuries and a half ago, was not near so sure of being right as our General, he does not disclose Decimus Clodius Albinus in any case whatever. He tells us in his 5th book against heresies, chap. 30th, of two names, which give the desired number, Lateinos and Teitan; of which he is inclined to adopt the latter, as, on the whole, the more probable. The little that we have now said of this pamphlet, is more than we meant to say. 'Claudite jam rivos, pueri, sat prata biberunt.' We have heard it called very ingenious; and it certainly is nearer that than ingenuous. But it should not be forgotten how easy it is to be ingenious with enigmas. Even Faber and they of his school have not been deficient in such small exercises of their wits; and, if it seemed serious enough, we would say, that Faber in the enigmatical language of the Roman alphabet has exactly the same power with Smyth. LIST OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. Bickersteth's Treatise on the Lord's Supper; adapted to the Service of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States; with an Introduction, Notes, and Essay. By Gregory T. Bedell, A. M. Rector of St. Andrews Church, Philadelphia. E. Littell. Two Sermons, delivered to the First Parish in Hingham. By Joseph Richardson. Life a Journey, and Man a Traveller; a New Years Sermon, preached at Trinity Church, on January 4th, 1824; and, by particular Desire, delivered again on January 2d, 1825. By John S. J. Gardiner, D. D. Boston. S. H. Parker. A Discourse on the Proper Character of Religious Institutions; The Substance of Two Discourses, delivered in New York, Dec. 17, 1824. By Elias Hicks, a Minister of the Society of Friends. New York. Orthodoxy; being Objections to the Pamphlet, entitled 'Proofs that the Common Theories and Modes of Reasoning respecting the Depravity of Mankind, exhibit it as a Physical Attribute." Missionary Journal, and Memoirs of the Rev. Joseph Wolf, Missionary to the Jews. Written by Himself. First American Edition. Philadelphia. Biblical Repertory; a Collection of Dissertations on Biblical Literature. By Rev. Charles Hodge, Professor of Biblical and Oriental Literature, in the Theological Seminary at Princeton, N. J. No. 1. To be continued Quarterly. The Prospects and Claims of Pure Christianity; a Sermon preached at the Dedication of the Twelfth Congregational Church, in Boston, Oct. 13, 1824. By John G. Palfrey, A. M. Pastor of the Church in Brattle Square. Published by Request. 8vo. pp. 34. Boston. W. W. Clapp. The Cabinet; or, Works of Darkness brought to Light. Being a Retrospect of the Anti-Christian Conduct of some of the Leading Characters of the Society of Friends, towards Elias Hicks. To which is added the proposed Quaker Creed !! and an Appendix, containing some Remarks on Thomas Eddy's Letter, and his 'Facts and Observations,' with a Glance at Passing Events. Second Edition, Revised and Corrected. Philadelphia. A Review of the Rev. Mr. Colman's Sermon, delivered at the Opening of the Independent Congregational Church, in Barton Square, Salem. Boston. 8vo. pp. 36. Bible News; or, Sacred Truths, Relating to the Living God, His Only Son, and Holy Spirit, Illustrated and Defended, in a con |