a great revolution must take place in their views, ere they can adopt them. They will ask Mr. Desprez, too, why, if the Apocalypse relates to Jews, was it addressed to Gentiles? On Mr. Desprez' hypothesis, it should have been sent not to the Seven Churches of Asia, but to the churches in Judea.

The views advocated by Mr. Bland are much more in accordance with those we have been wont to entertain. The peculiarity in his work consists in his seeking, in the outset, a key to the symbols of the book, and in his keeping strictly to the use of this key in his attempt to discover the meaning. According to him, the Apocalypse contains an anticipated history of the church, given in symbols. No interpreter is justified in "solving the same symbol in two or more different ways, in different parts of the book," unless, indeed, there be most satisfactory reasons for his so doing..

Much may be said for Mr. Bland's key. It seems an exceedingly good one, and he urges strong reasons for its use. We are not sure, however, that it is quite perfect. It does not always turn easily in the wards of this ancient lock, and occasionally, while he is using it, if it does not "grate harsh thunder" in our ears, it awakens echoes of dissent in our convictions.

We regard this volume, however, as an exceedingly valuable one, and as worthy of having a place in the libraries of all interested in apocalyptic research. Mr. Bland has evidently read much on the subject, but his mind is not encumbered with the views of others. He has thought out his subject patiently and carefully, and we think has at least done something to bring the principles of prophetic interpretation into a more satisfactory state. Those who read this book will be surprised to learn that the author has devoted himself to the stage. He styles himself "Dramatic Artist." The work, however, is sober and serious, and is written in an excellent spirit. We trust that Mr. Bland is a sincere inquirer after truth, not only in apocalyptic interpretation, but also in the path of life; and

pray that he may be guided by wisdom from on high.

We close our strictures with a short extract from p. 584.

"When, therefore, I find that the pages of the Apocalypse, in more places than one, point out the true church as a community standing apart from the politically established church-when again I find the first connexion of the Roman church and the Roman state represented as an event producing evil consequences,-when I find evidence that the first step in the descent of the true church from 'heaven,' to earth' (or from the religious to the political sphere) must take its date from an epoch rendered remarkable by the establishment of a British Puritan government, and the advent of a Nonconformist movement, I must not hesitate to declare that 'the bride, the Lamb's wife,' is not identical with any ecclesiastial organization at present in connexion with the secular powers, and therefore, must be a certain modification of some ecclesiastical body or bodies based on the voluntary or independent principle; in other words, some future new combination of the various Protestant bodies scattered throughout Christendom."

THE VOICE OF CHRISTIAN LIFE IN SONG; or, Hymns and Hymn Writers of many Lands and Ages. By the Author of "Tales and Sketches of Christian Life."

London: Nisbet & Co. HYMNS OF THE CHURCH MILITANT. London: Nisbet & Co. HIPPOLYTUS tells us that one of the portents of the last great apostacy will be, that singing of psalms shall cease. Evidently, therefore, "the time of the end" is not yet; if, that is, the ordinary laws of gradual change obtain: for nothing is more remarkable and gratifying than the peculiar prominence which, during the last twenty years, all sections of the church have given to church song. The Episcopal church has been aroused from its somnolent contentedness with Tate and Brady's doleful doggerel, to whom Fuller's remark about the authors of the old version is almost equally applicable-that they were "men whose

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piety was better than their poetry, and they had drank more of Jordan than of Helicon "—and, according to its varieties of high or low church tendency, it has almost in every parish had recourse to collections of mediæval or evangelical hymns; each congregation stretching its hand beyond the strict pale of its own ecclesiastical fellowship to those with whom it has the most affinities. Wherever an evangelical minister preaches, the rich compositions of Watts, and Doddridge, and Wesley, and Montgomery are heard; whilst in almost every church where the clergyman is of the hierarchical school, some revival of medieval hymns is attempted. And it must be confessed that many of these have been translated and adapted with great felicity and beauty, and are calculated to be of permanent value to the church.

Even the Scottish Presbyterian churches are beginning to crave something more euphonious and varied than their rugged version of the Psalms, and the few paraphrases thereto appended; and one or two Presbyterian supplements have recently fallen into our hands. To Nonconformists, however, the chief glory of our modern hymnology belongs. Great, indeed, would be the void in the devotional lyrics of the church, if the compositions of Watts, and Wesley, and Doddridge, and Montgomery, and Conder, were blotted out. They still remain the mighty masters of modern church song; although in affirming this we are not unmindful of the precious contributions of Bishop Ken, and Jeremy Taylor, and George Sandys, and Herbert, and Toplady, and Heber, and Newton, and Lyte. The appearance of a genuine and good hymn is, as Montgomery says, as rare as a comet. And whether it be the timorousness engendered by a well-tutored conformity to Episcopal authority, or to a stereotyped ritual in a consecrated place, on the one hand,- —or the freedom of ritual emancipation, and the necessities of uncanonical meeting-houses and street corners, on the other, it is certain that the great majority of the hymns that have taken hold of the popular mind have been awakened to life upon Nonconforming lyres.

We rejoice, however, in higher recognitions than this. We cannot help feeling, as we look through the admirable volume before us, and trace the everwidening stream of church song from its inspired fountain, through the Greek and Latin churches, and through the dark and tangled mass of medieval superstition, to its fresh and glorious outburst of German song at the Reformation, and to the age of Watts and Wesley, how easy the heavenly solution of sectarian differences may be. Whatever religious men may say, they all sing alike. In theology they may differ; they are one in their religion. They stand aloof when mere notions determine their position; they come very close together when the impulses of the heart are followed. Sacred song is emphatically the utterance of the religious heart, and, whatever a man's theological notions, if he be a truly religious man, his prayer and his praise will awaken a sympathy in every other religious heart. The sweet singer of Israel may, with his dim Jewish light, celebrate his temple privileges, and glory in its sacerdotal service; and yet, because of his intense religiousness, his Psalms remain the highest utterances of the most enlightened and spiritual Christian hearts. So through the ages of the church, however wide the range of Christian song, however distant or different its singers,whether we sing a "Te Deum" with Ambrose, 'Jesu dulcis memoria" with Bernard, an "Ein feste burg ist unser Gott" with Luther, Come, let us join our cheerful songs" with Watts, "Rock of Ages, cleft for me" with Toplady, or "Jesus, lover of my soul" with Wesley,-whether it be with a king like Charlemagne, or a monk like Abelard, a bishop like Ken or Heber, or a Nonconformist layman like Conder,— in this they stand upon common ground, their polemical swords laid aside, the helmets of their warfare doffed, and, with uncovered heads and uplifted hands, they utter their common heart- worship. And these heart-utterances of theirs are marvellously alike; their sect is lost in their song; and it is only to imagine this perfected in heaven, to understand the song

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9. JUSTUS JONAS, a pious, useful, and much-honoured member of that noble body of men to whom, under God, we owe the Reformation; died 1554.

10. DR. DAVID RUSSELL, born 1779. He was a distinguished, able, and very successful minister of the gospel at Dundee. He died in 1848.

11. S. CLARKE, born 1675, at Norwich, and one of the most eminent divines of his age. He died in 1729.

12. THOMAS STAPLETON, professor at Louvain, and an Englishman, but a bitter controversialist and enemy of the Reformation, died 1598.

DAVID SIMPSON, author of the wellknown"Plea for Religion," and a useful minister of the English Church, born 1745. He died in 1799.

HUGH MILLER, the distinguished Scottish geologist, born 1802.

13. FRANCIS JUNIUS, the reformer, was a native of France, but spent much of his time in Belgium and Germany, died 1602, aged 57. Junius was a learned man, and his literary labours were of great importance.

15. OSWALD MYCONIUS, one of the Reformers, and professor of theology at Basle, died 1552, aged 64.

16. NICHOLAS RIDLEY, Bishop of London; HUGH LATIMER, Bishop of Worcester; martyrs, 1555.

HENRY MARTYN, the famous Christian missionary to the East, died 1812, at Tocat, before he had completed his 32nd year. This highly honoured, godly, and learned young man was born at Truro,

man of learning and ability, and, while professor at Leyden, attracted great attention by his opposition to Calvinism.

19. H. K. WHITE, the poet, died 1806, in his 22nd year.

25. DAVID BOGUE, died 1825. This excellent and useful man will be long remembered for his many labours as a professor, a minister, a writer, and the friend of missions.

26. ALFRED, King of England, died in the year 900. His writings were chiefly free translations out of Latin into AngloSaxon.

RICHARD HOOKER, author of the great work on "Ecclesiastical Polity," which has been the bulwark and the pride of the Church of England for many years, died 1600, aged 67.

27. B. GROSVENOR, D.D., died 1758, at the age of 83. In his day, Dr. Grosvenor was popular both as a preacher and as a writer, and his works ought not to be neglected.

DEAN KIRWAN, died 1805. This remarkable man enjoyed wonderful popularity as a preacher, and the effect of his sermons was sometimes amazing. He was originally a Romanist, but joined the Church of England. At his death, his age was 51.

28. ERASMUS. The witty, learned, and half-decided, but often useful Erasmus was born at Rotterdam, in 1467. He exercised great influence in his day throughout Europe, and some of his works are even now really valuable. His edition of the Greek Testament was the first ever published.

29. EDMUND CALAMY, the first of the name, an able and influential minister, and distinguished by great excellence` of character, died 1666, at the age of 66.