among you; and yet he will not desert you, but will come down and share the suet-pudding, or the porridge, or whatever happens to be served up that day; and if we cannot feast, at least we will not fret. Do you think the friends will forget the orphans ! "Well," says old Father Doubtful, perhaps they may." There's that rocking-horse for the sick boys in the infirmary, we asked for it publicly, and we half thought we should have received enough horses by this time to make up a sort of Croydon fair; but, alas! not one horse, bay or grey, black or chestnut, has come to the Orphanage door. Wonder whether it will come at Christmas with a load of Christmas-tree ornaments on its back; perhaps it has been waiting to have the pack packed and strapped on. But, suppose our friends forget the orphans at Christmas. No, it cannot be. We shall have the headache if we dwell on the possibility of such a catastrophe. Our notion is, that when we come home from NICE, we shall be met by Mr. Charlesworth with the pleasing intimation that our friends have been more generous this year than ever, and that we shall not have to eat short-cake, or bread-and-pull-it, or roast nothing and no turnips for our Christmas dinner. You young ravens are always opening your insatiable mouths, and it takes a great many worms, or rather very much grub, to keep you going; but do not be afraid, there are happy homes where the orphan child has many advocates, and you will not be forgotten. Our hopes are reviving, and our head does not ache any longer; the sun of hope is shining, and our prospects have brightened. Father Christmas may come as speedily as he pleases, for generous hands will make his coming pleasant. Our College has enjoyed the great treat of lectures from Mr. Arthur Mursell, and Dr. Landels. It is most remarkable that, while the Westminster Review was announcing these brethren as our opponents, they were actually of their own free will serving us as friends. Mr. Mursell's lecture contained such scathing sarcasm upon the modern schools of thought, and such a defence of the old orthodox faith, as we have seldom, if ever, heard. None who heard it will ever forget it; nor, so long as they love the truth, will they wish to do so. From Dr. Landels' lectures on Baptist Heroes the students are sure to derive great stimulus. If it be possible, we will give our readers some account of them, and we hope Dr. Landels will, in due time, issue them from the press. Our Gaelic-speaking brother, Mr. Mc. Dougall, is happily settled at Blair Athole. Mr. Young, formerly colporteur, and now student at our College, has accepted an invitation to Cranford, Middlesex. We are pleased to see that Mr. Taylor and the Markyate Street friends are moving for a new chapel. They need it badly enough, and deserve to be assisted liberally. Mr. Tansley, from our College, follows Mr. Irving at Melton Mowbray, while Mr. Irving will endeavour to build up the cause at Maidenhead, so zealously commenced by our student, Mr. Glanville. We are glad to see that Mr. Malins has accepted an invitation to Marlbro' Crescent, Newcastle. In Toronto, our friend, Mr. Dyke, is working away most happily. Mr. H. Dunn, of Pudsey, has removed to Milnbridge. Baptisms at Metropolitan Tabernacle, by Mr. J. A. Spurgeon: Oct. 26th, Twenty; Nov. 2nd, Eighteen. Reviews. OUR Penny Almanack is, we think, more highly spoken of this year than ever before. John Ploughman's Sheet Almanack will, we trust, become a fa- | vourite, and be a help to the Orphanage. Both are published by Passmore & Alabaster. We are pushing on with Vol. III. of the Treasury of David, and we hope to have it ready in March. Friends who have not procured the former volumes will, we hope, do so. Well, said Solomon, "Of making many books there is no end;" and we will amend him and add, “Much reviewing is a weariness of the flesh." Finding our table to be in distress through overloading, we will fish up a little lot of publications, and finish them off in the most rapid style we can, consistent with justice; premising, however, that a short notice is by no means an evidence that the reviewer has been hasty or careless. Here are three or four things about that very troublesome" Gates Ajar;" it has made jar and jarring enough. Watching at the Gates (Partridge & Co.) replies to the "Gates Ajar;" ditch, has done his work well, and produced a very useful collection for children. There will soon be enough hymn books we should think. The Watchman Tracts (Yapp & Hawkins). Soundly evangelical, and somewhat catching; they are better than most tracts, but there is room for improvement in this class of literature. general, tracts appear to be dipped in a strong solution of opium. Philip Phillips' Singing Annual for Sabbath Schools, Vol. II. (Sunday School Union). As a specimen of self-praise this tune book bears on its face the In What shall we say About the Gates Ajar (Elliot Stock) vindicates it against the "Antidote ;" and Faith or Fancy, by E. S. JOHNSON (Elliot Stock), examines it and condemns it. The game is not worth the candle. It is hard to reason against dreams; as a fancy the book is pleasing, but when tried and tested by orthodox doctrine it is nowhere. Pamphleteers had better give over breaking this butterfly on the wheel. MR. DICKINSON, of 59, Old Bailey, issues a new penny weekly newspaper, entitled the Christian Age. It is mainly made up of sermons by popular Ameri-modest statement, "Every song a gem, cans, and will be very useful to preachers and teachers. We wish him every success, but are fearful that it will not pay unless it obtains a very large circulation. [Since writing the above, we have seen other numbers of the Christian Age, and cannot speak too highly of it. It has now become more generally interesting. We hope all Christian parents will become subscribers. This paper may be safely introduced into Christian families.] Come to Jesus, by NEWMAN HALL (Nisbet & Co.), we are glad to see issued in a penny edition. It needs no other review but the mention of the fact that it has reached one million, five hundred and fifty-four thousand. Will a Man Rob God? by F. BARKER (Sutton: W. R. Church), is a short appeal for weekly storing; an admirable practice, and we think also an incumbent duty. A Christian Woman (Elliot Stock). In verse; pious. The Claims of China: by the Rev. A. WILLIAMSON, LL.D. (Oliphant & Co.). The writer has returned to his self-denying labours in China, but he did well to leave this stimulating publication behind him. It ought to be worth many men and much money to the Chinese Missions. It deserves a thoughtful perusal. Young men, here is a field of glory open to you. Gospel Hall Hymn Book (Elliot, White Hart Street, Strand). A popular collection, but hardly to our taste. We dare say it is adapted for assemblies of the rougher classes; and, therefore, cannot but wish it success, though we shall never be likely to use it ourselves. The Children's London Hymn Book (Shaw & Co.). Our friend, Mr. Hur and never before published." It may be so; our singing readers had better judge for themselves. We are glad to see such a book issued; it is fairly excellent, but neither as to the words nor the music could we quite endorse the blast from its own trumpet, which is given at the outset. Spiritualism the Work of Demons, by Rev. JOHN JONES, Liverpool (Simpkin & Co.); and Spiritualism Tried by the Word of God, by J. B. McCURE (Robert Banks), are two denunciations of Spiritualism as the work of Demons. It may be so, but we think the Devil bimself would be tired of such nonsense; we fancy the agencies employed are more earthly and silly. What devils can hope to achieve by making tables dance the polka, and fiddles scrape themselves, we cannot imagine. Baptists in Error; by Rev. J. T. LEE, of Luton. Weak; not even strong enough to be watery. Law of Husband and Wife; by PHILO-FAMILIAS (Hatton & Son). A humane defence of poor, oppressed husbands. This pamphlet might be issued by a Men's Rights Association; who will commence one? Does not somebody want a berth? He might vote himself into the secretaryship of this new society. A Letter to the Rev. J. Baldwin Brown on the Sacrificial Substitution of the Lord Jesus Christ; by JOSHUA WILSON (Hodder & Stoughton). Very kindly said, and very needful to be said. Mr. Wilson belongs to the despised minority who have not yet given up the fundamentals of the gospel. The Name above Every Name; by Mrs. CHARLES SHRIMPTON (Book Society). The various titles of our School Union. THE yearly volume is a very pleasant this month.] Lord, in verse, in a pamphlet for two- | The Child's Own Magazine. Sunday pence. The Years Before the Battle; by a Wayside Observer (Elliot Stock). The nonsensical "Battle of Dorking," | which was sent abroad to foment the war-spirit among us, has produced quite a literature. This is one of the best of such pamphlets, and well and seasonably rebukes the errors of the times-social, political, and religious. It is as much calculated to do good as the "Battle of Dorking" to do harm. The Sunday School Teachers' Pocketbook. Sunday School Union. INVALUABLE, indispensable. Well planned, well arranged, well got up. THE Religious Tract Society issues two very excellent pocket-books, fit for presents, and very useful. For adults, The Scripture Pocket Book; and for the juveniles, The Young People's Pocket Book. Christians should patronize these in preference to the trashy productions of fashion. 66 The Wood Carvers. By the Author of A BOOK for the young, and for the cot- Tales of the Northern Seas. Religious AN exceedingly well-written book upon Two beautiful Panoramic series of pic- tions. Divine Leadings. Nisbet and Co. A memoir and fragments. Most interesting to the immediate family circle. Origin and History of the New Testament. By JAMES MARTIN, B.A. Hodder and Stoughton. A MOST useful book, and one which has been long needed. It deserves to be a class-book in colleges, and to be earnestly studied by all who wish to know the eventful history of the New Testa ment. As the author well says, "The researches of a Tregelles are as full of interest as those of a Darwin, and the history of Tischendorf is as full of ad venture as that of Sir Samuel Baker Mr. Robinson wields a ponderous ham- WIN BROWN. Hodder and Stoughton. solemn warning to rich men ; but the THIS pastoral contains a faithful and preacher goes a long way round about Eva and Bertie; a Tale for Little before he gets at it. When we reached Children. Religious Tract Society. the central point of the sermon, we were NICE type, short words, plain sentences, glad that such monitions had been ada simple story, and excellent moral les-dressed to an age which so much needs sons for the six-year-olds. them. Kind Questions; or, Speaking the Truth | his faith in God was so simple and strong, that, if the world had really then come to an end, it would not have disturbed his composure." in Love. By Rev. A. M. STALKER, of Houghton Street Chapel, Southport. Elliot Stock. THESE are most excellent discourses. To us they appear to be among the most convincing we have ever read. We would not for ever be controverting upon Baptism, at the same time, woe unto the man who is silent, for our Lord winks not at those who neglect the least of his commands, and teach men So. The spirit and the reasoning of these sermons is all that could be wished. Would to God our Pædobaptist friends would reconsider the subject, purely in the light of Scripture, and the controversy would soon come to an end. The tracts can be had of Mr. Stock, at a Isoult Barry of Wynscote, her Diurnal A MOST deserving volume, full of instruction as to the Reformation period, written with the attractiveness of a novel and the fidelity of history. Whenever a fictitious person is introduced, a foot note informs the reader of the fact,-a most happy and honest practice. It is emphatically a good book; our readers who purchase it will thank us for directing their attention to it. We cannot do less than commend it heartily. The State-paper office has existed to good purpose, since it has enabled the fair Heroes and Worthies: with Portraits. authoress to disinter such useful maReligious Tract Society. terial from its loaded shelves. moderate price, and ought to be largely distributed. A DRAWING-ROOM-TABLE book. It brings At suspended. Most of those present, regardless of every secular concern, betook themselves to praying. Amidst this general confusion, the judge alone remained calm, and attended to the duties before him; thus making it evident, either that his knowledge placed him above the prevailing belief, or that Heart to Heart. Hymns by the Author of the "Old, Old Story." William Macintosh. HYMNS, some of which are worthy to live in the psalmody of the church. The author's verses have the true poetic ring, and gracious tone. Take the following example. "DRAW ME." "O thou whom my soul loveth, With true, though feeble, love, But now, my heart is thirsting, Has wrought this change in me. Thou art the thing I long for! O Thou whom my soul loveth, Prayers for a Month. New series. The Religious Tract Society. By | able to compose so profound a matter. VERY good helps to a very bad practice. The best forms of prayer are only clean shrouds for dead souls; three words of living prayer are worth a tou weight of paper-prayer. Here we may fitly introduce John Bunyan's estimate of written prayers in general, and of the Prayer Book in particular, for we heartily unite in his testimony. "The Apostles, | when they were at the best, yea, when the Holy Ghost assisted them, yet then they were fain to come off with sighs and groans, falling short of expressing their mind, but with sighs and groans which cannot be uttered. But here, now, the wise men of our days are so well skilled, as that they have both the manner and matter of their prayers at their fingers' ends; setting such a prayer for such a day, and that twenty years before it comes. One for Christmas, another for Easter, and six days after that. They have also bounded how many syllables must be said in every one of them. For each Saint's Day, also, they have them ready for the generations yet unborn to say. They can tell you also, when you shall kneel, when you shall stand, when you should abide in your seats, when you should go up into the chancel, and what you should do when you come there. All which the Apostles came short of, as not being The City Temple: Sermons preached in the Poultry Chapel. 1871. By JOSEPH PARKER, D.D. New Series. Partridge & Co. Ir would be quite out of place for us to criticise our well-known neighbour. His great abilities are evident to all, as also his independence of mind. We know right well the mental effort required to publish a sermon weekly, and should not generally recommend the attempt. Dr. Parker is one of the very few who can sustain the strain. Sunday School Teachers' Diary. day School Union, Old Bailey. No better diary and class register can be found. Sun The Epistle to the Hebrews. By Rev. JOSEPH B. McCAUL. Longmans, Green and Co., Paternoster Row. A MOST learned and scholarly work on the Hebrews. It is quite out of our power, for lack of time, to peruse the whole book, with its many quotations; but we have tested it at many points, and always with fullest satisfaction. We mean to use it in our College work, for which it is well adapted. Emphatically a book for advanced students. Pastors' College, Metropolitan Tabernacle. Statement of Receipts from October 20th, to November 13th, 1871. |