of what constitutes a type are very vague, or the Bible, to our minds, if it teaches this may be made to teach anything else: ingenuity is required and little beside. Dr. Cumming in this theory of interpretation supplies us with a criterion of the divine origin of miracles; and this he does in so many words, and repeatedly. "All true heavenly miracles have this one grand feature: they have a redemptive character; they go to counteract and reverse the effects of the fall." Now is this criterion the result of independent and sufficiently extensive as intended specifically to convey the one truth, that this restoration is to be effected; and though in many cases unquestionably the possibility of such significance holds, in other instances it requires, we think, all the Doctor's ingenuity and rhetorical ability to draw it out and make it plain. We confess that in the miracles of turning water into wine, of feeding the five and the three thousand, of the draught of fishes, and of the withered fig-tree, the relation to this truth is not self-evident to our minds; and in the case of Christ's hushing the tempest and bringing the ship immediately to land, we will pre-induction; or is it a hasty generalization sent our readers with the author's own explanation. "When he walked upon the yielding waves, and beckoned to the obedient winds, and the former slumbered at his feet like gentle babes, and the latter came to him like his own hired servants, he then showed that he was creation's Lord, about to retune creation's tangled strings, and bring it back again like an Æolian harp, to its ancient order and perfection when God's Spirit shall sweep over it, and bring out glorious and inexhaustible melody." All this may be true; but we still doubt whether it was the intention of Christ to teach it when he performed the miracle. Dr. Cumming, however, states it; and his faith in the significance of miracles goes even further, for we afterwards find him saying, in reference to the expression, "He delivered him to his mother," in the narration of the raising the widow's son from death-"there may be in this—and I am sure that there is in it—a type and foretaste of that which shall be at the grand resurrection of the pious dead," "when every restored son shall be delivered to the rejoicing mother, and the joy that was felt in the house at Nain shall only be a dim, dim forelight of that intenser joy that shall be felt in the heavenly home,' &c. Now either Dr. Cumming's views thrown out to support his hypothesis? obviously the latter; for its effect must be to set aside the vast majority of the Old Testament miracles. Where, for instance, is the redemptive character of Moses' leprous hand, of the plagues of Egypt, of the sun and moon standing still, of the earthquake engulfing Koran Dathan, and Abiram, of the sun going, back on the dial of Ahaz,-of a host of others? But passing by this, he says, "If we try every miracle performed by our Lord by this test we shall find it stand." Is this so? We acknowledge we wondered how this should be made to appear in the case of the withered fig-tree; and this is the solution we found. "The selection of this tree, even by its sacrifice and destruction, to convey a new lesson to mankind, is an instalment and foreshadow of that glorious epoch when nature shall hear the last trump, and rise from her degradation and her ruin, and become the mighty lesson-book from which a vast and redeemed population shall learn new and glorious lessons of the goodness, and mercy, and beneficence of God." Is this sufficient? does this constitute a redemptive character? we are at a loss then to know what miracle is not redemptive. Our author, however, in another lecture supplies us with such an instance. He says of the feeding the five thousand, "But in this miracle that was not a restorative or redemptive act, but clearly a creative act of power." According to Dr. Cumming, therefore, were he consistent with himself, this was no "true, heavenly miracle." We assure our readers that it has been with much reluctance that we have been compelled to write as we have done. We took up the book with a somewhat firm hope that though we differ from Dr. Cumming on some points, yet that in treating of the miracles of Christ, his great power of representing and re-animating absent and bygone events, and his ability to draw out interesting lessons from everyday life, would have produced a book which we should peruse with pleasure. To say that there is not much instruction and much valuable practical remark to be met with in the volume, would be as far from the truth as to say that the volume, on the whole, commends itself to us. There is too much unsupported assertion; too much assertion supported by mere shadowy arguments; too frequent an intrusion of altogether extraneous matter; and to our minds, what is of far less importance, a too great heaping up and mixing of not very original or tasteful figures. Dr. Cumming might perhaps excuse his lectures on the ground that they were printed from a reporter's notes taken as they were delivered. But we submit this is not enough. The world was not so anxious for another of his volumes as to prevent him from revising it before he committed it to the press. And no man, and especially no man occupying such a position as Dr. Cumming, has a right to thrust his crudities upon the public; and emphatically so, in relation to religion and religious evidences, and at a time like the present, when every false plea is eagerly seized upon by the opponents and the corrupters of Christianity. To us it appears that such a work as that before us is calculated to shake rather than to confirm the faith of the intelligent young men who may come within the sphere of its influence. This remark does not refer only to the main idea on which we have been commenting; but to many other subordinate matters treated of (as on page 337,) to which we have not time now to refer. Dr. Cumming announces a companion volume on the Parables, in which we hope he will take the opportunity to correct the erroneous impressions which his present work is calculated to leave. BRIEF NOTICES. Biblical Antiquities, with some Collateral Subjects, illustrating the Language, Geography, and Early History of Palestine. By the Rev. F. A. Cox, D.D., LL.D. With Maps and numerous Engravings. London: Griffin and Co. Crown 8vo. Pp. 502. This volume constitutes one of the valuable series now being issued in the form of the Second Edition of the "Enclycopaedia Metropolitana." It furnishes us with the results of the most recent investigations in this most important field of biblical inquiry. Many portions of the volume are very valuable; in particular those relating to the geography and natural history of Palestine. The account of modern Judaism also, which the author fears may be regarded as somewhat irrelevant, is in our view so excellent and bears so closely on the general subject as fully to warrant its insertion. Nearly two hundred well executed wood-cuts add very greatly to the utility of the book; which for its condensed comprehensiveness is the best, as it certainly is the most readable, book on the subject in our language. Chronological tables and an index enhance the worth of the volume. The New Biblical Atlas, and Scripture Gazetteer; with descriptive Notices of the Tabernacle and the Temple. London: Religious Tract Society. Imp. 8vo. Pp. 96. Twelve large and well executed maps are comprised in this Atlas. The atlas is based on the Bible Atlas of Heinrich Keipert, of Berlin, who executed the maps for Dr. Robinson's "Biblical Researches" the works of Berghaus, Ritter, Schubert, &c., having also been consulted. A peculiarity of the work consists in a valuable map of the physical geography of Palestine and the adjacent countries, constructed expressly for this Atlas by Petermann. An accurate and interesting description of each map accompanies it; plans of the tabernacle and temple, and a copious scripture gazetteer also adding to the utility of the work. It is a pity, however, that such valuable maps should be sent out into this rough world protected only by a paper cover. The Synoptical Dictionary of Scripture Parallels and References: being an Index of the Texts of Scripture, classified according to their Sense under an Alphabetical List of the Various Subjects contained in the Bible: each Article being concluded with an illustra The Story of Nineveh. By the Author of "The Faithful Promiser," "Night Watches," "Morning Watches," &c. Edinburgh: Paton and Ritchie. Square 18mo., pp. 65, boards. Hoping to induce sabbath-scholars to study the fulfilled prophecies respecting Nineveh and listen to the solemn reflections they convey, the author has given a brief view of facts brought before the public by Mr. Layard, trying to make long volumes short, and hard sentences simple." Successive chapters treat of the Founder of Nineveh-its Greatness-its Repentance in the days of Jonah-its condition under Sennacherib-the Prophecies relating to tive Series of Appropriate Historical Ex-parative degree of Criminality which will be it-the Discovery of its Ruins-and the comamples: forming thus a Methodical Summary imputed to its inhabitants in the day of judgof the Principles, the Doctrines, the Precepts, and the Facts of Scripture: and comprising and respectably executed. It is a little work of good tendency, the most complete Collection of Parallels and References. London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co. 8vo. Pp. 302. The elaborate title-page sufficiently explains the nature of the work, and it only remains for us to say that the author has in general wellexecuted the task he assigned himself, and that in our opinion, the volume is calculated to be of good service to the biblical student. The book differs from the ordinary common-place books of the scriptures in that they are generally founded on some theological arrangement, whilst this is based on a simple alphabetical classification; and in that they put before us the language of the texts quoted, whereas this presents us with its purport in a few words. It thus furnishes at one view, in a sort of tabular form, the meaning of the various passages of scripture relating to any given subject; having thus a very great advantage over the ordinary lists of parallel texts. In the execution of the work the author has shown great impartiality, and so far as we have followed him, and this somewhat minutely, great general correctness. We should have been pleased had there been in some cases a somewhat more logical classification of the various subjects,-genera and species being frequently made co-ordinate; for instance, God, and Titles of God, Christ and Human Nature of Christ, Holy Ghost and Gift of the Holy Ghost, &c. His choice of some terms also is not happy;-Heaven, not appearing. but instead. Felicity Eternal. To some little ment. The Tried Christian; a Book of Consolation The purpose of the author in the composition of this volume has been, to present a manual which should exhibit the teachings of scripture on the subject of afflictions, and be of service both to ministers and private Christians. He has furnished to the reader a book, clear, impressive, and eminently consolatory in its exhibition of those scripture truths which have special reference to affliction and trial; and which, if it have not the pretensions of some others, will not, we feel assured, be the least useful of his works. Philip Doddridge: his Rise and Labours. A This volume was read in a somewhat condensed form by Mr. Stoughton before the Congregational Union at its session at Northampton last autumn. The aim of the author was to present an outline of the character and the times of Doddridge; and all who know the writer's previous productions will be prepared to expect such a volume as we have before us-a graphic and life-like sketch, sure to interest Auspices. By D. M. EVANS. Manchester: | The Journal of Sacred Literature. Manchester, so illustrious a few years since for its advocacy of free trade in corn, is now nearly equally notorious for the energy with which it is maintaining the doctrine of compulsory education. It is, therefore, with the greater pleasure that we see that our friend Mr. Evans, of Grosvenor Street Chapel, has responded to the call of the advocates of voluntary education by delivering and publishing a lecture on the principle involved in state tuition. To this topic he confines himself, after having briefly pointed out the sources of the prevalent desire for government education. He seeks only to convince those whose love of consistency is strong enough to cause them to shrink from a principle, the legitimate consequences of which they would deprecate most cordially; and forcibly, and, to our minds, unanswerably, he has demonstrated that in an appeal to government to educate the people such a principle is necessarily involved. The following sentences embody clearly the line of argument which is ably elaborated in the rest of the lecture. "Education, however defined, however limited, is a part of individual and social training, else it is nothing at all. It is a step in the process of development, a contribution to the manufacture of the citizen. Here, therefore, we have the principle that the subject is made by law. Laws are enacted, not for man as he is, which alone is the sphere of the politician, but in order to make him what he ought to be, which is the principle of universal despotism." "The great lesson which we have to learn is to have less faith in human law, more in the divine. We would imprint on the memory and conscience of all, that in a free country laws are made for the government and not for the training of men. Adhere to this principle, and no future social question will disturb your serenity as to its province; violate it in one instance, and terra firma is no longer beneath your feet." We earnestly hope that this lecture may be thoughtfully and extensively perused. Into this small volume are crowded a vast number of the noblest passages to be found in the range of English literature. They all breathe the spirit of liberty and truth: Milton, Macaulay, Hail, Foster, Chalmers, Brougham, and Canning, being laid under tribute to furnish a book of classical extracts, affording examples of surpassing excellence of style, undebased by association with a feeble and sickly morality. For the higher forms in our schools, this book will prove a great acquisition; for the railroad traveller it is admirably suited; and for that large class who if they read at all must do so at intervals snatched from their occupations, it supplies at the same time excellent food for thought and stimulus to action. The volume belongs to the series of the Library for the Times. New Series. Edited by JOHN KITTO, D.D., F.S.A. No. II. January, 1852. London: Blackader. 8vo. Kitto's Journal this quarter contains a paper on the relative authority of the Hebrew and Greek scriptures of the Old Testament, in which is an elaborate argument in favour of the authenticity of the History of Aristeas, narrating the translation of the LXX., by order of Ptolemy by seventy-two Jews in seventy-two days; the historic value of which has been almost universally rejected by biblical critics for the past hundred years: and in which also is a minute analysis of the Old Testament passages quoted in the New. It contains also articles on the ministry of angels, on the inscriptions on the rocks of Sinai, on the ancient oriental palaces, on the characteristics of miracles, on the Rephaim, and on the last vision of Ezekiel. There is likewise an article in favour of the divine authority of Solomon's song; and an interesting paper in which is propounded, in explanation of the account of the fall, the theory that the serpent was a very early name for Satan, derived from the terms of the curse, and that the generally received opinion that a literal serpent was the instrument of temptation is without any warrant from scripture. We need do no more than repeat our often expressed hope that this Journal, so valuable to thoughtful Christian men, will receive the support that it deserves. Bible Gleanings. By MATILDA BASSETT Published for the Benefit of the Woolwich Ragged Schools. London: Partridge and Oakey. 12mo., pp. 151. Cloth, gilt. Much that is good in sentiment and pleasing in diction will be found in this volume, which is dedicated by permission to the Earl of Shaftesbury by one who calls herself" A Ragged School Teacher." Had the lady allowed herself more time for revision, many of her stanzas would have been materially improved; but this is a process which both poets and poetesses are too apt to neglect. In page 92, we have given a specimen, extracted from the longest piece, which is founded on the early history of Moses. RECENT PUBLICATIONS Approved. [It should be understood that insertion in this list is not a mere announcement: it expresses approbation of the works enumerated,-not of course extending to every particular, but an approbation of their general character and tendency.] The Congregational Year Book for 1851, with an of the Congregational Union of England and Wales, Almanack for 1852. Containing the Proceeding and its Confederated Societies for that year, together with Supplementary Information respecting the Associations, Ministers, New Chapels, Schools, and Publications of the Congregational Body throughout the United Kingdom. London: Published for the Congregational Union of England and Wales. Price 18, pp. 292. The Eclectic Review. January, 1852. Contents: I. Early Independency. II. Homeopathy. III. Memoir of Bishop Stanley. IV. Walpole's Assayrii; or the Assassins. V. Francis's History of the Railway. VI. Life and Writings of Dr. Chalmers. VII. Prentice's Personal Recollections. VIII. A Page of French History. London: Ward and Co. GENERAL VIEW OF THE MISSIONS." In the January number of the Magazine published by the American Baptist Missionary Union, we find an article under this title, which will interest many of our readers. In surveying the state of our missions at the commencement of a new year, as compared with their aspects a twelvemonth since, we have special occasion to note the benignant agency of divine Providence to strengthen our hopes and summon us to fresh and enlarged exertion. A grateful remembrance is due of His favour, which is the prime source and only effectual means of success. In BURMAH, the same sovereign Providence that assigned us that field at the first, still directs our prayers and labours toward its cultivation. Rangoon and Ava, that had been closed against us for thirteen years, are once more opened for the proclamation of the truth. The government, lately so hostile, has met our missionaries with marked kindness. Through what motives this has come to pass, and how long the king's countenance will be favourable to them, we cannot tell. But our trust is not in the caprice of earthly monarchs. We gratefully accept the present auspicious indications as a call to press forward, leaving the issue to God alone. Even a brief interval of toleration may suffice to do a work that shall bear inestimable fruit hereafter, and the power that restrains the wrath of man for a moment is able to give perpetual peace. The other Burman missions, in Tennasserim and Arracan, though with broken and enfeebled ranks, maintain their steadfastness and still find an encouragement to advance. Death has removed Mrs. Knapp on the threshold of her work in Arracan; and Mrs. Stilson, a missionary long tried and highly esteemed for her works' sake, has been taken from Maulmain. Mr. Stilson is disabled in a great degree from active labour, and has leave to retire from the mission. Mrs. Judson has returned to this country; and Messrs. Howard and Haswell are still among us to ruptions by sickness and bereavement, and under some disadvantages, sustain the responsibilities of the Arracan mission. They have been, or, we trust, will soon be, rejoined by Mr. Ingalls and family. The KAREN MISSIONS, while they continue to share in the rich blessings which have distinguished them, have specially to record the complete translation of the scriptures into one dialect, with the prospect that Sgaus and Pwos will both be alike favoured in this respect, at no distant day. But while this "sword of the Spirit" is made ready, there are few to wield it. The theological seminary at Maulmain, vacated by the resignation of Mr. Binney, remains under the temporary direction of the members of the mission, who give to it all the attention their onerous duties admit. Mr. and Mrs. Vinton returned alone to their labours; another missionary pair were about to follow them, when a mysterious providence disappointed our hopes. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have joined the Tevoy mission. Should Burmah Proper continue open, the Karen churches in that kingdom, hitherto intolerably oppressed, may be strengthened and enlarged; and the truth which has done so much to weaken hostile superstitions, may make positive and more rapid conquests. The recent formation of a Home Missionary Society by the native converts, to promulgate the gospel among their unevangelized countrymen, is in this connexion a most promising feature. In the Karen missions generally, we see abundant proofs of God's power to "save by many or by few," and at the same time the evident want of the many to fulfil the task his providence sets before us. The SIAM MISSION has passed through more than common vicissitudes. Early in the year a desolating calamity left it apparently powerless. But it would seem to have been forsaken "for a small moment," to be gathered "with great mercies." The nature of its work, chiefly preparatory, laying foundations with toilsome constancy against great discouragements, may have caused the churches in some measure to lose sight of it. The sudden affliction that has befallen our |