commend it to the perusal of all our readers, and particularly to ministers and students of theology.

As a specimen of the author's style, we quote entire his note on Malachi 4 6, which he translates thus:

“And he shall return the heart of the fathers to the sons, and the heart of the sons to the fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse.' V.6, describes the work of the preacher of repentance. The expression, 'return the heart of the fathers to the sons, and the heart of the sons to the fathers,' has usually been explained to mean the restoration of domestic harmony among the people. But this is a very meagre sense of words that close up the utterances of God to his people for twelve generations. Want of domestic concord was not one of the sins charged upon the people, and its removal would hardly be the great work assigned to the Elijah messenger. The meaning is suggested in the words of the angel to Zacharias, in Luke 1: 16, 17; where, instead of the clause, 'the heart of the sons to the fathers,' is put, 'the disobedient to the wisdom of the just.' This paraphrase indicates that the hearts of the devoted ancestors, were to live again in the obedience of the repentant posterity, and that the backslidden sons were to be restored to the piety of their fathers. The piety of the fathers had been referred to repeatedly before (see 1: 2; 2: 5, 6; 3: 4), and the promise is, that this piety should live again in the children, under the Elijah call to repentance, and it is threatened, that if this is not the result, the land shall be laid under the terrible herem. This was a devotion to destruction, such as was done to the Canaanites by the judicial act of God. As these guilty nations were cut off because of their sins, so should the people who had taken their place on the soil of the land of promise, or those who in turn would take their place on the covenants of promise, if they imitated their sinful example. This was fulfilled five hundred years afterward, when the chosen people were finally rejected, and the awful blood was upon them and their children, according to their own imprecation. And to this hour, the soil that was wet with that blood lies under the terrible herem, and will so continue, until that Elijah call that shall bring back the heart of David, of Isaiah, and of Nathaniel, to their exiled posterity, enabling them to see Him whom they have pierced, and to cry, My Lord and my God! And by the same principles of interpretation that we have applied to the previous verse, do we extend this warning to every age of the Church, and find in it the germ of the solemn admonition of Paul in discussing the same subject (Rom. 11: 20, 21): 'Be not highminded, but fear; for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he also spare not thee.'"

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AN ADDRESS TO THE CHURCH EXTENSION COMMITTEE, AND TO THE MINISTERS, ELDERSHIP, AND CONGREGATIONS OF THE PRESBYTERY OF PHILADELPHIA, BY REV. NATHANIEL WEST, D. D., SUPERINTENDENT.

THIS Address is a brief and pithy exposition of 2 Sam. 10: 12: "Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God, and the Lord do that which seemeth him good." The principal points discussed are-I. Noticing some IMPORTANT FACTS in relation to cities, deduced from the word of God. II. Presenting some arguments why no scriptural means should be omitted, and no expense spared, to extend the influence of pure Christianity in cities and growing centres of population. III. Some thoughts on the mode of proceeding. The discussion is pertinent and forcible; and it is no less adapted to Church extension in other cities than in Philadelphia. We should regard the circulation of this Address as a valuable auxiliary to the efforts of those who are engaged in the work of promoting religion in cities in any form, but especially in raising funds to erect houses of worship, establish

Sabbath schools, and sustain churches in new and unoccupied districts (of which there are many) in all our large cities. We hope Dr. West will have abundant encouragement in his endeavours to complete the important work which the Committee has so happily commenced.

THE PROTESTANT THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA. Being a condensed translation of Herzog's Real Encyclopedia, with additions from other sources. By REV. J. H. A. BOMBERGER, D.D., Pastor of the First German Reformed Church, Philadelphia, assisted by distinguished Theologians of all denominations. Part I. Philadelphia: Lindsay & Blakiston, 1856. [To be completed in twelve numbers, at 50 cents each.]

We omitted to allude to this invaluable work at the time of its first announcement. An examination of the first number has impressed us with the value, ability, and general candour of the work. It cannot be expected that a Religious Encyclopedia shall contain opinions and views that meet with universal acceptance. But the student and general reader will here find the richest materials on the more important topics of Religious Literature. The work is in all respects what is properly called a standard work. It will embrace all subjects belonging properly to the literature of the Protestant Catholic Religion and Church, and will furnish the most reliable results of recent study, research, and discoveries in the various departments of science in its relation to Christianity, including the several branches of

1. BIBLICAL LITERATURE-Biblical Philology, Geography, History, Botany, Geology, Natural History, Antiquities, Criticism, and Hermeneutics.

2. SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE-Apologetic, Dogmatic, Moral Sciences, Polemical and Pastoral Theology, Homiletics, Liturgical Church Polity and Church Arts.

3. HISTORICAL LITERATURE-Church History and Antiquities, History, Theology, History of Sects and Heresies, Patristic History, Biography, &c.

4. HISTORICAL SYMBOLISM; or, a Representation of the Comparative Position and Relation of the various Evangelical Denominations, and their Respective Doctrinal and other Characteristics.

The work of Herzog numbers more than one hundred contributors, including the ripest scholars and most evangelical theologians of Germany, and the articles are the result of their best judgment and most careful research. It is being edited in this country by the Rev. J. H. A. Bomberger, D.D., assisted by distinguished theologians of various denominations.

PREDESTINATION AND PRAYER. A Sermon delivered in the First Presbyterian Church of Madison, Ind., March 2d, 1856, by JOSEPH G. SYMMES, Pastor of the Church. 1856.

In this excellent discourse, its author considers the two topics of I, Predestination, and II, The place Prayer occupies in the Divine arrangements. The whole subject is exhibited in a clear and convincing light, and is calculated to relieve the difficulties of a serious inquirer, and to encourage the supplications of all Christ's people. The practical value of these great

doctrines of Scripture is known in the history of the Church. We trust the good fruits of this discussion will be numerous on the soil of Madison and elsewhere.

LETTERS TO THE REV. WM. W. PATTON, in reply to certain charges made against the Presbyterian Church and Ministry, in the Religious Herald. By THOMAS S. CHILDS, Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Hartford, Ct. 1856. Hartford.

The REV. WM. W. PATTON, pastor of a Congregational Church and editor of a religious newspaper, charged Presbyterians with originating unfounded accusations against the New England Church, whilst they themselves omitted to preach important doctrines, and were virtually Antinomians, apologists of slavery, &c. The REV. MR. CHILDS defends his Church with the proper zeal, and with the success to be expected in such an encounter. Our young brother, compelled to enter into controversy, has conducted it with much ability. He has not shrunk from speaking the truth; and although isolated among our Congregational brethren, and laboring alone in a difficult field, we have no fear that a controversy of this sort will create opposition to Presbyterianism, but, on the contrary, will tend to advance the cause.

A TRIBUTE TO THE PRINCIPLES, VIRTUES, HABITS, AND PUBLIC USEFULNESS OF THE IRISH AND SCOTCH EARLY SETTLERS OF PENNSYLVANIA. By A DESCENDANT. Chambersburg, Pa. 1856.

The best of men have enemies, and zealous Christians have always been spoken against. Next to the Quakers, the hardy race of the Scotch and Irish, together with the Germans, were the earliest settlers in Pennsylvania. The Scotch-Irish made their homes in the counties of Bucks, Lancaster, and York, and soon made their influence felt on the government, which had been hitherto administered by Quakers. JAMES LOGAN, President of the Council, who was connected with the Society of Friends, although he was of Irish origin, expressed himself in 1729 "glad to find that the Parliament is about to take measures to prevent their (the Irish) too frequent emigration to this country. It looks as if Ireland is to send all her inhabitants hither; for last week not less than six ships arrived, and every day two or three arrive also. The common fear is, that if they continue to come, they will make themselves masters of the province. It is strange that they will thus crowd where they are not wanted." like prejudice existed against German emigration.

A

Logan's chief accusations against the Scotch-Irish were, that they were "troublesome settlers to the government and hard neighbours to the Indians." The learned and courteous author of the work before us investigates the history of the times, and presents facts which disprove the imputations cast upon Presbyterians. He writes with the true historical spirit and temper, and discharges his duty to the past and present generation with an affability worthy of a good cause. A large amount of information, gathered by patient and industrious inquiry, is imparted to the reader. The Scotch-Irish are held forth in their true character as citizens of the State; and the part they acted in the old French War and in the War of the Revolution receives its just tribute of praise. We rejoice in the seasonable publication of this able historical vindication. Its esti

Late may he

mable and gifted author-himself a noble representative of his racedeserves the thanks of all parties in the Church and State. depart to a better world!

Che Religious World.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

"THE annual returns from our Church, as made up by the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, which have now been extensively published, present several points of interest. A comparison with the statistics of last year shows that whilst in some respects there is ground for encouragement, in others there is reason for regret and humiliation.

Compared with the preceding year, we find that the number of Synods and Presbyteries remains the same. We have 47 more candidates than at that time, 3 more licentiates, 59 more ministers, 67 more churches, and 2351 more communicants. There have been 25 more licensures, 11 more ordinations, 35 more installations, 14 more pastoral relations dissolved, 8 more churches organized, and 16 more ministers received from other denominations than during the preceding year; whilst the amount of moneys contributed exceeds the sum in the report for 1855 by $230,376. One very cheering fact is the apparently increasing permanency of the pastoral relation, there having been an excess of 21 installations over the number of pastoral relations dissolved, whilst the Report of last year shows an excess of only 7. On the other hand, the number of communicants received on examination is 763 less than the number reported last year, and those received on certificate 120 less.

Upon the whole, these figures show that there has been progress as to the general healthfulness and soundness of the churches; but as regards the enjoyment of spiritual blessings and aggressions on the kingdom of darkness, there is no special occasion for encouragement. Our attention, particularly during the earlier part of the ecclesiastical year, was frequently directed to the comparatively few revivals, and though a more happy state of things afterwards appeared, we are still not surprised to find that the accessions from the world fall below what has heretofore been reported. We trust that this circumstance may make its appropriate impression on the hearts of both ministers and people, and that all may bestir themselves to pray and labour that the next returns may present more cheering results. We have received a copy of the Minutes of the New School General Assembly, but after carefully examining it, have not been able to find that it contains the usual General Summary. Why it was omitted is not explained. By reference to the aggregate tables, however, we have collected a few of the items, which, compared with the Old School, are as follows:

The above useful comparative summary is taken from the September number of the Sower, the excellent monthly sheet issued by our Board of Publication. The footing in the last line will be found to differ from that given in the Minutes of Synod of this year. The difference is owing to the correction of an error made by the person who added up the summary for the Stated Clerk, as any may see by glancing over the column of the printed Minutes. The Church has made a gain during the year of sixteen churches, twenty ministers, over fourteen hundred communicants, nearly three thousand catechists, thirty-five hundred Sabbath-scholars, and nearly eight thousand dollars in benevolent contributions. The increase is gratifying, but it is far from what might be reasonably expected.-Chris. Intel.

MORAVIAN.

STATISTICS OF THE UNITED BRETHREN.

THE last number of the Moravian contains the following general statistics of the United Moravian Church, or the Unitas Fratrum:

In the General View as published, there was a typographical error of one figure, which made this total 223,755. It should have been as above.