men fitted and equipped for the times in which we live. May he long and successfully labour in training up a sturdy race of pastors for the Congregational churches of Scotland.

THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF SIN, exhibited by Dr Julius Müller, ordinary Professor of Theology in the University of Halle-Wittenberg. Translated from the German of the third improved and enlarged edition, by WILLIAM PULS

FORD.

Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark.

THIS is a work of very decided excellence. It is constructed upon the principle of speculatively determining, by à consideration of the elements of human and Christian consciousness, what is the true nature of sin; and it brings its conclusions to the test of Scripture at every step, renouncing them when a basis cannot be found for them there. To the practical and Baconian minds of British readers, this may appear a circuitous and dangerous course. But in these days, when Pantheistic and infidel notions are so prevalent, though it may satisfy men who are already Christians to develop the doctrine of sin from Scripture, yet a different method is required in order to do battle successfully with the enemies of the Gospel. It is of importance that the true character of sin, and the need of an expiation, be established on grounds which the men of the world cannot consistently dispute. And certainly the work before us handles this difficult subject in the most masterly style. Its investigations are profound and searching. It is pervaded by a spirit of deep moral earnestness. The author is a man of warm piety; and his sympathies are all engaged on the side of the pure Gospel of Christ, as the only hope to this fallen world.

First of all, sin is viewed as transgression of law. The human spirit at the dawn of consciousness becomes sensible of obligation, and begins to feel that some things ought to be, and that some ought not. Yet often it consciously determines in favour of those which it feels ought not to be; and this is a disturbance of the moral life, and a sense of demerit ensues. The question next presents itself, whence comes this law that binds the Spirit? The idea of Kant's autonomy of the will is here considered, and most ably refuted; and it is shown, that the thing the spirit feels bound to, cannot possibly come from itself, nor from the collective determinations of all human beings, but must come from the will of a perfectly holy and all-powerful Being. Were the law in the heart a selfimposed law, it could not possibly have

that unity which characterises it in its great features through the whole race. The moral law is God's law; and sin, therefore, is not simply transgression of law, but also rebellion against God.

And now comes up the question, What is the true constituent principle of the moral law? Why are some things made to appear right to the human spirit, and some things wrong? Many answer, God's will is the ultimate principle. This is ably controverted. For on this principle it would follow, that if God had chosen to issue other commands than He has done, what is now right might have been wrong, and what is wrong might have been right. Hatred might have been made the essence of duty. Others have said, that what leads to enjoyment and happiness is on that account moral, thus making utility the standard of virtue; but this idea is also controverted, and it is shown that the moral is a higher principle than the useful, -that happiness does not constitute morality, but springs from it. Where, then, lies the ground-principle of the moral? It is traced up, not to the will of God, but to the understanding of God, or rather to his essential nature. He is the absolute good. All creatures depend upon Him, and all intelligent creatures, by their origination from Him, are bound to recognise Him as the Alone Sovereign. The principle of right, therefore, is recognition of God, and wilful subjection to his authority. The principle of evil is disregard of God, and the substitution of something else in his room as the chief good. Now what is that other thing which the sinner puts in the room of God? Not a few answer, the creature. And that is quite true; but it is not the creature on its own account, but the creature viewed in its bearing upon the sinner himself. The ground-principle of sin, therefore, is the substitution of self in the room of God. The sinner makes himself the centre of his thoughts and concerns, and other things are valued on account of their connection with him, or their subserviency to his enjoyment. Selfishness is the essence of sin. Subordination of self to God is the essence of morality. And thus it appears, "that sin cannot be regarded merely as disorder in the outward sphere of life,—an impurity to be shaken off like the dust from our feet, but must be looked upon as a positive disturbance, which has penetrated down into the very core of life" (p. 138). An able analysis is given of all the different forms of sin; and it is shown clearly how they spring out of this radical principle.

The author next takes up the question where the blame of sin lies. Here the nature of the creature's dependence upon

the Creator is handled at great length, and the deduction which has been wickedly drawn from this dependence, that God himself is the source of sin, seeing that his sustaining power is requisite to every effort, is opposed and refuted with great earnestness and most triumphant success. Man sins in the exercise of his own free will, and in sinning he feels that he himself alone is to blame. God, through the instrumentality of conscience, holds him back and warns him of his danger, and yet he will do what he feels to be wrong, and what he knows he should avoid. Guilt is the blameworthiness consequent upon the commission of sin, and punishment is the return which it merits. Punishment is a moral necessity in government. God's authority must triumph. It triumphs in the voluntary submission of the creature. But it is not defeated by the creature's rebellion. It manifests its unconquerable majesty in his punishment. For the sinful creature to escape punishment, would be tantamount to God's abdication of authority. The Divine law must maintain its dignity. The author regards it as a very unfavourable symptom of the present times, that there is so prevalent a disposition to set aside the idea of punishment as punishment, and to look upon it simply as the means of reclaiming offenders. Chastisement looks to the restoration of the culprit; but punishment concerns itself only with the majesty of the law. Those who are not benefited by chastisement, are in the end given over to punishment agreeably to Paul's distinction: we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world. "As to the Divine punishment, its real design can so much the less be the improvement of the punished, since this indeed is just the end of redemption. If punishment were means adapted to this end, redemption would not be requisite; or rather, inversely, if this end is to be attained by redemption, what purpose is to be answered by severe means of punishment? Or are we thus, perhaps, to conceive of the relation, that, where redemption is not able to effect the improvement of man, he must be brought to this end by means of punishment? But then it would follow that punishment is a more powerful means of regeneration than redemption. And if punishment renovates, how is it possible that its removal, viz., redemption, also renovates?"-P. 262.

The volume closes with an examination of the theories that have been formed regarding the origin of sin as an existing fact. Leibnitz traced it to the necessary limitation of the creature, to his metaphysical imperfection. He is a finite being, and not God. But this theory in one view

of it would prove sin to be absolutely unavoidable-a necessary condition of all creatures-and therefore not sin at all. And in another view it would merely show that the creature is capable of sinning, but would not account for the actual fact of his falling into sin. Another extensively prevalent idea has been, that sin takes its rise in the sensational part of our nature, as opposed to the spiritual. But though many forms of sin manifest themselves through the sensations of the body, yet it is not in the body that sin takes its rise and has its seat, but it is in the mind and heart. Sin uses the body simply as its instrument. This sensational theory implies that there could be no sin among finite spirits existing without bodies. But do not the Scriptures lead us to believe that there is a virulence of wickedness in the fallen angels far transcending the ordinary wickedness of man in this world? This sensational theory would also imply that the greatest wickedness must exist in childhood, when the spirit is comparatively feeble, that it must become less in manhood when the spirit is fully developed, and that it must fade away in old age, when the body becomes weak more rapidly than the mind.

Other theories are discussed by the author, such as that evil exists simply to be overcome and to serve as a kind of gymnasium to the creature, that it exists as the means of securing a higher harmony, as a discord is sometimes intentionally introduced in music, and also that it is a dualistic principle necessarily standing over against the good, and existing, therefore, from eternity, agreeably to the old Persian and Manichaean notion. These systems are carefully weighed in the balance of a sound judgment, and are all found to be wanting. The next volume will exhibit the author's own views of this dark and perplexing problem, which has engaged the thoughts of countless multitudes in all ages.

This work will amply repay perusal. Yet to be read with probit, it must be read with uncommon attention. Many of the forms of thought will appear strange to an English reader. The translation follows the German mode of exhibition far too closely It has but little of the air of an English book, which may be accounted for from the fact of the translator residing for three years on the Continent. To translate a German book well is an exceedingly difficult task. The beau ideal of a translation is, that it should exhibit every thought and shade of thought in the original with fidelity, and yet that the style of the translation should be so thoroughly English, that the reader will not be sensible he is reading a translation. To ap

proximate in any good degree to this end, not only must there be a perfect knowledge of both languages, but a great amount of labour must also be bestowed. The translation before us has decidedly too much of a German hue. You never lose the feeling that you are reading a German production. The sentences all run in German moulds. Vacillating to the last degree, Baur expresses himself on this subject," p. 344, a good sentence in German where the adjective and the adverb are the same in form, but the English idiom requir ed a different shape. "Derselbe," denotes same," but "derselbe" occurs in German in multitudes of cases where we cannot with any propriety translate it by "same in English. Yet Mr Pulsford seems to have supposed that closeness of rendering required this word to be always used; and many sentences are thus made heavy and obscure. "However, it will be later shown, that with respect to these passages of Scripture, an entirely different conception is the one more thoroughly founded in the same." -P. 244. "in them?" or Why not say that the passages referred to express a very different idea.

66

We conclude with repeating that this work deserves a careful study. And we look forward with high expectation to the appearance of the second volume.

AN ABRIDGED STATISTICAL HISTORY OF SCOTLAND, arra ged Parochially, with Biographical, Historical, and Descriptive Notices. By JAMES HOOPER DAWSON, Esq., of the Inner Temple, Barrister-atLaw. 1853. Pp. 1088.

Edinburgh: W. H. Lizars.

THE Statistical Account of Scotland published by Sir John Sinclair, was a valuable and important work. The new account published within the last twenty years was a great improvement upon it. But, however excellent, both were too voluminous and costly for general use. The present work, in one volume, not only comprises the principal statistics these supplied at their respective periods, brought down to the present time, but it furnishes a variety of valuable and interesting information they did not embrace, and is an essentially new and much more useful work, "illustrative of the physical, industrial, moral, and social aspects of Scotland, and of its civil and religious institutions." It is such a book as was needed for handy reference on these points, and will be prized not alone by the politician and philanthropist, but by the intelligent of every class. It is characterised by care, impartiality and

great labour. We have tested several of the ecclesiastical and moral statistics, and discover a satisfactory accuracy. The local details are often very curious and amusing. The utility and interest of the volume merit, and, we doubt not, will command for it an extensive circulation. In commending the execution of the work, as far as concerns the learned author, we should not omit to notice, approvingly, that of the letter press.

UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; or, the History of a Christian Slave. Twelve Illustrations by Anelay.

London Partridge & Oakey.

A NEAT and elegant library edition of this famous book. The illustrations are exquisite, both in conception and execution. A powerfully-written preface, dated at London, introduces the work to English readers, and tears to rags the sham apologies sometimes heard among us in defence of slavery:

"Good easy Christians, with pouches well lined, sleek-haired and double-chinned, comfortable in their high-backed chairs after dinner, talked learnedly of slavery in the abstract.' It is an ancient custom, forsooth -an institution of antiquity-a mysterious dispensation of Providence, with which they are cautious of interfering--the time of deliverance is not yet come, etc., etc. Worthy sirs, have the goodness this once to lay your abstract notions aside for a small space of time, and taking this book in your hand, look at the thing in reality. Make acquaintance with Uncle Tom' and his fellow-sufferers of both sexes; and having done so, reading candidly to the end, ask yourselves how, being Christians, you would like to fulfil the Christian law, and bear your brother's burden ? Will you volunteer to be separated and sold away from your wife of twenty or thirty years? Your handsome and accomplished daughter; shall she be bartered for dollars, and paired with a slave to breed slaves? Yon prattling 'six years' darling of a pigmy size,' shall he be thrown in as makeweight, to complete some infernal bargain that traffics away the lives and liberties of your housebold? Oh, dear no,' say you; anything but that.' In a word, you have a decided objection to participate in that sort of burden; and you have a secret conviction, which is the true one, though it is not convenient to express it, that the law of Christ never contemplated any such burden to be borne by anybody. You are quite right there: the thing is intolerable, and not to be borne but if not by you, then not by any man or woman either; and not by your darkskinned brother from Africa more justly than by you, your matronly lady-wife, your accomplished daughter, or that bounding child, whose merry laugh is your heart's music."

PRESBYTERIAL PROCEEDINGS.

Berwick.-The presbytery met on Tuesday, 5th April. Several petitions were prepared for the approaching meeting of Synod. The following presbyterial visitations were appointed-Messrs Glover and Montgomery to visit the congregation of Coldingham on 23d June; Messrs Muirhead and Anderson to visit the congregation of Mr Ker in Dunse on 7th July; Messrs Ritchie, of Berwick, and Young to visit the congregation of Mr Ritchie in Dunse on 7th July; Dr Thomson and Mr Pearson to visit the congregation of Stockbridge on 7th July; Messrs Peden and Mearns to visit the congregation of Mr Stark, Ayton, on 28th July; and Messrs Ritchie, of Dunse, and Cairns to visit the congregation of Mr Montgomery, Ayton, on 28th July. The next ordinary meeting of presbytery was fixed for Tuesday, 7th June.

Carlisle.-This presbytery met at Carlisle on the 29th March-the Rev. Peter Carruthers, moderator. The Rev. Richard Hunter, Carlisle, having been removed by death, his name was taken from the roll. It was stated by the moderator that on the day of the funeral of their late brother, the members of presbytery present had assembled in the church, and recommended that the Rev. Dr Thomson, the old and intimate friend of Mr Hunter, should preach his funeral sermon, and declare the congregation of Carlisle vacant, on Sabbath, the 13th March-to which Dr Thomson consented. Also, that Dr Thomson, along with the Rev. George Chapman, should prepare a statement to be inserted in the minutes of presbytery, in reference to the loss sustained in the removal, by death, of their esteemed brother. The presbytery approved of their transactions. The Rev. Peter Carruthers was then unanimously chosen clerk, and Mr Chapman was elected moderator for the next twelve months. It was agreed that the following tribute of respect to the memory of the late Mr Hunter be inserted in the minutes :-"On this the first meeting after the decease of the Rev. Richard Hunter, the presbytery regard it as a duty to record in their minutes their deep sense of the loss sustained by his death. They have many strong reasons for leaving on record a warm expression of respect for the memory of their departed brother. He was endowed with those gifts and qualities which eminently fitted him to commend true godliness to the favourable regard of the whole community, in the midst of which his charge was situated. He possessed the

sagacity to appreciate his position in the midst of a large mixed population. By his readiness to aid every means of promoting general improvement, and by his wise, peaceful, and conciliatory deportment, he secured the sympathy and good will of all classes, and commended both himself personally and the society he represented, to universal favour and respect. A most gratifying evidence of the esteem in which he was held, was evinced in the common sorrow of all classes expressed on the event of his removal. As a friend, they have experienced great private kindness from their late brother. Though naturally cool, and entirely free from ostentation, he gained and preserved the confidence of his brethren. They felt that they possessed in him a friend who took a sincere interest in their welfare, and gave evidence of his readiness to make personal and domestic sacrifices for their convenience and comfort. In all their social intercourse with him they felt themselves at home. His labours in the cause of the church were assiduous and disinterested. To him, in a special degree, the Presbyterian congregations in the whole north of England stand indebted for permanent and substantial advantages. On him, in consequence of the office he held as clerk, the chief business of the presbytery devolved; and his caution and consideration, his experience and business habits, enabled him to conduct it with prudence, care, and success. The presbytery, in recording their sorrow for the loss sustained, desire to say, 'The will of the Lord be done. Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight.' They also express their sympathy with the congregation and family of their esteemed brother under this bereavement." presbytery, after appointing Messrs Carruthers and Craig to appear as their representatives in the Synod's committee of bills and overtures, adjourned, to meet at Wigton on the last Tuesday of June next.

The

Edinburgh. The ordinary monthly meeting of this presbytery was held on 5th April. The resignation of the Rev. Mr Semple of Peebles was accepted, and the charge declared vacant. The Rev. Mr Livingston of Musselburgh laid on the table his resignation of Mill-hill congregation, of which he has been pastor for sixteen years. This step he took, he said, in consequence of the congregation not having been able for some years back to make an adequate provision for his support, and there being no reasonable prospect of improvement in this respect. He felt the step to be a painful one, and hoped the congregation might yet

enjoy a large amount of prosperity. He also expressed the high esteem in which he held the members of presbytery. This resignation the presbytery directed to be intimated to the congregation, that they might appear for their interests at next meeting. The presbytery then proceeded in private to consider a case brought up by appeal from one of the sessions in Edinburgh.. An adjourned meeting of this presbytery was held on 12th April. The proposed demission of his pastoral charge by Mr Livingston, of Mill-hill congregation, Musselburgh, was taken into consideration. The congregation appeared by their commissioners, who laid on the table a resolution adopted by their constituents. In said resolution no objection was stated to the demission being accepted, but it set forth in strong terms the confidence of the congregation in the Christian character of their minister, and their sorrow because of his separation from them, and announced that they had provided a testimony of respect and sympathy for him in the prospect of his retirement. The presbytery found themselves necessitated to accept of the demission, but, unanimously and cordially concurring in the estimate of Mr Livingston's character embodied in the resolution of the congregational meeting, appointed a committee of their number to take measures that, in conjunction with the congregation of Mill-hill, the other congregations within the bounds, may have opportunity of testifying regard and affection for him and his family. Members were elected to represent the presbytery in the Synod's Committee of Bills and Overtures, viz., the Rev. Dr Harper and Rev. William Reid, with Messrs Robert Mathie and W. M'Intosh, elders. The Synod's remit as to congregational finance was considered, and a committee appointed to ascertain the regulations upon this subject, by which the various congregations in the bounds are guided. The overture as to the better support of the Gospel Ministry was also reviewed, when the presbytery agreed to report that L.150 per annum should be the minimum stipend aimed at, to approve of the continued circulation of tracts on the subject, as also of the various suggestions proposed by the Committee of Synod entrusted with the matter, and to recommend the continued direction and support of the scheme to the Supreme Court.

Mr

Falkirk. The united presbytery of Falkirk met on the 5th April-the Rev. Mr Gardiner, Kincardine, moderator. Steel called the attention of the presbytery to the scholarship scheme, when the presbytery most cordially entertained it, and agreed to do all in their power to obtain contributions. In consequence of the ill

ness of a minister in the bounds, the presbytery agreed to supply his pulpit for two Sabbaths. The presbytery agreed to petition Parliament against university tests in Scotland, and ordered a petition to be drawn up and sent to the Lord Advocate. The clerk was instructed to write to absent members who had not made the collection for the liquidation of debt fund ordered by the Synod. It was agreed to overture the Synod as to the propriety of increasing the salary of the librarian, that he may have remuneration for his faithful services. Mr Andrew Wilson, student of divinity, delivered a sermon, which was unanimously sustained. He also read Hebrew, Greek, and Latin to the satisfaction of the presbytery. Next ordinary meeting is to be held on the first Tuesday of June, and an intervening one in the library hall, after the Synod evening sederunt, on Tuesday 3d May.

Glasgow. The ordinary monthly meeting of this presbytery was held on Tuesday, 12th April, in Greyfriars' Church Session House-the Rev. Dr Lindsay, moderator. A letter was read from the Home Mission Board, stating that the board had agreed to give a grant of L.30 annually to the congregation of Oban, in the event of that congregation obtaining a fixed pastor. Mr M'Gill reported that he had fulfilled the appointment of presbytery in reference to the mission station in Main Street, Gorbals, under the charge of the Rev. Mr M'Crae, and that sixty persons had been admitted to membership. Two overtures to the Synod were presented and read-one from Mr Henry Chalmers, elder in Montrose Street congregation, having reference to the incongruity of spirit dealers holding the office of the eldership-the other from Mr J. Mitchell, a member of Cathedral Street congregation, having reference to that part of the Confession of Faith which relates to the law of marriage. After hearing parties, the presbytery, without concurring in the opinion expressed in either overture, agreed to transmit both. It was next agreed to petition in favour of the Public Houses (Scotland) Bill, and, after the transaction of some routine business, the presbytery adjourned.

Hamilton.-This court met in Brandon Street Church Session-House, on the 29th March-Rev. D. Laughland, moderator. The Rev. Mr Struthers and the moderator, according to appointment, led the devotions of the presbytery, with a special reference to the revival of religion among themselves and the churches under their care. Mr Struthers again brought the scholarship scheme before the presbytery, when they enjoined the different congregations to act in this matter, and report their collections or subscriptions for the same at next meet