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are pleased with the spontaneous effusions of so enlightened and ingenious a lady, always disposed to communicate to us the noble suggestions of her heart and the treasures of her intellect.

I shall be equally brief with our religious journals. The Protestant periodical press of France is not of very long standing, and has hitherto been but limited in its operations. Men's minds are too much absorbed in politics and business for a purely evangelical publication to obtain extensive suc

cess.

Our first religious miscellany was commenced in 1818, under the title of the Archives du Christianisme an DixNeuvième Siècle. It promised its readers essays on divinity, ethics, ecclesiastical history, and sacred criticism; accounts of the operations and progress of the religious societies established in various parts of the world; biographical notices of pastors and eminent private Christians; and select pieces of sacred poetry. The plan was vast and well-arranged. But the period of its appearance presented peculiar difficulties. The religious revival had not yet acquired strength and consistency: it excited much prejudice, and the most worthy pastors felt somewhat of hesitation in identifying themselves with it. On the other hand, the Roman Catholic clergy had all the arrogance of a triumphant party, and the massacres committed at Nismes on the persons of our fellow Protestants were still fresh in our memories. It was necessary, therefore, to exercise prudence, to study facts rather than to pronounce opinions upon them, and patiently to wait the leadings of Divine providence.

The first editor of this journal, which originally appeared in the octavo form, was M. Juillerat Chasseur, one of the pastors of the Reformed Church of Paris -a man of moderate opinions, of peaceful, and at the same time firm character, and who had given admirable proofs of his courage at Nismes. He did good by his publication, and gradually prepared men's minds for advancing in the paths of orthodoxy.

The present editor is M. Fréderic Monod, who also occupies the post of pastor at Paris. The Archives, which is now published in the quarto form, twice a month, has been for many years under his management. He is a man of solid piety, incessant activity, and has a

thorough knowledge of our religious state.

The Archives du Christianisme is the zealous advocate of orthodox principles, of the propriety of confessions of faith, and of the duty of evangelizing Romanists. This journal remains neuter on questions of ecclesiastical organization. It adheres to the National Church, but without attacking moderate Dissenters.

Our second religious journal is the Semeur, which I have mentioned on a former occasion*. The talents of this editor and his fellow-labourers undoubtedly place it in the first rank of periodical literature. As it appears weekly it can treat on many subjects which do not enter into the plan of the Archives. Politics, philosophy, literature, and science occupy a considerable place in its columns. Philanthropic questions, such as the abolition of slavery, the improvement of prison discipline, the regulation of infant labour in factories, and the like, also find in the Semeur, an intelligent and devoted advocate.

This journal has, I doubt not, done real service to the cause of Christianity. Without having a great number of subscribers (for in France this is the fate of all serious publications,) it is read and appreciated by men in the highest circles. No periodical in the country has obtained for its opinions greater deference and authority than the Semeur. Everybody knows that it is never swayed by party or pecuniary considerations, that impartiality is its supreme love, and that whatever it touches it weighs in the balance of the Gospel and of conscience. In politics, this journal adopts a line of moderate opposition; it desires the improvement of our institutions, but has no sympathy with the violent extremes of radicalism. In philosophical matters, it belongs neither to the school of M. Cousin, nor to that of the Sensualists; it accepts and commends whatever it deems true and good. The same in literature, it neither ranges itself beneath the standard of the classics, nor seeks the camp of the romancists; it endeavours to inspire literary men with more elevated notions of personal honour, and greater respect for the laws of morality. great principles have been perseveringly maintained by the Semeur-one is, the separation of Church and State, and the other, opposition to the Romish Church and the Jesuits. The tone of

*See Chap. ii. of this Third Part.

Two

its controversial articles is always serious and dignified; it addresses the intellect, and not the passions of its readers.

The editor of the Semeur is M. Henri Lutteroth. He has given proof in this laborious task, of rare penetration of mind, honourable devotement, and uncommon disinterestedness. Without the sacrifices of all kinds which he has made for this journal we should long since have lost the best organ of evan

66

THE MASTER'S

THE expository discourses of the late Rev. Dr. John Brown, of Edinburgh, are a rich mine of theological instruction, combined with much valuable hermeneutical lore. His three octavo volumes, entitled, Discourses and Sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ illustrated in a series of Expositions," present an admirable union of doctrinal and practical teaching, conveyed in a plain and pointed style, and are justly entitled to be regarded as models, of what in Scotland, I believe is called lecturing, in which plain popular instruction is combined with critical exposition, divested of its usual cold

ness.

In the second volume will be found some valuable remarks on the peculiar excellencies of our Lord's character as a Teacher, as exemplified in the discourses which are recorded by the Evangelist John (xii. 37-50).

In unfolding "the details of our Lord's ministry," and the doctrines which He taught, the author says:"The design of His coming, of His doctrine, of His expiatory sufferings and death, was not to punish men as they deserved, but to save them-to deliver them from guilt and depravity, from Divine wrath and everlasting destruction. This is, as it were, the very keystone of the arch of Christian doctrine. This Jesus declared with peculiar plainness."

The manner of His teaching, the author describes to have been-1. Public. When the High-priest, on his trial, asked him of His disciples and His doctrine, he could reply, "I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple where the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing."--2. Earnest. The deep conviction He had of the

gelical principles which we possess. M. Lutteroth has been actively seconded by M. Vinet, who, by his reviews and critical articles, has attracted the attention of the most illustrious men of France.

The third journal which I shall name is the Esperance, which was established in 1838, and issued twice a week. It was then the same size as our daily papers. It is now published only twice a month.

MINISTRY.

truth and importance of the message... ...... produced a holy excitement, which found its natural expression in energetic speaking.-3. Fearless. He was quite aware that His doctrines would alienate the populace, at the same time that they displeased the rulers. But He His face as a flint, and refused to be ashamed."

Dr. Brown proceeds as follows:

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These remarks on our Lord's doctrine and mode of teaching, furnish us with the means of forming a just judgment of what is true evangelical preaching, both as to matter and manner. He alone preaches true Christianity who preaches what Christ preached; and he alone preaches it rightly who preaches it as Christ preached it. There is something wrong in any course of ministerial instruction called Christian, if it does not substantially correspond with the abstract contained in the text of the Master's ministry. He must be the great subject. Christ must be preached: He must be all in all. His Divine mission must be strongly asserted and clearly proved. His doctrines and laws must be held up, not as the opinions and counsels of the wisest and best of men, Jesus the son of Joseph, but as the authoritative revelation of the mind and will of that God who is the Author of truth, the Father of lights, and the Lord of the conscience, by His own Son, who is one with Him. He must be held up "as God manifest in the flesh," the visible representation of the invisible Divinity, the glorious effulgence of the uncreated light; the substantial image of Him of whom all creation is merely a shadow"the great God, our Saviour." work must be represented in all its glorious extent and absolute perfection, and His salvation in all its fulness and

His

freedom. It must be proclaimed that He is the Saviour of the race; that He came a light into the world; that He came not to judge, condemn, or punish, but to atone and reconcile, and pardon, and save. With equal clearness must it be declared, that it is only in the faith of the truth respecting His person and work, that the blessings of His free and full salvation can be personally enjoyed; that though He has come a light into the world, it is only he who believeth on Him that shall not abide in darkness; that though in Him, through His blood, there is redemption, even the forgiveness of sin, salvation with eternal glory, it is only whosoever believeth in Him that shall obtain that forgiveness, and enjoy that salvation, that shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Finally, the consequences of neglecting or rejecting Him, the divinely-commissioned, divine Saviour, must be faithfully stated. With no uncertain sound must it be proclaimed that there is no salvation in any other; and that men, already in a perishing condition, if not saved by Him, must sink deeper and deeper in hopeless perdition for ever and ever. It must be clearly stated that for these fearful consequences He is in no way answerable; that if men within the limits of the revelation of the saving economy, perish, they are doubly self-destroyers; and that He is the Saviour, not the destroyer of men. But it must be added, with equal plainness, that their destruction is not the less certain for this. The word which, if believed, would have been to them the gospel of their salvation, neglected, disbelieved, disobeyed, absolutely secures their condemnation and punishment. When these doctrines are distinctly declared, then the gospel is preached; where they are concealed, or where doctrines inconsistent with these are taught, the gospel is not preached. Let ministers then take heed what they preach, and let hearers take heed what they hear.

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And as he who would preach the Gospel must take care that he preaches the very same doctrines which the Master taught, so must he also, so far as is possible, imitate Him in His manner of preaching them. He must readily embrace every means of making as public and extensive a proclamation of the saving truth as possible, proclaiming it, as our Lord says, from the housetops, going out to the highways,

and crying after those who are madly prosecuting the downward path of perdition. He must, like the Master, throw his whole heart as it were into his voice. He must speak as believing, persuaded equally of the reality of man's hazard and of Christ's salvation. He must beseech men. He must pray them in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God. There is something shockingly unnatural in a cold, lifeless statement of Christian truth. Where there is not something very peculiar in the physical constitution, it lays a foundation for doubt as to the sincerity of the speaker, and it places great obstacles in the way of the truth having free course among those to whom it is addressed. There is but one greater fault than this in the manner of preaching, and that is, the affectation of an interest that is not felt; the attempt to make inflated language, boisterous vociferation, and vehement gesture, substitutes for that deep, interested, natural eloquence which nothing but the truth clearly apprehended and strongly felt can produce. Fearlessness as well as earnestness must characterise the preacher of evangelical truth. There must be no trimming, no time-serving, no keeping back any part of the counsel of God. The Gospel, the pure Gospel, the whole Gospel, must be declared, whether man will listen, hear, and believe, or neglect and disobey it. In every age teachers of Christianity will be tempted, in some way or other, to modify the Gospel message, so as to gratify the prejudices, or escape the censures of some of those to whom they minister. When they in any degree do so, they act a most unworthy part; seeking to please men, they certainly are not acting like either the servants or the followers of Him who was faithful to Him who appointed him;' who in the face of the greatest opposition and danger, the contradiction of sinners against himself, 'preached righteousness in the great congregation, and refrained not his lips, hid not God's righteousness within his heart, but declared God's faithfulness and salvation, and concealed not His loving-kindness and truth from the great congregation.'

"It is only when these truths are thus spoken that we have reason to hope for the desired success. Even this will not secure it; for though the Master said all this in this way, speaking the very truth most surely so as never man spake it, and accompanying it by so many and

SO great miracles, they to whom he spake believed not in him. "The Spirit must be poured out from on high,' otherwise truth, however pure and however impressively uttered, will not find its way to the darkened, hardened mind and conscience and heart of man.

"But to open a channel for that divine influence to descend copiously, Jesus died; and that He died not in vain we know, for He is glorified, and the Spirit is given, 'shed forth abundantly,' in answer to the believing prayer of the church of God. Were a pure Gospel but impressively preached throughout the world, there is no need to fear that the influences of the Spirit, implored in faith, would be withheld or sparingly communicated. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth and maketh it to bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be, that proceedeth out of my mouth; it shall

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"Let all, then, who wish well to the church and to the world, pray and labour for a universally diffused, impressive, affectionate dispensation of a pure and complete Gospel, an unhampered exhibition, and urgent offer of a full and free salvation. This is a state of things which implies a large communication of divine influence, and which would soon secure a larger: Christ's ministers so numerous as that every human being may hear the Gospel, and 'Christ speaking in every one of them,' that is, every one speaking Christ's truth in Christ's spirit. This is the right state of things; the state of things which, but for the fault of the Church, might, humanly speaking, have been, ages ago, realised. Oh! who would not labour without weariness, and pray without ceasing for this? (Pp. 304, 305, 309, 312-316.)

W.

THE LATE DR. RAFFLES.*

THIS goodly volume, occupying more than 500 pages of letter-press, is in most respects worthy of the great and good man whose history it embodies, and of whom it is intended to be a fitting and lasting memorial. Our own impression of the character and worth of the subject of this biography is indeed so high, that we could have wished that more of warmth and eulogy had been infused into the composition of the book, which is so far a perfect one, as to prevent any endeavour to supersede, or even to supplement it on the part of others. Yet, when we remember that the memoir is constructed by the son of Dr. Raffles, we can but submit to the excellent taste and feeling of the Author, whose filial affection has placed his pen under restraint, and allowed it to record very little in the shape of panegyric or commendation. To the same cause we must trace the absence of any extended analysis of the great powers and various attainments of our departed friend. Some of his most valued ac

*Memoir of the Life and Ministry of the Rev. Thomas Raffles, D.D., LL.D., &c. By Thomas Stamford Raffles, Esq., B.A., of the Inner Temple, Stipendiary Magistrate of Liverpool. London: Jackson, Walford, and Hodder. 1864.

VOL. XXI.

complishments receive only a passing allusion, and the reader who only makes his acquaintance from this memoir will have but a faint impression of his graphic powers of description, his inexhaustible fund of anecdote and historic lore, and his lively, happy method of blending instruction with amusement in the social scenes of life. Having said this much, in the way of critical remark, we have now to commend the work before us as one of various excellence, and which cannot fail to be highly acceptable and useful to a large number of readers.

The great charm of this biography is found in the fact that it allows its subject to speak for himself. Some autobiographical notes, passages from letters to relatives and friends, and extracts from a diary or journal, give all the particulars of a long and happy and laborious life. The whole of these materials are wrought into a well connected and harmonious history, revealing career of a diligent student, a successful preacher, and a wise and useful pastor. Born in Spitalfields, in the year 1788, he became in early life the subject of divine grace, connected himself with the Church at Peckham, under the pastoral care of Dr. Collyer, studied at

the

Homerton Old College, and when only twenty-one years of age, was ordained to the pastoral office at Hammersmith, where he laboured for three years, till his removal to Liverpool; where, for more than fifty years he lived honoured and useful, and where he finished his course with joy, in the summer of last year. From the commencement of his public life, he gave himself wholly to the work of the ministry. By no means inefficient on the platform, he vastly preferred the pulpit as his sphere of action. Endowed with talents of no ordinary kind for the management of societies and the transaction of official business, he made preaching the great work of his life, and adopted as his motto, "This one thing I do." He was in labours more abundant.

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openings and anniversaries, at ordinations and recognitions of ministers, his services were in constant requisition. In all the counties of England, and in very many in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, he preached the Gospel of the grace of God to crowded and delighted auditories, and with equal acceptance to the last. All the elements of popularity belonged to him in a remarkable degree. A voice of singular melody, an appearance attractive and manding, and a manner natural and persuasive, all gave effect to the truths he uttered. Christ and Him crucified, constituted the great subject of his ministry, and many received from his lips the word, which was made the power of God unto their salvation. The amount of work he did is most surprising; but he was an early riser, was a man of method, readily turned from one kind of service to another, and always did the work of the day in the day. This biography may well be pondered by our younger ministers, as from it they can scarcely fail to derive many valuable hints which may assist in saving themselves and those wh hear them; but the general reader will find in it much that is adapted to please and edify, and we therefore predict for it a wide circulation.

The life of a dissenting minister does not usually present much of startling incident or remarkable variety, nor was that of Dr. Raffles an exception to the rule; but there is in this volume enough of the eventful to keep alive the attention of the reader, and to interest him even to the latest page. Some

anecdotes of a pleasant order, principally related by the Doctor, are recorded here. Take the following as an example:"On our way from Wem to Hawkstone, we passed a house, of which Mr. Lee told me the following occurrence. A young lady, the daughter of the owner of the house, was addressed by a man, who, though agreeable to her, was disliked by her father. He would not consent to their union, and she determined to elope. The night was fixed, the hour came, he placed a ladder to the window, and in a few minutes she was in his arms. They mounted a double horse, and were soon at a distance from the house. After a while, the lady broke silence by saying, ' You see what a proof I have given you of my affection, I hope you will make me a good husband.” He was a surly fellow, and gruffly answered, 'Perhaps I may, and perhaps not.' She made no reply, but after a few minutes claimed, 'O what shall we do? I have left my money behind!' 'Then,' said he,

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we must go back and fetch it.' They were soon again at the house; the lady mounted the ladder while the lover remained below. But she delayed her return, and he gently called, Are you coming?' when she looked out of the window, and said, Perhaps I may and perhaps not,' then shut down the window, and left him to return upon the double-horse alone. Was not that a famous joke?"

Dr. Raffles had several amusing stories, which he was accustomed to tell, of his visits when collecting money for the Lancashire college. One we have here, of a call he and Mr. Hadfield made on an eccentric but wealthy old gentleman. To their appeals for help he only replied, "Well, I meen gie ye a lift," but said nothing as to the extent of the "lift." A few weeks after, however, he walked into Mr. Hadfield's office, and said, "I've come about the college; you said you'd take it in 'stalments," and putting down a £100 bank note, exclaimed, "Here's first 'stalment;" then, with a second note for the same amount, "Here's second 'stalment;" and so on with two other notes, till he counted £400, and added "If ye want more, ye mun have it."

The story can be only imperfectly told on paper, as it lacks the humour with which we have heard Doctor Raffles relate the incident. Our limits forbid any further extracts,

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