Journal to Gen. Macomb, bears date Nov. 25th, 1833; fifteen months after the route was completed. In this letter, he very properly suggests his want of time and means, on his route, as an apology for the deficiencies in his observations, when measured by his instructions. This apology we think ample and satisfactory. We nevertheless perceive that he very decidedly pronounces that the missionary at the island of La Point had "produced little or no apparent effect," and that the effects of the method, adopted by the missionaries generally, are by no means proportionate to the expense and labor employed." It is to be remarked, in the first place, that the missionary had been at La Point only one year. In the next place, the lieutenant reached that island on the 20th of June, at ten o'clock at night," and left it the next day" at six o'clock, P. M." This was his time; twenty hours. What were his means of judging, he has not informed us. It is but fair, however, to add, that on his return, he "reached La Point in the afternoon" of August 11th, "leaving it on the 12th," not stating the hour. And in compiling his journal, he might very properly, in this instance, as he tells us he did in others, combine the information acquired in going and returning, and note it under the date of his first view. He may, therefore, or he may not have spent forty hours at La Point. We also cheerfully give him credit for gentlemanly language, and for a charitable estimate of motives, when speaking of missionaries. Mr. Boutwell, who accompanied Mr. Schoolcraft on this expedition, stopped at La Point on his return, "to pursue his pious efforts for christianizing the Indians."

It appears from this journal that most of the Chippewa Indians were in a deplorable condition-poor, improvident, diminishing in numbers; and that they are not friendly to the United States. But we have no room for extracts, nor for the thoughts which this topic suggests. We hope to see Mr. Schoolcraft's account of this tour, and also Doctor Houghton's remarks on botany, to which Lieut. A. says "he devoted much attention, and will probably give the result to the public."

2.-Inaugural Address delivered by the Rev. Stephen P. Olin, President of Randolph-Macon College, Mecklenburgh Co. Va., on the occasion of his induction into office, 5th March, 1834. Richmond: 1834. pp. 28.

THERE are few circumstances in the history or prospects of our country, which seem to us more auspicious, or more directly calculated to produce a deep and permanent effect upon our national character, than the recent change which has taken place in the views, or at least in the practice, of the Methodist churches in this country, in respect to education. Until a very recent

period, they were supposed to take but little interest, in comparison with other less numerous bodies of Christians, in the general diffusion of knowledge, and, in the higher departments of liberal education, they manifested still greater indifference. The period is, indeed, within the recollection of most of our readers, when the members of this denomination in general, not only took no active part in promoting liberal education, but were, perhaps not wholly without reason, considered as setting little value upon it, as a means of promoting human virtue and happiness. That this is in no degree the case now, among any portions of the millions who worship with this church, we will not presume to assert; but the reproach can no longer attach to them as a community, if indeed they could ever have been considered as justly liable to this imputation.

In the mean time they have, as a religious sect, been pushing northward, and southward, and westward, until their church is now co-extensive with our country, and like the nervous and sanguiferous systems in anatomy, their minute ramifications extend to the smallest portions of every member. The influence of a community thus widely extended through the country, must be felt in promoting or retarding all the great movements of society. Nearly one third of the inhabitants of this country are supposed to come within the direct influence of this powerful denomination, and such is the system of discipline which prevails among them, that they are generally thought to act with peculiar unanimity.

We are

The importance of this change in sentiment and practice appears in a strong light in the following passage, taken from the address whose title stands at the head of this article. glad of the opportunity to recommend to our readers the pamphlet from which this extract is taken. It seems to us to be an uncommonly well written inaugural address, and to be every where distinguished for sound views in regard both to the purposes and the means of education. The author takes the happy medium between a rashly innovating spirit, and a blind adherence to established systems, merely on the ground of their having been long established. Under such a president and with such associates as we understand compose the faculty of the RandolphMacon college, there is every reason to anticipate for the institution the most gratifying success. The following is the passage to which we referred above.

"It becomes the religious denomination, under whose auspices this youthful seminary has speedily risen to vigor and usefulness, to prosecute its benevolent objects with the most zealous perseverance. We have been called to engage in the business of education, by omens of no doubtful import, and it rests upon us, with all the imperative urgency of a Christian obligation. We have come tardily to the work, and it the more behooves us to prosecute it with a diligent and vigorous hand. In our burning zeal to propagate the gospel, we seem to have overlooked minor interests. By the

blessing of God we have pressed into every open door, and planted our doctrine and churches in every neighborhood, throughout the entire Union. Along the whole unmeasured length of frontier which skirts this vast republic, our banner waves in the van of emigration, and we have even raised the trophies of the cross beyond the remotest limits of civilization. In the midst of these cheering successes, we are suddenly roused as from a long reverie, to a sense of new and appalling responsibilities. The children of the four millions of people who attend upon the ministrations of our church, call upon us for the means of education. Surely I do not misinterpret the signs of the times, when I say the church will respond to this affecting appeal. She owes it to her character; to her interest; to selfpreservation. She owes it to the land which has yielded her so plenteous a harvest, and to the people who have greeted her with so cordial a welcome. She owes it to our republican institutions, and above all, to the immortal destinies which God has committed to her care. The church will do her duty. The sacred obligation of engaging in the work of education is felt and acknowledged. The spirit of liberality is increasing, and the most unequivocal evidence is given of a great revolution in public sentiment upon this subject. Besides a number of academies established upon an extensive and liberal scale, four colleges are already successfully engaged in diffusing the blessings of education under the patronage and control of the Methodist Episcopal church. Two more are expected shortly to go into operation under flattering prospects. These institutions are the offspring of individual bounty."

3.-The Corner Stone; or a Familiar Illustration of the Principles of Christian Truth. "Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone." By Jacob Abbott, Author of The Young Christian, and The Teacher. Boston: published by William Peirce. New York: John P. Haven. Philadelphia: Henry Perkins. 1834. pp. 360.

THIS book furnishes additional evidence that the popular literature of our age,—and our country especially,-is assuming a more serious character, and a more important aim. We say "the popular literature;" for if we mistake not, Mr. Abbott's writings come properly under that denomination, though they are eminently practical and religious in their design and tendency. They combine the charm of romantic incident and dramatic action with the soberness of evangelical truth. They may be denominated popular, not because they belong to the class called in general light reading, but because they are well suited to supplant it; and we shall be somewhat disappointed if "The Young Christian," and "The Corner Stone," do not take the place, in many a parlor library, of the most popular works belonging to the family of religious novels.

Every careful observer of what is passing in the Christian world, has seen sufficient occasion to lament the unfortunate tendency of a familiar acquaintance with the facts of scripture, to destroy their interest and power. The most moving incidents in the history of Jesus Christ, excite no emotion in the mind of the common reader; and indeed they often fail even to arrest his attention. Now it is exceedingly important to break up this

spell of familiarity; 'to bring out the great facts of revelation and present them in a new light; to arrange them in some unusual order; or clothe them in some unusual dress. This has been attempted by writers of fiction; but, not unfrequently, in providing against one evil, they have incurred a greater. Mr. Abbott has attempted it; and, we think, with much better suc

cess.

"The Corner Stone," as stated in the preface, is intended to be, in some sense, the counterpart to "The Young Christian;" that having exhibited the first principles of Christian duty, and this, on the other hand, developing the elements of religious truth." These elements are so arranged as to have a manifest connection with the history of the Saviour, and the main facts in his history are brought to illustrate and enforce them. Several of the leading doctrines of the gospel are unfolded and elucidated with peculiar clearness and felicity. The work professes not to be a system of theology; but rather "a series of views; "—and views they certainly are, luminous, sometimes sublime, and always rich and picturesque.

The book will prove, we are persuaded, a most welcome and valuable present to the Christian public. One of its great excellencies is, that it sends us back to the Bible, whence all its substantive materials are drawn, with a keener relish for its simple narratives and naked truths. Over these our author contrives to throw a sort of poetic charm, which will not be lost when we turn to the inspired pages from which they are borrowed. Another great excellence is, that it places full and distinct before the mind, the elementary principles of Christianity in their practical tendency and development, and in their most attractive form, without any of the stiffness of the system-maker or the bitterness of the sectary. It will undoubtedly tend to allay the heat of party spirit between different sects; and while it fixes the attention upon the essential truth, will promote that charity which is the bond of perfectness.

There is an apparent leaning-we hope it is only apparenttowards a Sabellian view of the trinity. The author, in speaking of God under the name of the Deity, invariably employs the neuter pronoun. He speaks of the Son, as a manifestation of the Deity; and of the Holy Spirit, as an influence proceeding from the Son. We presume, however, that he did not intend to call in question or to express any doubt respecting the personal existence of the Son and the Holy Spirit as distinct hypostases in the Godhead; and that the obscurity on this point has arisen simply from the design of the work, which naturally led to a popular view of this subject, rather than a view metaphysically

exact.

In the seventh chapter, we think that the account given of the reasons for the institution of the Lord's supper are inadequate,

"The

particularly what is said concerning the bread and wine. articles used, were those," says Mr. A. "which we may literally say, happened to be there. The disciples are sitting or standing around the table, about to separate, and the Saviour takes up the very first thing which comes to hand. Had he been walking in a grove, instead of being seated at a table, he would perhaps on the same principles, have broken off a branch from a tree, and distributed a portion to his friends; and then Christians would have afterwards commemorated his death by wearing their monthly badge of evergreen." Now we think that two important points are overlooked in this statement. First, Christ took the most expressive sign which could be found, so far as we can see, of the thing to be signified-his body broken and his blood poured out for the sins of the world. Is not the symbol of breaking bread and pouring out wine far more significant of the sufferings and death of Christ, than wearing a badge of evergreens, or walking in a solemn procession? These latter would be signs of victory, not of suffering. His disciples were not simply to remember him, but his death. Secondly, this thing was done that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. The paschal lamb, which the Jews killed, ate, and whose blood they poured out, was a type and figure of our Saviour's death and passion, and of his blood shed for the salvation of the world. There are many things in the supper strikingly analogous to what took place in respect to the passover. So we think that our Saviour had a special intention in selecting the very symbols which he did select.

The style of the volume, is simple, elegant, sometimes diffuse, but uniformly chaste, and occasionally forcible and eloquent. It is the style of a man of microscopic accuracy of observation, great delicacy of feeling, and considerable love for the beautiful in nature, and still more for the beautiful in morals. We hope Mr. A. will be encouraged to proceed and enrich our religious literature with many such contributions as he has given us in "The Young Christian," and "The Corner Stone."

4.-The History of Arabia, Ancient and Modern, containing a Description of the country, Geographical, Social and Political; Life and Religion of Mohammed; Conquests and Literature of the Saracens; Caliphs of Damascus, Bagdad, &c.; Modern Arabs; Origin and Suppression of the Wahabees; Institutions, Customs, &c. of the Bedouins. By Andrew Crichton, with a Map and Engravings. In two volumes. New York: Harper and Brothers. 1834. pp. 418, 422.

A PRINCIPAL defect of these volumes results from the immense space over which the historian travels. He is compelled to com