Mather, in that singular work, 'Magnalia Americana Christi,' published twenty years afterwards, declared, that the church of God was wronged, in that the life of the great John Owen was not written." derstands human nature, would expect an author, so frigid, selfish, and perfectly sceptical, as Hume, to write one word of truth, when recording the actions of persons animated with love to God, and who Yet the first, and the only account were ever willing to sacrifice all of him which can be depended on, that is valuable in this world, so as Mr. Orme informs us, appeared that they might obey the divine about twenty years after that, pre- law, and benefit the human race? fixed to the folio edition of his ser- Nor will it in the least surprise us, mons and tracts; but it is both in- that interested priests should labour accurate and imperfect, and does in a Satanical vocation, by accusing not contain so many pages as the their "holy brethren," who were Doctor had written books. When, "partakers of the heavenly calling." however, the learning and labours But while no wise, reflecting, and of Dr. Owen, and the times in which impartial person would be in much he lived, are considered, no one will danger of crediting the preachers marvel that the present writer has and writers to whom we have al thought it proper, to devote a sepa-luded, it is of importance to be rate work to the life of so good, so great, and so useful a man. Our author must have used great and persevering labour in collecting materials for this work; and he has certainly succeeded in giving us Mémoirs of Dr. Owen, of considerable value. Their origin he thus représents: The pleasure derived from his writings, led me, a few years ago, merely for my own satisfaction, to make some inquiry respecting their author. Not finding such an account as satisfied me, I began to think that a careful examination of his numerous works, and of the contemporaneous productions of his age, might enable me to afford a fuller and more correct view of him, that had yet been given." Besides presenting, in the character, conduct, and labours of a learned and useful servant of God, an example of the highest worth, the present volume affords not a little very important information concerning the eventful time in which Owen lived. And, as it appears to us, it is no mean part of its value that it enables us to refute infidel and clerical, and we may add, interested or malignant slanders, which have been often and abundantly cast on the Puritans and Nonconformists; men, generally, of whom no one has ever spoken evil, without justifying the belief that his information was partial, his prejudices tyrannical, or his heart unholy. What man, who in the least un able to oppose facts to their calum- The theological sentiments of our author we regard as scriptural; and there are such clear, frequent, and useful representations of evangelical truth in his work, as greatly enhance its importance, We think he is not wanting in attachment to his own denomination; but it would be unjust to refuse him the praise of uniformly writing as we should expect him to do who possesses sound piety, generous sentiments, and honest zeal, on subjects of high and universal importance. More Minor Morals; or an Introduction to the Winter Family: with Aunt Eleanor's Stories interspersed. THE writer of this highly entertaining and useful volume, introduces it with a modest preface, from which the following extract is taken: "If, on the whole, the critics should not be displeased with this Essay on Minor Morals, it will be continued; but if, on the contrary, they should frown at it, the writer will not merit the character of arrogant obtrusiveness; and their acquaintance with Aunt Eleanor and the Winter Family will terminate, like that of many other people, with their first introduction to each other." In such a world as this, we are always happy to meet with those who are well informed and communicative, as well as benevolent and pious; and it is on this account as well as because we are concerned for the benefit of others, that we very much desire a farther acquaintance with Aunt Eleanor and the Winter Family; to whom, while they remain unchanged, we shall be greatly to blame if we do not introduce all our youthful friends. towards the erection of a new place of worship at Penrith, the town where they were first delivered." We cordially wish success may attend the Author's personal applications for the purpose of selling his work, to accomplish so important an object in that dark part of the kingdom. Sunday School Sketches; a Memoir descriptive of the benign Operation of those Institutions. 2s. THE institution of Sunday Schools forms a most important epoch in the history of the church. The bearing which they have on its interests was in some degree seen by their early promoters; but it is in their history alone that we can fully trace their real tendency. We have known instances of individual congregations being considerably replenished from the Sunday School. It has afforded teachers from among the scholars for a new set of learners, and the germ of ministerial talent has first discovered itself in the rude efforts which are sometimes made to convey divine truth to the young and ig norant mind. Several of those zealous and excellent men, too, who are now raising the Redeemer's standEight Lectures on the Christian Sab- ard in the regions of idolatry and bath; by William Thorn, Minister superstition, have first fanned the of the Gospel at Penrith, Cumber-flame of their holy ardour in the enland.-Second Edition, enlarged. London, 1821. THESE lectures embrace all the topics connected with the " Speciality, Authority, and Sanctity of the Christian Sabbath;"-the " profanation of the Lord's-day by the nation in general, and by individuals in particular;"-the" non-advantage and evil consequences of Sabbath-breaking;" and the "Means and Motives for the better observance of the Lord's-day." It is upon the whole a well executed performance, and may be read with pleasure and advantage. The design of the Author in printing it, is singularly ingenious, and affords another proof of the various ways in which the "liberal deviseth liberal things." By an advertisement we find that "the profits arising from the sale of thesc lectures, will be appropriated gagements of the Village Sunday School. It may, however, be thought by some persons that too much is said respecting these Institutions, and that they are appreciated much too highly. That they possess a value, it is allowed; but that value is by no means equal to what is attached to them by their active friends and supporters. This, however, is not the opinion of the author of this little volume. "I am far from believing," says he, "that the utility of Sunday Sehools has ever been over-rated, or ever can. I behave not risen higher in usefulness, is lieve, rather, that one reason why they because they have not risen high enough in public opinion. These will ever be in proportion to one another. If Christians in general were aware of the unappretiable advantages for usefulness, which belong to the office of a Sunday School teacher, (humble as the name may sound upon a delicate ear,) there would not, I am persuaded, be that want of qualified and valuable instructors, which has hitherto been so painfully felt; and if a sufficient number of such teachers were found, ever eager to offer themselves to the office, then the charac ters of those excellent Institutions would improve, and the true point of success be rapidly attained.” "In real importance Sunday School Institutions claim a place second to none but to the public ministry." Pp. 80, 81. That these sentiments have been strengthened by the contemplation of the characters sketched in this Memoir, we think is very probable, as it is descriptive of the benign ope ration of those Institutions. The close without stating our disappointment at the loose and indistinct manner in which some of the doctrines of the gospel are exhibited. That so pious a writer as the present appears to be, should have stated the conversion of the mother, for instance, in the way he has, can only be accounted for on the supposition of his having imitated the polished, but weak, and we had almost said effeminate, style of some modern works of imagination. "How such attentions (of the teachers) often repeated, and accompanied, as they were, with many acts of kindness, mind, it is needless to relate. They must have operated on my mother's the utmost gratitude; the soothing consowon her heart; they excited in her played by the excellent young women, flowed into her wounded spirit like balm; and while they, in subsequent visits, led her on gradually to perceive. the adaptation of the gospel to her own. exigencies, as well as those of her child, she followed them step by step in. the spirit of believing acquiescence, until she found herself at the foot of the throne of grace, and her faith beheld the Saviour." characters are, the Sunday School boy (who is supposed to be the wri-lations, and sympathising concern. dister of the narrative) and girl, their parents and teachers. They are in general well delineated, and some of them highly deserve imitation. The book is indeed written altogether in a very engaging manner, and is highly calculated to interest wellinformed young persons. There are several parts which, if the space allotted in this work would allow, we should readily extract; but we must be contented to refer the reader to the work itself. We must, however, trespass with the following account of the writer's retrospect. Though the Author has not acknowledged himself, we think we have met with him before, and shall have no objection to meet with him again. LITERARY INTELLIGENCE. Just Published. Providence and Grace illustrated, by some Account of the Life and Christian Memoirs of Caroline E. Smelt; with a neat Engraving. “Since the time of my quitting the Sunday School, for a period of now more than twenty years, I have seen and known much both of the good and ill of life. I have lived long enough to have had the integrity of the principles I imbibed at school, put to the test of many trials; and to prove, by my own expe- Experience of Mrs. Sarah Baker. Inrience, that they afford, both in pros-tended chiefly for Young Persons. perity and adversity, a certain and a steady support. And if, as will ever be the case more or less, they have sometimes, (like the conductor which we erect for the greater security of an edifice,) been the means of attracting towards me an angry cloud, that might otherwise have passed over, I have uniformly found then, as well as in those storms which must befal, whether we are prepared for them or not, my religious principles (to carry on the allusion) have been tho safeguard of the building." We have above, and we think justly, expressed sentiments of approbation of this agreeable little work; but we cannot, in justice to the public, Miscellaneous Thoughts on Divine Subjects; together with Extracts from some of the best religious Authors. In the Press. A Defence of the Baptists; or, the Baptism of Believers by Immersion the only Baptism of the Christian Dispensation: by George Gibbs, Minister of the Baptist Church, St. Clement's, Norwich. A Volume of Sermons" on the Nature and Effects of Repentance and Faith;" from the pen of the Rev. James Carlile, Minister of the Scots Church, Mary's Abbey, Dublin, Intelligence, &c. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Extract of a Letter from some of the New Salem Town, Mr. Graham's Toun, the sea. This is a new district, about 110 miles in length, and from 20 to 50 miles in breadth, inhabited chiefly by the English settlers. Bathurst the capital, where we expect soon to have a landroost, is very pleasantly situated, about 35 miles from this place, and 10 from It at present chiefly consists of tents; but they are erecting a large house for the magistrates and other government officers, and likewise there are a few individuals, tradesmen, who have had hearths granted them, and are beginning to build. The place where our party is located is much preferable to many others: it is in a valley, which in many places is half a mile in width, and extends in length about six miles, a fine river running through it. We have each a certain portion of ground adjoining the river, and can cultivate as far back as we like. The air is very salubrious, and we have reason to bless the Lord that we all enjoy a good state of health, notwithstand ing we have been for some time lying in tents, and have been exposed to the heavy dews, and at times to very heavy rains, but particularly to the intense heat of the sun, the scorching rays of which at this season would almost suffocate us had we no other covering than a tent. Our gardens have yielded us a pretty good supply of vegetables, but we have every reason to expect a much better crop in future, because from experience we are become better acquainted with the nature of the soils, the manner of cultivating, the proper seasons for planting, sowing, &c. We were enabled to get about an acre each ploughed and sown with wheat; and till within this month there was every appearance of a fair crop: but we have been disappointed in this, a blight (or what the Dutch, farmers call the rust) having seized the corn, and instead of the cars filling there remaining nothing but straw and chaff. This, we lament to say, has been the case through a great part of the colony. It has been occasioned, many say, through the quick succession of very cold and heavy rains But adored and praised be the Lord, that to the scorching heat of the sun. notwithstanding this disappointment, God still graciously provides for us, and we trust and believe he will. The government still continues to supply us with rations, and we cannot sufficiently acknowledge the divine goodness in this respect, when we look back, and consider that we had no right to expect on our landing any further assistance from government. Had not this, provision been made, in what a situation should we have been! Indeed it is impossible to describe the distress we might have been reduced to; no market to go to, and exposed to the extorsive demands and uncertain supplies of the Dutch farmers. We have been enabled to purchase a small stock of cattle, and have got more milk and butter than we can consume. We have likewise sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry. What reason then have we for gratitude and thankfulness! Surely we can say, Hitherto the Lord hath helped us. When we look back to the time when we first came on board, and reflect on the fine voyage we had, and on all the blessings we have received since then, we can say, Goodness and mercy have followed us; therefore we will call upon our souls, and all that is within us, to bless his holy name. From the observations we have made on the conduct of individuals in our party, we can say generally, that the greatest part of them seem to be very industrious and content in their situations; and it is a pleasing thing to remark, that many who left their native land in great poverty and distress, with hardly a penny in their pockets, have now got a cow or two, and are already in a measure become independent. Many of the party have been, and are employed, at Graham's Town, about fourteen miles from hence. They get good wages. Labourers about 3s. 6d. per day, and tradesmen from 5s. to 10s. per day. From our local situation, being 50 or 60 miles distant from the Caffres, and from 20 to 100 from most of the Hote tentots, and likewise not having yet learned the language, we have not been able, as we fondly anticipated we should, to point those poor heathens, who are perishing for lack of knowledge, to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world; but we trust a way will ere long be opened, whereby we may, vile and unworthy as we are, be made the instruments of contributing in some measure to the salvation of immortal souls, and to the glory of that Saviour who has done so much for us. BAPTIST CHURCH AT NEWPORT, MONMOUTHSHIRE. NEWPORT is situated on the river Usk, about three miles from the Bristol Channel, and is éminent for its commercial intercourse with various parts of this kingdom and Ireland. But the religious interest of Newport was shamefully neglected till of late years, with the exception of one place of worship belonging to the Independents. A few years ago other connexions established their inte | rhywgoch in Caermarthenshire, settled over them as a pastor the September following; since which time 100 mem. bers have been added to the church: and in the year 1819, January 1, the Rev. J. Harris was ordained as an assistant, together with five deacons. The expense which attended the erec- Signed, April 6, 1821, at our Deacons. Society for the Relief of Aged and Infirm Baptist Ministers, Instituted at Bath, 1816. THE Annual Meeting of this Society, will be held at the Vestry of the Baptist Meeting, Somerset-street, Bath, on Wednesday the 13th day of June next, at twelve o'clock. In the interim, the beneficiary members, annual subscribers, rests in the town; and in the year 1807 Messrs. J. Hier and J. Edmunds, ministers at Bethesda, three miles from Newport, commenced preaching in the town at the request of a few female friends, who were members of the neighbouring churches. They laboured under the inconveniency of an uncomfortable place of worship for several years, owing to the increase of hearers; in consequence of which they were necessitated to re- rhywgoch, July 19, 1810, and under move to three different places at differ- the blessing of leaven on his labours ent times. The blessing of God evi- there, the meeting-house soon became dently attended the ministry of the word too small: an enlargement became neof life to the conversion of several indi- cessary, which was accomplished. He viduals, who became desirous of sub- also has been the means of establishing mitting to the authority of the King of four other churches in that neighbourZion; consequently the ordinance of hood; viz. Sharon, Sithin, Porthyrhyd, and baptism was publicly administered by Pontbrenduararaeth, and has baptized At the lastthe Rev. James Edmunds in a conveni- upwards of 200 persons. ent place near the town, in the presence mentioned place there was a Baptist of a large concourse of people, on March cause established about the year 1797, 14, 1813, since which time they have when Mr. Morris was baptized in the But after had frequent additions to their number, eleventh year of his age. The private room in which they met at that the whole church (except Mr. M. that time being small and confined be- his father, mother, brother, and sister, came incommodious and uncomfortable, who became members at Cwmivor) which induced them to deliberate on the turned Arminians, then Socinians, and eligibility of erecting a convenient place after that came to nothing. But it is of worship, which at length they accom-worthy of observation, that Mr. M. is plished, and it was opened for divine service May 20, 1817. In the course of this year the friends in the town were formed into a church of fifty-six members, and the Rev, J. Morris of Pen the first who was baptized to commence the former church, and also the first who baptized in the same water at the commencement of the present church, who meet in the same old barn that they formerly did, where there is a pulMr. Morris was ordained at Pen-pit and a few seats. |