able to reign, than to serve in the less conspicuous rank and file of the common and Catholic faith. He has unearthed an old error, and is pushing it forward in a series of volumes projected upon the same idea, with great zeal and a very formidable array of authorities. His doctrine is, that immortal life means eternal salvation; that this is the gift of grace to the saved; that those who are not so endowed through Christ's redemption have no immortality; but dying impenitent they are literally struck out of existence, that is, are annihilated. To sustain this theory, the author boldly grapples with the involved questions of biblical criticism, philosophy, theology, history, displaying a very respectable scholarship and mental vigor, although some of his learning savors rather strongly of a pedantic parade. He is anxious concerning the adjustment of this startling dogma with the harmony of the general evangelical doctrine of which we understand him to be an otherwise adherent. He has done what he could, and all that any one will be likely to do, in support of his thesis. But has he done anything to persuade the human soul (save here and there a morbid specimen) that it or its fellows will sleep ere long a sleep which shall literally have no waking? We put the old and ineradicable instinct against all his logic and exegesis, and soberly assure him that annihilationism can never become the creed of human beings so long as they continue to be human. His book belongs to the painful and forcible failures of which the "Conflict of Ages" is an illustrious instance — that is- -a desperate attempt to convince men of that which it is morally impossible for them to believe on any wide scale. We cannot here say more, except to express a regret that so much intellectual power and furniture should not have expended themselves upon a more useful and hopeful argument. In a future number, the topic may receive a more lengthened attention.

Religious Lectures on Peculiar Phenomena in The Four Seasons. By EDWARD HITCHCOCK, D. D., LL. D., Late President of Amherst College, and now Professor of Natural Theology and Geology. Boston: Crosby, Nichols, Lee, & Co., 117 Washington Street. 1861.

SUCH a book as this ought never to be out of print. This new and beautiful edition is issued the author modestly informs us because "inquiries for it have been so frequent and long continued, as to produce the belief that there is a call for a third edition." It exhibits all the well-known characteristic of the Professor -broad intel

ligence, pure and highly cultivated taste, enthusiasm in science, fine imagination, a style classic and sparkling, and argument philosophic and cogent; all these laid under contribution to sound theology and the spirit of faith and devotion.

The first lecture on "The Resurrections of Spring,” takes Paul's illustration of "bare grain" and the "body that shall be," and constructs an original argument for the identity of the resurrection-body, in reply to the philosophic objection that it is impossible. The second is on "The Triumphal Arch of Summer," and contains a fine description of a grand thunder-storm which passed over Amherst College on the 23d of June, 1848, and the rainbow, of an unusual brilliancy which succeeded, developing with much force and impressiveness, the various lessons of truth and goodness which God has connected with this beautiful phenomenon his "bow in the cloud." "The Euthanasia of Autumn" gathers up sweet scriptural instructions from the fading leaf and the brilliant hues of the forest,- beauty in decay, hope and peace and joy in dissolution. The fourth lecture in the book, on The Coronation of Winter," was the first delivered, and paints, with graphic power, the spectacle which occasioned it, — all the trees encased in icy crystals to the extremities of their outermost branches, and lighted up, by a brilliant sun, into a scene of gorgeous beauty, far surpassing the glittering crown jewels of kings, and all the powers of art. The spectacle thus described, is made to supply a variety of valuable lessons, all bearing on man's higher concernments.

The book is full of striking thoughts, and sweet Christian instruction. The value of this new edition is enhanced by the addition of an exegesis of 1 Cor. 15: 35-44,- first published in the Bibliotheca Sacra-answering certain objections to the views of bodily identity contained in the first lecture. The paper, typography, and drawings of scenes described make up a fitting dress for these eloquent discourses.

Discourses on Sacramental Occasions. By ICHABOD S. SPENCER, D. D., Author of "A Pastor's Sketches," &c. With an Introduction by GARDINER SPRING, D. D. New York: W. M. Dodd. 12mo. pp. 468.

To any who have read the "Sketches" by Dr. Spencer, the title of this volume will be sufficient recommendation. It should be added that the issue of such a volume was long a cherished purpose of the author.

These twenty-six Discourses are a most valuable contribution to

our devotional literature. They are devout, tender, instructive, and quickening, a good book for the closet, making head and heart better by their perusal.

Selections from the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments; for Families and Schools. By the Rev. DAVID GREENE HASKINS. Boston E. P. Dutton & Co. 12mo. 1861. pp. 401.

A GOOD design is well executed in this volume. The reading of the Scriptures in the family and in schools, if done with profit, must be by extracts. Omissions that utility or delicacy may require cannot well be made at the time. Hence this volume finds its place of good service. The compilation is made with strict fidelity to the truth and in good judgment. We think its value would be enhanced by affixing marks to the proper names indicating their pronunciation.

ARTICLE XI.

THE ROUND TABLE.

see how many able pens the Our friends, therefore, who

WE are not a little surprised to "Boston Review" has called to its aid. have so kindly and abundantly furnished us with articles, will not be impatient, we trust, while we delay the publication of some of them. We are holding some back only for want of space, and others that we may be able to make selections, and so give to each new issue of the Review a desirable variety.

A YOUNG member of a rural church had heard his pastor speak of the tendencies to suppress the old Scriptural doctrines on the part of the rising ministry, and also of the readiness of installing councils to let such cases slip through. The young member of the rural church was disturbed and puzzled. He had the fullest confidence in his pastor, and yet how such things could possibly be, was, to him, inexplicable and all but incredible. He resolved to embrace the very first opportunity to know. It happened that an installation was to take place at not more than a thousand miles from Boston, and, without saying a word to anybody, he harnessed his horse, drove to the place,

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some fifteen miles distant, and quietly took a seat among those who were present at the council. Meeting his pastor not long after, he told him where he had been and for what reason. "Well, and what did you learn?" his pastor inquired. "Learn? he replied, why, sir, I learned what astonished and perplexed me exceedingly. I had always supposed that the duty of a council was, to find out what the candidate believed, and to testify accordingly; and that the churches could rely implicitly on their testimony. Now, sir, if a council will install a man, and say he is all right, after such an examination as I heard at then I cannot see what a council is good for. And one thing more, sir, if the candidate, when asked to state his belief, does not come right out with a clear Scriptural statement, I cannot see what is the use of spending half a day in trying to force it out of him."

The young brother is, evidently, not posted. His pastor cannot have explained to him that the main object of a council is not to let the candidate tell his own theological belief in his own way, and then to decide upon that. It is supposed that such a course of proceeding would often lose to the orthodox a young man trained according to the most recent improvements in theology, in ancient and honored schools of the prophets of good personal appearance and address, pleasant voice and manner, and altogether fitted to shine and fill up the pews. The young brother should know, that the main object of an ecclesiastical council is to find that the candidate is all right, even though he hardly knows it himself; and if, by manipulating and shampooing him for half a day, or even for a whole day, it can squeeze enough orthodoxy out of him to make him pass, who will undertake to say that it is not time well spent?

The case is a good deal like that of the old woman and the hen, when the hen cackles, but does not lay. The old lady declares that the hen can lay, and shall, too, and proceeds to apply the squeezing process. When the "result" is asked for, - did she find an egg? Why, not exactly; but then she is quite sure there is an egg. —The hen is pronounced orthodox!

THE NEW THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. Our March Number alluded to a proposal to establish a New Theological Seminary, that should furnish, for vacant and new churches, custom-made ministers to order and on the shortest notice. The proposal, we learn, has been welcomed most cordially. A generous and unsolicited offer has been made, to found one professorship. Several churches who have heard either personally or by committee the most of the smart ministers who preach in English, and have not been able to find one

adapted to their peculiar circumstances, are awaiting the founding of this institution. It is believed that an entering class of one hundred and twenty could be made up for it immediately.

Some of these have studied the old theology in the old way and in the new way, but they find little use for it in the real fields of usefulness, that is, the able and popular churches. They are anxious to go through a course of theology that will be popular. Others have been collecting and examining those sermons that have been ". "published by request," and they wish to study with reference to such "practical preaching." Not a few young men of great promise have carefully gleaned from the newspapers the themes and titles of great sermons announced to be preached "next Sabbath," and they wish to study with reference to such advertised efforts. And yet others have marked and followed with peculiar admiration certain preachers who always astonish their audiences. This is done by an odd text, or style, or manner, or doctrine. Their hearers are kept on a constant qui vive, and all look as if ready to exclaim, "Well, what next!" And so the admirers of such wish so to study for the ministry that they can "strike their audiences with the butt end of astonishment." The wishes and wants of these vacant churches, and the desires of these young men, are supposed to be correlated, a little after the nature of demand and supply, or action and reaction. And it has been noticed that when the feelings of these two parties are reciprocated, and a union secured, the result is delightful. The pastor has a "dear people," and they have "a love of a minister." It will be the main purpose of this institution, as we are informed, to hasten and consummate these unions, by a profoundly philosophical and exhaustive course of theological study.

In the training of such young men the widest latitude must be given to their eccentricities of genius, and yet the course of study allow for filling orders on the shortest notice. For often a pastor's health fails suddenly, or his usefulness comes to an end abruptly. Deacon Veto is the first to discover and announce this to the Society, and is chairman of the committee; and the people are so impatient to have the Gospel, that they cannot wait for the old fogy process of three years by regular course.

It is supposed a course of study can be so constituted as to fall in with, and gratify both, the genius of the student and the wish of the church. We have had "the theology of the intellect," and "the theology of the feelings," and "the theology of the bones." It is proposed to push theology to a more ultimate analysis for a system to be studied, thus: