We have perused these letters with great satisfaction. The author discusses some of the deepest and most difficult questions in theology, such as election, predestination, the atonement, faith, assurance, man's inability, in a manner that is clear and lively, without being superficial. His letters are written in that peculiar style, so difficult to attain, which is at once relished by men of learning, and understood by those whose whole literature consists in the knowledge of the Scriptures. In conducting these discussions, the author does not shew much of argumentative power, but he is mighty, by means of his scriptural sagacity, in the statement of doctrine. As impregnable positions, in war, render fighting unnecessary, so, in controversy, a statement, that cannot be assailed, dispenses with the necessity of formal proof, and, in such, the work before us abounds in no ordinary degree. We recommend it to the repeated perusal of all who wish light on the subjects of which it treats. We would not be surety for every expression that he uses, nor for every illustration that he employs, but we can vouch for the orthodoxy of his principles, if these are tried according to the standard of the most approved divines of the old evangelical school of Scotland the school of Boston, and Willison, and the Erskines, and John Brown of Haddington. On the subject of faith, we mark a very great advance in the author's sentiments, when compared with some of his former productions. His sentiments, on this subject, are decidedly and entirely those of the best and most savoury of our old divines. As these sentiments are brought out in the letters

before us, it would, in our opinion, be a great improvement, if, in succeeding editions, more prominence were given to the object of faith. A person's views

of faith cannot be essentially wrong, provided they are right respecting the Author of faith, and the object of faith; that is to say, provided he believe that faith is a saving grace, produced in the heart by the Holy Ghost, and, provided, he also believe that OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, HIMSELF, IN HIS GLORIOUS PERSON, as Emanuel God with us, IS THE SOLE OBJECT OF SAVING FAITH. Mr Bonar gives its proper place to the work of the Spirit, as the author of faith, and he also intimates, that Christ himself is the sole object of faith: but to this latter point we would wish him to give far greater prominence, as that which at once cuts up by the roots, the prevalent error, that faith is a mere intellectual assent. A mere assent it cannot be, if a person is its object. We assent to a truth, but we trust in a person. It is a Saviour that we require: it is a Saviour in whom we are called to believe; but truth is not the Saviour, it is only the light by which he is discovered, and faith ought not to rest in the light, but in the divine person of the Saviour whom it reveals. The doctrine that faith is a mere assent to the truth, is a new kind of moderatism, which puts TRUTH in the place of the Saviour; just as, in the moderatism of another school, works were put in his stead. We think, therefore, it would be an improvement if, in his next edition, Mr Bonar would give more prominence to the idea which he has already indicated, that "Jesus, HIMSELF," is the only resting-place of the soul.

This small volume is handsomely got up; it is evangelical in sentiment; it is somewhat tastefully written; there is in it nothing vulgar, nothing exagge

rated, nothing eccentric; it has as few positive faults as it is possible for a book to have, and yet, after all, it is somehow or other remarkably deficient in life and

power. Look on it, and it is pleasant to the eye, read it, and it is not destitute of melody to the ear; but it leaves little behind in the memory; it deposits no seed of future thoughts in the understanding, and when it does reach the heart, it merely causes a momentary ripple on the surface, while the interior is unmoved. The want of vital power, in a work where there is nothing unsound in doctrine, nor vicious in style, may arise, in part, from the structure of the author's genius, but, we ap

prehend, that it is chiefly to be ascribed to two facts: first, There is in the volume far too much time spent in describing Christian feeling, and far too little space allotted to those glorious objects, by which, alone, this feeling is produced; and, secondly, While there is much said about Christ, Christ HIMSELF, is not held forth with that prominence which is indispensable in a work, upon such a subject, that aims not merely to please, but to enlighten, to sanctify, and to edify the Church.

Between the possession, of a missionary spirit, and of missionary information, there exists an intimate union. They act and re-act upon one another. The Word of God, is the fountain of all missionary principles; the Spirit of God, the primary author of all missionary life; but the fountain must have a channel, and the life of man must have a scene, and, whether, the soul of the living Christian is to embody itself in foreign enterprise, or in labours of love, at home, an actual field of operation must be presented to the view, by which it may be awakened and persuaded to manifest its inherent energies.

By Missionary Intelligence we realize the state of the world, as ecclesiastical intelligence enables us to do that of the Church; by it we verify the scripture contrast between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness; and our longings are quickened for the universal diffusion of Messiah's reign.

Such being our estimate, of the service rendered to the cause of missions by due reports of missionary progress, we own a wish that our readers may not deem the contents of this department of the Magazine to be of trivial moment, or bestow, upon them, no more than a passing glance. Christendom is merging into a condition that deserves the thoughtful consideration of the whole Church. shall aim to present such a selection from the missionary, and other foreign journals, as will place our readers, in all the principal points of intelligence, upon a level with the reading public at large. "The field is the world," said the great prophet of the Church. This is beginning to be literally true.

We

The evangelistic

operations of the Church, are expanding over the whole world, penetrating, even, into regions of the earth, that were heretofore inaccessible. To give details, sufciently, comprehensive to shew these movements, in their whole extent, and, at the same time, sufficiently distinct, and circumstantial, to engage the affections, is a task, to which certain periodicals are exclusively devoted. Our space is necessarily circumscribed, and so must be our aim. We shall not attempt, in every number, to go round the circle of even the leading missionary operations of the Churches. We shall concentrate our extracts, now in one direction, and now in another, so that the information will be solid and available.

Popery, as the antagonist of Protestantism, in all its lines of effort, must receive prominent attention. The Jews, also, cannot fail to have our special regard. We need not say that the progress of our own Mission will command the place which it ought to hold in our missionary records; its proceedings we shall carefully report from time to time.

Having expressed thus, generally, the views.by which we shall be guided in conducting this department of the Magazine, we refrain from pre-occupying more ground by preliminary remark, and remembering that the missionary journals of the Church are just the voice of the watchmen announcing the coming and going of the Son of Man, let us commend them all to the blessing of that God who ordereth the signs of the times, and "of whom, and through whom, and to whom are all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen."

the importance of this field. And what is its present condition? A movement, in favour of evangelical religion, has commenced, and the eager inquiries after truth daily increase. We quote from a late number of the Free Church Missionary Record. "Thousands of Roman Catholics are calling with the utmost eagerness for Protestant Evangelists to come and instruct them. There are large districts of the country where a faithful Protestant pastor is received by almost every individual with eagerness and delight. The influence of the priests, in these departments, is rapidly departing, and the strongholds of Popery are falling down before the resistless might of the Word of God." The Protestant Church of France is taking no part in this movement; it is the evangelical society of France, and that of Geneva, that are attempting to supply the wants of the spiritually starving people. One Evangelist writes, "I cannot tell what enthusiasm is felt at the news of the visit of a Protestant minister. is impossible to undertake the evangelization of the country under more favourable circumstances. I do not know when this movement will stop, and how it will be possible for me to meet the demands upon my exertions." We may hear this interesting state of things crying out to us, as the apostle heard the men of Macedonia: "Come over and help us." The ladies of one of our congregations are already collecting a fund for the support of a colporteur, or itinerant vender of Bibles and tracts, in that country. This

It

requires only £20 a-year. In the course of the evening, a motion will be submitted to you, recommending the General Mission Committee, without losing sight of a Mission to the Jews, to consider the propriety of applying part of these funds in aid of benighted but inquiring France.

In conclusion, every new piece of information, relative to the religious state of the world, forces upon our consideration, with additional power, the command of our Lord, given while he was fulfilling his ministry among men, when contemplating the state of the world, and its inhabitants, he gave vent to that which, next to his Father's glory, was the object nearest and dearest to his heart, in these impressive words, ever to be remembered, and ever to be acted upon, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth labourers into his harvest." The service of God is the business of our lives. To many of us no field of active exertion for his name is allotted. But here is a door that is open to all. Here is an opportunity of serving Him, who counted not his own life's blood too precious to be shed for us. How shall we measure our returns to him. Ought it to be, shall it be, by any thing short of all we are, of all we have? "We are not our own, we are bought with a price;" let us then "seek to glorify God, in our bodies and in our spirits, for both are his."

When will the Churches and Christians of Britain awaken to a sense of the depth and urgency of their duty to the poor home heathens, with whom such vast districts of our large cities are crowded? We see them perishing-hundreds of thousands of them actually perishing before our eyes-round our churches about our very doors. We could enlighten them-elevate them-by God's blessing, save them; and to how few, comparatively, does their sad condition

cost a thought, or a contribution, or a prayer? How are they left to their poverty, their ungodliness, and their crime, although, as week follows week, hundreds and thousands of them die in the darkness in which we have allowed them to live, and go to their own place, there to be followed, as years pass, by the children whom they have left behind, and who, walking in their parents' ways, share in their destruction. A fearful load of responsibility lies upon Churches,