babe: it looked up and smiled. That smile was the salvation of both. The demon of destruction vanished. Maternal tenderness triumphed over all. She rose. She clasped the infant to her bosom. The conflict of inward feeling was in some measure relieved by a gush of tears; and she returned to her house, ashamed and filled with horror at the thought of her unnatural and repeated attempt. one Not long after this, her husband was removed by death; though of the precise time and circumstances I have no distinct recollection. She was now a widow, and with a fatherless child. Without the means of support, and ignorant of the widow's God, she was "desolate" indeed. The time of mercy, however, was approaching. God was pleased to reveal himself to her, as he did of old to the afflicted patriarch; and then, like him also, she abhorred herself, and repented as in dust and ashes. The care of the soul became paramount to every earthly care; and its salvation was truly regarded as the " thing needful." Her attempt on her own life, and the life of her child, now appeared in a new and far more aggravated light. All her sins were brought to remembrance. She was ready to write bitter things against herself; and to conclude, that for such a transgressor there could be no forgiveness. She began regularly to attend a faithful Gospel ministry; and long, and with the deepest interest, did she listen to the truth, ere one ray of light shone on her benighted soul, or one word of consolation could be appropriated to herself. But, though the promise tarried, she waited for it; nor did she eventally wait in vain. The Holy Spirit had already convinced her "of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment;" and now, as the Comforter, He took of the things of Christ, and showed them unto her. She saw and believed that there is mercy with God, that he may be feared; and that the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sins. Then the widow's heart sung for joy; and with gladness, and the voice of thanksgiving and praise, did she go up to the house of the Lord. And seldom could she refer to the seasons she had spent in that sanctuary, to the Church of which she became a member, and to the minister whose labours were blessed as the means of her conversion and growth in grace, without tears of gratitude. Let none imagine, however, that the grace of God, which had been so illustriously displayed in her conversion, or the religion which had brought such rich consolation to her wounded spirit, was capable of teaching her to forget her sucking child, or to be indifferent about providing things honest in the sight of all men. She still retained her tenderness for her babe, and her love of independence; and in conformity with these feelings, as well as from a sense of duty, she exerted herself to the utmost to obtain an honest subsistence. The best means she had of doing this was by binding shoes; but being friendless and little known, she found great difficulty in getting employment. I have heard her say, that often she has wandered the whole day seeking work, and then set up the greater part of the night to finish what she had succeeded in obtaining. In this way she continued to labour for years; caring little for herself, so that she might be able to provide what was sufficient and suitable for her child. At length, from excessive toil, and insufficient support, superadded to former sorrows, her constitution was broken, and her health gradually declined. She did not, however, on that account remit her efforts, till compelled by extreme weakness and severe indisposition. She was then obliged, I believe, for the first time, to apply for parochial aid. The overseers allowed her just so much as paid the rent of her little room. She had a small annuity, which did not, however, so far as my memory serves, amount to one shilling a week. For the rest of her support, from that period till her death, she was entirely dependent on benevolent societies and Christian friends. And it is but justice to say, that as the kindness and liberality which she experienced was great, so also was the gratitude which, on this account, she ever manifested both to God and man. When my acquaintance with Mrs. A. commenced, she had been for many years the subject of severe afflictions; nor was it till some years afterwards that death released her from them all. Few have drunk deeper of the cup of suffering; and few, perhaps, could, with greater propriety, adopt the language of the Psalmist "It is good for me that I have been afflicted." In her, all the graces of the Spirit appeared to me to have acquired an unusual degree of maturity. This maturity in grace, and especially the strength and stability of her faith, I have been led to think, might, in a great degree, be attributed instrumentally to her severe · and long-continued afflictions, and to the precarious way in which, for many years, she had obtained her subsistence. She was compelled to feel her immediate dependence upon God, for temporal as well as spiritual supplies. She sought her "daily bread" from him; and often has she borne witness, with the strongest emotions of gratitude, to the unchanging faithfulness and tender mercy of that God, in whom she had now learned to trust. One instance of this is fresh in the writer's memory, and shall be recorded to the praise of God, and for the encouragement of the poor and needy. "On one occasion," observed Mrs. A., my faith was put to a somewhat severe trial, and for a few moments was certainly shaken. I had been for some time disappointed of an expected supply. Every farthing was expended, and I had nothing in the house but a cupful of flour and a little suet. I thought, for a moment, What is now to be done? But checking myself with the recollection of the past goodness and the unchanging faithfulness of God, I said, 'I will prepare this, and, doubtless, when the Lord sees it needful, he will send me more; and," added the good woman, "before I had finished preparing this, two Christian friends came in, each with something in their hand. Though I have reason to believe that Mrs. A. had seldom more than was really needful for her own subsistence; yet, sometimes, she was permitted to enjoy the luxury of helping others. That this was to her a luxury, will be sufficiently evinced by the following fact, which I feel a pleasure in adding to "the simple annals of the poor." हूँ VERITAS. From the Edinburgh Christian Instructor. I was one day surprised by meeting my sick | times, ye.people; pour out your hearts before friend, who was making her way, with great Him: God is a refuge for us." difficulty, through a crowded street, near her own residence: I took the liberty to inquire, what it was she was so carefully concealing under her apron. "Well," she replied," you see, I had a nice pie given me by a kind friend; and there is more than I need; so I am going to take a bit of it to a good, young woman, who is more destitute and afflicted than myself." I accompanied her on this errand of mercy; and observed her, with true delicacy, deposit her present in the cupboard, and then, without uttering a word on the subject, seat herself by the side of the afflicted but interesting object of her bounty. It was regarded by Mrs. A. as a peculiar mercy, that her health was in a measure continued, till her daughter was capable of doing something towards her own support. This child proved an increasing comfort to her widowed mother. She gave satisfaction to her employers; she gave increasing evidence of true conversion to God; and the mother, before her death, had the happiness of seeing this, her darling and her only child, united to a pious and industrious husband. The attachment of Mrs. A. to the house of God was truly ardent. Often has she gone, when labouring under such severe indisposition, that she had to be taken from the chapel and conveyed home before the conclusion of the service. Nothing, in short, but a sense of duty, or absolute necessity, could detain her'at home. And when wholly unable to attend, this seemed to be almost the only affliction capable of affecting her spirits or disturbing the serenity of her mind. Mrs. A. also took great delight in Christian society. A company of pious young people, chiefly teachers in a Sabbath-school connected with a parochial church in the vicinity, were accustomed, when the other engagements of the Sabbath were over, to meet at her house. On these occasions, I have sometimes had the happiness of being present with them. The time was spent in pious conversation, singing, reading, and prayer. These seasons, I believe, generally proved to us all, "times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord;" but to none, perhaps, in so high a degree as to the pious widow. Her sorrows and afflictions were all forgotten. She spoke only of mercy, and goodness, and redeeming love. Her countenance beamed with delight. She seemed on the verge of heaven. REVIEW OF A TESTIMONY FOR THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH. By John Fleming, Airdrie. 8vo. pp. 620. Price 12s. Edin. 1826. THIS is a large book, and must have cost the author an immensity of labour. It would be vain to pretend that we have perused it, so as to speak with any great accuracy, or at any great length of its merits. But we have read so much of it, as to be satisfied, that it contains a good deal of shrewd and useful remark-that the writer is sincerely desirous to promote the cause of truth,-and that he has provided copious entertainment for such as are fond of that kind of disquisitions, in which this work so much abounds. We find it not very easy to define Mr. Fleming's opinions with regard to a church. But though we cannot tell very exactly what he is, we can tell with some degree of correctness, what he is not. He belongs to no religious communion that exists upon the face of the earth. Fluently and dogmatically does he descant on Heathenism, Mahometanism, the Greek Church, the Church of England, the Lutheran Church, Popery, Universalism, the Bereans, the New Jerusalem, Church, Unitarianism, the Society of Friends, Moravianism, Independentism, the Anabaptists, the Church of the Methodists, the Relief Church, the Reformed Synod, the Constitutional Presbytery, the Original Burgher Synod, the Antiburgher Synod, the United Associate Synod, and the Established Church of Scotland. But with none of these does he hold Christian communion. They are all unscriptural. And there is not one of them to which he can conscientiously adhere. One denies the divinity of the Saviour; another maintains Arminian error; a third is inimical to toleration; and a fourth allows its ministers to wear gowns, to read their sermons, and to proclaim banns on the Sabbath day. All of them have fallen into some vital heresy, or some circumstantial mistake; and from all, therefore, he keeps most scrupulously aloof. He thinks, however, that a church universal, and whose communion will not be inacSeldom have I seen a more pitiable object cessible to him, is by no means a chimera. than Mrs. A. as to external circumstances; and This elaborate testimony of his against prevailseldom one more enviable as to the ordinary ing corruptions, is intended to assist in realizing state of her mind. In her I learned what true it. it. He endeavours to help it forward, also, by religion is capable of effecting for us, even in laying down some principles and proposing a the present world. In her I found, not sub- formula, which he deems consonant to the word mission and resignation merely, but habitual of God. Whether his volume will be successcontentment, often rising to a "joy unspeaka-ful in bringing about such a consummation, we ble and full of glory." dare not conjecture; but we think it somewhat I was not permitted to witness the last hours odd, and not a little discouraging, that in spite of this eminent saint; but I learned that she of all his remonstrances, counsels, reasonings, died, as she had long lived, exercising a steady and testimonies, he is still alone as an oasis in faith in the Redeemer," and rejoicing in hope the desert, and cannot find an individual to of the glory of God."-" Trust in Him at all unite with him in his views. God.” RELIGIOUS MAGAZINE, OR SPIRIT OF THE FOREIGN THEOLOGICAL JOURNALS AND REVIEWS. DECEMBER, 1829. From the Eclectic Review. 1. MAHOMETANISM UNVEILED: an Inquiry, in which that Arch-Heresy, its Diffu sion and Continuance, are examined on a new Principle, tending to confirm the Evidences, and aid the propagation of the Christian Faith. By the Rev. Charles Forster, B.D. Chancellor of Ardfert, and Examining Chaplain to the Lord Bishop of Limerick, 2 vols. 8vo. pp. xlviii. 954. Price 24s. London, 1829. 2. THE MOHAMMEDAN SYSTEM OF THEOLOGY: a Compendious Survey of the History and Doctrines of Islamism, contrasted with Christianity, together with Remarks on the Prophecies relative to its Dissólution. By the Rev. W. H. Neale, A.M., Chaplain of the County Bridewell. Gosport, Hants. 8vo. pp. 252. London, 1828. Ir will be one very beneficial result of the "study of prophecy," which has of late been pursued with so much more ardour than success, should it lead to the more diligent and religious study of the unsealed volume of Divine Providence-history. In our last number, we had occasion to advert to the very inadequate cultivation which has hitherto been bestowed upon this important branch of Christian knowledge, and to the essentially defective character of our leading historical works. The charge which has been justly brought against our moral philosophers, is not less applicable to our historians, that they "place the religion of Christ in the relation of a diminutive satellite to the world of moral and eternal interests."** The very terms, sacred and po * Foster's Essays, p. 427. "When I mention our historians," remarks this truly philosophic writer, "it will instantly occur to you, that the very foremost names in the department, imply every thing that is deadly to the Christian religion itself as a Divine communication, and therefore lie under a condemnation of a different kind. But as to the generality of those who have not been regarded as enemies to the Christian cause, have they not forgotten what waś due from its friends?" The author proceeds to point out the anti-Christian spirit and tendency of those false estimates of character, and those awards of approbation to the world's heroes, which exclude all reference to the deciRel. Mag.-VOL. IV. lite, as applied to literature, and intended to comprehend its whole range, indicate that history, the most important material of both, has not been regarded in its true light, since neither of these generic appellations will properly describe what it ought to be. It cannot obviously be included under sacred literature, the province of the theologian; and with still less propriety can it be regarded as a mere branch of polite study, the pursuit of the scholar and man of letters, without lowering its importance and vitiating its character. We lay no stress upon such terms of classification, except as they serve to perpetuate false distinctions, which have a positive influence on the minds of authors as well as of readers, determining the specific aim of the one, and the choice of reading made by the other. History is a serious thing. To speak of it as instructive, as the apt vehicle of moral and political lessons, as fraught with useful information, is not to describe its real character or importance. All this, a fable or a poem might be. But, viewed as the exhibition of moral agency, under the awful predicament in which mankind are placed, as the development of our nature in all its power and weakness, in connexion with the progress of a moral conflict,—the working together of opposing secondary causes in subserviency to the Supreme and Final Cause of all things,-every section of human history is pregnant with awful interest. To this view of the subject we were led to advert, in noticing Mr. Bowdler's edition of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall;" and we intimated our intention to support it in future, articles. We proceed to redeem our promige, happy to avail ourselves of the occasion afforded by the masterly production now before us. Of all the events in modern history, the rise, triumph, and perpetuation of the Mohammedan heresy, form incomparably the most remarkable, not excepting the fall of the Roman empire itself. It is the remark of Dr. Johnson, cited by Mr. Forster, that "there are two objects of curi sions of the Final Judge. The irreligious principles upon which history has generally been written, are, however, evinced, not simply by the false estimates of character which it sanctions, in opposition to the Divine law, but by an atheistic representation of the events, in exclusion of the Divine providence. No. 24.-Z ducing to favour its introduction and establishment, the mind is naturally led to seek the ex osity, the Christian world and the Mahomet- | Christianity itself, of causes and events conan world: all the rest may be considered as barbarous." We cannot subscribe to either position: the latter requires to be greatlyplanation in the only adequate source; the inqualified in order to be correct; and what is terposition, for some wise and gracious, though barbarous, is not less an object of enlightened inscrutable end, of the special and superintendcuriosity, than all that is polished in civiliza- ing providence of God."-Forster, vol. i. p. tion. But we fully agree with the Author of | 66-8. "Mahometanism Unveiled," that, as the suc- The inquiry is of the deepest importance, cess of the Arabian imposture is the only event and nothing can be more admirable than the in the history of the human species, which ad- temper and spirit in which it is entered upon mits of comparison with the propagation of by the present author. The candour and fairChristianity, so, the causes of that success have ness with which the difficulties of the question never yet received an adequate solution. In are stated, must leave a very favourable imfact, the attempt to account for it by a concur- pression on every intelligent reader, and will rence of merely secondary causes, he justly re- prepare him to find the subject treated in both marks, is not less unsound and unphilosophical, a competent and an original manner. Nor and scarcely less irreligious, than to assign, as will he be disappointed. The "Arch-heresy" Gibbon does, such causes, as explaining the is not only examined on a new principle, but is rapid growth and triumph of Christianity it-placed altogether in a new and very striking self. Yet, the Christian advocate "has conde- light; and the novelty which the author has scended to assail the pretensions of the Koran succeeded in imparting to a subject which may with the identical missiles unsuccessfully hitherto have been deemed trite and exhausted, launched by the infidel against the claims of does not result from any fanciful theory or the Gospel." Qualify it as men may," Mr. learned paradox. The utmost sobriety of Forster observes, "the foundation of this argu- judgment is maintained throughout the invesment is unavoidably laid in the exclusion of tigation; and the author's views and statethe superintendence of a special, and even an ments are supported by a mass of information ordinary providence." Supposing those se- in itself highly interesting and valuable. Many condary human causes to be fairly adduced, of the collateral inquiries into which the subtheir existence and concurrence would still re-ject branches out, are scarcely less important main to be accounted for by a primary cause. than the original and main question. The They form, in fact, a main part of the pheno-illustrations of Scripture Prophecy, the promena which they are employed to explain. But, in the case of the Mohammedan religion, the usual explanation proceeds upon a mistaken view of the facts; and, as to the main difficulty, it does not even cut the knot. phetic parallel between Mohammedism* and Popery, and the historical analogy between the three religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Mohammedism, will more especially command attention; and the reader will probably be not a little startled at the closeness of the resemblance, and the numerous points of correspondence, between the true and the spurious faith. The work is altogether a valuable contribution to theological literature, while it throws no small light upon general history; and it is not merely the best work that has hitherto appeared upon the subject, (for, with the exception of Sale's Introduction to the Koran, and Mr. Mills's "History of Muhammedanism," there has been nothing in the English language that can be called good,) but it is the only one in which any thing like justice has been done to the inquiry. Our readers will reasonably expect a somewhat extended analysis of such a publication; but we can take only a rapid view of the variety of detail included in the contents. "In the general conduct of the controversy respecting the success of Mahomet, the infidel and the believer have hitherto taken diametrically opposite lines. The object of the former has been, by every artifice of exaggeration, to exalt the case of the Koran to an equality with that of the Gospel: that of the latter, to sink the pretensions of Mahometanism below all comparison with the claims of Christianity. The inevitable results of extremes on both sides are legible, in a fruitful growth of undesigned misconceptions, or intentional misrepresentations. This state of the question cannot but be hurtful to dispassionate inquirers, to minds that love fairness, and even to the cause of truth itself. While the Christian has no reasonable grounds of doubt or fear to withhold him from doing the fullest justice to the phenomena of Mahometanism, the phenomena themselves are singularly interesting and mysterious. The origin and rise of the heresy, its rapid and wide diffusion, with the whole train of circumstances attending its first promulgation, are extraordinary facts. Its dominion over the human mind, and power, both as conquering and as conquered, to change the * Mr. Forster, we regret to notice, has given characters of nations, are facts still more extra- his sanction to an orthography which we had ordinary. Its progress, in quarters where it thought nearly exploded. Among the various resorted only to the arts of peace and persua- ways of writing the name of the Arabian, Masion, is unexplained. Its permanency and in-homet, is the least proper; and it has been coviolable preservation of its original pure theism, are inexplicable on any ordinary grounds of reason or analogy. While, by the mysterious concurrence, unexampled save in the history of In the introductory chapter, from which the preceding extract has been taken, the author, after pointing out the mistaken estimates and unfair argumentation of preceding writers, announces, in the following terms, the principle upon which he proposes to conduct the investigation. pied from the worst of all authorities in the spelling of foreign names, the French. But Mahometanism is barbarous. Gibbon has more properly Mahometism. «The basis of the present argument is laid | Inquiry rests, and which forms the groundin the existence of a prophetic promise to work of the historic parallel, the author proAbraham in behalf of his sons Isaac and Ish-ceeds, in the next two sections, to consider the mael. By the terms of this promise, a bless-place which Mohammed and his religion aping is annexed to the posterity of each; and on Ishmael, as well as on Isaac, this blessing is pronounced, because he was Abraham's seed, and as a special mark of the Divine favour. According to the original promise concerning each, Isaac and Ishmael were severally to become the fathers of great nations; and the history of these nations was also to be signally connected with the history and fortunes of mankind. The Jews were the prophetic offspring of the blessing to the younger; the Arabians, of that to the elder son. The promise to Isaac had, in point of fact, first, a temporal fulfilment in the establishment of his race in Canaan; and secondly a spiritual fulfilment in the advent of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and in the establishment of Christianity throughout the world. In the promise to Ishmael, from the literal correspondence of the terms, coupled with the peculiar circumstances under which it was made, there seems to be just reason to look for an analogous double fulfilment. But the history of the Arabians, from the remotest antiquity down to the seventh century of the Christian era, affords no shadow of a parallel. At this advanced point of time, a full and exact parallel is presented, in the appearance of Mahomet; and in the establishment, through his instrumentality, by the descendants of Ishmael, first of a temporal, and secondly, of a spiritual dominion over a vast portion of the world. Here, in point of fact, there obtains a parallelism of accomplishment, in perfect accordance with the verbal parallelism which subsists between the two branches of the original promise. And the matter comes shortly to this plain issue: that either the promise to Ishmael has had no fulfilment analogous with that made to Isaac, with which it yet so singularly corresponds; or it has found its fulfilment, as the facts of the case so strongly indicate, in the rise and success of Mahomet, and in the temporal and spiritual establishment of the Mahometan superstition."--vol. i. pp. 87-89. The first section of the work is devoted to a comparative analysis of the twofold covenant with Abraham, made in behalf of his sons Isaac and Ishmael. In point of temporal prosperity, the promise to the latter seems to preponderate. To him alone is given the specific declaration: "And I will make of thee a great will make of thee a great nation ;" and in his seed alone, the promise has been realized. The Jewish monarchy was, at one time, a powerful state, but the posterity of Isaac have never been characteristically a great nation. The grand and peculiar feature in the promise concerning Isaac, was, that in his offspring all the nations of the earth should be blessed; a promise denoting a mysterious fulfilment, and realized in the advent and spiritual reign of the Messiah. Christianity is allowed, on all hands, to be the accomplishment of the latter prediction; and Mohammedism bears ample marks of being the only assignable fulfilment of the former. Having thus laid open the basis of the analogy upon which the general argument of the pear to occupy in prophecy. The rank which |