ANTI-STATE-CHURCH LITERATURE.

FROM an appeal which accompanies this number of our Magazine, it will be seen, that the Executive Committee of the Anti-State Church Association is contemplating, the publication of "a series of popular works adapted for the school, the cottage, the drawing-room, and the study, which shall be pervaded and characterized by the spirit" of antagonism to alliances between Christian Churches and Civil Establishments. This is an important project, and, if it be rightly undertaken, vigorously sustained, and properly conducted, cannot fail to produce results most momentous and valuable to the interests of truth, righteousness, liberty, and religion. We commend the support of this project to the favourable consideration of our friends.

REVIEWS AND LITERARY NOTICES.

DR. ADAM CLARKE'S COMMENTARY and Critical Notes on the Old and New Testaments. Including the Authorised Translation, Marginal Readings, and Parallel Texts. A New Edition, with the Author's Final Corrections. Vols. I., II., III. WM. TEGG And Co.

THIS is an excellent edition of Dr. Clarke's unrivalled great work, which is an imperishable monument of his extensive learning, and profound acquaintance with Biblical literature. Most surprising is the low price at which this admirable work is published. The price is only three guineas for the entire work, in six volumes, bound in cloth. The paper and typography are remarkably good, and the work is got up in a superior style. Biblical students of slender pecuniary means have now the opportunity of obtaining, at a very small cost, this rich treasury of criticism and general knowledge illustrative of the Sacred writings. It may be properly designated a Biblical Commentary and Encyclopedia. We strongly recommend all our readers who are not possessed of a copy of this highly valuable work to purchase this superior and astonishingly cheap edition. The Volumes may be had separately.

OUR STATE CHURCH; her Structure, Doctrines, Forms, and Character; A Manual of Dissent. By the REV. W. R. BAKER. Author of "The Curse of Britain," &c. 12mo. 243 pp. BENJAMIN L. GREEN.

OUR minds have long been deeply impressed with the conviction, that State-Churchism is a great barrier to the progress of social reformation and the spread of true religion. That it invades the rights of conscience; fosters heresies; corrupts ministers of religion; and is in principle unjust, tyrannical, and persecuting. We, however, know that there are many very excellent ministers and private members of the Anglican Establishment. Notwithstanding the evils of the ecclesiastical system, to which they are

avowedly attached, their personal excellences, in many cases, command our esteem and admiration. We confess, moreover, that we deeply deplore, that those estimable persons do not see, that their continued adhesion to State-Churchism gives support to the errors and corruptions which, many of them frankly admit, abound in the Establishment. By such persons it is generally supposed that those evils may be removed, and the alliance between Church and State be maintained. To us, however, this appears to be impossible unless our legislators and ministers of State were to become truly Christian men, faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.

The State is represented by the two Houses of Parliament, and the reigning monarch. Men of all religious professions, and men avowedly irreligious, are members of the House of Commons, and of the House of Lords; and men of the most profligate character have sat on the British throne, and claimed to be, and have been recognised as, the heads of the Anglican Church. None but a corrupt Church, we think, could ever consent to be in alliance with such a State, so that the State should prescribe its creed, and its formularies, and appoint its rulers, having authority to appoint all its ministers. When the State has such power over a Church, that Church must become corrupted by the State.

The revenues of the Anglican Establishment are immense. By some persons, who have carefully inquired into this matter, they are estimated at more than 10,000,000l. per annum. A large portion of this large sum is derived from Church lands and tithes; which have been granted to the Established Church by acts of the Legislature. The wealth of the Church has been the means of inducing many ungodly men to become ministers thereof. What was originally intended for the support of the poor, and the education of youth, has been given to the clergy of the Establishment; and the wealth thus acquired can be retained only by submission to such conditions as ungodly legislators have or may impose. Hence, the Established Church, to enjoy the revenues which the State has conferred, recognises, and submits to the headship of worldly parliamentary majorities, and ministers of State, instead of asserting and obeying in matters of religion, the sole authority of God's Word.

Without pledging ourselves to every statement contained in the volume now before us, we must say, we regard it as a work which is likely to render good service in making known the corruptions, errors, and injustice of the Anglican Church Establishment. It brings out to view many important and startling facts, which ought to be universally known, and carefully pondered by the inhabitants of Great Britain. It is a work suited for the many, both as to the style in which it is written, its compendiousness, and cheapness. We wish for it an extensive circulation.

Lectures delivered at the Monthly United Service of the Nonconformist Churches in Nottingham. With other Discourses preached on Public occasions. By the Rev. SAMUEL MC ALL. 12mo. 377 pp. JACKSON AND WALFORD.

RARELY have we had the pleasure of reading Lectures which have more fully obtained our hearty concurrence. They are fifteen in number, and all of them are upon important subjects. Nine of them were delivered at a Monthly Lecture; in which three Independent, five Baptist, one Primitive Methodist, one Methodist New Connexion, and one Wesleyan Methodist Association Minister, have been accustomed to unite. Two of the Lectures were preached on behalf of the Nottingham Town Mission, one at the request of the Nottingham Sunday Union, one at the opening of a chapel, one at the Ancient Lecture at Heckmondwicke, and one at the ordination of the author's nephew.

These Lectures are well suited for general usefulness. They present most important truths in a pleasing, instructive, and impressive manner. They do not consist of mere common place sentiments or forms of expression, nor are they made up of fanciful conceits and stilted phraseology. They prove their author to be possessed of a well furnished mind, and that he is a workman that needeth not to be ashamed." He is brother to the late eloquent and much respected Dr. Mc All, who was pastor of the Independent Church in Moseley-street, Manchester.

66

A Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names, with their Pronunciations and Explanations. 12mo. 46 pp. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

THIS is a very useful little work. It is quite needful that a work of this kind should be possessed by every Sunday school teacher. We must, however, guard our readers from supposing that in every case the mode of pronouncing contained in this work, or in any other of a similar kind, is indisputable. Differences of opinion exist as to the way in which some words should be pronounced. We give examples. The word " Cephas," some authorities say should be pronounced See-fas, others say Kee-fas. The latter is most accordant with the Greek, which literally is, in English characters, "Keephas." Some authorities give both See-fas and Kee-fas, as allowable pronunciations, and leave the student to use which he prefers. Again, in the work now before us, Adoni-Zedec is pronounced, A don-e-ze-dek; but Reid pronounces it, A-don-i-ze-dek; Creighton pronounces it Ad-on-i-ze-dek! and Cruden pronounces it, Ad-o-ne-zee-dek. One more example may be given. The word Adrammelech, in the work published by the Sunday School Union, is pronounced A-dram-me-lek; but by Reid it is pronounced A-dram-e-lech; by Creighton Ad-ram-e-lech; and by Cruden Âd-ram-melech. From these examples it will be seen, that a person, having any particular work of the kind referred to in his hand, when hearing a speaker pronounce a word differently to his book, must not, therefore, in all cases conclude that such pronunciation is incorrect or unauthorised.

The Juvenile Companion and Sunday School Hive. Vol. III. 1850. New Series.

The

CONSIDERABLE enlargement has been given to this work. It is extensively patronized in many of the Sunday Schools belonging to the Wesleyan Methodist Association. Indeed, it is chiefly designed for the use of the scholars of these schools, and the young persons belonging to the members of the churches and congregations belonging to our Connexion. volume now before us contains a considerable number of highly interesting and instructive articles on a great variety of topics, and is ornamented with illustrative wood engravings. This work is published under the direction of the Annual Assembly of the Wesleyan Methodist Association, and is specially entitled to the support of the Sunday-school teachers and other friends of the Association. The Editor will be glad to receive from Sundayschool teachers and other friends, communications suitable for this work. It is remarkably cheap, and must have a very extensive circulation to defray its cost. This volume contains several interesting memoirs of young persons who have died happy in Jesus, and who were scholars in Sunday Schools belonging to our Connexion. A number of this interesting periodical is published on the first of every month, and the price is only one penny.

The Sunday School Union Magazine. Vol. VII. 1850. 12mo. The Bible Class Magazine. Vol. III. 1850.

The Child's own Book. New Series. 1850.

THESE are interesting and instructive volumes, and are published by the Sunday School Union.

Notes on the Scripture Lessons for 1851. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION. THOSE Sunday-school teachers who do not possess a good Commentary, or who have not time carefully to prepare notes to assist them in explaining the Scripture Lessons to their classes, will find the Notes on the Scripture Lessons" valuable helps. They are prepared by an experienced and talented minister of the Gospel, and although the notes are brief, they are distinguished by pointedness, clearness, and judiciousness.

66

The Union Spelling and Reading Book, containing Lessons chiefly extracted from the Holy Scriptures; and a Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names, with their pronunciation and explanation. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

THIS appears to be an excellent primer, from which children may be taught their alphabet, to spell, and to read. It contains lessons which are suitable for young persons as Sabbath-day exercises.

The Juvenile Harmonist; A Selection of Tunes and Pieces for Children. Arranged for two Trebles and a Bass. By THOMAS CLARK. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

SIXTY hymn tunes set to various metres; and twenty airs arranged for moral pieces. The Work is very well got up, and we think it remarkably cheap.

The Conversion and Death-Bed Experience of Mrs. Little, of Glasgow, who died at the age of eighteen. To which is added, A Guide to Peace with God. By JOHN LITTLE. 32mo. 188 pp. JOHN SNOW.

DECIDEDLY a first class biographical work. No one, we think, can read it without emotion and spiritual profit, unless destitute of sensibility. Mrs. Little became a Sunday-school teacher when in her fifteenth year. Her conduct had ever been such as won for her esteem and admiration; but she was not then converted. She, however, soon began to seek the salvation of her soul; and soon obtained a clear sense of her acceptance with God. When she was about seventeen years old she became married; and died soon after her confinement, rather more than twelve months after her marriage. She appears to have possessed mental and spiritual gifts of a very high order. Her experience when suffering from affliction, and on her death bed, was very delightful. The work is very well written. Many parts of it are beautifully touching and highly instructive. We strongly recommend this neat little, but truly valuable, volume to the notice of our readers.

A Rebuke to the Rev. J. Carveth; Or, Strictures on Recantation Demanded and Refused." By the REV. R. ECKETT. 8vo. 8 pp. WESLEYAN ASSOCIATION BOOK ROOM.

OUR relation to this pamphlet precludes our pronouncing any judgment thereon. We may, however, state it was called for by what we regarded as insulting misrepresentations. We have rebuked perhaps more sharply"

than in the judgment of some of our friends was advisable; but we considered that the circumstances, under which we had to write this pamphlet, justified an application of the apostolic exhortation to Titus, in reference to certain "vain talkers "Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith." We do not, however, mean in all respects to run a parallel between the cases of those to whom the apostle referred, and the conduct of the person whom we have rebuked. We only mean to intimate that sometimes sharp rebuke is absolutely needful.

Editorial Strictures Examined. A Rejected Letter, in Self-Vindication, to the Editor of the " Wesleyan Times." By ROBERT ECKETT. WESLEYAN ASSOCIATION BOOK ROOM.

8vo. 8 pp.

WE must beg our friends to read this pamphlet, and pronounce their own judgment upon its merits. We think, however, they will be of opinion, that the Editor of the " Wesleyan Times" is proved to have condemned himself, and to have made an attack, which he cannot consistently justify. This, we think, has been proved by his illnatured, puerile, and misrepresenting rejoinder.

The Sunday-school Teacher's Class Register, and Diary for 1851. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

The Sunday-school Teacher's Class Register for 1851. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

covers.

VERY useful works. The Register and Diary, is bound in cloth with stiff covers and leather back; the Register without the Diary is in flexible It must be very convenient to a Sunday-school teacher, to possess one of these works, suitable for the pocket, in which to record the names and residences of his, or her scholars, and to enter sums paid for books, and other memorandums.

The Infant Scholars' Hymn Book. 48mo. 64pp. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

A neat cheap little work containing hymns admirably suited for children of tender years.

Voices from Prisons and Penitentiaries. Respectfully Addressed to the Pastors and Teachers of Sabbath Schools. 8vo. 16pp. JOHN CASSELL.

THE facts recorded in this pamphlet are very startling. It appears, from the evidence which it reports, that a majority of those demoralized and unhappy creatures who throng our prisons and penitentiaries, enduring the punishment of their crimes, have been scholars in Sunday-schools. In nearly all these cases the influence of intoxicating drinks has led to the commission of the crimes which have involved the unhappy transgressors in disgrace and ruin. We accord with the opinion, that this is a subject which imperatively demands the special attention of the conductors and teachers of our Sabbath-schools. This tract ought to be widely circulated.