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Review.-Brettell's Country Minister.

We do not think that Dr. Bruce glorified Redeemer is entitled to much solemn demonstrations of reverence than Of these divines, gains much to his hypothesis by shew- higher degrees of veneration, and more any other creature. ing that the pre-existence of souls has some feel no scruple in offering a degree been a prevailing Heathen and even of worship, of a nature, however, subor"confused" Jewish notion, or that he establishes a reputation for metaphy-dinate to that paid to his Father, while "that we are all at sics by arguing this moment in a state of pre-existence, with respect to the life to come -we are certainly now in a pre-existent state; and, for aught we can tell, we may have been in a state of being prior to this." P. 141.

The latter part of this Sermon is upon the example of Christ, and Dr. Bruce endeavours to shew that it is

peculiarly powerful upon the Arian scheme. Dr. Lardner (ubi sup.) objects to this scheme that it fails remarkably in this very particular, and his view of the subject is to us far more satisfactory than our present author's.

We quote one passage in which we are glad to see that Dr. Bruce avows himself an Unitarian in his worship:

"Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name that is above 'Wherefore;' that is, in every name.' consequence of his humility and resignation, in relinquishing his former glory, and not considering it as a matter of right, but of favour; and as a reward for his obedience to God, and the important service he had done to man, the Almighty exalted him, even above his former state of glory, and assigned him a yet more elevated rank in the spiritual world; 'that, at (or in) the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth; that is, that all creatures should do him reverence. It is not meant literally, as some understand it, that we should, on every occasion, bow the head or bend the knee, at the name of Jesus in particular, and not of Christ or Messiah; for this would be a very perplexing, impracticable and useless injunction: besides, that Jesus is not his distinguishing appellation, being But it is only the Greek for Joshua. implied, that he should receive honour and reverence from all mankind. With respect to the degree and mode of this reverence, there is a variety of opinions among divines: some are very scrupulous of exceeding in this respect, and carefully avoid it, even in their hymns. Others think that as there is a degree of external veneration due to superior age, rank or merit, among ourselves; and the demonstrations of it vary according to the just pretensions of the individual; so our

the large majority of Christians seem
inclined to make no distinction at all.
Among these sentiments each individual
will make a selection, according to his
own feelings and convictions. For my
worship, adoration, confession and sup-
own part, I am persuaded, that direct
plication, should be confined to the Al-
ferior being, I conceive to be absolutely
mighty. Any transfer of these to an in-
forbidden by the Supreme Being himself;
We
and in his own case expressly rejected
and disclaimed by our blessed Lord
are not, therefore, to address our prayers,
in any case, to Christ, but to the Al-
mighty, through him as Mediator.
tions, (Revelation,) when John fell down
would say with the angel in the Revela-
before him, See thou do it not; he is
with our Lord himself, Thou shalt
thy fellow servant,-worship God,' and
worship the Lord thy God, and him only
shalt thou serve.' "-Pp. 142–144.
(To be concluded in the next Number.)

I

(Part Second.) A Poem, in Three
ART. III. — The Country Minister.
Cantos, with other Poems. By the
Rev. J. Brettell. 12mo. Pp. 181.
Whittakers.

HE readers of Mr. Brettell's

Tformer poems will receive with
They will
pleasure the announcement of the
little volume before us.
again be delighted with nature, sim-
plicity, and all the melody of verse.
My object, in this poem," says
has been,
the author, (Pref. p. 6,)
to describe the retired and domestic

64

66

life of a Country Minister; possess-
ing from nature an imaginative and
sanguine temperament of inind, but,
from the melancholy impression left by
the misfortunes of early life, and from
the gloomy influence of secluded ha-
bits, as well as adverse circumstances,
at a later period, inclined to pensive
and querulous musings." The de-
scription of a course of domestic en-
joyment uninterrupted by disappoint-
ment and care and sorrow, might have
been more attractive to the reader, as
well as more pleasing to the writer;
but it is sometimes, even in our hours
to the house of mourning, than to go.
of literary amusement, "better to go

'to the house of feasting:" the mental and corporeal sufferings and untimely death of the hero of this tale may be an useful lesson to those whose respectful attention and friendly exertions would save many a man of worth and genius from a similar fate; whilst the melancholy sketch at the same time, warns the retired student against the morbid sensibility to which his habits and situation render him peculiarly liable, and which too often counteracts the influence of pure principle, pious feeling, and conjugal happiness. The effect of penury and anxious care is well portrayed in the 5th Canto : "Opposing duties now distract his mind, With care perplex'd, to toil too long confin'd:

For when, with day's laborious work oppress'd,

His weary frame demanded needful

rest,

The lonely vigils of the studious night Were oft prolong'd to morn's returning light,

Which mingled with his lamp's expiring gleam

The faint, cold lustre of its purer beam;

And day itself, ere sleep had clos'd his eyes,

In all its brighter radiance oft would rise,

Glow o'er his cheek, pale as some marble tomb,

And shew, but not revive, its faded bloom.

"Oh! bless'd, whose days in one pur suit are spent,

To one sole object all their studies bent,

Not wanting leisure, when the mind, o'erwrought,

May rest from too intensely labouring thought.

With baffled aim th' exhausted spirit tries

In fancy's lofty flights sublime to rise: Its heaven-born powers unfold their wings with pain,

And in the effort sink to earth again, Whilst, spent with toil, the soul can rise no more,

Compell'd to creep, tho' longing still

to soar.

"How oft o'er his vain toil would Alfred sigh,

Hang o'er the blotted page with thoughtful eye,

And hope success, tho' late, would crown his care

Vain hope! at last resign'd to sad despair.

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of Alfred's wife, how justly he appreThe author shews, in the character ciates the power of a timid, gentle grity, when the worldling and the bigot female to support her husband's intewould tempt him to adopt a more sufferings when his overtasked mind is lucrative religion, and to alleviate his quitting its earthly abode: we select the two following passages:

"Her soul beam'd forth indignant in her glance :

Renounce thy creed!-nay first renounce thy life,

And perish all-thy children and thy
wife:

Ere thou for gain forsake thy father's
God,

And leave the path in which thy sires
have trod.

No: let the worst of human ills befall

Virtue, unmov'd by pain, can bear them all,

Less wretched, when oppress'd by hardest fate,

Than vice, tho' dress'd in purple robes of state.

Oh! then, my Alfred, as in all the past,

Still let thy worth be upright to the last

To others leave their splendour, and their pride,

And let the sons of wealth the poor deride:

Thine be the greatest bliss to mortals
given,

A peaceful conscience, and approving
Heaven!'

"Woman! dear partner of our softer hour

On life's frail stem the loveliest, ten-
derest flower-

Thy form so slight, so delicately fair,
It asks supporting love's most gentle

care

When every sunny beam of joy is fled, And sorrow's tempests darkly round us spread,

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Where man's more boasted strength would feebly shrink, Undaunted stands on ruin's awful Pp. 52, 53. « When Fortune's sunshine gilds youth's roseate bowers,

To lie inglorious 'midst the scented flowers,

And bask beneath the light of beauty's smile,

Or breathe the whisper'd vows that still beguile,

This is not love-tho' such it falsely

seem

To hearts entranc'd in passion's idle dream

But, when life's sunny beams are all

o'ercast-

Joy's sweet flow'rs wither'd by misfor

tune's blast

Unmurmuring then, to tread the dreary shade,

That cheerless want and its dark woes have made,

Smile 'midst the gloom, and, with the

tender art

Affection teaches, raise the drooping

heart:

Or, should disease throw its destructive
blight

O'er days of bloom, and hope, no
longer bright,
To watch with patience near the suf-
ferer's bed,

Wipe the chill brow, and hold the
fainting head,

Whilst the full eyes are rais'd to heaven
above,

And sorrow swells the heart-Oh!
this is love."

Pp. 95, 96. Some copies, the author informs us, of the first part of "The Country Minister,” remain unsold; but should any one who has the volume now published be unable to procure the former, the merit of the work consists so little in the mere incidents, that the second part may be read with pleasure by itself.

ART. IV.-Compiled Prayers, adapted
to Family Worship and Closet De-
votion: with an Essay on Prayer.
12mo. Pp. 196. Bristol, printed
for T. J. Manchee; and for Taylor
and Hessey, London. 1823.

THIS little manual of devotion is

compiled by the respectable author of the "Appeal to Scripture," "Brief Account of the Unitarians," &c. (See our last number, pp. 172, &c.) It consists of services for morning and evening, and for the Lord's day, and of "Occasional Prayers" for children and young persons, and adapted to the various changes of the For simplicity, human condition.

pure doctrine and rational fervour, we can cordially recommend it as a companion to the Closet and FamilyAlter.

Of the "Essay," a highly-esteemed minister, whose mind and character render him a truly competent judge, says, in an extract from a letter lying before us,

"I have never met with any thing on the subject so likely to lead men to pray, and at the same time free from admixtures of what would lead them to pray as to the effect of prayer, and full of wrong or to form baseless expectations weighty directions as to the way of obtaining the spirit of prayer."

In this eulogium we cordially join. We differ, however, from the Essayist on one point. He censures (p. xvi. Note) "the recapitulation of new invocations of God at the head of successive prayers," which we humbly think may give peculiar efficacy to our supplications and thanksgivings. The practice takes off the tedium of what Dissenters, with too much truth, call the long prayer. Who does not admire the Collects of the CommonPrayer Book and the Missal, of which the appropriate invocation is the great beauty? A hynn of praise is naturally addressed to the Giver of good; a penitential psalm to the Father of mercies; and a prayer in affliction to the God of all comfort.

OCCASIONAL NOTICES OF AMERICAN
PUBLICATIONS.
(Continued from p. 179.)

WE were led to commence this according to the principles which he

department of the Repository, by the desire to contribute to a greater acquaintance between the English and the American Unitarians; and we began with the Correspondence on the Prospects of Christianity in India, (published at Boston, U.S.,) because it presents a field for mutual co-operation, in which, however, each body is called to labour, and may labour ef fectually, whether the other do or not. As we have already stated, the pamphlet has been republished in England; and we earnestly recommend it to all of our readers who have not yet perused it.

As we have proceeded in our examination of the Correspondence, we have been increasingly struck with the soundness of the views which Mr. Adam unfolds, and the matured wisdom and comprehensive prudence of his suggestions. We are quite satisfied that it cannot be long before the English Unitarians in general will be strenuously solicitous to cooperate with him, and to afford him the means of carrying on, with effect, those services which he is disposed and qualified to render to the cause of Christian truth. But such efforts must not be too long delayed. The work will eventually be done; but, as respects our own exertions, and the individual whose services we may now secure, the time may be passed before we set about it with full purpose and efficacious zeal. It seems impossible to peruse the Correspondence without the conviction that an opening now exists which demands our earnest efforts. We say nothing as to the stigma under which the Unitarian lies, as being deficient in zeal for the promotion of the gospel among the Heathens: we will not here enter on the causes or excuses for our past inactivity: but we say that Providence has opened the door; and that if the life and health of Mr. Adam are preserved for Christian usefulness, and he is enabled by the American and the English Unitarians to devote himself to the great work,

has himself laid down, and to carry them into effect with the wisdom that marks his communication to Professor Ware, the best results may reasonably be anticipated.

In the able and perspicuous details before us, we have evidence of Mr. Adam's talents and the right direction of his views. In the absence of all moral stigma from those whose creed he has left, and in the direct testimony honourably borne by some of them to his principles and conduct, as well as in other considerations, we have adequate ground for the conviction that he is worthy of our confidence. On some points, too, on which the Englishman can scarcely be a competent judge, we have the best evidence in the testimony of Rammohun Roy: and we will here cite those parts of the Correspondence in which that eminent person speaks of Mr. Adam. In answer to Dr. Ware's seventh inquiry, "What is the number of Unitarian Christians, and are they chiefly Natives or Europeans?" Rammohun Roy thus writes:

"The Rev. Mr. Adam is the only Unitarian Missionary in Bengal, and he publicly avowed Unitarianism so late as the latter end of 1821. Notwithstanding the many disadvantages under which he has been labouring, he has brought this system of Christianity into notice in this part of the globe; as previous to that period many did not know that there was such a thing as Unitarianism, and others their prejudices for the corruptions of tried to stigmatize it, in proportion as Christianity prompted them to abuse reason and common sense, without fear of contradiction. Mr. Adam, although he has made no avowed native couvert, has already received every countenance from several respectable European gentlemen, and from a great number of the reading part of the native community in Calcutta." -P. 133.

The next inquiry respects the treatment of the Unitarians by other Christians: to this we find it replied,

"The manner in which the rest of the

Missionaries have treated Mr. Adam,

since his avowal of Unitarianism, is indeed opposed to the whole spirit of Christianity. But towards other Unitarians, their conduct in general is similar to that of Roman Catholics towards Protestants." -Pp. 133.

"

In reply to the twelfth inquiry, respecting the aid which may be given by Unitarians to the cause of Christianity in India, Rammohun Roy expresses himself with great earnestness and hope:

"Every one who interests himself in behalf of his fellow-creatures, would confidently anticipate the approaching triumph of true religion, should philanthropy induce you and your friends to send to Bengal as many serious and able teachers of European learning and science and Christian morality, unmingled with religious doctrines, as your circumstances may admit, to spread knowledge gratuitously among the native community, in connexion with the Rev. Mr. Adam, whose thorough acquaintance with the language, manners, and prejudices of the natives, renders him well qualified to co-operate with them with every prospect of success." -P. 136.

On the testimony of one so fully qualified to judge, that Mr. Adam possesses a thorough acquaintance with the language, manners, and prejudices of the natives, we have reason to rely with complete satisfaction; and we would ask our Unitarian brethren, on both sides the Atlantic, whether, when the finger of Providence thus points, we have not reason to believe that the time is now come? In efforts to communicate sound knowledge, preparatory to the reception of the gospel, many liberal persons might be found to unite with us and if we are satisfied with spreading the knowledge of the gospel and its simple practical truths, with the earnestness of affection, as the doctrine according to godliness, and as affording the best hopes and guidance to accountable beings, without entering on those controversies which divide the followers of Jesus, it is probable that intelligent persons who differ from us on those controverted points would rejoice in our success, and probably contribute to aid it. Even if they think that eventually the christianized Hindoos will become Trinitarians, they would be satisfied in teaching the gospel, in the first instance, as Peter taught it to Cornelius. But however this might

prove, it is to our minds clear what the call of duty is to those who believe, according to the simple import of our Lord's words, that this is life eternal, to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent. The most sanguine among us could not have anticipated, ten years ago, that such an opening and such means of employing it, would be presented for the communication of the simple truths of Christianity, as are now existing in Calcutta.

Before we return to Mr. Adam's portion of the Correspondence, we will conclude our references to the latter part. Rammohun Roy is decidedly of opinion (p. 135) that much encouragement may be expected from the enlightened classes of the natives of Hindoostan, when the Unitarian system of Christianity is properly inculcated among them: but he is equally decided, that the great bulk of the natives, before they can be prepared to receive it, must be raised by the communication of English knowledge. And the way is happily open for such communication. In reply to the fourteenth question-" Would it be useful to establish Unitarian Missionary Schools for the instruction of the children of natives in the rudiments of a European education, in the English language, in Christian morality, mingling with it very little instruction relative to the doctrines of Christianity, leaving them chiefly or wholly out of view, to be learned afterward from our books and our example?"-he expresses his conviction (p. 137), that it would "certainly be of great use, and that it is the only way of improving their understandings, and ultimately meliorating their hearts:" and he afterwards says,

"The desire of educating children in the English language and in English arts

is found even in the lowest classes of the community, and I may be fully justified population of Lengal would be exceedin saying that two-thirds of the native ingly glad to see their children educated in English learning."—P. 137.

1. It is interesting to learn from this highly-gifted Hindoo, that this desire for our knowledge is not confined to those who are in the lowest classes of the community. In reply to the fif teenth inquiry he says,

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