too etherial; they felt the need of something more tangible; and since they had not strength enough to let themselves be led of the Spirit into the holy of holies, which Christ had laid open for mankind, they fell back again into the flesh, and remained in the outer tabernacle, as it is called in the Epistle to the Hebrews, 9: 2. Hence, in the fifth century, there arose again in the christian church an external priesthood, and external sanctuaries, to which pilgrimages were made with the feet instead of with the heart; there arose an external sacrifice, inasmuch as Christ, who having once suffered and gone to the Father had procured an eternal redemption, was ever represented as offered up anew; there arose anew the burthen of the law, and the dominion of the letter.

On this ground we may also well explain, how catholic Christianity might find, and actually has found, among rude nations, occupied chiefly with external things, an easier admission than Christianity in its purer forms. In the catholic missionary reports, Indian converts relate with enthusiasm, how much more imposing is the appearance of a pater than of a preacher. The catholic father approaches with a measured step; he is clothed in a venerable robe, which at once distinguishes him from the world; without wife, without child, he seems, in the strictest sense, to be a stranger upon earth; he bears in his hand a consecrated symbol, the Saviour on his cross, as it were a spiritual sword, which he presents to all to kiss; the very touch of his hand imparts a blessing. On the other hand, the evangelical preacher comes in his blue coat; lives in the next hut with wife and children, like other mortals; possesses no prerogative of supernatural consecration; and carries in his hand only a book, out of which one must learn with great labour, and, when he has learnt, must first experience, in order to become a member of that church, which is only there, where the Spirit is. If, besides this, we call to mind, how easy the catholic clergy make conversion and entrance into their church,—and that because, according to them, the church must first exist, and then the Spirit, who can wonder, that they should be able to speak of thousands of converts, where evangelical missionaries can reckon only single ones!

As now the writer came to live, for a considerable time, in the central point of the Romish church, and could thus daily observe it with his own eyes, he must confess that the impression upon his mind was only strengthened, that on the whole the catholic

religion presents nothing more than a Judaizing Christianity; which, however, is not only as far above the Christianity of rationalism, as Judaism is above heathenism, but still higher; without, nevertheless, being itself the holy of holies to mankind.

That in which the ordinary Italian lives and moves, and which is to him the very centre of all his religion, is the ceremonial of his church, so carefully arranged, so comprehensive and applied to every object, and the result of so much calculation, even in its minutest details. In the arrangement of splendid ecclesiastical festivals, in the draperies of the churches, in the elegance and dignity of ornament and costume, the catholic clergy in general, like the Jewish of old, and especially the Roman clergy, are masters. The ceremonial of the church is described in prolix volumes; and many a prelate, who has become indifferent to every thing else, will speak of the riti solennissimi della Santa Gerarchia, as he would of a savoury viand. Of many of these ceremonies, it may also truly be said, that they include in themselves an important symbolical meaning; but how few are there, who think of this! A principal epoch in this cycle of ceremonies, is the choice of a pope. With what delight do the Roman clergy follow on, from beginnning to end, in the long chain of solemnities, which the death of a pope brings with it!

ART. VII. FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.

Extracts from a Letter to the Editor from Prof. HAHN of Leipsic. LEIPSIC, OCT. 8, 1831.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

I little thought to write to you again, before I should send off the article which I promised you for your noble (herrliches) Repository; and still it must be so. From the preface to the Hebrew Bible, of which a large number of copies go at the same time with this letter, you will see how I have hitherto been occupied with the publication of that work. I have neither found the time, nor has my conscience permitted me, along with my official duties, to think of any new labour. Of this, however, you may be assured, that I enrol myself with the greatest pleasure in

the number of contributors to your theological Journal. You have introduced me too favourably to your countrymen, in your preface to my article on Interpretation.-Be so good as to present to Professor Stuart my most heartfelt thanks for his excellent supplementary article; it is as if he had read my very soul; so fully must I acknowledge and adopt, in all essential points, his illustrations and additions. How much his name is esteemed among us, especially on account of his Commentary on the Hebrews, you have probably long since informed him.

The revolutionary movements upon the continent of Europe, and also those in our otherwise so honoured, peaceful, literary, mercantile Saxony, draw off the attention greatly from science and literature. Nevertheless, amid all the ruins of systems and edifices erected by man, whether of politics, or science, or of the arts, the invisible hand of the Lord seems to be introducing a new epoch, and many are seeking and inquiring, Where the kingdom of God is? But still we must reply, as once the Lord himself, that it is neither here nor there; because it does not come with outward signs, wherever it is really set up. The rationalist sect of Philalethae, of which I wrote in my former letter that it was endeavouring to extend itself from Kiel, has not been very successful. Even the rationalists disapprove of that earnestness, which is ready to separate itself externally from the church, because it has withdrawn from the faith of the church. At present, much attention is excited by the fact, that the Pastor and Prof. Scheibel of Breslau, Prof. Henry Steffen, and others, strict Lutheran Christians in Breslau, (it is said, near 300 families,) have been declared Separatists, because they will not assent to the Agenda and Union. The former is ad interim suspended from his office; and the latter has published a very interesting pamphlet, under the title: How can I again become a Lutheran, and what is my Lutheranism? Breslau 1831. pp. 181. 8vo. It is properly a confession of faith. Some pretend to say, that Dr Scheibel, with quite a number of families, will emigrate to North America.

Among the newest theological publications, besides those of Tholuck, there are two or three which are very highly esteemed; viz. Olshausen's Commentar über d. drey ersten Evangelien, Königsb. 1831. 8vo. and Der Brief an die Römer erläutert von W. Benecke, Heidelb. 1831. 8vo. 316 pp. The latter is a private man of letters at Heidelberg, who, without being a theolo

gian by profession, from love to the cause, has written this excellent work.

I hope soon to write more fully; and to send the abovementioned article. The blessing of God upon your labours and your family.

With heartfelt love and esteem, your friend,
AUGUSTUS HAHN.

ART. VIII. LITERARY NOTICES.

1. BIBLIA HEBRAICA, secundum editiones Jos. Athiae, Joannis Leusden, Io. Simonis aliorumque, imprimis EVERARDI VAN DER HOOGHT, recensuit, sectionum propheticarum recensum et explicationem clavemque Masorethicam et Rabbinicam addidit AUGUSTUS HAHN, Theol. D. et Prof. publ. ord. in Acad. Lipsiensi. Editio Stereotypa. Lipsiae, Sumptibus et Typis Caroli Tauchnitz, 1831.-In the first number of the Biblical Repository, p. 187, the Editor had the pleasure of announcing to the American public, the expected appearance of this beautiful edition of the Hebrew Bible. It is now with peculiar satisfaction that he is able to state, that the work was completed in October last; and two hundred copies have been received and already sold in this vicinity. The typographical execution is superior even to what was anticipated. The paper is white, firm, and good; the type is new, clear, and handsome; the vowel points, especially, are perfectly clear and distinct. The forms of some of the letters, perhaps, might have been made of more graceful proportions; but even in this respect there is no cause of complaint; while, in all respects, there is abundant cause for congratulation. The work is stereotyped, and can therefore be afforded very low. Indeed, this elegant Hebrew Bible may be, and is, imported and sold here, for a price less than that of our common English Bibles of the same form and size. We may therefore hope, that the time is not far distant, when the table of every minister of the gospel, who is able to appeal to the word of God in the original, will be adorned with a Hebrew Bible, as well as a Greek Testament; at least the excuse of scarcity and high price will not much longer be of any avail. May we not

hope too, that as the means of studying the original Scriptures are thus multiplied and made accessible, the number of those who are disposed to employ these means, will also be multiplied?

As editor of this edition, it has been the object of Prof. Hahn to follow sedulously the text of Van der Hooght, correcting only the typographical errors. His words are : "Nos igitur hanc nobis scripsimus legem, ut ipsum textum Hoogtianum intactum relinqueremus, nisi ubi vitiose esset exscriptus." The reason assigned for the choice of this text, is the uniform approbation with which it has been viewed, by all succeeding editors and scholars. Indeed all later editors, (except Jahn,) as Simonis, Rosenmueller, Judah d'Allemand, and Haas, have preferred to follow the judgment of Van der Hooght; so that this text may now be regarded as the Textus Receptus of the Hebrew Scrip

tures.

2. Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae. Editio ab B. NIEBUHRIO instituta. The republication of this great work was undertaken a few years since at Bonn, under the auspices of Niebuhr; and the authors already published, bear testimony to the learning and diligence of the respective editors. Since the lamented death of Niebuhr, the work is continued, and is to be completed, under the auspices of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Berlin; of which Niebuhr was an efficient member.

3. Der Prophet Joel übersetzt und erklärt von KARL AUGUST CREDNER, Professor der Theologie zu Jena. Halle 1831. 8vo. pp. 316. The author of this work is a theologian of the neological school; but the work itself is a storehouse of philological and historical illustration respecting this prophetical book. One fault, however, is the very superabundance of materials; which are all presented en masse, without that proper selection and condensation, which are the results, not of study and learning, but of exegetical tact and judgment.