and all of men's moral and political plans, however insignificant, shall not be passed by. Perfect knowledge produces modesty, an extended vision only gives correct information. But while it is right for ministers to extend their field of vision as far as possible, all this human knowledge, whatever its name, should be looked upon as contemptible when compared with the divine effluence of sacred writ; nor should its attainment, even for a single day, conflict with present effort to promote the Redeemer's kingdom. It must be wrong to spend more time, prompted by a mere instinctive thirst for knowledge, which an unregenerate mind may feel as well as a child of God, which may burn in Satan's soul as well as glow in Gabriel's, than in that particular work for which the Holy Spirit has designated us. The gospel is unyielding and definite in its claims. It has ever been the policy of our great enemy to give an elasticity to its requirements that would allow them to swell into absurdities, or diminish into practical non-existence. Were the professed ministers of Christ in these United States to become thoroughly imbued with the spirit of the Bible, such a spirit as we might rationally expect from a prayerful, docile examination of its truths, the ecclesiastical history of our country for the next ten years would be far different from any other portion in all timelike the first century of our Lord, but we verily believe more extended and abundant.

We hear much of a learned ministry. Have we forgotten that God can work by a holy ministry, whether learned or unlearned? Have we forgotten our origin, as Christians?-For the immediate successors of the apostles were unlearned. As Methodists? Have we forgotten many of our fathers? A learned ministry, though each member of it were skilled in all the wisdom of man, able to charm listening multitudes by his eloquence, to astonish the most profound by his deep investigations and fund of knowledge, and had thus, on account of his talent, obtained proper credentials from the church as a minister of Christ-a learned ministry like this would be the greatest curse to the church and world. Every such imbodiment of unsanctified learning in ministerial character would be a miniature Satan. But a holy ministry God will honor, learned or unlearned. If learning rests upon the sanctified, it blends well with the gifts of the Spirit. The fire of intelligence in the eye mingles well with the beamings of Christian love.

Let the Bible, then, be the object of unceasing study. It is for this reason that we hail the publication of this book as eminently useful. It is not information, but a guide to it. Its object is to encourage and assist in the examination of a book, which, if ever the

millennium arrive, will be-if not published in mammoth illuminated editions, nor praised for its poetry, nor principally valued for its antiquity and curious information-enshrined in the hearts of Christians, and universally acknowledged and appreciated as Heaven's best gift to man. H.

Amenia Seminary, May 16, 1847.

ART. IX.-Sketches of Matters and Things in Europe.

THE place where we set foot for the first time upon European soil was in Liverpool, England. It was on a beautiful afternoon that we came up the Mersey in the steamship "Britannia,” with colors flying, and cannon discharging, and hearts pulsating with delight at having successfully terminated a somewhat perilous voyage across the Atlantic.

1

We immediately saw evidence of some extraordinary exciting cause. Small sail and steam boats were plying up and down the river, and streamers were flying from the tops of hundreds of masts, while the docks were crowded with well-dressed persons, who seemed to say, Ye are indeed happy to have arrived just now. No sooner were we boarded by an officer from a small steamboat in quest of the queen's mail, than we learned that a great pageant was just in the act of coming off. Prince Albert was in town to lay the corner-stone of a new dock, and also of a new mariners' hospital.

This, thought we, is good luck; but we were soon taken all aback by the information that our baggage could not pass the customhouse until the next day, as the officers were all enjoying holyday. Notwithstanding this, trunks and packages were slowly coming up from the hold. The first mate was surly, and would give us but little satisfaction in our anxiety and haste. Presently a gentleman stepped on board, and cried out to this subaltern mariner, "Out with the luggage! you ought to have had it on deck before you touched the dock." Now matters were a little changed. The man, whose voice during the passage had pealed through the rigging and seemed to strike terror to the hearts of the poor tars, now, in his turn, is struck dumb by the stern voice of authority, and bounds for life fore and aft to redeem himself from the suspicion of inattention to his duties.

In short order two pyramids of trunks, boxes, bundles, and packages, were moving upon huge carts toward the custom-house.

There a scene followed. Trunks were turned inside out, and clothing and all sorts of matters-dirty linen, hats, caps, boots, shoes, &c.-were strewed about in wild confusion. It was well for him who had the faculty of looking honest, and who had his baggage in a compact state, indicating him a mere traveler. A poor old Frenchman, who had a countless number of unmentionables in an ugly square box, was infinitely vexed; and muttered and grumbled sadly, in consequence of having the whole mass not only stirred up from the bottom, but unceremoniously scattered upon the pavement. We were suffered to pass with a slight inspection, and betook ourselves to our quarters; but the procession had disappeared.

The prince, with the noble lords and gentlemen, had retreated to the place of entertainment; and, with all the aid that roast beef, plum pudding, and generous wine, could afford, were trying to make themselves happy.

In the mean time we were taking our first meal in old England. After taking our seats by a bare table, we were put to our trumps to give the waiter information as to what we would have. A few common articles were, after some hesitation, mentioned. Observing us to delay, the waiter said, "Your tea is ready." There it was, sure enough, before us. Everything was in the appropriate receptaclethe hot water in the teapot, and the tea in the canister! "Waiter," said one, "why don't you make the tea?" The fellow took the hint, and shoveled a quantity of tea into the pot, and shut down the lid. At the proper time one of the company poured out the tea, and we proceeded.

After the cloth was removed, a talkative Englishman, lying upon a sofa, commenced a yarn of edifying gossip about the royal family. "The queen knows how to discipline Albert, there's no doubt of that a royal express came on last night, ordering the prince not to sit at the table after twelve o'clock; and at that hour he promptly retired." Much more of the same sort was said which we shall not record. At length he turned and accosted us:-"You are from America?" "Yes, sir." "You came in the steamer." "Yes, sir." After several questions about our passage, he began to touch our nationality. "And did you really want to get into a war with Great Britain?" "Some did, but the great majority-in which was embraced all the better sort-did not.” "Well, her majesty was making vast preparations. England is the most wealthy and powerful nation in the world. We should have annihilated your commerce and destroyed all your seaports in two months.' "That would not have been an easy task," responded we; "but what

then? We have a curious way of swallowing up armies of foreign invaders in America, and we can fortify any position in a few hours with rocks and stumps in such a way as to defy British powder and ball." "Poh! that's American brag." "Well, but don't you know that you spent a million of dollars in the late war in bombarding a small fort, without removing a stone, and only killing and wounding less than a score of persons?" "No! where was that?" "At Baltimore, where Gen. Ross was killed." "There's some mistake about that." "No mistake, sir, on our side of the water. There are many things connected with the wars between Great Britain and the United States which are all wrong, or were never chronicled here, which in America had a real existence, and are left upon the records of history." "Well, America is a great country, no doubt, but England could buy the whole of it and sell it again." "Not exactly. British gold failed to enslave America when she was young and weak, and the possibility of success in that line is constantly receding." So terminated this edifying conversation. This, thought we, is a fair specimen of the manners against which we shall have to fight our way through the kingdom. But, happy for us, it was the first and the last foolish conflict of the kind into which we were tempted to enter, until we left her majesty's dominions.

At night there was a grand illumination, which we went to see. After patrolling the streets until late bedtime, and becoming almost blind with gazing upon the brilliant spectacles which glared upon our vision on every side, we retired to rest.

Liverpool is the second seaport in the British empire. It stands on the shore of the Mersey, two hundred and four miles west of London. Ancient records show that the name had, during the unsettled state of orthography, undergone some changes. At different periods it was written Litherpul, Ly'rpul, Lyurepul, Lyrpole, Lyverpole, Lurpool, and Leverpool, until custom fixed it in its present form. Its etymology is uncertain; but the most probable conjecture is that which derives it from lither, lower, and pool, with reference to a small creek, in an act of parliament called "The Pool," which formerly occupied the site of the old dock and Paradise-street.-See Ed. Enc.

Liverpool is not among the ancient towns of Great Britain, but has arisen into importance within the last fifty years; within which time it has more than quintupled its inhabitants. It carries on an extensive commerce with the West Indies, South America, the United States, and the East Indies. Four-fifths of the trade between the United Kingdom and the United States now centres in

Liverpool. As a packet station, perhaps, it is second to no port in the world except London. The packet ships, or liners, to NewYork and other ports of the United States, for beauty, size, and speed, are justly admired. They leave the port weekly, and, together with the Atlantic steamers-five of which are now running, and their number is to be increased-constitute a chain of communication between Liverpool, and New-York, and Boston, so constant and regular in its operation as to bring this great emporium of England and our commercial ports into close connection, and almost immediate proximity.

During the civil war, Liverpool was invested by the royal troops under Prince Rupert, and finally taken. It was, however, soon recovered by the parliamentary troops: in the mean time the town suffered severely, great part of it being destroyed by fire.

"The markets of Liverpool are very remarkable structures; that of St. John occupies nearly two acres of ground, the whole under one roof, supported by one hundred and sixteen pillars.

"The zoological gardens comprise ten acres of ground, and are laid out with a good deal of taste.

"The manufactures of Liverpool are not important. There are several sugar refineries, some small foundries, a good deal of shipbuilding in wood and iron, a manufactory of steam engines for vessels, and manufactories of anchors, chain cables, and similar articles naturally in demand in a large port.

"The value of the corporation estates is estimated at three millions of money, and the annual income, derived from rents and dock dues, has increased to upward of three hundred and twenty thousand pounds. A great proportion of this income has been devoted to the improvement of the town, including the building of churches and other public edifices. The sum expended in these objects, and in widening the streets, between 1786 and 1838, amounts to one million six hundred and sixty-eight thousand three hundred pounds.

"The site of Liverpool is low and unhealthy. According to the registrar-general's return of births and deaths, the deaths and marriages are double, while the births are little more than half, the number of the average of all England.

"In 1700 the population of Liverpool was only four thousand two hundred and forty; in 1841 it amounted to two hundred and twenty-three thousand and three. It returns two members to parliament.

"The country around Liverpool abounds in every direction with fine residences. Of these the most important are Knowsley Hall,