wilderness almost impassable-scarce any thing but lofty mountains, deep valleys, and hideous rocks, brought them to Op-e-hol-hau-pung. This is now Wapwallopen, in Luzerne county. Their journey lay through the Lehigh Gap, and over the mountains which shut up the river in a narrow ravine, and which rise up in close succession between the Lehigh and the Susquehanna. Much of the journey Brainerd performed on foot, having been obliged to kill his horse, which had broken its leg. The washing away of the bank opposite Berwick a few years ago, laid bare a large stock of Indian utensils, knives and arrow-heads, indicating the existence of a considerable settlement there in former times. In May he made the same journey, and went up the West Branch one hundred miles, and preached to different nations. He was at Shamokin, and came down the river to an island called Juniatta, erroneously printed Juncauta-probably Duncan's Island. In September he again visited Shamokin, a place of fifty houses and three hundred inhabitants, speaking languages wholly unintelligible to each other; he went down to Juniatta, and returned to the Forks.

His last visit to the Susquehanna was in August 1746; he went through Chester and Lancaster counties to Paxton, to avoid the huge mountains and the hideous wilderness of the other route. At Shamokin he thought things appeared as they did on his first visit to Crosswicks. He went as far as Great Island in Clinton county, but his stay was shortened by the rapid increase of his disorder. He returned by the way he came, and soon was cut off from any further efforts for the heathen. He had previously made a journey in New England to look out for a colleague or companion, but found no person qualified and disposed for the work; but when he was sinking in weakness, his brother came to take his place, and his dying hours were cheered by having Spencer and Strong consecrate

their service to the Lord.

Brainerd found his mistake in supposing he would have no need of his patrimony while sustained by the Scottish Society; it cost him much self denial to continue aid to Greenman.

In the high estimate of Brainerd's piety, the other excellencies of his character are lost sight of. Edwards represents him as endowed with very uncommon abilities and gifts of nature; and as being a singular instance of a ready invention, natural eloquence, easy flowing expression, sprightly apprehension, quick discernment, and very strong memory, yet of a very penetrating genius, close, clear thought, and piercing judgment. He excelled in learning, had extraordinary knowledge of men and things, and an uncommon insight into human nature. Few men had such a power of communicating their thoughts; he had a peculiar talent at accommodating himself to the capacities, tempers, and circumstances of those whom he would instruct or counsel. His preaching was clear, instructive, natural, nervous, moving, and very searching and convincing. In prayer he was equalled by few. He was of a social disposition; remarkably free, entertaining, and profitable in his ordinary discourse; with great

ability defending truth and confuting errors. He was eminent as a divine.

How it illustrates his love for souls, to consider that with every thing in his favour had he sought great things for himself, he cheerfully encountered hardships, many and great, to testify the gospel of the grace of God to the neglected and perishing Indian.

K. H.

Review and Criticism.

History of the Protestants of France, from the commencement of the Reformation to the present time. By G. DE FELICE, Professor of Theology at Montauban. Translated by Henry Lobdell, M. D. New York, &c. 1851.

The French have a natural vivacity, which is quite charming, both in intercourse and in literature. An Englishman could never write a history like D'Aubigné's Reformation. Professor De Félice has the same kind of animated style, and interweaves anecdote with narrative, with a freedom that at times makes history biography. The history of the Protestants of France will never cease to be read with interest, whilst the gospel inspires the human heart with sympathy for the sufferings of the people of God. The work before us is divided into five parts. (1.) From the commencement of the Reformation to the opening of the Conference at Poissy, A. D. 1521-1561. (2.) From the Conference of Poissy to the Edict of Nantes, A. D. 1561-1598. (3.) From the promulgation to the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, 1598-1685. (4.) From the revocation of the Edict of Nantes to the edict of tolerance, 1685-1787. (5.) From the edict of tolerance to the present time, 1787-1850. These divisions are natural and assist in fixing the history in the mind. The dedication by the translator is a work of supererogation. The translation itself appears to be well done. The French edition of this work might be read to advantage by those of our youth who have been taught the French language, and who thus have ready access to good and to evil-too frequently, it is feared, to the latter.

Christ in Theology, &c. By HORACE BUSHNELL. Hartford, Connecticut, Brown & Parsons, 1851.

Dr. Bushnell's second volume has almost passed into oblivion already. We are somewhat surprised that the religious press has not taken more notice of it. The Doctor, not satisfied with defending his ill-qmened lucubrations, arraigns the orthodox New England view of the Trinity as " a virtual heresy." The orthodoxy of New England is found to be only a very plain and palpable heresy." "In regard to the Trinity, it turns out, beyond a question, that I am essentially orthodox, and New England essentially heretical." One would think this was sufficiently explicit, even for the Hartford Central Association. Dr. Bushnell is no Trinitarian, except in an

explained-away sense. In no one of the 134 Presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church would his plea avail him against a summary deposition from the ministry. The body of Christian men that hesitate to bear testimony against the theological aberrations of this deluded brother, incur great responsibilities. We have heard that a leading minister in Connecticut has said that the time has passed by when men are to be arraigned and disciplined for their opinions. Such a sentiment indicates a falling off from the Saybrook Platform, and if extensively prevalent, will soon introduce abundant heresies into the churches. Dr. Bushnell states in one place truly enough, that whilst some of the old Calvinistic doctrines of the forefathers have been modified by new philosophical views, the doctrine of the Trinity has been left to remain as it was. It has always been predicted that the new philosophy would end in grievous heresy. As Bishop Doane says, "It is hard to jump but half-way down a precipice." God alone can deliver our Congregational brethren from the troubles which now threaten them, and we trust He will yet deliver.

Religion of Geology. By EDWARD HITCHCOCK, D.D., LL.D. Phillips, Sampson & Co., Boston, 1851.

This is one of the boldest exhibitions of geological developments which American literature has yet produced, The book might just as well as not have been entitled "Speculations of a Geologer." One of its positions is that the deluge was limited to a small district country, and "those best qualified to judge, now doubt whether it be possible to identify one mark of that event in nature." "Modern geologists until recently have supposed that the traces of Noah's deluge might still be seen upon the earth's surface." "Among well-informed geologists, at least, the opinion is almost universal that there are no facts in their science which can be clearly referred to the Noachian deluge; that is, no traces in nature of that event." This dictum, for it is nothing more, may be received with a smile of incredulity by those who have traced the variations of Geology. Almost every geological work, except those yet wet from the press, has seen proofs of a universal deluge. It is indeed true that some of these books abound in many absurdities, like Buckland's Reliquiæ Diluvianæ about the bones in the Kirkdale caves; but we remember the day when a man was a heretic who doubted the Kirkdale revelations, and when the hyena bones were almost worshipped on the altar of science. Now, none so poor as to do them reverence. We reiterate the conviction, expressed in a previous number, that until Geology has recorded a few facts beyond the probability of a denial by her own votaries, those who are ouside of her magical circles may be well content to remain there. If the geological speculations respecting the deluge, contained in the standard Bridgewater treatises, have already been swept away by the copious waters of science, it is at least safe to wait until permanent landmarks reappear.

Let us attend for a moment to one or two of President Hitchcock's argu. ments against a universal deluge. "The first difficulty in the way of supposing the flood to have been literally universal, is the great quantity of water that would have been requisite. ." Few Christians, besides scientific speculators, will consider this a difficulty among the agencies of miraculous power. Nor do we see any reasons in science against a sufficiency of water for a universal deluge; for, if the natural resources of one district of country can produce water enough for a partial deluge, those of every other district might produce water enough for a partial deluge too; and thus the

deluge would be universal. The geologer may indeed assume that there were special facilities for an Armenian deluge; but we do not see why a universal deluge might not be got up on President Hitchcock's theory as well as a limited one. He says, "If the bed of the Indian ocean were uplifted by volcanic matter, struggling to get vent, vapour enough might have been liberated, to account, on natural principles, for the forty day's rain of the deluge. For it is well known that, in volcanic eruptions, drenching rains are often the result of the sudden condensation of the aqueous vapour." Now is it not just as easy for a miracle to uplift all ocean beds, or in some way to "break up the fountains of the great deep?" President Hitchcock says, "a second objection to such a universality, is the difficulty of providing for the animals in the ark." We reply, that science has yet to prove that individuals of the original species, out of which so many subdivisions have been produced, might not have been contained in the ark, according to the Scriptures. Science would also have some difficulty in proving the necessity of building so large an ark simply for the animals of Armenia. President Hitchcock elsewhere argues that there was no use of a universal deluge, inasmuch as a partial one would destroy mankind. But, according to this reasoning, where was the use of an ark at all, inasmuch as Noah could have easily emigrated from Armenia; and instead of labouring at an ark for many years, could have moved off, as Abraham afterwards did, to a distant land, and taken with him all the animals of his district. Fancy can bring forward at least as many arguments in favour of the scriptural account as against it.

"The third and most important objection to this universality of the deluge is derived from the facts brought to light by modern science, respecting the distribution of animals and plants on the globe." Dr. Hitchcock goes on to say that formerly the opinion of Linnæus prevailed on this point, which was, that all animals and plants had their commencement in a par ticular region of the earth. But now it suits geologists best to believe "that there must have been several centres of creation." And has Dr. Hitchcock been brought to believe this? We are not a little surprised at many of his unscriptural positions. He does indeed admit "that, without miraculous preservation, the animals could never have been brought together, nor again dispersed." But he does not believe that they were brought together at all; when, on his own principles as a Christian, there would, in view of a miracle, be no difficulty whatever. That the whole transaction of the deluge was miraculous, we are forward to assume, in the light of revelation. We infer that, as there were "several centres of creation," Dr. Hitchcock does not believe that God caused "every beast of the field" to pass before Adam, but only the beasts of the Armenian field. Does he also believe that there were "several centres of creation" for the human species as well as for the lower animals? Why not?

Dr. Hitchcock's book abounds in the most fanciful interpretations of Scripture-interpretations far beyond the "common sense" theory of many New England divines, and evidently induced by the necessities of geological dove-tailing. For example, the curse on the earth is, in his judgment, merely figurative. "The garden of Eden, where man had lived in his innocence, was doubtless some sunny and balmy spot, where the air was delicious, and the earth poured forth her abundant fruit spontaneously.... But now he is driven from that garden into regions far less fertile, where the sterile soil can be made to yield its fruits only by the sweat of his brow," &c. The curse of God on the earth was thus an original creation,

or as Dr. H. says "without any change in the productions of the soil." So the curse on man's body is interpreted as producing "no remarkable physical change." "The effect seems to have been chiefly confined to his intellectual constitution where we should expect the effect of sin to be primarily felt"! Of course Dr. Hitchcock symbolizes the changes which formed a part of the curse on the serpent: and he considers that interpretation the most natural which makes the serpent only a symbolical one." A great many things in this book are startling. We are glad of the opportunity of testifying against some of its theological and geological novelties. Geology has sunk to a very low point when it cannot trace a single vestige of the deluge upon the globe.

Our position on this whole subject is simply this-one of incredulity in regard to the main part of Dr. Hitchcock's speculations. Possibly the future may verify some of his positions (it hardly will all); and we shall be ready to confess our errors whenever the time shall come. In making our free and brief criticisms upon his book, we wish to bear witness at the same time to the piety and learning of its respected author-a gentleman justly esteemed by a large circle of friends. Notwithstanding our high respect personally for his character, we firmly believe in a universal deluge, when "all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered." We also believe that no "centres of creation" were excluded from its ravages, but that "every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth; and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark." We further believe that science will one day confirm this narrative in its common interpretation.

Pictorial First Book for Little Boys and Girls. Presbyterian Board of Publication. 1851.

Little boys and girls are the hope of the Church, and must be looked after with assiduous and pious care. Unless the young idea shoots right, it will be very apt to bear evil and bitter fruit. The Board of Publication know how to condescend to the estate of childhood. Through the patronage of "some kind ladies who love little children," they have prepared this elegant and seasonable work. May God bless those kind, loving ladies, the hard-working Board of Publication, and every boy and girl who reads the Pictorial First Book. The boys and girls who belong to our Church ought to read it; and many others too will get it. Rejoice, oh ye antisectarians; there is no sectarianism in this Presbyterian publication. It might even go into a "common school," unless some republican atheist or universalist should happen to glance at some "hard sayings." The illustrations, which will make many a young eye glow with delight, are of the highest quality of art. Mr. Vollum, who attends to this department, has as much "cunning skill" as any artist in the land. The contents of the work are very good. We are glad to see that sweet old hymn, which one of the best of men used to hear us recite every Sabbath evening

"Whene'er I take my walks abroad,

How many poor I see," &c.

This being the Pictorial First Book, the boys and girls will be soon looking for the Second. We wish that this was the commencement of a series of elementary text-books for the nursery, school, academy, and college, which our good Board were about publishing, in a long succession. But if they do nothing more, what has been done has been done well.