but that it is defective. The essence of the Atonement lies in satisfying justice and magnifying law, through substitution and sacrifice. It is the attempt to confine men rigidly to this one poor 'forensic' illustration, that is objectionable in Old Schoolism.' Atonement is not strictly legal, especially after the manner of human law. If it were,

law would be only upheld. But Atonement does far more. It glorifies law, makes it more illustrious, magnifies it."

To these specimens of the higher Philosophy, in its various departments, we must add at least one specimen of literary criticism-and that the more as it includes a professed model of Biblical Exposition. This is from one of the twenty-seven critiques, on new books, which make up the last article-the notice of the venerable Dr. Spring's new work, "The Contrast between good and bad men illustrated by the Biography of the Bible.”We present the following "kitchen knife" cutting up of Dr. S.:

"It has never occurred to us to know an example of a man as much overrated, intellectually, as Dr. Spring. He has, indeed, certain good qualities, such as a kind of solemn dignity, mingled with the intelligence and experience of a moderately intelligent man, and the vein of piety which runs through all the sermonizing of Calvinistic divines."

"We are tired of paying these prescriptive Sound Dues to solemn mediocrity. We will praise any man cheerfully who deserves it, of whatever 'school' or denomination he may be; but one of the privileges and characteristics of the Church we belong to, is to estimate men and things just as they are, and to give the public our opinion, with entire fearlessness."

"So little do we know personally of Dr. Spring, that it was not until we had written the above, and the printers were waiting for it, that we heard, by the merest accident, that he had been afflicted, during the last six months, by bodily disease, from which we were glad to learn he is recovering. Our first thought, on hearing this, was to cancel the whole that we had written. On second thought, we concluded to let it remain. Personally, we need hardly say, we desire the welfare of Dr. Spring, and of every other good man. But, as critics, we are vexed and pained at the state of literature, and if we allow the common place of high degree to go scathless, we shall have no heart to encounter the small fry."

So much for the critical observations on Dr. Spring, which we suppose, the Critic, that received so gentle a lecture from this Review for its roughness, is to keep before it, as a model of dignity, delicacy and refinement. This, we would infer from the style in which this Reviewer undertakes to "set a copy" for Dr. Spring, when he would portray scripture characters. Here is the model:

"Let us see how Dr. Spring handles Joshua :

1. 'Joshua was influenced by a supreme regard for the command of God.' Take away the name Joshua,' and put 'Abraham,' for instance, or Enoch,' and the description is just and true.

2. There was an humble sense of his entire dependence upon God.' Take out 'Joshua,' and put in 'Jeremiah,' or the 'Apostle John,' and would it not be quite as good, or rather better.

If the reader turn on us, and ask us for something that will characterize Joshua and no other Scriptural model, we will try to meet that demand.

Joshua was the Jewish hero; his character was essentially military; he was, a pious captain. His faith took the form of implicit obedience to the Lord of Hosts, the Commander in Chief of the Universe, and as a consequence of this implicit faith and obedience, he had perfect confidence in himself as the chosen instrument of God. All great captains have this. It may be seen in Mohammed, Gustavus Adolphus, Cromwell. The early Greek and Roman commanders felt it; even Attila thought that he was the scourge of God, and Napoleon had a singular idea that he was an instrument of fate. Joshua's mind had comparatively little of the range of that of Moses or of David. He never wrote a Psalm. His speeches are military orders, or else pithy statements like Wellington's: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.' His courage was military; unswerving, unflinching, straight-forward, like Jackson's or Taylor's. He had too, the courtesy and grace of a soldier, and in his expiditions, the coup d'ail that always characterizes

great leaders; for example, Hannibal, Conde, Washington. The Gibeonites, with their old shoes and stale provisions, would not have imposed upon David; and yet as a purely military stratagem, as at Ai, Joshua was capital. His piety, in short, had every characteristic of a soldier's, and the man was a simple-hearted and noble hero. If one wishes to draw a parallel after the manner of Plutarch; let us say that Joab was a great captain, but he was fierce, cruel, irreligious and selfish; Jonathan was a most noble and brave gentleman, who could fight with even romantic bravery, but his fighting was like Sir Walter Raleigh's, an accomplishment rather than a profession or taste; David was a great strategist, but he was king, statesman, poet, scholar as well; but Joshua is very like Claudius Lysius, the Roman captain, who came down on the mob at Jerusalem that were misusing Paul, examined impartially into the case, treated him courteously, and then, without troubling himself with either the politics or religion of the business, sent him skillfully, by night, with sufficient escort, to the Roman procurator. Heroic, simple, faithful, pious, generous, courteous, straight-forward, without much scholarship or extraordinary range of mind, except as a general; such was Joshua Could Dr. Spring's hearers get any idea of such a man from his common place generalizing, in which every saint is made pretty much like every other saint?"

Surely every body will know Joshua, from this very spiritual view of him! We hope Dr. Spring will profit by this model and learn the art of philosophical discrimination. The Reviewers tell us, in their notice of Mr. Barnes' new book-"Mr. Barnes' associates in this Review, feel as if they could not say less: while their position towards him precludes them from saying more!" We think Mr. Barnes peculiarly fortunate in his position, if inquisition is to be made into his power of discrimination-as evidenced in his Scriptural Expositions. Certainly we have rarely seen a more unlucky hit than that-"paying Sound dues to solemn mediocrity:" and that too in a Review of which Mr. Barnes is one of the editors. We have heard it stated as fact-though we doubt not it must have been intended as merely the theory of the creation of the "Notes"-analogous to the "Nebular Hypothesis" as a theory of the Creation of the Universethat in the process of making the "notes," a sort of long table or counter was erected on which all the obtainable commentaries were laid out, open at the chapter and verse, to be annotated upon-and the commentator passing along from book to book, culled any remark that struck his fancy. Certainly the want of discrimination, so often manifesting itself in utterly contrary interpretations of the same passage, would seem to make this theory, as plausible at least, as that of the Nebular Hypothesis aforesaid. If Dr. Spring's venerable years and great services to the world should not have spared him this ferocious attack, yet one would have supposed that the instinctive dread of turning the public attention upon the book-making performances of his censors, should have prevented its coming from such a quarter. But most remarkable of all, in our view, is the fact that any one, while in the very act of throwing stones, should have set up such a glass house, as this piling-on-the-agony description of Joshua. We have not the least idea, that Dr. Spring, could ever rise to the lofty height of that model! Let it stand rather like that immortal Assembly of '54"one by itself." And as men are wont to speak of the Appollo Belvidere, -the Venus de Medici, or the "Death on the Pale Horse," so let this model stand forth among Biblical students, as "The Joshua."

EDITORIAL EXCHANGE.

"A Collection of the Acts, Deliverances, and character, so that if you allow your adverTestimonies of the Supreme Judicatory of sary a respectable character, they will think, the Presbyterian Church, from its origin that though you differ from him, you may be in America to the present time. With in the wrong. Sir, treating your adversary notes and documents explanatory and his- with respect, is striking soft in a battle. And torical: constituting a complete illustration as to Hume, a man who has so much conof her polity, faith and history. Compiled ceit as to tell all mankind that they have for the Board of Publication, by the Rev. been bubbled for ages, and he is the wise Samuel J. Baird. Philadelphia, 1856." man who sees better than they,-a man We return our thanks most heartily, to who has so little scrupulosity as to venture the author of this compilation. We know to oppose those principles which have been him well, and love him as a laborious and thought necessary to human happiness-is he to be surprised if another man comes self-denying servant of Christ, and as a sound and true hearted Presbyterian. There and laughs at him? If he is the great man he thinks himself, all this cannot hurt is little glory to be got, of course, from a him: it is like throwing peas against a compilation; but we doubt not that any rock." work which has been undertaken for Christ's sake, and for the edification of His people, will be remembered by Him, who does not forget even a cup of cold water given to a disciple in His name. We know nothing of the nature of Mr. Baird's engagement with the Board, but we earnestly trust that his labour will be amply remunerated. considerably abate the power of his blows. Such a Digest was greatly needed; and We do not mean that he ought to have now that we have it, we hope that it will abused him, but why praise him? The two be a book of constant reference among our great rules for conducting controversy, acministers and elders. An acquaintance cording to Warburton, are contained in with it will save a great deal of trouble. It Prov. 26: 4, 5 and his interpretation,is true, the decisions of the Assembly have which, by the way, was vastly better than his practice-was, if our memory serves us, not always been uniform on all points; on some points of immense importance, we be-that we are to answer the fool according to lieve, that venerable court has greatly err- his folly, by convicting his principles of ed: and so long as the principle of rotation folly; and we are not to answer him accontinues to be the basis of the election of cording to his folly, by abstaining from the commissioners, to so great an extent, and use of his manner and spirit. And there is always a "difference" to be "made" the size of the body remains the same, we must expect these conflicting and unsatis- (Jude 22, 23,) according to the nature of factory decisions. Still there are some the opinions we oppose. Erros which we

The writer, against whose conclusions Mr. Bayne's book is mainly directed, is Thomas Carlyle: and we cannot but think that the frequent laudations of that eccentric genius in which Mr. B. indulges, will have the effect of boxer's gloves, and very

believe to be subversive of the very foundapoints of order, upon which the Assembly's interpretations have been tolerably uniform: tions of all truth and goodness, we are calland brethren who carry up matters from ed upon severely to denounce. It is upon the lower courts, may save themselves the mortification of being thrown out sometimes, by looking into this Digest. The work may be had at Mr. Guiteau's

Book Store.

this ground, in part, that the imprecations in the Bible, especially in the Psalms, are to be justified. We freely confess, that we have little patience with the man, who can "unmask a grand imposture," with as much sang froid, as he would point out a vicious element in a mathematical demon"The Christian Life, Social and Individual. stration. We very much fear, therefore, By Peter Bayne, M. A., Boston, 1855." that Mr. Bayne's discussions will turn out (From Rev S. Guiteau's Book Store.) to be, in regard to a large class for whom We have been reminded in reading this they are designed, "like peas against a book, of Dr. Johnson's criticism upon Be-rock."

attie. "Sir, said he to Boswell, "he This fear is increased, too, by the appahas written like a man, conscious of the rent want of maturity in the results. Sometruth, and feeling his own strength. Treat-body has said of Coleridge, or he said of ing your adversary with respect, is giving himself,-we forget which-that he resemhim an advantage to which he is not en-bled the lion in Raphael's account of the titled. The greatest part of men cannot creation :

judge of reasoning, and are impressed by

now half appear'd

The tawny lion, pawing to get free
His hinder parts.

"My Father's House; or The Heaven of the Bible By Jas. M. Macdonald, D. D.— Charles Scribner, New York, 1855." (From Mr. Guiteau's.)

The products of his mind seemed to be, generally, in the process of evolution, rather than completely evolved. And so, we This treatise appears to be the substance might say of our Author. He says himself of a course of sermons on Heaven, and is in one place (p. 40) :-"We can but add a well printed. The Sermon-style, however, few fragmentary remarks, which we pray we think, is not well adapted to the purposes readers to regard rather as partial indica- of a treatise. It is true, that nearly all the tions of what might be said, than as any valuable matter of this sort, that has come unfolding of the momentous and inspiring down to us from the old Puritan divines, themes to which they relate." This it ap- was first delivered in sermons: but then pears to us, is a correct description of the the sermons were not sermons, but treabook generally, so far, as we have been tises. We hope this book may be useful: able to examine it. Let any man compare but we despair of seeing, in this generation, the "Eclipse of Faith," or "Reason and any devotional writings, at all comparable Faith their Claims and Conflicts:" and to such works as Howe's "Blessedness of he will understand the difference between the Righteous," or Owen's "Meditations on Mr. B. and a lion who has fully pawed the Person and Glory of Christ." himself out. We have felt, while reading "The Christian Life," as if we had before "Readable Bibles."-Stopping in at the us, a daguerreotyped picture of the author's store of our friend Mr. Guiteau, a few evenmind in the study of the subjects he intend-ings ago, we found an aged servant of ed to discuss those spontaneous musings Christ, looking for a copy of the Word of into which he might be supposed to fall, God, which he might read with comfort: while poring over the pages of Carlyle, rath- and it has occurred to us as a wonderful er than the mature conclusions of a reflective thing, that with all the zeal of Christian exercise of thought. But we judge, from men in the circulation of the Bible, more certain ambitiousness of style, that he is adequate provision has not been made for still a young man. the wants of this class of Christ's people. Having said this much with great dif- If the type is large enough, then the bulk fidence, we will add, that, notwithstanding, and weight of the volume is so great, as we believe him still to be a lion; and that to render it impossible to hold it in the the world has a right to hope great things hands, for any length of time: if the volof his future career as a writer: and we re- ume is reduced to a convenient size, then commend all who can, to get his book and the size of the type must be correspondingread it. He has a noble spirit, and wely reduced, to say nothing of the nuisance trust that some of our self-conceited bab- of double columns. Cannot the American blers in the dialect of Carlyle, may catch a Bible Society issue a cheap edition of the little of it. A little modesty will do them Bible, in several volumes?

no harm.

There are some good suggestions-among other very questionable ones-in an article in the last number of the Edinburg Review, on "Par"A Memoir of S. S. Prentiss. Edited by agraph Bibles." We hope to be able to his Brother. 2 Vols. N. York, Charles recur to this subject again. Scribner, 1855." (From Mr. Guiteau's.)

SOUTHERN PRESBYTERIAN REVIEW.

Oct.

This Memoir consists mainly of the Let-1855.-We have read this number with ters and Speeches of the distinguished Law-more than usual pleasure. The subyer and Statesman, who is the subject of it, jects discussed are all of them of high inte with a thread of narrative sufficient to rest-and the tone and manner of them weave them together. The lives of our full of life and vigor. We were particularpublic men, furnish an impressive illustra-ly struck with the spirit of article on "The tion of the effect of our complicated system Philosophy of Utility," and the spiciness of government, in developing the intellec- of the "Types of Mankind." Every critic tual resources of the nation, as well as of knows how laborious an operation it is to the vanity and vexation of spirit which at- lash an ass. We commend to attention of tend the pursuits and conflicts of ambition. all whose calling it is to have that duty The letters in these volumes, present a very to perform, to study this model. We are attractive view, specially attractive, be- gratified to find such an article in a Quarcause somewhat rare, we fear,-of Mr. terly as that "On Organs;" because it inPrentiss's domestick relations. The Speech-dicates that the importance of the princies, of course, give no adequate idea of Mr. ples involved in that subject are beginning P.'s powers as an orator. 66 Eloquence," to be appreciated. Our limits, however, says Robert Hall, "cannot be painted." forbid a more extended notice of this No.