Second edition,

1. Treatise on the Offices of Christ. By the late George Stevenson, D.D., Ayr, Author of a Dissertation on the Atonement, &c. 8vo, pp. 530. Edinburgh: W. P. Kennedy, 1845.

2. Chambers' Information for the People. New and improved edition.

Edited

by W. and R. Chambers, Editors of Chambers' Edinburgh Journal, Educational Course, &c. Royal Svo, 2 vols., pp. 800 and 800. Edinburgh: 1842. 3. Cyclopædia of English Literature; consisting of a Series of Specimens of British Writers in Prose and Verse. Connected by a Critical and Historical Narrative. Edited by Robert Chambers. 2 vols. Royal 8vo, pp. 672 and 717. Edinburgh: W. and R. Chambers, 1844.

4. Chambers' Miscellany of Useful and Entertaining Tracts. Vol. 1. Fcap. 8vo. Edinburgh: W. and R. Chambers, 1845.

5. Presbyterian's Armoury. Lex Rex, or the Law and the Prince. By Samuel Rutherford. Along with which is printed, De Jure Regni apud Scotos; a dialogue concerning the rights of the Crown in Scotland. By George Buchanan. Royal 8vo, pp. 283. Edinburgh: R. Ogle.

6. Protestant Missions in Bengal Illustrated: being the substance of a course of lectures delivered on Indian Missions. By J. J. Weitbrecht, Church Missionary. Second Edition. Fcap. 8vo, pp. 344. London: Shaw, 1844.

7. Conversation Amicale entre des Protestants et des Catholics Romains: ou, Exposé du Christianisme tel qu'il est professée dans la Communion Protestante. Par E. M. Racine. Bruxelles: Murquardt. Edinburgh: Whyte and Co. 1844. 8. Ancient History.

The History of Greece. From various authentic sources, both ancient and modern. With two maps. Royal 8vo, pp. 384. London: The Religious Tract Society.

9. The Miracles of Christ: with Explanatory Observations and Illustrations from Modern Travels. 18mo, pp. 212. London: Tract Society.

10. Bible Stories for the Young. By C. G. Barth, D. D. Old Testament. Translated from the thirtieth German Edition. 18mo, pp. 280. London: Tract Society.

11. Missionary Book for the Young. A first book on Missions. 18mo, pp. 120. London: Tract Society.

Third Edition.

12. The Almost Christian Discovered. By the Right Rev. Ezekiel Hopkins, Bishop of Londonderry. 32mo, pp. 172. London: Tract Society.

13. Moderatism: a Glimpse into its History and Workings. By J. Jeffrey, Licentiate of the Free Church of Scotland. Fcap. 8vo, pp. 55. Edinburgh: C. Ziegler, 1845.

14. The Glory of the Christian Dispensation: being the substance of Lectures on the Eighth and part of the Ninth Chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews. By the late Rev. R. M. M'Cheyne, Minister of St Peter's, Dundee. From the Notes of a Hearer. 18mo, pp. 123. Dundee: Ogilvie, 1845. 15. The Entire Correspondence between the Four Congregational Churches in Glasgow, and the Congregational Churches at Hamilton, Bellshill, Bridgeton, Cambuslang, and Ardrossan, on the Doctrines of Election and the Influence of the Holy Spirit in Conversion. With an Appendix. Svo, pp. 190. Glasgow: James Maclehose, 1845.

16. Piety and Intellect Relatively Estimated: addressed especially to those who from profession or predilection are engaged in study, as also designed and accommodated for all readers in the community. By Henry Edwards, Ph. D. Third Edition. Fcap. 8vo, pp. 481. London: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. 1843. 17. A Vindication of the Free Church in Cannobie, in answer to a Letter addressed by George Maxwell, Esq. W. S., Prior's Linn, to the People of Cannobie. By the Rev. George Innes, Minister of the Gospel in Cannobie, 8vo, pp. 23. Edinburgh: W. P. Kennedy, 1845.

18. A Token of Love for Little Children. By the Widow of a Madras Officer, Author of Memorial of Christian Affection. Dedicated to the Lord Bishop of Cashel, &c. 12mo, pp. 196. London Nisbet, 1845.

19. Lectures on Foreign Churches. Lecture 1. Introductory-" The Relations in which the Churches of Christ ought to stand to each other-Principles of Union and Mutual Duties." By Robert S. Candlish, D.D., Minister of Free St George's, Edinburgh. 12mo, pp. 38. Edinburgh: W. P. Kennedy, 1845.

THE

PRESBYTERIAN REVIEW.

JULY 1845.

No. LXIX.

ART. I.-Impressions of America and the American Churches. From Journal of the Rev. GEO. LEWIS, one of the Deputation of the Free Church of Scotland to the United States. Edinburgh: W. P. Kennedy. 1845.

MR LEWIS has modestly, and, we think, with propriety, entitled his book Impressions of America and the American Churches.' In the course of a short visit of six months, as it would be impossible to investigate thoroughly many of the most important features of American civilisation, society, and religion, so it would be rash, and might lead to wrong conclusions, to set forth the results of so brief an inquiry as displaying with entire accuracy the state of matters sought to be investigated. The author has evidently availed himself of every opportunity of searching out and recording the most valuable facts in connection with such subjects as must ever, in the estimation of the true lover of mankind, and, above all, of the true Christian, be those of chiefest interest. The amount of information contained in his pages is very considerable, we would say very great, taking into account the circumstances in which it was collected. The reader, leisurely arranging and digesting the facts which these pages contain, will, through their help, be able to arrive at something like a satisfactory view of the civil, educational, and ecclesiastical institutions of the United States. Whilst it is chiefly to the state of education and religion that the author has directed his attention, there are also scattered through the volume, as was to be expected from one of Mr Lewis's known activity, intelligence, and powers of observation and reflection, many most interesting sketches of the leading and characteristic features of the political and social habits of

VOL. XVIII. NO. II.

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our Transatlantic brethren. His descriptions are in general excellent. They have about them that precision of outline, individuality, and truthfulness which at once show that they have been drawn directly from nature, by one possessed of a quick and discerning eye, and also of a ready and dexterous hand. As his descriptions are clear and vivid, so his reflections are always acute, and sometimes profound, going down often to greater depths, and indicating the true bearings and relations of many important matters with a maturer sagacity, than the reader might perhaps be at first disposed to anticipate, from the sparkling, fluent, and half-conversational style in which, from beginning to end of his book, the author so felicitously writes. It is an excellent book. The reader will find it one of lively and fascinating interest.

Almost everything connected with the institutions of America has given rise in this country to long and animated discussions. It is not difficult to see how this should have happened. It is an easy matter, in support of a cherished theory, to appeal to facts which can neither be well authenticated nor denied. That such a use has been made, in many instances, of statements and statistics regarding the civil and ecclesiastical institutions of the United States of America, will be admitted. We are far from insinuating that the admission throws any stain or suspicion on the motives of those who may have employed such appeals as arguments confirmatory of what they, in their understanding and conscience, were convinced was right and true. It is no easy matter for those at such a distance, and whose only source of information is the accounts of correspondents or visitors, to arrive at sound conclusions respecting American affairs, even when they may be actuated by pure motives and unimpeachable intentions. Amidst so many and conflicting materials, it requires more leisure than most can command to institute such a process as shall thoroughly sift each fact-to arrange each fact in its own place, and to give no more than its own importance-to detect how far party feelings and interests may have unintentionally given a colour to any particular set of details—and, in short, penetrating the principles of which forms and institutions are the visible exponents, to arrive, in the first place, at clear views of what the principles are, and, in the next place, at sound apprehensions of what the principles are worth.

Amongst intelligent people the benefits of education are highly appreciated: amongst Christian people the necessity of a religious education is intensely felt. The subject being brought before them, the same degree of interest will be felt in it whether by Americans or Englishmen. The difficulties in the way of devising and carrying out large and enlightened plans of education may be very in different places; but the interest which the subject creates will be much alike,—intelligence, sound principles, and a real desire for the

different

interests of society being supposed. In America, where, so far as government is concerned, all religious parties occupy the same level, the church and the state, theoretically and practically, have nothing to do with each other. The subject, however, of the education of the young, a subject which, in several of its features, runs so closely up to being a religious question, and which, in one feature of it, and that the most important, becomes almost purely a religious question, -has occupied the attention of the legislative authorities in the several states of the Union. They have anxiously turned their attention to the evils of the young being allowed to grow up in ignorance of the difficulty, if not the impossibility, of this evil being wholly avoided, without the interposition of governments. They have concluded, that it is the duty of governments to provide education for their subjects. Such provision has accordingly been made, national schools and a national education furnished. Here the question of religion comes in, What is to be done,—is religion to be totally excluded from the schools? This would seem to follow, were the principle to be carried fully out, that in no case whatever may the magistrate interfere with religion, either for its promotion or discouragement. But an education in which there is no element of religious belief is monstrous and unnatural. It would carry things to disorder and ruin. It would do this even as concerns civil constitutions and governments. Whether at the dictate of this or of other views, we find that, in many of the national schools of the states, the Bible is used as a class-book. This, however, is an injunction,-it is to be read without note or comment; in other words, the teachers must abstain from giving any such explanations as would bring out the differences existing between one Christian denomination and another; or rather, as would insinuate that any such exist. How vague and purely abstract the religious instruction given at the schools is, may easily be inferred. When the question of a national education was under the consideration of the authorities in the several states, they felt themselves shut up to the alternative, either, that no state provision be made for education, or that what concerns religious instruction must be so elementary and general, as to give no bias to the schools as indicating any leaning or partiality to one religious denomination over another. Very great and laudable efforts,' says a writer in the North British Review, in a singularly lucid and comprehensive article on the United States of North America, have been made for promoting the general education of the community. This is effected by a general assessment upon the inhabitants. Indeed, education is almost the only object for which the people seem willing to tax themselves. It is generally admitted there, that an obligation lies upon the community to make provision for affording to the young the means of education, and this obligation is to a large extent well dis

6

charged. The annual assessment,' he adds in a note, for the support of the public schools in the state of Massachusetts, amounts to a dollar a-head for every individual in the population, while about half as much more is paid to academies and private schools. An assessment at the rate of a dollar a-head for the whole population would produce in Scotland considerably more than L.500,000, and in England above L.3,000,000 annually.'

The following extract from Mr Lewis' Journal is to the same purpose:

:

"In their efforts for the universal education of the people, several states of the Union present a lofty contrast to the tardy movements of the British Government. The farewell advice of Washington was, Promote, as objects of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge.' Nobly have the states of New England, and the central states, acted up to the advice of the greatest and best of American statesmen. By the last, the Seventh Annual Report of the Secretary of the Board of Education for Massachusetts, the number of the population between four and sixteen years of age, in 1842-3, was 184,896, out of 737,699 of total population, or about a fourth. Of this fourth part, 133,448 are attending the public schools, besides those attending the academies and private schools, not dependant on the state, who are returned as 12,000 more, making in all 147,448 under education, or about a fifth of the whole population. This is a result on which the New Englanders may justly congratulate themselves, exceeding any thing to be found, not only in Old England, which is behind most European nations, but in Old Scotland, which can only produce a favoured parish here and there with so large a school attendance, and which, as a whole, has never had more than a tenth of her population at schoolthat is, one half of the New England attendance. The school system of Massachusetts is admirable for its diffusiveness. It has penetrated to every recess of the state, and searched with infinite diligence every district, leaving no blank and uneducated spots. Its efforts have not been in favoured tracts of country, like those of private enterprise, but partaken of all the characteristics of a comprehensive national enterprise, commensurate with the wants of the entire population. The difficulty of obtaining teachers has been the natural difficulty of a new country; and if they have not met this difficulty as they ought, by raising the mercantile remuneration of the schoolmaster, they have erred, in common with Scotland, whose parochial schoolmasters are still left by her heritors to a maximum salary of L.34. This result has not been attained but by great national efforts and sacrifices, if sacrifice that can be called, which a nation spends on its own children. They have expended on the erection of new school-houses, within the last five years, a sum 634,326 dollars, or about L.126,865."

of

Having stated the rate of assessment for the carrying on of these schools, which rate is given in the above extract, and which, with a public school-fund, yields L.147,519 per annum, Mr Lewis goes on to remark :