Page images
PDF
EPUB

one or two of a class, without ever having an opportunity to purchase any of the rest. In several instances, if you obtain one of the best authors of a particular class, it would be nearly, or quite superfluous, to purchase any other. There is, however, some use in knowing the principal writers of reputation, in the several departments of theological knowledge, although but a small proportion of them, should ever make a part of your own library; and this has had some influence in leading me to extend this second catalogue. In addition to other considerations, it occurred, that you might be concerned, as I have been, not only in naming books for a private library, but for one of a publick institution; which ought to be large and various, on the subject of theology, as well as on other subjects.

There are two descriptions of books, however, which I particular ly wish you not to suppose that I have put down, merely with a view to enlarge a catalogue. The first, embraces those which relate to the Syriac, Chaldee, and Arabic languages. I do hope that the time has arrived, when our young clergymen, especially, will think that these languages are worth their serious attention. Some of those who expect to be missionaries, may find them of primary importance to their usefulness; and there is no one, to whom they would not be sensibly advantageous. Neither is the acquisition of them, nearly as difficult as is commonly supposed. It is now getting to be common for our candidates for the ministry, to be pretty well grounded in the Hebrew; and of this the Syriac and Chaldee are only dialects, soon acquired, when the parent tongue is well understood. Schultens, certainly a very competent judge, affirms that the Hebrew itself, can never be well understood, without a knowledge of the Arabic, as well as the Chaldee and Syriac; and ac

cordingly his method of teaching was, to combine the whole into one system. Scott, you know, acquired and taught Arabic, after he was sixty years of age; and he had far more engagements beside, than clergymen commonly have. The secret of learning any language is, to set apart a short space for studying it diligently, every day; and not to be impatient because it cannot be mastered at once-The progress, at the end of a year, will be surprising. The other description of books, to which I wish to direct your special attention for a moment, is, the Greek and Latin fathers. I am as little disposed as any one, to consider the fathers as of any abso-` lute authority in the church. But there is certainly a considerable advantage in being acquainted with them. Begin, my son, and read them gradually and deliberately. They are, indeed, not easily obtained in this country. But begin with such as you can first get

the order in which they are read, is not of great importance.

The titles of Latin and French authors, I have generally given in English, and sometimes with abbreviations; because most booksellers will be more likely to know what book you want, when you inquire for it under an English and short title, than if you mention what a Latin or French author, has put in his title-page.

A number of English reviews are mentioned, but you will of course take but one; and I think that the Eclectick, which is avowedly Calvinistick, will best suit your taste and answer your purpose; especially if you also read the North American Review, published in our own country. This latter work has always been conducted under Unitarian or Socinian influence, and some very exceptionable articles have appeared in it occasionally. Of late, however, it has been less objectionable, and in general, the articles are ably written. It is of

importance to every literary man, and to clergymen not less than others, to keep what may be called an account current with the state of literature and improvement, in the world at large. Reviews are useful for this purpose, as well as for the good writing which they often contain, and for the summary account they furnish of valuable publications. It is to be regretted, that they are often so deeply tinctured with the prejudices and peculiar notions of those who conduct them.

I cannot conclude what I have said, in regard to books and read ing, without distinctly reminding you, that all your attainments should be made with a view to mi

nisterial usefulness. On a dying bed, or in the near view of eternity, it will afford us no comfort that we have read and learned much, if we have not applied it all to some useful purpose. It is a dreadful character, when nothing better can be said of a minister of the gospel, than that he was an accomplished scholar; and of such characters, the number, alas! has not been small. See to it, my son, that all your acquirements be consecrated to your Master's service. Make them with this view, and nothing will so much quicken your diligence; direct them to this end, and nothing will render them so satisfactory.

Affectionately yours,

FOR THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

A CHRISTMAS HYMN.

"Hark from on high! those blissful strains;
Whence can such sweetness be?
Have angels waked their golden harps,
With Heaven's own minstrelsy?

Or do we hear the cherub voice
Of infant bands, who raise,
Soaring from earth, celestial notes
In their Creator's praise?"

Thus spake the shepherds,-yet with dread;

So strange the sounds they heard,

While o'er their slumbering flocks, they kept
Their wonted nightly guard.

And soon they saw a dazzling light,
Beam through the starry way;

And shining seraphs, clustering where

The infant Jesus lay.

They came a Saviour's birth to tell,

And tunes of rapture sing:

Hence the glad notes that filled the air

Each swept his loudest string.

But now, in accents soft and kind,

The chieftain angel said,

"Heaven's tidings of great joy we bear,

Shepherds, be not afraid.'

Then suddenly th' angelic choir

Renewed the rapturous song;

While heaven's wide portals caught the sound,

And echoed it along.

"To all the kindreds of the earth,

Good news to-day we bring―

In David's city, lo! is born

A Saviour, Christ the king.

The Sovereign Lord of heaven and earth,
In swaddling bands is bound!

The Prince of Peace-transcendent grace!—
Is in a manger found!

All glory be to God on high,

On earth good will, and peace: From all above, and all below,

Let praises never cease."

Yes, and whene'er this day returns,

Till time itself shall close,

We'll hail the morn when Bethle'm's star
O'er Bethle'm's babe arose.

ON PSALMODY.

Miscellaneous.

(Continued from p. 543. vol. iii.)

Winnsboro', July 7, 1825. My esteemed Friend,-To-day you may think me departing from my straight line of duty. But remember, I am not preaching sermons, but writing letters: and for my letter I may take what motto I please. I choose to-day to take one from a book which is not the word of God.-M'Master's Apology, 3d edition, page 20.

[ocr errors]

Why, in a matter of doubtful disputation, to say the least of it, rend the church of Christ? Consider, ye friends of godliness, the great importance of union in the household of faith. Seriously reflect on the fearful consequences of disunion among those who love the Lord, and who ought with cordiality to love one another.”

This, and what immediately follows, I call eloquent: and it ought to be seriously considered by every lover of the Lord Jesus Christ. Wo to the man, that will cherish discord among the true disciples of his Lord! Wo to those who will tear asunder the bond of Christian unity, or keep it asunder when there is no sufficient cause! In proposing a plan for union among the members

of Christ's spiritual body, the author from whom I took my motto is very defective: for the Episcopalians (whose form of worship and church government, the body to which he belongs have solemnly sworn to destroy, as far as lies in their power,) also sing a versification of David's Psalms. Other sections of the church, which sing the same version, are so bitterly opposed to one another, that they cannot sit down together at the same Lord's table.

Can we not devise some scriptural plan for uniting every Christian in the world in the same external worship, as well as in the same sentiments? I propose the following for your consideration.

1. In all our publick worship, let the exercises of the day be commenced with the words of the Apostles, at the beginning of their epistles: "Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. i. 7; 1 Cor. i. 3; 2 Cor. i. 2; Gal. i. 3; Eph. i. 2; Phil. i. 2; Col. i. 2; 1 Thes. i. 2; 2 Thes. i. 2; 1 Tim. i. 2; 2 Tim. i. 2; Titus i. 4; Phil. 1. 3; 1 Pet. i. 2; 2 Pet. i. 2; 2 John i. 3; Jude i. 2. Almost every epistle has the same. introductory sentiment, and very nearly the same words repeated. This is sufficient to show the divine

right for using it. No person, one would think, could reasonably object to the opening of religious exercises every Sabbath in the same way.

We

2. Singing. Let a literal translation of the Psalms be sung. have not so much authority for this, yet very few would refuse to open their lips in songs of praise dictated by the Holy Spirit.

3. Praying. In this our Saviour expressly commands us to use his own words. When ye pray say,' &c. Luke xi. 2. In the scriptures there are a very great number of prayers: some consisting only of a verse or two, others of a whole chapter: upwards of forty of the Psalms are prayers. These scriptural prayers express every desire which the word of God authorizes. According to the circumstances and the wants of the congregation, the minister may connect some of the different short prayers, and express them as petitions to the Most High. It is said indeed, that the Lord's Prayer alone, expresses every thing that we are authorized to desire; that it is a collection of the rays of divine light into a focus, and of itself sufficient for prayer according to the command, "Let thy words be few." (Eccl. 5. 2.) "When ye pray, use not vain repetitions." But I think there are not many really pious persons, who would not join in other pure scriptural petitions, every word of which was dictated by the Holy Spirit.

4. Preaching. Our Saviour told his disciples, that the Holy Spirit would "teach them all things, and bring all things to their remembrance which he had said to them." John xiv. 26. He commanded them to "preach the gospel to every creature." What is the scriptural meaning of the word "preach ?" It is to proclaim the revealed truths of God. Now, let every minister in the world proclaim the truths of God, and nothing but the truths of God; and every Christian can with a

clear conscience attend his preaching. He can do this by reading; or, which is better, by repeating from memory, verbatim, a considerable portion of the scripture, every day that the congregation meets. "Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day." Acts xv. 21. In the Bible there surely is enough of variety to suit every case, &c. &c. Every Christian ought to sit and listen with pleasure to the pure and undefiled truths of God.

5. Let one of the apostolick benedictions close the exercises.

Now, if all Christians could meet together, could they not unite in sweetest harmony, in every sentiment uttered, "when every word and every sentence was taken directly from the scriptures ?"

Say, my brother, what think you of my plan? Would it not, if universally adopted, bring together the discordant parties, heal the wounds of the church, prevent future divisions, and preserve that harmony which the Psalmist extols so highly. "Behold how good and how pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity." Ps. cxxxiii. 1.

But methinks I hear you object, not so much to the intrinsic excellence of the plan itself, as to the impossibility of introducing it. You especially object to my proposing it, because it is not my practice. But you will observe, that I have not given it as my opinion that we ought thus to confine ourselves to the word of God; notwithstanding some of our friends charge us with idolatry, for bringing human composures into the solemn exercises of the sanctuary; and in most dreadful denunciations quote against us the text-"Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing."My plan is given for the benefit of those who think that this text applies to the subject. Let them in

troduce it. Let them reason and declaim on it. If they convince me that hymns of human composure are sinful, I shall as firmly believe that prayers of human composure, and especially extemporaneous effusions, are sinful-I shall believe also that sermons of human composure are sinful. And if in psalmody, a pure offering means the very words of sacred scripture, then certainly in prayer, a pure offering will mean the very words of sacred scripture; and in preaching too, a pure offering will mean the very words of sacred scripture. You cannot convince me of one, without convincing me of all. And shall I present a mixed offering, part pure and part corrupt? It would be absurd. Let all the exercises of the sanctuary be of a piece. Let them all be the very words of sacred scripture; or let them all be the sentiments of sacred scripture, so arranged and expressed, as we may think most conducive to our growth in grace.

half an eye, will discover the fact. Some want to blame human psalmody for introducing or spreading error in New England. Nonsense! It was human preaching!-It was metaphysical discussions on inexplicable subjects, produced by the pride of human intellect, which devastated that flourishing garden of piety, and sowed and cherished the vile weeds of Unitarianism. Suppose now we could, for one Sabbath day, have presented before us, all the preachers of the different denominations in our country, and hear what they utter: What a dreadful scene! Some, instead of reading the pure truths of the gospel, are venting their anathemas against other denominations-Some are imposing the ravings of an uncultivated, but excited imagination, on the people-Some are diving in the waters of metaphysical mysticism, and collecting the oppositions of science, to astonish their admiring audiences-Some are entertaining the polished wits of the age with the pure essence of malice against Jesus, which they had carefully distilled and refined the preceding week, in the alembic of their brain

Supposing then that some man of active aspiring genius should undertake to reform the church, and make it perfectly pure and perfectly united: Could he, I ask, adopt Some are eulogizing the Pope, a better plan than the one proposed? the saints, the relics of the dead, And if he should adopt this plan, and all the trumpery of superstihe certainly ought in his arguments, tion. But O how little comparato be specially pointed on the sub-tively, of the pure word of God! Ye ject of scriptural preaching. He Christians who love the truth, why ought to insist that " More depends do you not banish, as a deadly peson this part, than on all the other tilence, that system of human declaparts taken together. It was the mation, so fraught with moral desointroduction of human discourses, lation and spiritual death ?" instead of reading or reciting sacred scripture, that first corrupted the church. By human preaching, mere enthusiasts and fanatics scattered the firebrands of spiritual death, and hurrying multitudes through the wild vagaries of their corrupt imaginations, plunged them into inextricable labyrinths of error. By preaching human compositions, heresies have been spread and maintained, in every age and in every country. A glance at history with

Thus he might speak, and much more. He might take up the books written in favour of Rouse's version of the Psalms, and use every argument which they contain, by changing sometimes the words "psalms," "hymns," "hymns," "songs," into "preaching," "prayers," &c. He could use the same awful denunciations against those who differ from him. He could give his reasons, why the commands to pray, meant only to use the literal petitions of the word

« PreviousContinue »