in negociation with a resident in Tahiti for the purpose of establishing a pearl-fishery on Elizabeth Island, situated in the neighbourhood of that which they had left. The individual wished, for this purpose, to purchase, of one of the missionaries, a schooner which had been built to enable the missionaries to visit the islands, to which, by means of native teachers, a knowledge of the gospel has been conveyed. Mr. Williams, the owner of the vessel, was not willing to part with the ship; and this circumstance will, in some degree, account for the injurious representation which is given of the conduct of the missionaries.

The assertion that the Pitcairn islanders "did not willingly quit their island, but at the instigation of those who went to seek them," is evidently at variance with the facts already stated. No intelligence has yet been received of their dissatisfaction; and the other parts of the account, in reference to which these remarks are offered, are, in all probability, not entitled to greater regard than those which have been already shown to be entirely without foundation.'

In the press, and speedily will be published, "The Martyrs of the Valleys, and other poems, by Samuel Stennett, Author of Memoirs of the Rev. W. Ward, late of Serampore," &c.

ART. XII. WORKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED.

HISTORY.

The Cabinet Annual Register, and Historical, Political, Biographical, and Miscellaneous Chronicle, for the Year 1831. Royal 18mo. 8s. in Cloth, or 10s. 6d. Morocco.

Strictly neutral in politics, this work aspires to present to the public, a History of the Year at once brief and Comprehensive.'

History of the Jews, in all Ages. By the Author of "History in all Ages." 12mo. 10s. 6d. half bound.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Times, a Sermon preached Dec. 18, 1831, in the Baptist Chapel, ChippingNorton, Oxon. By William Catton. 8vo. price 6d.

Quintus Servinton, a Tale, founded upon Incidents of Real Occurrence. 3 Vols. 12mo. (Hobart Town, printed.)

POLITICS.

On Political Economy, in connexion with the Moral State and Moral Prospects of Society. By Thomas Chalmers, Professor of Divinity in the University of Edinburgh. 8vo. 12s.

Essay on the Right of the Hindoos over Ancestral Property according to the Law of Bengal. By Rajah Rammohun Roy. Second edition. With an Appendix, con

taining Letters on the Hindoo Law of Inheritance. 8vo.

THEOLOGY.

Dissertations on the Principles and Arrangement of a Harmony of the Gospels. By the Rev. Edward Greswell, M.A., Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. In Three Volumes, 8vo.

Harmonica Evangelica, sive Quatuor Evangelia Græcè pro Temporis et Rerum Serie in Partes quinque Distributa. Edidit Edvardus Greswell, A.M. Coll. C. C. Apud Oxon. Socius. 1 Vol. 8vo.

A Treatise on the Authority, Ends, and Observance of the Christian Sabbath, with an Appendix, containing a Variety of Documentary Evidence respecting prevalent Abuses, and Means for their Suppression. By the Rev. Duncan Macfarlan, Minister of Renfrew. 12mo. 4s.

Illustrations of the Christian Faith, and Christian Virtues: drawn from the Bible. By M. S. Haynes. Author of "Scenes and Thoughts," &c. 12mo. 3s.

TRAVELS.

Illustrations of the Mussulmauns of India: descriptive of their Manners, Customs, Habits, and Religious Opinions. Made during a Twelve Years' Residence in their immediate Society. By Mrs. Meer Hassan Ali. 2 Vols. 8vo.

THE

ECLECTIC REVIEW,

FOR APRIL, 1832.

Art. I.-1. The Divine Authority and Perpetual Obligation of the Lord's Day, asserted in Seven Sermons, delivered at the Parish Church of St. Mary, Islington. By Daniel Wilson, M.A. Vicar. 12mo. pp. 206. Price 2s. 6d. London, 1831.

2. Brief Remarks on the History, Authority, and Use of the Sabbath. By Joseph John Gurney. Second Edition.

103. London, 1831.

18mo. pp.

3. Four Lectures on the Law of the Sabbath, as contained in the Scriptures. By Henry Forster Burder, D.D. 18mo. pp. 111. Price 2s. London, 1831.

4. Discourses on the Sabbath. By Ralph Wardlaw, D.D. 12mo. pp. 295. Price 4s. 6d. Glasgow, 1832.

5. The Modern Sabbath examined. 8vo. pp. xiv. 297. London,

1832.

6. The Ordinances of Religion practically illustrated and applied. By John Davies, B.D. Rector of St. Pancras, Chichester, and Author of "An Estimate of the Human Mind," &c. 8vo. pp. xvi. 308. Price 7s. 6d. London, 1832.

:

7. A Treatise on the Authority, Ends, and Observance of the Christian Sabbath with an Appendix, containing a Variety of Documentary Evidence respecting prevalent Abuses, and Means for their Suppression. By the Rev. Duncan Macfarlan, Minister of Renfrew. 12mo. pp. 271. Price 4s. Glasgow, 1832.

8. Three Sermons on the Lord's Day. By the Rev. John Forbes, Minister of the Outer High Church, Glasgow. 18mo. pp. 118. Glasgow, 1831.

9. Third Annual Report of the General Union for promoting the Observance of the Christian Sabbath, presented May 10th, 1831.

VOL. VII.-N.S.

ΙΙ

With the Proceedings at the Anniversary, &c. 8vo. pp. 24. New York, U.S. 1831.

10. The Sabbath Question, a Question of Civil and Religious Liberty; or the Legal Establishment of a Weekly Rest essential to the Liberties and the Rights of the People. 12mo. pp. 48. Price ls. London, 1831.

11. The Law of the Sabbath, Religious and Political. By Josiah Conder. 8vo. pp. 64. Price 2s. 6d. London, 1830.

IT

T would be unreasonable to expect that the writers of practical treatises should in all cases feel bound to acquaint themselves with what may have been written upon the same subject by their predecessors or contemporaries, whether on their own side or in defence of opposite sentiments. The less of a polemical character such works assume, the better. It is obvious, however, that little advance is likely to be made in settling a long standing controversy, if writers pro and con decline the trouble of ascertaining the true state of the argument, and evade the very difficulties and reasonings it is their business to grapple with. It is not a little vexatious to find the champions of truth spending all their force in the demolition of abandoned positions, and overlooking the intrenchments of error; nor is it less provoking to find the advocates of erroneous opinions gathering up confuted arguments, and trying to point them afresh, regardless of the discomfiture of their predecessors in the contest. A fair dealing with evidence involves the rendering of full justice to the arguments of an opponent; but this is both more rare and more difficult than is generally supposed. Nor do those writers who seem the most honestly in search of truth, always adhere to this principle of fair dealing. No one will question Archbishop Whately's love of truth; and yet, in his tract upon the Sabbath, he has certainly exhibited no adequate anxiety to make himself acquainted either with the true grounds of the sentiments which he impugns, or with the answers that had been furnished to the objections he brings forward. The fact is, that the learned Prelate is a fearless thinker, but by no means an equally deep and thorough reader; and his apparent unfairness is attributable, simply, perhaps, to the rashness of writing upon such a subject as the Moral Law, without considering or appreciating the language even of the Thirty-nine Articles.

Of the publications now before us, one only has for its avowed object, to disprove the perpetuity of the Sabbath, all the others being designed to vindicate and enforce its Divine authority and permanent obligation. The Author of "The Modern Sabbath Examined," will have no reason to be offended at being characterized as a disciple of Dr. Whately, with whose writings he is

evidently familiar, and whose independent spirit of inquiry he appears to have caught and emulated. As his volume is of more recent date than the other publications on our list, it might be expected that some of them would have been noticed by him; but we have met with only a passing reference to sentiments advocated in our own pages. Of course, no one of these works can be expected to furnish a direct refutation of the arguments of the present Writer. Under these circumstances, our main business, in resuming a discussion which has already been very fully entered into in our pages", * will be, to examine our Examiner, to point out the errors into which he has fallen, and if possible, to gain over the acute and intelligent mind of the Writer himself to the side of Truth. Dangerous and pernicious as we cannot but deem the sentiments he advocates, not only have we no right to question the purity of his motives, but we really entertain no suspicion of his sincerity, integrity, and love of truth; and we agree with him, that by free and temperate discussion, such as he has here exemplified, truth must be the gainer. Upon the whole, we are not sorry for the appearance of the volume, and have some pleasure in meeting so frank an antagonist; although it would obviously be a great evil, were such a work to remain unanswered.

6

The Writer has himself felt it necessary to vindicate the course he has adopted, from the odium attaching to sentiments of evil tendency. He premises, that, as the subject has been treated on purely religious grounds, it has been taken for granted, that 'whatever conclusion relative to it can be correctly deduced from an accurate survey of Scriptural evidence, such conclusion must, in as far as the interests of the Christian religion are concerned, ' be ultimately found the most expedient in practice.

6

On the assumption that this proposition is indubitably correct, the principles derived from Scriptural authority have been followed into all their natural and necessary consequences, without any anxiety being felt for the issue, as it respects the interests of true practical piety. The chief business that men have with Christianity, is to believe what it reveals, and to practice what it enjoins. So soon as it is ascertained what is the revealed will of Heaven in regard to any point of faith or practice, there is then plainly that ascertained which it must be most expedient for men to believe and to obey. As obedience to the revealed will of God comprehends the whole sum of the duty which

The Law of the Sabbath, Religious and Political," &c., is a reprint, with some additions, of two articles which appeared in this Journal. See Eclectic Review, June 1830, and Oct. 1830. It may not be improper to acknowledge the polite and handsome terms in which Mr. Wilson, Mr. Davies, and Drs. Burder and Wardlaw refer to those articles.

man owes to his Creator, it is surely warrantable to assume, that the consequences of complying with this rule of duty, may safely be left to Him who has delivered it, and who, in doing so, knew the end from the beginning. In examining any religious observance which claims our notice, we are very apt to consider, first, its supposed tendency, and in this way to allow the views we form of the results expected to follow from its adoption, to influence, or perhaps determine our conclusions respecting its divine authority and obligation.' pp. iv, v.

In the sentiments here expressed, we cordially coincide: they are in substance, and almost in words, those which Archbishop Whately has so ably maintained in his admirable Essay on the Love of Truth *. "Not to countenance any erroneous opinion or ⚫ delusion, however seemingly beneficial in its results', is, we admit, a duty imperative upon all the disciples of Him who is the Truth, and who seek to be led by the Spirit of Truth. If a belief in the perpetuity of the Sabbath can be demonstrated to be such a delusion,-if the observance be (as this Writer unhesitatingly affirms, but fails altogether to establish,) destitute of all legitimate Scriptural proof',-then, to countenance the error, however seemingly beneficial, would, we concede, be inconsistent with fair dealing or Christian integrity, and ultimately with sound policy or practical expediency.

Truth can never be of evil tendency; but, on the other hand, that which is really of evil tendency, cannot be truth. In judging of the apparent tendencies, and inferring the necessary consequences of opinions, we are extremely liable to be misled by preconceived notions; and to reject any opinion purely on the ground of its supposed tendency, without examining the evidence on which it rests, is dangerous and unjustifiable. We must not, however, forget, that the moral tendency of doctrines forms one element of the internal evidence by which their truth is attested; and could we ascertain the inherent tendency of any opinion to be pernicious, we should have something stronger than a mere presumption against the possibility of its being true. can never be quite safe, therefore, altogether to disregard the apparent or supposed tendency of an opinion, in estimating the evidence for and against its truth. Into this error, a very serious one, the present Writer seems to have fallen at the very outset of his inquiry; and this first mistake has entailed several others.

It

In examining the Divine authority of a religious observance, it may not be proper to begin our inquiries with asking, What is its tendency? But a becoming self-diffidence may prompt the question, What is the tendency of my opinion? A lover of truth does well to risk all the consequences of complying with the

* See Eclectic Review, 3d Series, Vol. I.

pp.

124-6.