Compared with them, other works of the same class, however important, are very inaccurate. The collation of Buxtorf's Concordance, by Mr Wigram, or those who worked at his instance, discovered under the letter aleph, no fewer than 1100 errata. The errors and omissions in "Marius de Calasio," edited by Romaine, and in Taylor's Concordance, were also numerous. Even in the new and splendid edition of Buxtorf, corrected and improved by Fürst, seven inaccuracies and ten omissions were discovered in the course of its first eight pages. In regard to accuracy, we believe the "Englishman's Hebrew Concordance" to be faultless; nor is it open to the objection which may be brought against the otherwise valuable Concordance of Taylor, that its lexicography is occasionally tinged with the compiler's peculiar views.

There can be no question that the first mentioned of the works at the head of this notice, has given a mighty impetus to the study of Hebrew in this country; and it is to be hoped that by means of the Ministers' Libraries Scheme, or otherwise, it will ere long be brought within the reach of every pastor of the United Presbyterian Church. We cannot conclude our imperfect and hurried notice without expressing our sense of the claims which Mr Wigram has on the gratitude of every lover of learning, by promoting the publication of such treasures as these. The spirit in which he disclaims the honour of having first projected their plan is worthy of all praise; but he deserves to be held in everlasting remembrance for having so nobly consecrated his wealth to the production of implements by which the labours of the Bible student will be so greatly facilitated; and these books will endure, a fitting monument of his sagacity, his penetration, and his largehearted and generous devotedness to the cause of sacred literature. His name, as the promoter of such publications, will be honourably associated with the names of Burgh and Tregelles, and his other co-adjutors.

sake, though not quite approvingly), who is at all competent for the task, girds on his armour for a conflict with error, he is sure to engage the attention of a class who are apt to regard with indifference a discussion conducted by ministers. Mr Gardner, whom, though he do not avow it, we believe to be the author, is imbued with a strong love of revealed truth; and he gives himself valorously, and not unskilfully, to the defence of it against injurious and Goddishonouring sophistry. In reading the first publication, we felt a difficulty, in some cases, in distinctly apprehending the force of the author's reasoning, from our not having read the book to which it is a reply; and we could have wished the discussion to have been broken up into sections, with separate headings. But perhaps the nature of the performance, whose leading positions it assails, rendered this impracticable. Mr Gardner's vindication of the Calvinistic interpretation of the apostle's argument, in opposition to Mr Morison's Arminian or Pelagian exegesis, evinces his acquaintance with the controversy, and shows the value of common sense and sound judgmentapart from all parade of learning-in getting at the meaning of Scripture. In the two letters, Mr G. shows very clearly how opposed the reasoning of Paul in the 9th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, is to such Morisonian principles, as that "God's love is equal to all, and impartial to each,” and that "the turning point of man's salvation is something in himself."

THE CHRISTIAN FIRESIDE LIBRARY—(1.) Memoir of the Rev. Edward Payson, D.D., Portland, with Passages from his Select Thoughts. (2.) A Hand-Book of Popery, or Text-Book of Mission's for the Conversion of Romanists. By JAS. BEGG, D.D. (3.) The Provincial Letters of Blaise Pascal. A new Translation, with Historical Introduction and Notes. By THOMAS M'CRIE, D.D., LL.D. (4.) The Evidences of Christianity in their External or Historical Divisions. By CHARLES PETTIT M'ILVAINE, Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Ohio.

Edinburgh: Johnstone & Hunter.

To every studious Christian who is not in possession of the works above named, we say earnestly, procure a copy of "The Christian Fireside Library." The four neat and teeming volumes already issued, are, all and every one, of standard worth, and the price at which they are procurable is unprecedently small. Three of them are reprints. The "Memoir" of the saintly Payson is one of the best contributions which America has furnished since the

days of Brainerd, to our religious biography, "The Provincial Letters," a work of the highest genius, and a classic in its kind, is a mine of thought and argument in the popish controversy, and much of it has been reproduced in works which have appeared within the last few years. Dr M'Crie's is by far the best translation, and his notes are of great value. Bishop M'Ilvaine's "Evidences," unsurpassed as a lucid and comprehensive digest of the subject, ran through six editions in twice as many years, and has been owned of God in doing extensive good. Dr Begg's "HandBook" is an original work-full and accurate, racy, pungent, and vigorous, showing not only that the author has a complete armoury for the battle against Popery, but that he thoroughly knows, and from abundant practice, how to handle his weapons in controversial conflict. We know of no one volume so well fitted to be a popular text-book for the guidance of those who may have to encounter the adherents of Popery in personal discussion.

rangement and Divisions of the School; General Teaching; Infant Schools; Sunday and Evening Schools; School Buildings and Appurtenances; Ragged and Pauper Schools. The observations and suggestions offered may not, in every case, commend themselves to all practical educators. Sometimes, indeed, her Majesty's Commissioners themselves exhibit a shade of variety in their opinions. But the result of their labours, even in the abbreviated form in which it is here presented, will not be read by any one interested in public education, without his finding important directions of which he will at once approve as worthy of adoption. The volume bears to be "intended chiefly for the use of the managers and teachers of such elementary schools as are not receiving Government aid ;" and we account it a matter of no small importance that teachers excluded, by conscientious reasons or otherwise, from participation in public educational endowments, should have it in their power to avail themselves of any improvements which the expensive system, miscalled national, may have served to develop in the mode of conducting education. To all engaged professionally in school work, to Sabbath teachers who aim at a high degree of usefulness in their labour of love, and to ministers and other visitors of schools who seek to make their visits interesting and profitable, we very heartily commend the volume. The compiler and publishers deserve the thanks of the country for the lucid arrangement and cheap form of this manual,

ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONS-WESTERN

TONQUIN.

Severe persecution against the Romish missionaries, spread over some parts of the nation of Cochin China, has been signalised by the public execution of one of them, young in years, and full of the ardour of his work. The narrative of his arrest and execution is touching; and shows the self-devotion which the faith of even that corrupted religion can inspire. The religion of Jesus had long been proscribed in that country; and its propagators and professors severely persecuted. But still the missionaries of Rome had found their way into the country; and by various manœuvres, along with the unsettled political condition of the nation, contrived to secrete themselves somewhere, and carry on their process of conversion. The king

now occupying the throne, had an elder brother, who had deeemed himself the legitimate heir, and who had escaped out of the kingdom, doubtless with the view of procuring assistance in establishing his right to the throne. His brother, mortified at his escape, suspected the missionaries and their adherents of favouring it; or devised this calumny against them as a pretext for rigorous persecution. In the beginning of 1851, a decree, prohibitory of " the evil religion of Jesus," was issued from the seat of government, to all the district and municipal authorities throughout the land, warning them to arrest and deliver up every adherent of that religion, on pain of aggra vated punishment. On the 30th of March of that year, a decree, in the king's name, was issued, denouncing this European religion, rehearsing previous decrees against it, and ordering that, in conformity with an opinion given to him by his ministry, en a

petition which had been addressed to him on the subject of his privy council, "European priests should be cast into the sea or rivers, for the glory of the true religion; and annamite (native priests), together with their disciples, should be cut in two through the waist, and cast into the waves: with the exception of children under the age of reason, and those who, from absence, were not aware of any priest who might be found harboured in their house." The Rev. Mr Schæffler, who has suffered death under this decree, at the age of 29, was from the diocese of Nancy in France, and had reached the country in 1848. He had received the charge of a district embracing four parishes, and comprising within it about sixteen thousand Christians. Having, about the end of February, resolved to proceed to the upper parishes, in pursuance of his ecclesiastical duties, the constables of the rural police, having charge of the sequestered district through which he had to pass, had information of his design, and waylaid and seized him. His attendants, one of them an annamite priest, got out of the hands of the captors, through stratagem, and with Mr Scheffler's full consent, who was himself delivered up to the mandarins on the 2d of March. After repeated examinations, in presence of the great mandarins of the province, sentence of death was, on the 5th of March, passed upon him, and a report of it forwarded to the king. He was condemned to be beheaded, and cast into the waters, as a warning to the people. He was detained in prison to the 1st of May. Some freedom was allowed him of walking in the yard and conversing with the soldiers; a consolatory letter from his bishop came into his hands, but no friend was permitted to communicate with him, only an annamite priest was enabled to reach him, and hear his confession. On the 11th of April the royal order for his execution arrived. The great mandarin, however, instead of immediately carrying it into effect, took him from the jailor's apartments, where his imprisonment had been made more comfortable, to his own hotel, where he allowed him much freedom, often conversed with him, and regarded him with much kindness and regret. Several letters came into his hands, but no one was allowed to speak to him. On the day secretly fixed for the execution, the superior mandarin, from fear of a rescue, got large military preparations made of soldiers, elephants, horses, guns, &c., under some fictitious pretence. About midday he issued orders to have Mr Schæffler brought up, and the solemn procession marched to the place of execution, outside the city. A soldier carried, a few paces in front of the prisoner, a small placard in

the form of a flag bearing the following words" In spite of the prohibition issued against the religion of Jesus, Mr Augustin (his christian name) a European priest, ventured to come clandestinely hither, with intent to preach and seduce the people. On his arrest, he confessed the whole charge truly. His crime is patent. Let Mr Augustin be beheaded, and cast into a stream." Encircled with soldiers, Mr S. advanced with an erect and smiling countenance, holding his chain elevated in his hand, and reciting fervent prayers. The majority of the immense crowd admired him; but some reviled. At the place of execution he knelt in prayer, and thrice kissed the crucifix. Then, having put off his cloak, and folded down the collar of his shirt, his hands were pinioned, and on bended knees, with his eyes turned towards heaven, he bade the executioner perform his business promptly. But this the directing officer forbade until he should hear the third beat of the cymbal. When the signal was given, it was not till the third stroke of the sword that the head was severed. His head was sunk in the middle of the river, and his body buried. The letter of the bishop, from which the above narrative is abridged, concludes in the following characteristic terms:-"Pray, gentlemen, and dear brethren, pray Jesus and Mary to give us the zeal and fervour of the apostles, the constancy and fortitude of the confessors, and the courage and glory of the martyrs."

MADAGASCAR.

Notwithstanding the reports which have been current of the death of the queen, who is the cruel oppressor of the native Christians, she still lives and reigns. But she is desirous of resigning her government in favour of her son and heir, the excellent Prince Rakatoseheno; though this object has hitherto failed of accomplishment, through the opposition of the commanderin-chief. It is further stated, that the prince is making rapid progress in religion, and continues to favour and defend his persecuted countrymen as far as it is in his power. Owing to the jealous vigilance of the government, opportunities for receiving communications from the native brethren on the island seldom occur. The following is a free translation of some parts of a letter recently addressed by some of them to Rafuravary, of whose death at Mauritius they had not heard:-" We now write to tell you of our state. The persecution of the people of God has been more severe than it ever was before; but the Lord Jesus causes his children to multiply. The houses of prayer have been destroyed. The confessors were put into irons, and

confined in prison for three years; after which they were brought out. While passing through the multitude on their way to the place of execution, they sung a hymn, expressive of their confidence in the Saviour in whom they had believed, and of holy joy in the prospect of soon entering upon the rest and blessedness of heaven. Four were then burnt alive; and fourteen first thrown from a precipice, and their bodies removed to the spot where their companions had been burnt, and there consumed in the flames. Others of the Christians have been deprived of their liberty, and have suffered the infliction of various penalties. We call upon our friends to sympathise with us in our sorrows, andto pray to the Lord on our behalf; and the peace of God be with them, and with all the congregations of his people." These faithful believers, unawed by the retrospect of past sufferings, and the view of surrounding perils, remain firm in their allegiance to their Divine Lord: and though compelled to flee from place to place, or to assemble in little groups, and in secret haunts, in order to escape the vigilance of their merciless foes, the God whom they have so faithfully served, continues to be their stay and refuge; and, in his good providence, enables them to take sweet counsel together, and to hold occasional correspondence even with distant and sympathising friends. The following extracts are from a letter of so recent a date as the 19th of November 1851, addressed to one of their brethren in Mauritius:"We received your letter, dated on the 24th of October 1851, informing us of the sympathies of the ministers of the churches, and of all our christian friends, with us in our persecutions; for which we rejoice, and thank God. You cannot imagine how thankful we felt to God, on that day when we received your letters and packages safe (forty-two books, with writing-paper and ink), for his blessing and great mercy in enabling you to send us those things; for we are thirsting and hungering for the bread of life: and blessed be his holy name, for He hath opened a way for us to correspond with one another. Beg of the Rev. J. J. Le Brun to send us a large number of Bibles, Testaments, and Hymn-books. But remember the way we have adopted to send them to the capital. We put them in cases, or small casks, with eatables. Adopt the same way in sending them to us. Put them in the bottom of cases or casks, place small bars of iron across, and fill up the case with bottles or eatables. We would remind you of John xv. 16-20, whenever you intend sending us anything. May you live happy, and be blessed of God!"

NEW HEBRIDES.

The opportunities of communicating with this remote group are of rare occurrence. The following extracts are from the pen of a missionary of the Nova Scotia Mission, in one of these islands, of date October 1850:-"We have now entered on the 3d year of our mission. At first, our average attendance on Sabbath was ten; now the number is about eighty. We meet for Divine service at half-past eight o'clock A.M. At ten our Sabbath school meets my wife attending to the females, while I take the men and boys. The attendance is in all about forty. At four o'clock P.M. we again assemble for worship. I give a short sermon or address, and call on one of the natives to give a short address also. There are three natives whom I can now call on, with some degree of confidence, to address their countrymen. Their addresses are very simple, pathetic, and effective. I have said but little as yet about the organisation of a christian church in this dark land. It is time now to direct their thoughts to all the Redeemer's commands and ordinances. But it is not my design, either speedily or hastily, to dispense the sealing ordinances of religion. I must know far more about native character; and I begin to feel already, that it is a difficult matter to form a just estimate of native piety. Our efforts at schools have not been encouraging; but after much patience, we have made a few readers, and others are coming on. We have printed an elementary school-book; and, lately, a catechism of christian truth. Many of the natives have thoroughly abandoned their superstitions. Family worship is regularly observed in many houses. And a few, I trust, are not far from the kingdom of God. Our infant mission has encountered a degree of hostility from various sources; but I feel thankful to God that we have not more to endure. We have to regret that the zeal of our young converts against the heathenish custom they have renounced, is often indiscreet, both in word and deed. It is hard to control the feelings and acts of natives, who are, in a great measure, guided by momentary impulse; but their indiscretion exposes them to the fierce resentment of their blinded countrymen. The horrid practice of strangling goes on to a much greater extent than we had anticipated. Mothers are often strangled when a son dies; and, in many instances, two or three are put to death when a chief or any of his family dies. War broke out in this island in July last, and continued for two months. Hostilities for the present are suspended. Three men were killed; and, I think, as many women

strangled. One of the killed was cooked and eaten; the bodies of the other two were saved by their own party." "Truly,

the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty."

PRESBYTERIAL PROCEEDINGS.

Arbroath.-This presbytery met at Brechin on the 8th of October-the Rev. J. P. Millar, moderator. Two committees were appointed to take superintendence during the season of the students of theology who might be resident within the bounds of the presbytery-Messrs Allan and Murray to be conveners of these committees. As the Synod, at its last meeting, had instructed presbyteries to call up and review the regulations by which the financial concerns of the congregations under their inspection are managed, the presbytery appointed a committee to call for a statement of these regulations from each of the congregations, and report on them to the presbytery. Mr Alexander Miller, probationer, under call to the congregation of Newbigging, was present; and having, by letter to the clerk of presbytery, intimated his acceptance of said call, he now delivered all his trials for ordination, which were unanimously sustained, and his ordination was appointed to take place at Newbigging, on the 26th October-Mr John P. Millar to be moderator, Mr Huston to preach, the Moderator to ordain and give the charge, and Mr Johnstone to address the people.-The presbytery met accordingly at Newbigging on the 26th, when the services were conducted as appointed. There was a considerable attendance of ministers, and the audience was numerous and attentive. Next ordinary meeting of presbytery at Arbroath, on the 7th of December.

Banff. This presbytery met at Aberchirder, 7th September-the Rev. R. Paterson, moderator. The committee on the presbytery clerk's fee gave in a report, recommending a graduated scale of assessment according to the membership of each congregation, which recommendation was unanimously adopted. Mr Mailler, of Huntly, reported that his congregation had now inade the collection in which they were in arrears to the General Synod Fund; and Mr Munro, of Gardenston, whose congregation was also deficient in the same matter, engaged to bring the subject before them, so as to have the omission supplied as soon as possible. Rev. Robert Paterson, W. Inglis, and Messrs J. Manson, and J. Bartlet,

elders, were appointed missionary committee for the presbytery. Mr Inglis's motion at last meeting for an annual meeting for devotion, and a discourse on ministerial work, was unanimously approved of. A committee was appointed to consider and embody along with it several other suggestions made this day. Mr Mailler reported that, during a late visit to the station in Cabrach, a petition had been got up under his direction, and signed by 121 inhabitants of that district to the Duke of Richmond, asking him to grant a legal title to the chapel at Auldtown, which his Grace had kindly promised to entertain. The presbytery commended Mr Mailler's promptitude and diligence, and resolved to join in the petition, and appointed their moderator and clerk to append their sanction, and transmit it to Gordon Castle. Mr Mailler asked advice in the case of a member of the congregation of Keith, employed as a letter-carrier, who has long been excluded from fellowship in scaling ordinances, on account of his occupation in the delivery of letters on the Sabbath, and who lately applied for a review of his case, on which the session were divided in opinion. The reference was agreed to be considered at next meeting.-Oct 19. This presbytery again met at Aberchirder-Rev. R. Paterson, moderator. The clerk reported for the committee on special services at meetings of presbytery, that they recommend, at least, four meetings of presbytery annually, two of these meetings to be held at Aberchirder for ordinary business, to be opened with a short essay by the ministers in rotation on ministerial character or work, not to oc; cupy more than twenty minutes in reading; and other two meetings to be for visitation of congregations in rotation, conversation with their sessions on the state of religion and the means in operation for its promotion, and public addresses to the congregations, at the close of which urgent business will be transacted. An annual report of the Sabbath schools and Bible classes in each congregation to be called for, and a member occasionally appointed to visit them. Resolutions, embodying these suggestions, were adopted, and engrossed in the minutes. The presbytery then took up the reference from Keith, mentioned in a former minute, and, after deliberation,