CRITICAL NOTICES.

Free Church Psalmody. Parts I. and II. Edinburgh: W. P. Kennedy. 1844.

It is manifest that a great musical movement is in progress throughout the world. We have heard of continental efforts to promote it; and foreigners have for some years past been coming over and awakening the British public to the importance of the subject. Scotland seems more especially to have taken up the matter in earnest, and, particularly with reference to sacred music, is setting seriously about an extensive reformation. The whole country seems pervaded with musical agents and teachers. Great musical meetings are held in the metropolis, and the Free Church is issuing her Psalmody," in a form which, for cheapness and elegance, we believe has never been surpassed; so that already very large impressions have been exhausted.

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So far well. The movement is an important one. It is a movement in a right direction, and for a needful, and hitherto much neglected end. This branch of public worship has long, we fear, been conducted in a most slovenly and unbecoming way. No doubt it is the heart that is the life and excellence of all devotion, but still the lips should be in unison with the heart. There should be no overlooking of either. The melody of the heart must not supersede the melody of the tongue.

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One thing, however, is necessary in such a movement. It must be under per guidance and control. We do not merely mean the control of able, scientific musicians, but men who understand the sacredness and solemnity of the subject. They should be men who know what praise really means; men who have not merely a musical ear and taste, but a heart well tuned with the love of him whose praise is to be their theme. There will be great danger, we apprehend, if the whole matter be placed in the hands of men who have not been trained in David's school. It may be well to take counsel and aid from all, but the regulating power should be entrusted, not to mere men of the world, not to mere performers, however excellent, but to men whose soul, as well as whose ear, can appreciate the deep meaning of the notes they use, -not merely as perfect in their expression of melody, but perfect also in their expression of the outgoings of the inner man, when, gazing upon the glory of the King Eternal, Immortal, and Invisible," he would seek to utter forth the fulness of his soul, clothing his feelings in glowing words, and again adorning these words with strains of richest music.

We have been led to offer these remarks, both on account of the importance of directing attention to this point, which, we fear, is too much lost sight of, and also from observing the way in which some of the American churches have taken up the subject. They have taken it up in earnest like ourselves, but we think they have taken it up in a more solemn way. And it may be profitable to hear their sentiments, as expressed some weeks ago, in what they have termed " a musical convention of the professors and friends of sacred music." Lectures were delivered upon the subject, which seem to have been prepared with great care. They were not the mere effusions of a public meeting, but the well studied discourses of men who had thoroughly examined their thesis, and brought forth from their treasures things new and old. The first lecturer is Mr Kirk, of Boston. His subject was, " Music religiously considered." He proposed to indicate some of the existing defects in our

church music. "Let us begin," said he, "with the composer. A superficial observer might imagine all combinations of the twelve sounds constituting the musical scale to be at length quite exhausted. A simple calculation would correct this impression. Those twelve sounds admit, of course, by mere combination, of one hundred and forty-four different successions. Each of these combinations can be varied again, by accent, or rhythm, or measure, by length, rapidity, force, legato and staccato, so as to admit of constructing many millions of tunes. There, then, lie slumbering and unwrought in the musical quarry many forms of exquisite melody, to say nothing of harmony."

"After dwelling somewhat more at length on the immense resources of the composer, he made some criticisms which may meet in some quarters with opposition. He took the position, that much of what is called sacred music of the higher order is completely secular. He referred, e. g., to the impressive passage of Scripture, All we like sheep have gone astray,' and then asked, How do you regard it? Of course, as a penitential remembrance of our apostacy from God. What, now, is Handel's music? A vivid description of a flock of sheep running helter-skelter, leaping, bleating, plunging, stumbling. Materialism, animalism; not one particle of sentiment!""

"Mr Kirk also took the position, that probably no unconverted man can compose genuine church music. It would trip somewhere, like Moor's Sacred Songs. Nor could a Christian compose well any further than his religi ous sentiments were in distinct, vivid exercise. The composer lives a highly spiritual life, constantly sustained and animated by the great realities of the gospel. He must have a poet's eye, open to all beauty, and a poet's heart, quick to the feeling of all that is elevated and pure. The Bible is his chief

study.'

The lecturer next took up the organist. Now, though we have no organs nor organists, yet, of course, we have precentors; and perhaps the latter may gain something from the following remarks upon the former.

"The true organist," said he, "is a composer, even if he never writes music.

Whatever the composer needs, is useful, most of it indispensable for him. If some organists knew how keen many of their hearers are to perceive when they have ceased to feel the sentiment, and begin to exercise their vanity; if they knew how their motives run out at their finger ends, enter into the pipes, and stream all over the house, they would exercise more care in playing. A skilful player makes the keys tell just what he is thinking, and how he is feeling. Let this important servant of the church never forget, that while he is out of sight, and his face averted from the audience, the organ is a mirror to reflect his inward figure to them; and when he plays that familiar air called Vanity, or any of its variations, it is recognised at once, and immediately associated with its own short but cherished words,-" Am I not an admirable performer? Admire me, although you forget God. Leave the mercy-seat and praise the organ.' This," continued Mr K., "is not fancy's sketch. We have long desired to enter a protest. The occasion seems to be favourable, and we do heartily embrace it. Who has not heard voluntaries, preludes, interludes, and postludes, that benumbed him?”

We shall not pursue the subject farther at present. Those brief hints may furnish matter of thought to some. Surely there are Christian men among us who could be entrusted with the matter. And surely in a subject so important, the church should beware of allowing men of mere taste and song to be the judges. Even in the composition or selection of tunes, &c., we are called upon to seek counsel of the Lord. He knows the melodies by which the heart of sinners may perchance be reached, or the souls of his people elevated, quickened, and sanctified.

The music of the church should be in the hands of the church. There are many things about it of which the world knows nothing, and with which it

cannot sympathise. The harps of the temple should be in the hands of David, or Heman, or Asaph, or Jeduthun, and not committed to those who cannot sing the songs of Zion in the spirit of the true Israel. The music of the church below should be in unison with the church above, for both sing the same new song. And who can attempt to bring about this harmony between the melody of earth and the melody of heaven, save those whose hearts have been touched by the Spirit's hand, and whose ears have been in some measure opened to catch some stray echo of the heavenly music floating down from the Jerusalem above.

Scripture Emblems of the Holy Spirit, Explained and Applied, intended chiefly to recommend his Love and Work to the Young. By the REV. THOMAS WATERS, Lauder. Edinburgh: C. Zeigler. 1841.

This is a very attractive little work, written in a very spiritual tone, and a very pleasing style. The author deals largely in illustration and figure; and though we might be at times inclined to dissent from some of his spiritualising applications of Scripture, yet his volume may perhaps, on this very account, be more inviting to the young. It is full of searching statements, and solemu appeals to the conscience, fitted to arrest and awaken souls. The Sabbathschool teacher will find it a useful work, not only for putting into the hands of his scholars, but for personal perusal. We trust that the different volumes issuing from the press on this most momentous subject, will be efficacious in counteracting the pernicious doctrines at present so zealously inculcated in some quarters, regarding man's innate sufficiency to do all in the matter of religion without a Holy Spirit at all. Woe be to that church or sect that denies either the work of the Son or the work of the Spirit! Better far that they had never handled the word of God at all, than thus to handle it deceitfully, to the subversion of the very foundations of our faith.

The Antichrist of St John, St Paul's Man of Sin, and the Little Horn of Daniel, identified in their Application to the Papacy, and its Present Aspect. By CHARLES RICHARD CAMERON, M.A. London: Houlston and Stoneman. 1844.

A very valuable pamphlet, giving a brief but able and clear exposition of the prophecies relating to the Papacy. The following extract is an excellent and eloquent summary of the historical application of the events to the prediction. "If proofs of the fulfilment of these prophecies, as above explained, are asked for, the most cursory view of history will supply them. What has been the dominant temporal and spiritual power, in the proper territories of the fourth monarchy, i.e. in Europe, during the twelve centuries which succeeded the dissolution of the ancient Roman empire, in the middle of the fifth century? Sir I. Newton has given us the answer to that question: the Bishop of Rome. Who, during that period, has worn the triple crown, has spoken great words against the Most High, and thought to change times and laws? The Pope of Rome. Who has made war with the saints, and prevailed against them during the allotted continuance of his triumphs? Let the repeated crusades against those earliest witnesses for the truth, in opposition to Papal corruptions, the Albigenses and Waldenses, answer. Let the persecution of Wickliffe and his followers, answer. Let the utter extinction of the Reformation in Spain and Italy, and the establishment of the most iniquitous of all tribunals that ever desecrated the name of law and government-the Inquisition, answer. Let its thousands of open and secret murders answer. Let the indis

criminating slaughter of St Bartholomew's day-let the fires of Smithfield and Oxford, answer. Let the Irish massacre in 1641, of forty thousand English Protestants, answer. Let the perfidious and infamous revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and the total desolation of the ancient Alpine Churches, answer. All with one voice proclaim- The Church of Rome and her supporters! Happily in that act of treachery and blood, the beast expended the last arrow in his quiver, and his triumph over the saints ended. Then speedily the judgment began to sit, and to take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it to the end. From that period the tide has turned; and to whom has the kingdom and dominion been gradually transferring from that day forth? Has it passed away from papal Rome itself, into the hands of any of those ten kingdoms, who were once the willing instruments of her cruelty and tyranny, and still are the adherents and supporters of her spiritual dominion and corruptions? No. Has it not been given to that tenth part of the city, which, as a holy seed, or tithe, has been separated from it for God, and has cast off, we trust, for ever, the temporal and spiritual yoke of Rome? Let the history of Europe answer. Let the thousands of French subjects who, after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, migrated to England, and brought with them their arts and industry, testify to what people the greatness of the kingdom has been given. (Dan. vii. 27.) Let the bloodless Revolution of England—the successes of William, and the acknowledgment of his right and title to the throne by the peace of Ryswick (1697), testify. Let the prosperous career of Britain's arms, from the victories of Marlborough to the crowning triumphs of Wellington, testify. Let her increasing influence and pre-eminence, in the four quarters of the globe, testify. Let the still extending kingdom and dominion of her and her Protestant children, in the east and in the west, (and that often in spite of herself,) testify.

"And what, meanwhile, have been the fortunes of the other remaining horns, or kingdoms of the beast? Has not the body of the beast been given to the burning flame of the revolutionary furnace, to be consumed and destroyed? Which of them have not already tasted-and some have drunk deeply—of this cup of wrath? Let Italy, with her conquered and oppressed provinces, her dethroned and captive Pope, tell. Let Austria, with her twice captured capital, and degraded monarchy, tell. Let the Peninsula, where the yet unextinguished flame is still bursting forth, tell. Let France itself, the centre and focus of the revolutionary conflagration (where it still smoulders), and through whose hands the cup of judgment has passed to others, tell.” Pp. 23-25.

Second Report on the State of Religion, by a Committee of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, as approved by the Commission, August 14, 1844. Glasgow: W. Collins. 1844.

We took occasion to notice at some length the first report of our General Assembly on the State of Religion, and we would only follow up what we then dwelt upon, by calling attention to this second report upon the same subject. Not only every minister and elder, but every member of the Free Church should have it in their hands. We may give part of the concluding section, in which some suggestions are submitted for farther consideration.

"1. And first your Committee observe, that in most of the Returns, Presbyteries acknowledge advantage from the conferences already held on the state of religion, and several of them intimate their intention to renew such meetings from time to time. Your Committee would suggest that such conferences might, with advantage, become an ordinary branch of Presbyterial proceedings all over the Church.

"2. It has also been proposed, that Presbyteries should continue to send up reports on the state of religion to the Assembly, for the purpose of instructing measures. Your Committee would suggest, that this should be done, but not annually and from all parts of the Church; but instead, that the whole Church should be divided into four districts, and that all the Presbyteries within each of these should report once in four years. This would secure two advantages: First, the four years of interval would allow time for observing the effect of any special means which might be employed. And secondly, whatever deficiencies might be found in the reporting quarters, could in this way be advantageously met, as the spare strength of the whole Church would be available, whether by deputations or otherwise.

"3. Supposing some such plan as this to be adopted, your Committee would suggest concerning Deputations, that each commissioner should spend an entire week in each congregation, preaching first on the Lord's day, and then daily down to the close of the week, in some part of the congregation or neighbourhood, visiting also as convenience served. This suggestion is founded in the belief, that continuous services, especially on the part of a stranger, are necessary, so as to render religious impressions deep and availing.

"4. It is further submitted, as a means of facilitating such arrangements, that the Commissioners sent forth on this duty ought to have their places supplied by brethren, who would thus be relieved of their own duty; and they also would have it in their power to act as commissioners in giving supply. Some such plan, it is believed, might be contrived, and thus lead to the husbanding of expense and also of ministerial labour.

"5. But, apart from all ecclesiastical arrangement, it has been suggested, that ministers might of themselves make occasional exchanges, and act in their different localities, in all respects as if they had been commissioned by the Assembly. And, in answer to the question, why so many interchanges ?— Your Committee would reply, that each congregation and neighbourhood may have the benefit of different gifts; conferred, as these doubtless were, for the edification, not severally, of as many congregations, but of many together. Some, like Paul, are qualified to plaut-and some, like Apollos, to water— some to call sinners-some to unveil the deceitfulness of the heart-some to deal with matters of Christian experience-and some to unfold the mysteries of redemption. And all of these gifts may be very much wanted in the same congregation. Yet, who is there that possesses them all in any considerable degree? And, besides, Free Presbyterian congregations ought not to be regarded as so many insulated churches, but rather as so many portions of the same Church, and holding in all things practicable, communion one with another."

Surely it becomes us to lose no time in entering on the course of repentance and reformation. There are, doubtless, some of the suggestions which may be better left for a little to ripen ere they are fully acted on. But there are others which admit of no delay. That we should pray more and watch more, and be more holy, more earnest, more devoted, these are things which admit of no delay. And they are the first steps towards a time of refreshment and revival. Let each minister and member begin the work in his own closet and in his own heart. It would soon overflow, and spread wide around.

The Treatise of John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople, on the Priesthood. Translated by EDWARD G. MARSH, M.A. London: Seeley. 1844. We shall, at a future time, return to the consideration of this volume, if the Lord will. Amid many fearful blots, it has something that may be very profitable to ministers, and we shall avail ourselves of an early opportunity of lay