The sun, he adds, "is said to rule the day, and the moon to rule the night; but they do not rule them by enlightening them? Doctrine is that, that must prepare men for discipline." And surely this is as true of children, as it is of men: they also must be taught: for what is doctrine but teaching, that is, explaining the truth of God: and though sometimes the word "doctrine" stands for the truths which are taught, yet this only shews that these truths are intended for the understanding, and not merely to be crammed into the memory. As a specimen of plainness in teaching,-an exemplification of what we are contending for; we cannot do better than give part of a letter of Luther, addressed to his son, written "during the diet at Augsburg:" "I know of a beautiful garden, full of children in golden dresses; who run about under the trees, eating apples, pears, plums, and cherries. They jump and sing, and are full of glee, and have pretty little horses, with golden bridles and silver saddles. As I went by this garden, I asked the owner of it, who those children were, and he told me, that they were the good children, who loved to say their prayers, and to learn their lessons, and to fear God. Then I said to him, dear Sir, I have a boy, little John Luther; may he not come too into this garden, to eat these beautiful apples and pears, and to ride these pretty little horses, and to play with the other children? And the man said, if he is very good, and says his prayers, and learns his lessons cheerfully, he may come, and he may bring with him little Philip and little James," &c. This "was but the adaptation to the thoughts of a child, of a doctrine which he was accustomed to inculcate on others, under imagery more elevated."* Perhaps, some may think the doctrine inculcated, somewhat too legal: but it must be regarded as "a commentary for a child," on the practical part of religion or a sermon on the text-"without holiness, no man shall see the Lord." The way in which children may be forgiven and made good, can be explained in the same simple and appropriate manner. It is not our province, in this short essay, to urge the importance of Sabbath schools, or of any means employed to instruct the young in the doctrines of salvation: it is taken for granted, that those engaged in teaching, feel the greatness of the work, we had, therefore, to consider only how this work could be most effectually accomplished; to afford those hints and principles, which, under the blessing of God, may be of use to teachers, as they seek to reach the heart of the scholars through the medium of their understandings: and thus bring the truth to bear upon the character, when it is most susceptible both of good and of evil influences. * See Edinburgh Review for January, 1839, where the entire letter is given. IV. SCEPTICS' RELIGION. Under this department, sceptical objections, and systems or principles advocated as hostile to Christianity, are dispassionately considered. UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; OR, NEGRO LIFE IN THE SLAVE STATES OF AMERICA.* THE above is the title of an extraordinary work of deep and thrilling interest, that is no doubt destined as it is calculated to hasten onwards the complete and final emancipation of the slave: it has reached a tenth edition, is obtaining an enormous circulation in England: it touches every cord of human sympathy, and is especially suitable to be placed under our department of "Infidels' Religion," as showing the real nature of Christianity, both in its power to elevate the slave and alleviate his burden, and in reaching the conscience of the slave owner. Uncle Tom is a leading character in the history, which is written by an impartial observer, and is founded on fact. The book contains a variety of well-drawn characters, that will be studied with delight; and we can assure our readers of a very great treat in the pages before us. The work is unrivalled in cheapness, affording for a shilling upwards of three hundred pages of as healthy and improving reading as has issued from the press for many years: every earnest Christian and philanthropist should extend its circulation. We shall give a few passages, chiefly such as intimate the relation of religion to slavery: Uncle Tom was owned by Mr. Shelby (as generous a master as slavery allows of,) and with others seemed like an appendage to the household, from which their owner was unwilling to sell them: Tom was a confidential manager, and his wife Chloe presided over the cooking department. Uncle Tom's cabin was the scene of negro-worship, in which Uncle Tom was the leading character, whilst Master George (young Shelby) occasionally gave the worshippers the advantage of his more fluent reading: after some preparation for seating the attendants, we have the following graphic account of a negro prayer-meeting: "Mas'r George is such a beautiful reader, now, I know he'll stay to read for us,' said Aunt Chloe; "'pears like 't will be so much more interestin'. street. By HARRIET BEECHER STOWE. London: Routledge and Co., 2, Farringdon = "George very readily consented, for your boy is always ready for any thing that makes him of importance. "The room was soon filled with a motley assemblage, from the old gray-headed patriarch of eighty to the young girl and lad of fifteen. A little harmless gossip ensued on various themes, such as where old Aunt Sally got her new red handkerchief, and how missis was going to give Lizzy that spotted muslin gown, when she'd got her new berage made up;' and how Mas'r Shelby was thinking of buying a new sorrel colt, that was going to prove an addition to the glories of the place. A few of the worshippers belonged to families hard by, who had got permission to attend, and who brought in various choice scraps of information, about the sayings and doings at the house and on the place, which circulated as freely as the same sort of small change does in higher circles. "After awhile the singing commenced, to the evident delight of all present. Not even all the disadvantage of nasal intonation could prevent the effect of the naturally fine voices, in airs at once wild and spirited. The words were sometimes the well-known and common hymns sung in the churches about, and sometimes of a wilder, more indefinite character, picked up at camp-meetings. "The chorus of one of them, which ran as follows, was sung with great energy and unction: "Die on the field of battle, Die of the field of battle, "Another special favourite had oft repeated the words "Oh, I'm going to glory-won't you come along with me, "There were others, which made incessant mention of 'Jordan's banks,' and 'Canaan's fields,' and the New Jerusalem;' for the negro mind, impassioned and imaginative, always attaches itself to hymns and expressions of a vivid and pictorial nature; and, as they sung, some laughed, and some cried, and some clapped hands, or shook hands rejoicingly with each other, as if they had fairly gained the other side of the river. "Various exhortations or relations of experience followed, and intermingled with the singing. One old gray-headed woman, long past work, but much revered as a sort of chronicle of the past, rose, and leaning on her staff, said : "Well, chil'en! Well, I'm mighty glad to hear ye all and see ye all once more, 'cause I don't know when I'll be gone to glory; but I've done got ready, chil'en; 'pears like I'd got my little bundle all tied up, and my bonnet on, jest a waitin' for the stage to come along and take me home; sometimes, in the night, I think I hear the wheels a rattlin,' and I'm looking out all the time; now, you jest be ready too, for I tell ye all, chil'en,' said she striking her staff hard on the floor, dat ar glory is a mighty thing! It's a mighty thing chil'en-you don'no nothing about it-it's wonderful. And the old creature sat down, with streaming tears, as wholly overcome, while the whole circle struck up "Oh, Canaan, bright Canaan, I'am bound for the land of Canaan.' "Mas'r George, by request, read the last chapter of Revelation, often interrupted by such exclamations as 'The sakes now!' Only hear that!' 'Jest think on't!' 'Is all that a comin' sure enough. "George who was a bright boy, and well trained in religious things by his mother, finding himself an object of general admiration, threw in expositions of his own, from time to time, with a commendable seriousness and gravity, for which he was admired by the young and blessed by the old; and it was agreed, on all hands, that a 'minister couldn't lay it off better than he did;' that ''t was reely 'mazin!' "Uncle Tom was a sort of patriarch in religious matters in the neighbourhood. Having, naturally, an organisation in which the morale was strongly predominant, together with a greater breadth and cultivation of mind than obtained among his companions, he was looked up to with great respect, as a sort of minister among them; and the simple, hearty, sincere style of his exhortations that it might have edified even better educated persons. But it was in prayer that he especially excelled. Nothing could exceed the touching simplicity, the childlike earnestness of his prayer, enriched with the language of Scripture, which seemed so entirely to have wrought itself into his being as to have become a part of himself, and to drop from his lips unconsciously; in the language of a pious old negro, he prayed right up.' And so much did his prayer always work on the devotional feelings of his audiences, that there seemed often a danger that it would be lost altogether in the abundance of the responses which broke out everywhere around him." While this prayer-meeting proceeds, another scene occurs in the halls of the master; one Haley, a dealer, having unfortunately obtained possession of some bills which Mr. Shelby could not meet, pressed his advantage, and obtained the reluctant consent of the master, to part with Tom and a little boy, the child of George and Eliza Harris, (two noble characters,) in liquidation of the debt. Poor Shelby was much distressed at being forced to part with his valued old trusty servant Tom, and the little favorite Harry; it was with difficulty he opened the case to his wife who would feel the separation; but it must be done. Eliza overhears the conversation, and flees that night with her mother's prize. Then comes a woman hunt, spiritedly told and full of excitement. Uncle Tom, though warned, will not escape, but awaits the result, however painful. Eliza carries her child beyond the reach of the hunters, but Haley returns and claims Uncle Tom, who, after certain heart-breaking farewells, is started on a journey to be sold down South. "Mr. Haley and Tom jogged onward in their wagon, each, for a time absorbed in his own reflections. Now, the reflections of two men sitting side by side are a curious thing-seated on the same seat, having the same eyes, ears, hands, and organs of all sorts, and having pass before their eyes the same objects: it is wonderful what a variety we shall find in the same reflections! "As, for example, Mr. Haley: he thought first of Tom's length, and breadth, and height, and what he would sell for, if he was kept fat and in good case till he got him into the market. He thought of how he should make out his gain; he thought of the respective market value of certain supposititious men and women and children who were to compose it, and other kindred topics of the business; then he thought of himself, and how humane he was, that whereas other men chained their niggers' hand and foot both, he only put fetters on the feet, and left Tom the use of his hands, as long as he behaved well; and he sighed to think how ungrateful human nature was, so that there was even room to doubt whether Tom appreciated his mercies. He had been taken in so by niggers' whom he had favoured; but still he was astonished to consider how goodnatured he yet remained! As to Tom, he was thinking over some words of an unfashionable old book, which kept running through his head, again and again, as follows: 'We have here no continuing city, but we seek one to come: wherefore God himself is not ashamed to be called our God; for he hath prepared for us a city. These words of an ancient volume, got up principally by 'ignorant and unlearned men,' have, through all time, kept up, somehow, a strange sort of power over the minds of poor, simple fellows, like Tom. They stir up the soul from its depths, and rouse, as with trumpet call, courage, energy, and enthusiasm, where before was only the blackness of despair." The appropriateness of religion is thus seen in those occasions which call for it occasions demanding either peculiar strength for endurance, or for performance. But whilst Uncle Tom had his theory and feeling of religion, we are introduced to others, who read the text differently, and even find in the Scriptures a defence of the peculiar institution which adorns a republican country. "It's undoubtedly the intention of Providence that the African race should be servants-kept in a low condition,' said a grave-looking gentleman in black, a clergyman, seated by the cabin-door. "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be,' the Scripture says.' "I say, stranger, is that ar what that text means?' said a tall man, standing by. "Undoubtedly. It pleased Providence, for some inscrutable reason, to doom the race to bondage ages ago; and we must not set up our opinion against that.' "Well, then, we'll all go a-head and buy up niggers,' said the man, 'if that's the way of Providence-won't we squire?' said he, turning to Haley, who had been standing with his hands in his pockets, by the stove, and intently listening to the conversation. "Yes,' continued the tall man; 'we must all be resigned to the decrees of Providence. Niggers must be sold, and trucked round, and kept un VOL. II. K 3 |