LETTER FROM ORLANDO HASTINGS, ESQ.

HON. JOSEPH ALLISON:

ROCHESTER, December 22, 1857.

DEAR SIR: My attention has been directed this morning to a Note at the close of the December number of the Presbyterian Quarterly, containing letters from Drs. Allen, Patterson, and yourself, in reference to the Assembly's Answer to the Protest of the Southern members, in regard to its action on the subject of Slavery.

My recollection of the action of the Committee agrees entirely with yours.

The facts, as I remember them, were these: You and I were first at the place appointed for the meeting of the Committee, and waited until about the time when the Assembly was to resume its business, before any other one of the Committee appeared.

Dr. Allen came in with a paper and submitted it to us, saying, that the other members had seen and approved it. Both you and myself (which spoke first I do not remember) objected to the clause which referred to the former action of the General Assembly, as conceding only the possibility that cases might exist in which the holding of men in bondage, would not be wrong; maintaining, that the Assembly had conceded that such cases did in fact exist-such as were specified in the Assembly's action in the Resolutions adopted at Detroit. Dr. Allen, at first, seemed to be strenuous in maintaining the position assumed in the Answer as drawn.

After discussing the question for a few minutes, Dr. Allen, upon our explicit declaration that we would not consent to the Answer, as drawn, yielded, as I understood it, to our views, and consented to modify the paper accordingly. I do not remember that the precise language of the paper, as modified, was read to us; still it may have been.

Yours truly,

O. HASTINGS.

NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.

I. Elements of Logic; designed as a Manual of Instruction. By Henry Coppée, A.M., Professor of English Literature in the University of Pennsylvania; and late Principal Assistant Professor of "Ethics and English Studies," in the United States Military Academy, at West Point. Philadelphia: E. H. Butler & Co. 1858. pp. 275.

The basis of Captain Coppée's Logic is acknowledged to be Whately, on whom he pronounces the true eulogy: "As the clear expounder of Aristotle, and the originator of much that is valuable, Whately must stand at the head of the logicians of this age."

Professor Coppée's work has the great merit of clearness. It must be acknowledged-although we agree in much that Sir William Hamilton has said as to the overrating of the value of mathematics-that it has one signal advantage; it leads to care in statements, and in our estimate of precise values. Captain Coppée's West Point education here stands him in stead. It is natural that he should make much of his subject, and that he should venerate Aristotle; but certainly right reasoning lies at the basis of truth. It is not a new, but it is a valuable remark, that the art of logic is more useful for the preservation of truth and the detection of error, than for the discovery of truth. Kept within its own sphere, it is important, especially, in the manifesting of fallacies. It may be questioned whether it be worth while to spend much time upon most of the technics of scholasticism.

Professor Coppée's remarks on the history of logic are, in the main, correct and valuable. The abuse of Aristotle was not his legitimate use; and the disgust which Protestants entertain of the scholastic logic, is to be attributed, in much, to the fact that, for ages, it was found in bad company. The author has, evidently, not studied philosophy with the same care as logic, or rather he looks at philosophy too much from a logical position: there are greater things than logic in Plato and Zeno.

As a text-book, we very cordially recommend this work. Its merits are clearness; keeping close to the point in hand; method and candor. A little overrating of the value of the subject-matter, will supply the requisite enthusiasm to put the student through a dry subject.

We are happy to hear that this work has been adopted as a text-book in Yale College.

II. Two Years Ago. By the Rev. Charles Kingsley, author of "Hypatia," &c. Boston: Ticknor & Fields. 1857. pp. 540.

It certainly is not à priori the best thing that a minister can do to write

novels; and the prejudice against a romance-writing clergyman is natural. It is to be said, however, that everything is now put into novels; they are a kind of universal solvent of human thought.

There are two theories of Mr. Kingsley: one is, that he is worldly in his views; that the spiritual, meek, and lowly religion of the Redeemer, is alien from his spirit; that, in short, he advocates a kind of semi-pagan religionism, having little in common with Christianity.

While we do not pretend to indorse everything in Mr. Kingsley's works, or to recommend his opinions, we must express our dissent from this method of viewing him. We regard him rather as a man who is dissatisfied with certain manifestations of the religion of our times, and who regards these developments as indicating a serious flaw, not so much in the orthodoxy of the Church of England, as in the practical and prevalent views of religion. He thinks that we need a manlier, a more robust style of piety: one less mercenary, less tricky, less sensuous. He thinks that if men are “respectable," the current views of religion will scarcely molest them, and that this "respectability" often includes anything but the spirituality of the Bible. In short, he makes war upon shams of all kinds; and asks, that the religion of men be pure, unadulterated, and practical. With this, there are mixed up many things that we do not approve.

"Two Years Ago" is not as absorbing as some of the previous books of the author, but it is still very interesting, and some of the characters make their mark deep upon the memory. The action of the book is scarcely rapid enough, and it is somewhat prolix, though not so much so as Amyas Leigh. On the whole, while not the best of Mr. Kingsley's books, it is creditable to him, interesting to the reader, and the moral, rightly read, very good.

There is a painful doubt in reading Mr. Kingsley, whether, after all, he has proper views of evangelical religion. The great distinction between a child of God and a child of Satan, he does not suitably recognize; it is doubtful even, whether he fully believes in the doctrine of regeneration. It is melancholy that such a man should allow a doubt to exist on the subject.

III. The Acts of the Apostles, explained by Joseph Addison Alexander. In two volumes. New York: Charles Scribner. Philadelphia, for sale by Lindsay & Blakiston. 1857. pp. 462, 498.

We have examined this Commentary with care, especially as our readers, who have not an opportunity to see it, may desire our opinion of its value. The author is well known to be a man of great learning, especially in the department of Oriental languages and Biblical criticism. He states, that his first plan was to make a book for ministers and students only. "But his plan was changed after the first chapter was in type, in the hope of making the work more generally useful."

It is marked by the absence of all parade of learning, and great candor, carried perhaps to an extreme. The points in which the Acts especially favor Presbyterianism, are but slightly and very modestly touched, as if the author felt that he could afford to be magnanimous. For most persons the statements are hardly clear enough; they suppose too much knowledge in the reader.

The Introduction strikes us as admirable. The Acts is defined as "a special history of the planting and extension of the Church, both among Jews and Gentiles, by the gradual establishment of radiating centres or sources of influence at certain salient points throughout a large part of the empire, beginning at Jerusalem and ending at Rome."

We can very cordially recommend Dr. Alexander's work. We confess that the form in which he intended at first to present it, would have been more interesting to us, and, we think, would better have suited his pecu. liar character, while it would have borne more weight with it. But we are gratified with it as it is.

IV. A Translation and Commentary of the Book of Psalms, for the use of the Ministry and Laity of the Christian Church. By Augustus Tholuck, D.D., Ph. D. Translated from the German, with a careful comparison of the Psalm-text with the original Tongues. By the Rev. J. Isidor Mombert. Philadelphia: W. S. & A. Martien. 1858. pp. 497.

Light from the Cross. Sermons on the Passion of our Lord. Translated from the German of Dr. A. Tholuck. Same publishers. 1858. pp. 345.

Tholuck gives this account of his conversion :

"Debarred of the privilege of Christian instruction and Christian example, I shared, up to my nineteenth year, the then prevalent rationalistic views. My scientific (theological) studies did not result in my conversion to the faith of the Gospel. It was brought about by the instrumentality of a noble Christian layman, who belonged to the small number of those who, under the influence of Matthias Claudius, of Hamburg, and the co-operation of the brethren (Unitas Fratrum), had in that period of universal infidelity, kept alive the faith in the word of God's truth. His luminous example of a Christian walk, more than what he told me, led me to think, and assured me at least of this, that Jesus is the Son of God, and that his doctrine and example make up a complete moral ideal, which man must appropriate for the purpose of attaining to rest and finding peace. Then I believed in Christ; I was able to kneel before him, and to pray to him. Then he became the friend of my soul, whom I learned to consult in all things, as I had formerly consulted my conscience."

The book then gives an account of the manner in which, at first, disliking the Old Testament, he was led to understand it, having, without agency of his own, been appointed to lecture upon it in place of De Wette. As he

began to see his way, he observed that the students had no suitable commentary on the Psalms. The same difficulty he noticed in the case of intelligent laymen. His commentary had this object: "To interpret the Book of Psalms in the spirit of Calvin; and basing it on the helps derived from the newly-gained views of modern times, to adapt the volume to the wants of the people, and also to professional men, who, besides strictly grammatical commentaries, look for a guide to the spiritual understanding of this portion of Holy Writ."

In speaking of the relation of his work to the German and English common versions of the Scriptures, he makes the following remarks as to their respective merits: "The English authorized version of the Bible, composed at a later period, and supported by a richer exegetical apparatus, is better than Luther's, as far as the correct rendering of the sense is concerned, although Luther's excels it in richness of expression."

Tholuck thinks that Calvin "may be truly said to have, probably more than any other man, imbibed the spirit of the Psalms."

After the Introduction, in which the proper topics are discussed, but not prolixly, there is a translation of each Psalm, with commentary. Tholuck avoids the fault of our time in commentary-the desire to say everything that can be said; the remarks are comparatively brief.

There is a vein of fine, imaginative feeling running through the whole. Tholuck has every qualification to make a popular commentator,-sound doctrine, critical learning, tender feeling, fine fancy. This work cannot fail to be a favorite in the Church. The translator appears to have done his work well.

The Sermons are translated by "R. L. B." The translation is dated at Halle. The audience to which they were delivered, was composed largely of students. They constitute a series of twenty-two discourses, all connected with the Atonement.

V. Guide to the Oracles: or the Bible Student's Vade Mecum. By Alfred Nevin, D.D., author of "Spiritual Progression,” “Churches of the Valley," &c. Lancaster, Pa.: Murray, Young & Co. 1857. pp. 341.

The first chapters are upon the preservation, unity, freshness, silence, avoidances, and literature of the Bible. It is then discussed as the patriot's book, as mysterious, and as triumphing over scrutiny. Next appears a sketch of the history of the English Bible, testimony for the Scriptures, from distinguished men, and their influence on enemies and friends. A chrono, logical table of the books is then given, and chapters on the names and separate books of the Old Testament; then is discussed the civil and moral history of the Jews, during the period between the Old and New Testaments.