The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-11-10
LITERARY NOTICES.

~
Washington, ID. c. vol. PIP. $50.
This is very admirable book Of very pop
ular writer. Its motto is Progress, and it con
tains excellent advice to those who would "gc
on unto perfection" as Paul has 1.-THE work
of life, aud not of day, or week, or a sea-
son of religious revival for Mr.. Angel says
growth is very gradual in all life, not except
ing the Christian. No plant becomes tree
no child man, all at once and so with the
Christian" He has some admirable sugges-
tons as to the nature of true spiritual growth
He quotes the excellent John Brown, who says,
/" a healthy child grows without thinking much
about his growth. Ii takes its food and exer-
else, and finds it is growing in the increase OF
its strength and its capacity for exertiOn An
analogous state is, the healthiest state of a
spiritual babe.' The ability and anxiety to
do good, to advance the interests of piety, OF
personal and family religion, are certainly far
better signs of life in the soul than a life of
nervous emotions; feeling doubtful, all the
while, whether the soul is alive or dead Ac-
ton, action, action is the best of all proofs of
an earnest and healthful vitality. There is no
doubt this book is one of the best of the many
! good books by this excellent author
! The LAMP AND THE LANTERN, or Light for the Tent
and the Traveller. By James Hamilton. d. d. Now
York Published by Carter 4 Brothers. Sold by
! Gray Balantync vol, PIP. 1874.
This book shows us what has been done in
the last fifty years for the Bible, and what the
Bible may do for the Scholar, the Inquirer, the
Invalid, the Student, and the Christian 1t was
prepared as lectures before the Young Mems
Christian Association of London 1t is very
difficult to say anything in praise of the Bible
in the writings of Selden, Newton, Locke,
Sir William Jones, and other gifted minds
but we venture to select the following passage,
as well worth the perusal of our readers DR..
Hamilton says:
Remembering then, that the Bible contains
no ornamental passages, nothing written for
mere display, that its steadfast purpose is,
Glory to God in the highest | repeat, that
that Bible abounds in passages of the purest
beauty and statelest grandeur, all the grander
and all the more beautiful because they are
casual and unsought. The clang of ocean as
he booms his pillows on the rock, and the
echoing caves give chorus, is more fulfilling
and sublime than all the music of the orches
ira for it is the music of that main, so mighty
that there is a grandeur in all it does-in its
sleep melody, and in its march a stately
psalm. And in the bow which paints the
melting cloud, there is a beauty which the
stained glass or gorgeous drapery eu6lates in
vain; for it is the glory which gas benef-
cence, the brightness which bespeaks a double
boon, the freest, which cannot but come forth
when both the sun and the shower are there.
The style of the Scripture has all this glory.
Ii has the gracefulness of high utility; it has
the majesty of intrinsic power; it has the
charm gifts own sanctity; it never labors, never
strives; but instinct with great realities, and
bent on blessed ends, it has all the translucent
beauty and unstudied power which you might
expect from its lofty object and all-wiso au-
thor
The British and Foreign Bible Society was
formed in 1904 1t has circulated forty three
million copies of the Bible, in one hundred and
forty-eight languages; and of these l21 are
translations never before printed. Dr. Hamil-
ton has given US here very attractive and in
teresting book. He is man of the highest en-
inence in England.
ABBEoKUTA; an outline of tho Origin and progress of
the Yoruba Mission. By Miss Tucker Carter h
Brothers, New York For sale by Gray h Ballan-
tyne Washington, D. C. vol PIP. 27s.
This country of Yoruba is destined to be the
seat Of the missions, not only of England, but
of this country. The Southern Baptists have
a mission among these primitive people who
live on the table lands of Africa, in very ad-
vanced condition of civilization. This is tho
story of the Church Mission of England, and is
valuable for its facts, maps, and illust atoms.
There are other missions in Africa, and among
the Yorubas, Of which the author has not
spoken, under the care of the Wesleyan
Methodists of England
The MISSIONARY OF KILMANy: Being Memoir OF
Alexander Paterson. BY John Baltic. n York
Robert Carter h Brothers For sale by Gray &
Ballautyne, It'll street, Washington, d. c. vol.
PIP. 2jS.
This is a reprint of little work, printed in
Edinburgh, to perpetuate the labors and piety
of good man. who was early associated with
DR.. Chalmers, once the minister at Kllmsny
and whose familiar letters add greatly to the
interest of this volume 1t has been said by
Cowper-
The great and small but rarely meet
On terms of amity complete;
Plebeians must surrender
And yield the palm to noble folk
1t is combining fire with smoke
Obscurity with splcndor."
Il was not 80 with Thomas Chalmers. He wa
too real man, too real Christian, to forge
Alexander Paterson.
TUE YOUNG LADIES GUIDE To THE HARMoSIoU
DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER. b,
Harvey Newcomb A revised edition. New York
NJ W Dodd. For sale by Gray Ballantyno al
street Washington, d. c. vol, PIP 1926.
This work has gone through two revisions
: and is here presented as the last labor of tn
author. It is truly work Of great merit an,
if this volume could be put into the hands o
every young girl of fifteen, to be her closet com
panion for five years, it would change tn,
whole aspect Of American society Our ladies
: would no longer be said, by travellers, to b,
pretty and dressy, but nane vacant and list
less they would become spirited, graceful
: hcalthiul, and pious--following the wise teach
ings of this book.
THE DIFFICULTIES OF ISFIDELIrY.
A beautiful reprint of this famous treatise o.
the Rev. George Stanly Faber; to which il
added, Robert Halls grand discourse, entitled
"Modern Iafdeiity Considered :" and is pub
lshed by w. Gowans, New York sold by Gray
& Ballantyne, Washington, d. c. One volume
: This work has stood the test Of human scruti