Weekly national intelligencer., 1853-11-26
NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.


VINES, by Rev W. Nj. Hetherngton ] vol. New York;
published by Carter s. Brothers Washington sold by
Gray Balantyne.
The venerable men who composed the Confession Of
Faith Of the Presbyterian Church and the Westminster
Caechism are worthy of the worlds esteem. We have
here the rise Of Presbyteansm in England and the list
of al those great who formed the Assembly Of
Westminster and il fail to be instructive Of
Assemblies about to our country to know how
these Divines conducted themselves extract the fol-
lowing, taken from BLLEs Letters rare work quoted
by the author:
The like of that Assembly did never see and as we
hear say the like in England nor any where
shortly IKE to be- They did sit in Henry the Wis
Chapel in the place of the Conyocation but since the
weather grew cold they did the Jerusalem Chamber
fair in the Abbey Westminster about the size Of
the College frontha but wider AT the one end nearest
the door, and along both Sides are stages of seats as in
the new Assembly House at Edinburgh but not SO high
LOT tnere w De room but for FIVE six At the
uppermost end there is chair frame foot from
the earth, for the Mr.. Proocutor DR. Twsse Before it.
on the ground stand two chairs for the two Mr. Asses
sors, Dr burgess and Mr.. White. Before these two
chairs through the length of the ROOM stands table at
which sit the two scrbes Mr. Byfeld and Mr. Roborourh
The house Is all well hung, with tapestry n and has
good nre, which is some dantes at London Opposite the
table, upon the proocutors right hand there are three or
four ranks OF benches. On the lowest we five do sit
Upon the other at backs the members of
deputed to the Assembly On the benches opposite us
on the prosecutors left hand going from the upper end
OF 10 the chimney and at the other end of the
house and back Of the table, till it about to our
seats are four five stages benches upon which their
dvaes sit as they please albeit commonly they keep the
stme place From the chimney to the door there
seats but void space for passage The Lords of the
Parliament TO sit chairs IN void tho
fire. We meet every day Of the week but Saturday.
We sit commonly from nine till two afternoon The
proocuer at the beginning and end has short prayer
The man. the world knows is very learned in the ques
ons he has studied and very good beloved of ALL and
highly esteemed but merely bookish, not much it
acquainted with conceived prayer and among the
untest of all the company for any action SO after the
prayer he sits mute 1t was the canny conveyance (sk
ful management of those who guide most matters for
their own interest to plant such of purpose in the
chair The one assessor, good FRIEND Mr. White has
keeped in of the gout since coming; the other
Dr. Burgess, very active and sharp man, supplies so
far is decent the prolocutors place Ordinarily there
will be present above three Of their dynes These
divided into three committees, in Of which every
is member No man is excluded who pleases to
come to any of the three Every committee the Par
lament gives order in writing to take any purpose
sderaon takes portion and in their afternoon meet
ing prepares matters for the Assembly, down their
minds in distinct propositions, backing their propositions
with texts of Scripture. After the prayer Mr. Byfeld
the scribe reads the proposition and Scriptures where
upon the Assembly debates in most grave and orderly
way
No is called up to speak but whosoeyer stands
up of his own accord speaks long he will without
interruption If two three stand up at once then the
dvines confusedy call his name whom they desire to
hear first whom the loudest and manifest voices CALL
he speaks No speaks to any but the proocu.or
They harangue long and very learncde They study the
questions well beforehand, and prepare their speeches
but wtha the exceeding prompt and well spoken
do marvel at the very and extemporal replies
that many Of them usually make. When, upon every
proposition by ITSELF and every of Scripture that
is brought to confirm it. every who will has said his
whole mind and the replies, duplies and triples
heard then the most part CALL To the question: By
field the scribe, rises from the table, and the
oaha uhn thng
proposition, and says AS many of opinion that
the question is well stated in the proposition let them
say Aye when aye is heard he says AS many as
think otherwise, say No.. If the difference of Ayes
and Nos be clear as usually it is, then the question
is ordered by the scbes and they 60 debate the
first Scripture alleged for proof Of the proposition If
the sound Of Aye and No be equal, then says the
prolocutor, As many as say Aye, standup while they
stand the scribe and others number them in their minds
when they sit down. the Nos hidden stand and they
likewise numbered This way is clear enough, and
great deal of time, which spend in reading
catalogue When question is ordered there is
more. debate Of that matter but if viii wander
from the subject he is quickly taken up by Mr. Assessor
ormany Others, confusedy crying, Speak to order TO
order No contradicts another expressly by name,
but most dscreey speaks to the proocutor and
holds general terms The reverend brother who lately
last spoke this hand that side, above below
thought meet for all to give you taste Of the
outward form of their Assembly. They follow the way
Of their Parliament Much Of their way is good, and
worthy of our imitation only their longsomeness swofu
at this time when their church and kingdom lie under
most amentable anarchy and confusion. They the
hurt Of their length but cannot get it helped for being
to establish platform of worship and discipline to
their nation for oil time they think they cannot be
answerable if ody and at leisure they do not examine
every point thereof
THE POWERS OF THE WORLD TO CONE, and The
Churcfs SteTdrdshp INFESTED Nth them, by GEORGE
b. CHEEvER, ID. New York pubshed'by Carter s.
Brothers. sold by Gray Ballantyne: VOL, PIP. 3S4.
This work had its origin in course Of lectures upon
the text And have tasted Of the good Word Of God and
the Powers of the World to come" 1t is survey Of the
realities which, according to Divine Revelation, we to
meet beyond the grave. OF these the author says:
The truths Of the Divine Word like the revelations
Of the starry heavens in coming TO u.s. and in their
and more perfect gradual discovery BY the construction
Of later Of telescope instruments Of vastly increased
skill and power many spot Of cloudy indefinite light in
the heavens thought to be incomplete nebulous
mass has been resolved into clusters Of bright shining
worlds clear and unmistakable. So do the truths Of