The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-08-31

OhENs agents, lOr sOiuo SpcCiuAonS " nc" onN
neatly executed books, just issued BY the
Southern Methodist Publishing House in tins
city.
"PRoGREss: Considered with particular ref
erence to the NJ. E. Church South" BY the
Rev. WILLIAM J. SAsNETr.-Tbis is work Of
800 pages, of considerable ability, written in
a clear, perspicnous, scholarly style, and con-
tanning many suggestions of practical impor-
lance to the welfare of the Church and society
some of which are excellent, and others, we
think, of very questionable propriety. The
author claims TO advocate 'progress" only 'as
q mere spirit of energy and enterprise, subor-
dinating itself to thought and virtue"-''con-
servative, yet independent and expansive"
A very good defnition of conservative pro-
gress-religious or political. But when the
Reverend author ''thoroughly doubts" whetb-
er the State SHOULD interfere at alp in pro-
noting popular education, and expresses the
opinion that its efforts should at most "be
limited to mere pecuniary aid, in the building
up and extension of enterprises already plan
ned and controlled by the Church" he is far
TOO exclusively ecclesiastical for the spirit Of
American institutions, and, we think, for the
spirit of Professionalism in this age. This
teaching appears to US decidedly retrogressive,
rather than progressive" But we have not
space for review or an argument. The au-
thor advocates especially the more complete,
enlarged, active development of important
Church functions-the educational, eleemosy-
nary, missionary, ministerial, and spiritual.
"BAscoM's LECTURES This is new col
lection of Lectures not heretofore published,
delivered upon various subjects and occasions,
by Rev. HENRY B. BAsooM, d. D., L. L. D.,
one of the Bishops of the NJ. E. Church, South.
The work comprises 354 pages, and is edited
apparently with much ability and discrimina-
ton, by the Rev. THos. N. RALsToN, A. NJ.
This collection embodies FIVE Lectures on the
Relative claims of Christianity and Infdelity''
which the ilustrious author is known to
have regarded as the master production Of his
life. They are, indeed, splendid monument
Of his peculiar and extraordinary power as a
log,can and orator. 1t also comprises an
address on Temperance" the centennial
of Methodism," the "1naugural Address" at
Madison College, an Address on Agriculture,
&c, &c. HENRY BAsooM needs no encomium
from any one to stamp his productions with
the seal and prestige of greatness. The editor
says, aptly aud forcibly: "His style may not
be deemed faultess. An exuberance of Ian
guage, and an inattention to the minor niceties
of composition essential to the smoothly
rounded period, may, in the critics eye, con-
stitute a defect; bat this bemish is amply
atoned for by important excellencies. His
writings exhibit q dstinctness Of perception,
q clearness of discrimination, a depth and
grasp Of thought, and connected train of
sound, logical consequential reasoning, seldom
equaled. His taste for the beautiful, the har-
monious, the grand, the sublime, was exquisite.
His love for the good, the true, the noble, the
pure, was intense. Higher aims than mere
niceies of composition engrossed his thoughts
more lofty aspirations infamed his genius.
He reVeled in the region of thought-thought
intense, profuned, vast, important. This was
the shining gold he coveted and his main
object, as regards style, was to so clothe his
thoughts in language as to impart to Others a
clear, forcible, and vivid impression of what
he saw and felt. This was the secret OF his
power as an orator"
"LIFR OF THR REV. RoBERr NEWTON, D. D.
BY THOMAS JAoKsoN.-The public, especially
the Methodist community, can hardly fail to
receive with interest Biography of one of
the most gifted and distinguished Ministers,
whose labors have adorned the annals of their
church. DIR. NEWTON possessed in an emil
nent degree that rare combination of moving,
persuasive oratory, and practical wisdom,
which makes its possessor almost irresistible
in the advocacy of any cause to which his
talents are devoted. His career exhibits at
once a monument of enduring usefulness, and
an almost unbroken chain Of popular successes.
Such man-with such courage, constancy,
capacity, and physical as well as mental vigor
would succeed anywhere, in any honorable,
congenial calling. He was for about half a
century, one of the brightest ornaments and
frmest stays Of English Methodsm.
This is book of 40s pages. From the cur
sorry examination we have given it, we are ia
vorably impressed with its merits as Biogra-
ply. In some places it sinacks perhaps too
much of eulogy rather than history--but this
is natural and excusable in an intimate person
al friend, writing the life of an eminently
good, as well as great man, who has passed to
his eternal reward.
These works are for sale at the Southern N.
E. Publishing House, Nashville.
MURTREEsBoRo', August 20, 1855.
To The President and Directors Of The Nashville and