The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-03-27


place as one somewhat known of late in the
papers, called Lawrence9 While Leavenworth,
Pawnee, Kickapoo, &C., are described as to their
hotels, mills, &C., and are said to be progress-
ing rapidly, all that is said of Lawrence, in the
same pages, is, "Around Lawrence, for fifteen
miles, all the claims have been taken up!" q
place on the map, marked N. e. Settlement,
we suppose is designed to show about where It
is situated, especially as it is near the Wakaru-
sa river. Whatever may have been the object
of the author, whether or not he is interested
IN promoting the sale of lands in some particu
lar sections, we know not; but it is plain where
his leanings are, and, if we may judge by thiy
book, he has no true sympathies with the noble
spirits, who, with q martyr fortitude, are pa
tiently suffering wrong, and seeking to breast
the tide of oppression that threatens to over.
whelm them. He may profess to be impartials
because he has given the different routes, and,
in an appendix, furnished the two articles call
ed "The Emigrant Aid Company" and The
American Settlement Company" but it re;
quires little discrimination, we think, to sea
that the book is wanting in straightforward,
upright effort to do justice to the hardy volun>
teers of Freedom on the one hand, and to- the
bold and reckless invaders of right on the
other. Il
The book is made with an evident eye to sale
and, by devoting page after page to sketches Of
travel, hunting, snakes, buffaloes, Indians, &C.,
he hopes to make up for being so truant to the
call every day urged for authentic information of
the men, and their acts, who stand face to face
in the fiery contest just beginning in Kansas.
The author makes q parade of his former,
roamings, and tells US that, after passing the,
whole length of Kansas in an emigrant train,
he likewise "repassed many old scenes, and
United States mail" 4
We deny not that there is valuable informa
ton to be got from the volume, hnt it does
not meet the emergency now. A far better
work could have been prepared with the mate
rails at hand. We question whether from it
any one could form correct idea d to the rel
alive size or Importance of places, the amount
of population, or the character for industry,
intelligence, and prospects, of the settlers-in
a word, the real elements on which a conclu-
sion is to be based as to the future welfare of
the country. Kansas may be as beautiful as
Eden in its natural or physical aspects, but
what are its moral features2 Whose foot is to
tread it? Whose labor is to be expended upon
it-that of the free man or of the slaUe?
THE PROGRESS RELIGIOUS IDEAS THROUGH SUCCESSIVE
AGES BY L. Maria Child. In vols. octavo-a5O d37
479. New York: c. g. Francis & Co. For sale by Fay
Tor Maury, Washington, ID. c.
This is a remarkable book, for the learning
and labor bestowed upon it by Mrs. Child, and
for the aim and end of its composition. Mrs.
Child wishes to show the distinction which ex-
lists between Theology and Religiop-that they
are not one and the same-in the hope thus to
break down the partition walls of creeds, and
to ameliorate the baptized hatreds of the hui
man race" In doing this, the author has
sought to be fearless and truthful, reverential
towards God, and with all sympathy and ten
derness towards the various sects and peoples
of men. In style, Mrs. Child has purposely
sought to be simple, so that the unlearned may
perfectly understand all they read; and as cru
dition, or the show of il, often acts like CLOUD
between the subject and the reader, such veil
is laid aside that the naked statement may not
only have its full force, but be most perfectly
apprehended.
All religions are treated of with the same
courtesy. Brahmin would not be displeased
with the statement of his belief, nor would
Romanist complain that his church had been
spoken of without all reverence. The word
heather is nowhere used, as inconsistent with
the impartiality Mrs. c. wished to preserve on
every page of her work.
Her standpoint is that of the school of Ger
man Rationalists. The first volume contains
her synopsis of the religion of Hindostan, Egypt,
China, Thibet, Tartary, Chaldea, Persia, Greece,
and Rome, Celtic tribes, and the Jews. Vol
H1e I'd, Christianity. Volume Sd, Christianity
since the days of Constantine and Mohamme-
danism.
Mrs. Child is fond of finding analogies be-
tween the faith of the disciples of Christ and
of other great bodies of mankind. And in this
there is much to interest the reader.
In all ages and in all chimes, there have ex-
listed in the minds of men the same longings
after Immortality. The same passionate desire
to lift the veil from the face of Isis among the
Egyptians three centuries ago. is rife in our
own land, and is expressed in the attempts to
open communications by raessns OF a,.sedmnss of
our own times.
We see no ground of argument, because the
- a. haa 10 t1a
words of Paul, Seeking and feeling after God,
if haply they might find him." why, the writings
of Confucius, the sayings Of z0roaster, the
Vedas of Hindostan, should be placed on the
came level with the GLORIOUS Gospel of the
blessed God" Such was not the teaching of
Paul, as he stood on Mars Hill, and proclaimed
to the wise men of his day, "The Mystery, the
Hidden Wisdom of God, which, from the be-
ginning of the world, was hid, to the intent that
through the church should be made manifst
the wisdom of God" Such are the words ST
Paul. who gloried in the revelation God maze
of himself in the Gift of His Son, Jesus Chrf I,
"icho hath abolished death, and brought u e
and Immortality to light through The Gospel.
How different from the rapturous faith #
Paul are the fnalitiss of Mrs. Child's system f
Religious Ideas. If John, too, had his visid
of the New Jerusalem, the River of Life, ar I
heard the music of the redeemed, " a great mu.-
titude, which no man could number, of all ns-
tons, and kindreds, and people, who stood befoI
the Chrome and before the Lamb, clothed ia
white robes, and palms in Their hands, and VIII,
sang to golden harps, saying, Salvation to our