The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-04-01
A New Book.

and taught by the Methodist Church.
The author is unfortunate in his selection
of name for the book. Visions of the
Vale properly belongs to the romantic or
sentimental class of book titles, while the
work of MI Price has little Of the visionary
about it, and considering the subject under
consideration, there is but limited amount
of speculation INDUCED in. While contain
ing little tina: is new or original in theory,
the book manifests great deal of patient
research and careful digestion of the vol
luminous quartos and folios which have
been written on the subjects it treats. The
style is chaste and simple, but the thoughts
of the author well portrayed. The brevlty
with which the work handles such obstruse
subjects as Agency of the Divine Spirit,
sPremonitions," 'Relation of Error to
TRUTH Here and Hereafter" Law of
Providence" Casustry Of Providence,
q EARLY Dying" etc, is one of its most
commendable features.
The many ponderous volumes which
have come from the press on these and
similar tapicS, for the purpose of elaborat-
ing the few simple prccepts given in the
Scriptures, have failed to penetrate the
veil which has been fixed by the hand of
the Creator, and the vain imaginings and
discussions OF learned doctors, and the con-
ilcting "doctrines and crecds laid down
by each school, have been the fruitful
cause of more wars, cruelty and persecution
Ill i,
of the Christian era, while the few simple
precepts and promises claiming Divine
origin, scattered through the Scriptures,
remain their own best interpreters. All
that has been learnedly written for the
purpose of making them more clear and
comprehensive, have served the opposite
purpose of bcwildering and misleading the
world.
And this is no doubt, wisely ordered so,
for if man could grasp everything in the
infinite with his understanding, there
would be nothing left for faith to lay hold
on, and he would soon aspire to govern the
universe as well as the world
In the chapter on Higher Law, the fol-
| lONlllS, " us Dcllcl,
"Superfuity of dress is interdicted, but
gold, rs an ornament of apparel, is speci-
fed and forbidden; and all who put it on
| do it against apostolic advice, at least, and
to that extent are transgressors of the
Higher Law. To say that the admonition
was confined to the apostolic times, or that
the customs of civilized society have rem
dered it obsolete, is to make void the law
| of Cod Inv tbn pripe pf mon -
| This will strike some of our clerical
friends who indulge in the convenient
luxury of gold time keeper Or gold frame
spectacles, as a severe Judgment on their
taste in preferring the purer and untarnish-
able mettle to iron, for those purposes; and
they will he apt to consider the case hard
one that they should be Sin danger of hell
fire." for preferring q metal of neatness
and cleanliness-the latter kin to godli-
ness-to one that is subject to rust and dirt
| The author sometimes rises to eloquence
in his medtatioDs, and clothes his thoughts
in beautiful language.
In the chapter on Here and Hereafter
the following passages occur.
"The future world seems to obtrude
upon the present, and to prevade it. Their
lines interscct, their influences commingle;
| the waves of eternity great sea wash and
chafe the shores of time, and voices come,
sullen and hoarse, and also sweet as the
music of love. The breeze bears the per-
fume of Eden, and also the stencil of the
pit; and to the eye loom up scenes of
beauty, and also sights of Woe"
| A,l ;,,f 1a 81, {hn ;far
draws the following picture of Heaven:
sit is world without sin and death; it
is one of purity and immortal life. There
uncounted multitudcs in contented groups
hold high converse. They sit down amid
fadeless groves of blossoms and fruits, or
stand on radiant SUBMITS and gaze upon
the scenery of celestial worlds; or traverse
flowery plains with ,jubilant freedom, ram
BILE along the river OF life and ford it at
pleasure, its margin crowned with ever
greens and arched with eternal rainbows.
Spacious and Respondent avenues lead
from distant spheres to the city of God
ever crowded with immortals moving i'll,
all directions, buoyant ecstatic, constantly
passing beneath the dome of the great tenn
pie, where countless voices chime in songs
of rapturouS alteration"
This description depicts pleasant site
for a picnic, and is replete with innocence
and childlike love.
The following, the writer conceives, will
be the state of society in a future and
better state:
"The family relation will not exist here
after, only in the general classification of
human and angelic creatures. In Heaven
saints and angels will compose the orders,
but society in it's highest forms of intellect
ual and devotional intercourse will exist
and give to that immortal state its purest
Joy
The work comprises a very neat volume
of about 300 pages, the price $1.25, placing
it within the reach of all; and to those
fond of metaphysical and theological dis
QUESTIONS, it will prove 4 very pleasant and
interesting book.
AS the season for new Clothing is now
at hand, we would specially call the atten-
ton of our readers to the facilities offered
by Messrs Rockllill & Wilson, the we'll
known clothiers of Philadelphia, whose
card will be found in another column