and, with this preliminary point settled, such an interpretation would enable them to arrive, fairly and reasonably, at the same conclusions which they now aim at, by absurd theories of interpretation, or illogical sophisms. For it would be then easy to show, that the Bible is the most stupendous bundle of absurdities and falsehoods, that was ever palmed upon the credulity of mankind; "the most uncertain of all books," to guide man to moral truth, and completely justifying the position of all these Essayists, that the only safe rule for educated men, in these enlightened times, is the "supremacy of Reason." All that would then be required of these Rationalists by a grateful world, would be, to continue the same reasonable process, and account for the admitted fact, that this Book has continued through all ages to mold, instruct, console and elevate mankind. It would not be strange if such an attempt, fairly conducted, should force them, by its difficulties, to acknowledge the supernatural Divine origin of the Bible, as the most logical conclusion. What evidence, we would ask, other than a Miraculous one, would properly attest a supernatural Revelation? The human reason demands precisely such kind of evidence, and will be satisfied with no other. Suppose a man of pure life and sound mind should arise in our midst, and solemnly proclaim, that he was commissioned, supernaturally, to announce a message from the Deity. There being no question of his integrity or sanity, what evidence would we require to attest his supernatural claim? We would most certainly say to him, "If you claim to be supernaturally endowed as the embassador of God, present your credentials ;-give us such evidence of this claim, as our senses and our reason can take cognizance of, that we may believe, when you say, "Thus saith the Lord." If such a one, by word or touch, should really open the eyes of the blind, restore the withered limb, raise the dead to life, or predict the future, reason would compel us to admit, that the Deity, who thus supernaturally accredited him, had also supernaturally endowed him as His messenger. If he should fail in this attempt, we would justly rank him either as a lunatic or an impostor. The fact that no nation has ever existed without a religious belief based upon the supernatural, and

claiming Miraculous attestation of its truth, is proof that the necessity for a faith of this kind is implanted in human nature, and that human reason demands just such evidence to support it. As the religion of the Bible is the only one that has ever stood the test of reason and experience, so are its Miracles the only ones that can stand the test of scrutiny. All others are but shams and counterfeits, easily detected, and readily exposing the superstitions that they are designed to uphold.

We now take leave of these Essayists and their pernicious book. We have studied carefully their views, and have endeavored to represent them with clearness and candor. We make no apology for the severity of our language, for it is the honest expression of our abhorrence of their mingled impiety and sophistry; nor has it in any instance been used wantonly, but always in logical connection with the detection of error. After

a careful perusal, in the proofs, of all that has been written, there is but one expression which we would wish to expunge, and would have done so had we been aware of it before the type was distributed. It is the remark in regard to Baron Bunsen, in which we refer to the German nation as "a plodding race." It escaped our pen in a moment of irritation in regard to German Rationalism, whose elaborately learned puerilities we detest as much as its impiety. The remark, however, though an honest expression of opinion, was logically unnecessary, and does seeming injustice to a nation which has produced many of the noblest intellects. We regret its use, and now make all the atonement in our power. With this confession of our error, we claim no exemption from proper rebuke, on the ground that, "to err is human,-to forgive, divine.”

There remains but one question to be considered: what will be the effect of this book? The Introductory notice by its Unitarian editor shows the delight with which it is hailed by that sect. Avowed infidels will gloat over its pages, and recognize in its authors able coadjutors and kindred spirits. No sound hurchman, or mature lible Christian, will receive the slightest detriment from its perusal. But there are two classes in our country, with whom it will be a powerful engine for mischief. The first is, that (too numerous) class of preach

ers, who, with quick parts and active minds, lack the correctives of a sound erudition and stable principles. They are, as we have remarked on another occasion, the scatter-brain proclaimers of what may be called a mixed eclectic Gospel, composed of religion, rationalism, politics, and philanthropy, who perhaps, in sincerity, think they are preaching Christ, when in reality they are preaching, with fervid vehemence, for popular applause, their own irreverent individualities. These men, when they meet any thing in the Bible which opposes some favorite notion of politics or philanthropy, are ever ready, in the language of one who is a type of the class, to "let it go to the desolating armies of its enemies." Such men will find in this book an easy method to escape the coercive restraints of the Bible, and plenty of wind with which to fill the sails which they weekly trim for popular applause. For them we can do nothing.

But there is another class, for whom we feel the deepest concern and sympathy, and for whom this book seems to have been especially designed. They are the young and ardent inquirers after theological truth; young men, perhaps just entering the ministry, in the first blush of their intellectual prime. Conscious of the budding promise of future mental power, they resent-alas! we know how keenly-any shackle upon free thought, or any attempt to confine within bounds the full exercise of their untrained intellectual powers. To them the constant appeals which this book makes to their pride of reason, is full of seductive danger. To such we would say, "Are you willing to abandon the Faith of your fathers, to deny your Saviour, and forego those glorious hopes of a blessed immortality which the Bible unfolds, for the present gratification of a proud philosophy, falsely so called ?" The answer doubtless will be,-God forbid! Then we would say: Lay down this dangerous book, till your powers are more matured; or, if you will read, do it with your eyes open, and with the full conviction, that, if you lend a willing ear to the seductive appeals which these writers make to your intellectual pride, and if you admit, unquestioned, the sophistry of their premises, you cannot logically stop till you reach the Deism to which they have all attained, and the blank Atheism to which they are all hastening.

ART. VI.-CHURCH MISSIONS IN NEW YORK CITY.

Annual Report of the Protestant Episcopal Mission to Public Institutions in the City of New York.

BETWEEN eleven and twelve years ago, some of the Rectors and Communicants of our City Churches, dissatisfied with the general usage among us of opening the House of Prayer only on the Lord's Day, were in the habit of meeting daily for the celebration of Public Worship. In certain of our Churches this custom, new to this generation and Church and country, had already for some years obtained and found favor. At the time however of which we now speak, one after another had been added to the number of Churches open for Daily Worship, amid somewhat of excitement, discussion and opposition. Some advocated the practice earnestly, others as strenuously opposed it. Like many another movement, good in itself, its own merits were lost sight of, and it was advocated by some in connection with usages with which it had really no necessary connection: opposed by others in part, because of the system to which it seemed to them to belong, in part perhaps because of the persons by whom it was here introduced. In short, like many another subject, although having no necessary connection with any party in the Church, it became a party question, and its true merits were lost to sight.

The Rev. W. Richmond, of blessed memory, was a man above all party, a Churchman who, throughout his whole life, loved what was Christ-like wherever found, and was ready equally to follow or lead in what seemed to him to be good. He saw in the opening of the Churches for Daily Prayer, not only an appearance and means of greater devotion, but a greater self-sacrifice on the part of the Clergyman who each day at the appointed hour led the prayers of those assembled, than on the part of those of the Clergy who opened their Churches only on Sundays. It may be, also, that he had in mind the example, not only of the Early Church, but of the

zealous, untiring Henry Venn, who, in one of his country Parishes, was accustomed to hold a Daily Service, not in his Church, but at evening in the kitchen of his own house, where he gathered, at the close of their day's labor, as many workpeople and others from the neighborhood as would give heed to his call.

In thinking over the subject with reference to his own duty, Mr. Richmond for a time hesitated as to his course. If two or three should desire to gather for Daily Prayer, he was ready to meet with them, whether in the Church or from house to house. Yet, it could not escape the attention of one who had to an uncommon degree the gift of looking at a subject from every side, and in every light, that the few who would meet for Daily Service would be among the most devout and best circumstanced; whereas, amid the wickedness and woe of this naughty world, the time and power of Christ's Ministers ought, it would seem, to be chiefly given to saving men from sin and relieving suffering. By the Holy Spirit of God, Mr. Richmond's attention was at this time directed to the Public Institutions of our city, then unvisited, except occasionally, by any Clergyman of our Church, some of them seldom receiving a Minister of any denomination within their walls. He expressed it as his opinion, that, by taking the time required to maintain a Daily Service, and devoting it to labor in some of the Charitable Institutions of our City, he should be better serving his Master and his brethren, than by the introduction of more frequent Services into his own Parish. Accordingly,

having obtained the necessary permission, he commenced a Weekly Service at the New York Orphan Asylum, containing about two hundred children, and, at the City Lunatic Asylum, on Blackwell's Island, another, which was attended by about seventy persons, among them some who in former years had been under Mr. Richmond's ministry. At his suggestion, his Assistant began at about the same time to visit twice each week the Colored Home, holding Service in the Chapel, and visiting the sick in the Wards.

Such is the history of the origin of the Mission to Public Institutions. In writing out this account for the present