When the Rev. Mr. Richmond, returning from Oregon, recommenced his visits to Blackwell's Island, he was accompanied by his wife. Her attention was directed, from the first, to the women, who, in great numbers, either as vagrants or for other reasons, found their way to the Island. Among them were many for whom there seemed a hope of better things and better days, if any home were provided in which the most hopeful cases might be invited to take refuge. In the then existing state of affairs, every good word was hopelessly thrown away. Upon the discharge of those women from the Island, homeless and friendless, their former companions in sin, or those daughters of hell who thrive upon their ruin, awaited their arrival upon the opposite shore, and led them at once to haunts of vice. After much thought and counsel and prayer, Mrs. Richmond resolved that at least an attempt should be made to furnish a home, in which those exposed to temptation might take shelter, and those weary of sin might find a rest. The result of the effort of that noble, determined, Christian woman has been the establishment of the Institution known as the "HOUSE OF MERCY," which, from that small beginning, has increased and prospered, until now more than thirty persons find a welcome home within its walls. As we propose in another connection to give some account of that much needed charity, it is neither a need or desire to enlarge upon it now. Our wish is only to show how out of one good work there springs another. As years grow by, and the love of Christ warms in men's hearts, many another needed refuge, or home, will, we believe, in like manner appear as an offshoot of this Mission.

In closing, we commend this work to those upon whom it rests, by labor and gift and prayer to speed it. We have told our tale, not in boasting, but in the humble trust that, under God's blessing, the knowledge of what may be done will stir up pious hearts throughout our land to this undone work of caring for the homeless and friendless. Having been for many years engaged in these labors, it has become our common inquiry upon entering any town or village containing either Jail, or Hospital, or Alms House, "Does any Clergyman visit this In

stitution ?" The almost universal answer has been, "Not regularly; if any is asked for, he always goes." In truth, however, he is seldom asked for, and therefore seldom goes.

Upon visiting, some years since, the Jail of one of our Southern cities, we asked of the Jailer, who had been for half a generation in charge, if the Clergy often visited his prisoners. He answered, that twice an Episcopal Minister had been there; with that exception, he had never before seen any Minister within his gates. Yet, upon the breaking out afterwards of a pestilence, the men and women of that city, with a devotion which spared not their own lives, gave themselves to the care of the sick, thus proving, that no want of Christian love had made them neglectful of the prisoner. As there, so also we believe elsewhere, hearts are ready, but the field every day at hand is overlooked.

If any labors or words of ours shall serve to draw the attention of Clergy and Laity to a work given us by Christ and yet forgotten, then the prayer which goes with labor and word will have been heard, and to those hopeless of blessing will it be given to see the glorious signs of Christ's presence and life. One of the most common and most weighty objections against the Church of Christ in our times, urged alike by infidels and worldlings, is, that the Church, though dignified in tone, and majestic in ritual, is not equal to the exigencies of society, that the paralysis of old age is upon her, and that a New Evangel is needed. Neglectful of her duty as the Church has been, we yet write under the deep conviction that the objection is really groundless, and that she is already beginning to vindicate her high claims by the most persuasive of all arguments, a humble, holy, Christ-like Charity. God speed our words to the hearts of all our Clergy and our Laity. We have been laboring in past years to prove, and we have proved, that we have the Apostolic Ministry and the Apostolic Creeds; let us now use another kind of argument.

We propose, hereafter, to give a sketch of the several Church Charities, such as "Homes," "Hospitals," Missionary Chapels, &c., a large number of which have been successfully commenced in the City within the last few years.

NOTE.-CORRECTION.

We have received from one of the Committee appointed by the last General Convention to report to the next General Convention "upon the whole subject of the Hymnody and Metrical Psalmody of the Church," the following Note, which we publish as thus best accomplishing the end for which the Note was written.

REV. DR. RICHARDSON, EDITOR, &c.

My Dear Sir:

The interesting and sparkling Article in the April Church Review, entitled "Hymns from Compilers' Hands," states, on page 49, and proceeds throughout on the supposition, that the gentlemen who proposed the Hymns for Church and Home" were the Committee appointed by the General Convention in 1859, and that this book is the result of their deliberations in that capacity.

In fact, as you will remember, they were but a self-constituted "Committee;" the original edition of the book was printed before the Convention of 1859, and copies were placed in the hands of the members of the Convention.

The error, which it is easy to explain as to its origin, does not require any public correction on account of the Compilers of the book. Nor may it materially affect the purposes of the Reviewer, whose criticisms were in both cases equally just.

The Committee appointed by the Convention have never had a meeting; whether it would complain of this ascription of responsibility, I cannot say.

But it is still a historical error; and appearing in the pages of such a publication as the Review, might hereafter mislead some one who should be tracing the history of our Hymnology in the Church.

Yours very truly,

EDITORIAL.

THE absolute impossibility of reaching a large number of the Subscribers to the Review, in consequence of the derangement of the Mails, will compel us to postpone the mailing of this Number to them. Even in this case, the Volume will be completed as usual, and the Numbers will be sent as soon as possible.

We are glad to be able to say, that our subscription list, which was never better than now, has scarcely been affected by the civil troubles of the country, though the disturbed state of the public currency has rendered the payment of subscriptions, especially those at a distance, more than usually difficult. We bespeak from those of our subscribers, living where commercial exchanges are still kept up with New York, prompt remittances, by which we may be in a measure relieved from all embarrassment. Our Southern brethren, among whom are many of our ablest contributors, warmest friends, and best supporters, are assured that we look forward with pleasure to the restoration of a speedy and open communication with them.

The Article in this Number, on the "Essays and Reviews," though long, will not be thought too long by our readers. Nor are we yet done with the subject. This volume will be examined from another stand-point in the next Review. We are also prepared to state, and to prove, that this German Rationalism has already been imbibed in our own Church to an extent much greater than is generally supposed.

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

THE BIBLE AND THE CLASSICS. By the Rt. Rev. WM. MEADE, D. D., Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Virginia. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers. 1861. 8vo. pp. 558.

THERE are few thoughtful Christian readers who have not, at some period of their lives, been startled at facts which meet them in the history and development of the various systems of Heathenism, all over the world, and at their unmistakable resemblance, in some one point or another, to that one great Plan of Redemption, which they regard as alone worthy of their belief and confidence. At one time, Infidelity used this admitted fact as an argument, and with great effect. Of later years, however, the researches of learned men are showing, beyond a peradventure, that these facts in Heathenism are incontestible proofs of a Supernatural Religion, ante-dating all Heathenism, and having their alone solution in "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Among the more popular of modern writers who have given their attention to this line of investigation, are Sir Matthew Hale, Warburton, Cudworth, Hardwick, Trench, Rawlinson, &c. Bishop Meade has attempted a summary of this whole argument; and he has, we think, been entirely successful. He has done enough to guard the great multitude of believers against the cavils of the scoffer, and he points to the sources of a more scientific and thorough examination, if any one chooses to pursue it. In stating his plan, the Bishop says: "Who can question the importance of some work, which shall bring within moderate compass a comparative view of the leading principles and facts of the Bible, and of all the false religions of earth, showing that they had the same origin, but how, under the latter, men gradually "turned the truth of God into a lie," and came "to worship the creature more than the Creator," and, at length, were given up of God to all the abominations which abound in the heathen world."

ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN PULPIT; or, Commemorative Notices of Distinguished American Clergymen of various Denominations, from the early settlement of the Country, to the close of the year 1825; with Historical Introductions. By WILLIAM B. SPRAGUE, D. D. Volume VII. New York: Carter & Brothers. 1859. 8vo. pp. 848.

The present volume is devoted to biographical sketches of the more distinguished Methodist preachers, of whom the lives of nearly two hundred are given. In intellectual strength, and in solid learning, the preachers of no denomination in our country will suffer in comparison with the Methodists. Indeed, until quite recently, it was quite the fashion among them to decry "book-learning," as it was called. If their zeal was without knowledge, it was not without the appearance of grace, and being seasoned, often-times, with coarse wit, and with a plenty of over-bearing pretentiousness, it carried away the masses of the illiterate, as by storm. Some amusing illustrations of this may be found in the volume before us. And yet, not a few of these preachers were men of great natural shrewdness, and, we doubt not, of sincere piety, and Methodism, in our country, has unquestionably done a VOL. XIV.—NO, JI.

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