church in Massachusetts, who says of the second number: "The first number was good, but this is a decided advance upon it in point of interest. If I had known nothing of this Review beforehand, and it had been put into my hands, I should have said on reading it — This is not modern religious literature; this is some old book of the last century retouched with the neatness and beauty of modern art.' The truth is your Review is a hundred years behind the times, or else, what I would rather believe, it is fifty years ahead of them. I am struck with the remarkable unity of this number, the articles coming, as they do, from so many different authors. It convinces me that the Old Theology is one and the same thing, by whomsoever it is handled, and from whatever stand-point it is viewed. This Review is just suited, in my judgment, to bring the pure Gospel, unmodernized by a progressive theology, before the minds of the ministers and intelligent laymen."

A pastor among the hills of New Hampshire, who also belongs to the priesthood of learning, favors us with valuable suggestions, which we shall, doubtless, turn to account. He says: "I grow stronger for the fullest and broadest possible discussion of facts and dogmas, and would pursue errorists to whatever quarter they may resort, whether to caves of the earth or to the outer regions of thin air, and would meet them and throw down the gauge, in their presence in their own element. I hope the Review will be broad and strong, as well as orthodox, and, while dealing fearlessly with all men, be perfectly tolerant with errorists, and those deemed such, - that is, slay, if it can, the error, and spare as far as warrantable, the persons and motives of the errorists."

Not less gratifying is the testimony of the periodical press, as indicating at once a true appreciation of the character and objects of the Boston Review, and extensive and growing popular favor. A leading Boston Daily greeted our last issue in the terms following: - "Of this second number of a religious periodical, the appearance of which has excited unusual interest, we will only say it is better than the first number in the general quality and variety of its contents. Superior to the first it could hardly be, in respect to certain articles of which we formerly expressed our opinion. We are confident that due attention to the enterprise and such an undertaking requires unwearied attention will soon make it extensively popular and useful among the large class into whose hands it is likely to fall." The New York Observer says: "The second number of this new Review fully maintains the high character for soundness and pungency established by the first."

The testimony of the Recorder is equally decisive, as follows: "The March number of this new periodical, which is published once in two months, contains several articles of uncommon value. That on 'The Old and New Theology,' and the one on 'The Theology of Plymouth Pulpit,' are sufficient to give character to such a work for at least half a year. The continuance of articles of such ability, and bearing so directly on matters of present interest, will soon secure a good circulation for the work."

Magnanimity, great and unaccountable toward ourselves! that Review live, say we."

Independent, April 4.

"Let

WE are sorry to see that some of our little friends are in a naughty temper. It not only makes them feel bad, but spoils their faces; and folks that get angry frequently are sure to be laughed at, and nobody cares for them or minds their scolding. They should try hard to control their naughty tempers, should never call names, and by all means should think three times at least before they speak out loud about people "lying;" because it sounds unmannerly and rude, and because folks that are hasty to charge others with "lying" are very apt to be suspected of not always keeping to the truth themselves. We trust our little friends are sorry, and we trust they will listen to us when we say to them kindly, that they must try to conquer their naughty temper, if they want people to love them. We would advise them, whenever they feel it beginning to rise in their bosom, to count a hundred before they speak, or perhaps if they would spell slowly some long word, and hard to pronounce, it might answer just as well, thus:

C-O-N G-R-E G-A T-I-O-N A-L I-S-T.

The best thing of all however, we think, would be to say over to themselves every night when they go to bed, something out of the Bible, as "He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly;" Prov. 14: 17; or some nice verse of a hymn, such as

"But children, you should never let
Your angry passions rise;" &c.

ANOTHER CHURCH GONE OVER TO ARMINIANISM. The old and the new creeds of a church in Massachusetts have been put in our hands. The alterations are the suppression of those doctrines that distinguish us from Arminians.

The doctrine of an "efficacious" call by the Spirit of God is stricken out. The doctrine of Election also disappears by the suppression of the words of the Holy Ghost at the mouth of Paul-"were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy and without blame before him in love."

The doctrine of God's decrees, as eternal and foreordaining, is also wanting, while the doctrine of foreknowledge is inserted.

This church does not seem to have taken the advice, "in medio tutissimus ibis," in its wanderings from Calvinism. Or perhaps it began under that advice, but could not stop in medio, and so went over wholly to Arminianism.

If we have read correctly of that middle line, it has a very steep though pleasantly winding grade, and the cars have no brakes.

Shakspeare.

There were pre

BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH! monitions uttered on succeeding weeks in the month of March, that a very big gun was being fixed up with great and protracted labor for a discharge intended to take effect on our ill-fated selves. This thing was being done in Chicago, and in the neighborhood of the "Congregational Herald." Those were weeks of suspense and apprehension, for who could tell what the result might be! Well, at last the gun went off, but, sooth to say, nobody was killed, and nobody hit; and strangest of all, there was no noise even, except a great sputtering and fizzing, though the smoke was seen at a considerable distance. For, while there was ever so much powder, there was no shot (it is supposed they hadn't any,) nor was there any wadding; hence the sputtering and fizzing. We hope no mischief was done to the office of the "Herald;" but we much fear that the "Brother" who put in the powder and touched the gun off, must have had his whiskers singed, as his beard has been grown a good while, notwithstanding his senses are not sufficiently exercised to discern between "the old and new theology."

BOSTON REVIEW.

VOL. I.-JULY, 1861.-No. 4.

ARTICLE I.

METES AND BOUNDS, COMPASS AND CHAIN.

"BLESSED are the peace-makers." And surely Deacon Allen was one of them. We remember him from earliest childhood. For with compass and chain and old records, he came often into our region to hunt up ancient bounds, and so make peace between conterminous and contending neighbors.

When fences in the deep woods had gone to decay with those who set them, or the marked tree had fallen with the pioneer who blazed it, or one had beautified his yards and fields by encroaching on the highway, or another had come under the Mosaic curse by removing his neighbor's landmark, then the deacon was called as the great peace-maker. Yellow and soiled documents of a former generation were carefully unfolded, a common bound was agreed on, the compass was set, and the chain drawn out.

The North Star had not moved since the original survey; there was no disturbed balance of the sensibilities in the needle; a link was still just one link, and the old land-creed said so many rods and chains so and so, with such and such bearings. The contending parties busied themselves in an examination of the tattered deed, in carrying the chain, and in cutting away the Young America undergrowth of saplings and brushwood that obscured the sighting over the old lines. Our juvenile

eyes were wandering, the while, around the mysterious compass.

And thus the company moved on from station to station. Inevitably at each angle the foot of the deacon rested on the bound of the "stake and stones," or the spade revealed the covered monument. The deacon knew nothing of any "improvements" that had been made or attempted in straightening crooked paths, or shunning rough places, or securing the ends of justice. These things were not mentioned in the deed, nor did the compass indicate them. The needle pointed just as it did fifty years before. And as it guided, like the finger of destiny, to the old metes and bounds, totally regardless of the lines and limits of modern progress, it was interesting to see how the tones of controversy softened. Old landmarks, once brought to light, restored old memories and friendships. Even he of speculation and improvement, the new-school man, who had added a very liberal and pleasing border to his pleasure-grounds by encroaching on the highway laid out by the Puritan fathers, bowed submissively to the musty records and the unfeeling compass, though it cost him the resetting of his new fences. And so the quaint, conservative deacon, with his documents of a past generation and his unprogressive compass, was a most efficient man in promoting correct views and friendly feelings in neighborhood life.

Nothing is better fitted to promote a pure theology, practical godliness, and the peace of the church, than frequent resurveys of the old metes and bounds in Christian doctrine. In the modern passion for progress and improvement, and in the flippant use of new phrases, and in a sneering disregard for conservative tendencies, it is no easy and popular labor, to “stand in the ways, and see and ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk therein." Doctrinal labor in the church and pulpit and Sabbath-school is at a discount; sitting at the feet of the fathers is unprogressive and unmanly; having a definite creed is an antiquated notion; the use of precise phrases, that generations have accurately defined, and a long procession of saints hallowed, is servile; a Calvinistic theology is mainly of service to swear by; and Puritan, Plymouth, and Pilgrim history serves its main end by furnishing popular titles for writers