following story is from a Romanist book of devotion, published in Paris in 1835:

“Father Razzi, of the order of the Camaldules, tells us, that a young man who had lost his father, was sent by his mother to be the page of a certain prince. But before they parted, his mother, who had a great devotion for the Holy Virgin, made her son promise that he would repeat every day the Angelic Salutation, and with it this short ejaculatory supplication, Blessed Virgin, assist me at the hour of my death! The young man was no sooner arrived at the court, than he plunged into every kind of vice; and his bad conduct lost him entirely the favour of his master, who at last dismissed him from his service. In despair, and without any means of subsistence, he became a highwayman; but even whilst he was robbing and murdering on the king's highway, he remained faithful to the prac tice of piety which his mother had enjoined him. At length his crimes met with their reward; he fell into the hands of justice, and was condemned to death. He was thrown into prison, there to remain till he should be summoned to undergo the penalty of the law. On the evening before the day that was fixed for his execution, his disgrace, his approaching death, and the grief of his poor mother, presented themselves so vividly to his mind, that he was buried in sad thoughts, and his tears flowed abundantly; when, all at once, he beheld before him a young man, who, addressing him, offered to deliver him from prison and death, if he would bind himself to obey him. The prisoner gave the promise, when the young man disclosed to him that he was the devil; and commanded him, in the first place, to renounce Jesus Christ and the sacraments, to which the prisoner consented. That is not enough, added the evil spirit; you must also deny the Holy Virgin, and renounce her protection. That I will never do, replied the criminal, and, addressing the Mother of God, he repeated the prayer which he was in the habit of making to her, Blessed Virgin, succour me in the hour of death. These words put the devil to flight; but the poor young man remained inconsolable for having denied his Saviour: in his affliction, he had recourse to Mary, and prayed to her with such fervour, that she obtained for him a sincere contrition for his sins, under the influence of which he confessed with a deep feeling of penitence. On the next day, as the officers were leading him to the place of execution, he had to pass by an image of the Mother of God; he saluted it, and said, Blessed Virgin, succour me in the hour of death. The image, in the sight of all who were present, inclined its head, and returned the salutation. Penetrated by this mark of favour, he asked permission to kiss the feet of the image. The soldiers, who were conducting him, did not at all like this; but

as the people murmured, they did not venture to refuse his request. The young man stooped down, and the image, extending its arms, took him by the hand, and held him so tight, that it was impossible to get him away again. At this miracle, but one cry was heard,-Pardon! Pardon! and the pardon was granted. He returned to his country, and ever after led an exemplary life, retaining the most tender gratitude to Mary, who had saved him from two deathsa temporal and an eternal one."

Is it not terrible to think that such teaching as this is given in the name of Christianity in the nineteenth century?

THE distinguished New Testament critic, LACHMANN, died at Berlin, on the 13th of March, in his 59th year.

THE late Rev. Edward Bickersteth was not less remarkable for his diligence as a writer, than for his zeal and fidelity as a preacher. The following list contains the titles of his principal works:-A Treatise on Prayer, designed to promote the Spirit of Devotion (seventeenth edition) :-A Scripture Help, designed to assist in Reading the Bible profitably (nineteenth edition):— A Treatise on the Lord's Supper, in two parts (twelfth edition):-Christian Truth, a Family Guide to the Chief Truths of the Gospel, with Prayers for each Day in the Week, and Private Devotions for various Occasions (third edition) :-The Christian Student, designed to assist Christians in general in acquiring Religious Knowledge, with lists of Books adapted to various Classes (fourth edition) :-Practical Reflections on the Four Gospels, arranged on the plan of a Harmony, selected from various Expositions (second edition) :-Family Expositions of the Epistles of St. John and St. Jude:-A Treatise on Baptism, designed as a Help to the due Improvement of that Holy Sacrament:-The Chief Concerns of Man for Time and for Eternity (fifth edition) :-Family Prayers, a Complete Course for Eight Weeks, with Additional Prayers for various Occasions:-The Signs of the Times in the East, a Warning to the West:The Promised Glory of the Church of Christ :

The Restoration of the Jews to their own Land, in Connexion with their future Conversion and the final Blessedness of our Earth (second edition):-A Practical Guide to the Prophecies (seventh edition.)

SCOTLAND has produced bold divines as well as warriors; and the race is not extinct yet. The Rev. JAMES COCHRANE has written a book entitled "Discourses on some

of the most difficult Texts of Scripture," in which the following subjects are discussed:The Church's Foundation Rock and the Gates of Hell; The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; Irretrievable Apostasy; Salted with Fire; Christ went and preached to the Spirits in Prison; Baptized for the Dead; General View of the Doctrine of God's Eternal Decrees; Sovereignty of God in Predestination; Sovereignty of God in Election; Doctrine of Election practically considered; Sovereignty of God in Reprobation; On the Difficulties in the Ninth Chapter of Romans; The two Genealogies of Christ compared; The Title on the Saviour's Cross; The Election of Matthias; and the Sin against the Holy Ghost. Not having read the book, we cannot judge whether Mr. Cochrane's success is equal to his courage.

An important work of Origen's, hitherto believed to be lost, has been discovered in Paris, by M. Miller, librarian of the National Assembly, among the Greek manuscripts brought to that capital by M. Mynas about ten years ago. The Journal des Débats describes the original work as being in ten books:-the first of which is already known to the world under the title of

Philosophumena." The last seven books are now, it is said, recovered, and about to be published. The French journal describes the work as "a refutation of heresies, in which the author endeavours to prove that the heresiarchs have all taken their doctrines from the ancient philosophers :"-a very curious task for Origen to perform, since he was himself chiefly remarkable for the mixture of Zeno, Plato, and Aristotle which he compounded with his Christianity. But apart from its controversial interest, the recovered manuscript will throw new light on the opinions and practices of the Neo-Platonists, and on the manners and customs of ancient times. Discoveries like this point out the necessity for a larger and more combined action of learned societies in the search for ancient manuscripts. Origen's "Stromata" might even yet be completed,—and it is not to be supposed that all the existing fragments of his "Hexapla" were collected by Montfaucon. There are vast stores of old manuscripts in Europe not yet examined. The library of the Vatican would not only yield to the cause of letters some of the unknown or incomplete works of the early fathers, but would probably furnish some valuable

manuscripts of classic writers. There are several libraries in France and Germany, of which the contents are not perfectly known; and among the Arabic transcripts at Constantinople and in other Eastern cities, a copy of the "Republic" and of the lost books of Livy might possibly be found Learned bodies should take this matter up in earnest-more especially the great universities which have, so to say, charge of the interests of learning. The successful mission of M. Mynas is an instance of what may be done with a little earnestness and energy for the recovery of lost treasures. The remainder of Tacitus and Aristotle might not impossibly be recovered at a tithe of the trouble which has been bestowed on the search after the supposed buried wealth of the buccaneers.

ANOTHER Volume of infidelity has issued from that laboratory of scepticism, John Chapman's book-shop in the Strand, London. It is entitled, ambitiously enough, "The Creed of Christendom; its Foundations and Superstructure, by W. R. GREG :” and lest any of our readers should be induced by its title to purchase it, we state the leading objects of the work, which are to prove-I. That "the tenet of the inspiration of the Scriptures is baseless and untenable under any form or modification which leaves to it a dogmatic value:"II. That "the Gospels are not textually faithful records of the sayings and actions of Jesus, but ascribe to him words which he never uttered, and deeds which he never did:"-III. That "the apostles only partially comprehended and imperfectly transmitted the teaching of their great Master.” The infection of half-learned arrogance and of blasphemy under the guise of spiritualism, seems to be spreading in England.

DR. JOHN PYE SMITH died, as we stated in our last, on the 5th of February, 1851. A brief sketch of his life and labours is due to his memory and to our readers. He was born in Sheffield in 1775. His father was a bookseller, and in his shop the son learned to read books as well as to bind them. As he showed early signs of talent, he was sent to Rotherham College, and so distinguished himself by his diligence and success in study, that when his academial course was finished, he was made at once a tutor in the College. At twenty-five he was invited to become principal of Homerton College, the oldest theological school of the Independents in England. He held this office,

with ever-increasing popularity and usefulness, for fifty years; and during nearly all this time he was also pastor of a Church in the neighbourhood.

"The chief labour of Dr. Pye Smith's life, and his most enduring monument, was the work entitled 'The Scripture Testimony to the Messiah: an Inquiry with a view to a satisfactory Determination of the Doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures concerning the Person of Christ.' This work is admitted by the greatest scholars to be the first of its kind. It is marked by profound and accurate learning, candid criticism, and by that reverential and Christian spirit which ought to govern every theological inquiry. It has received the rare honour of being admitted, though the work of a Dissenter, as an authority in the English universities. His work on Scripture and Geology added to his theological and scientific reputation, and established his claim to a place in the Royal Society. He also published a considerable number of separate sermons and lectures, with some volumes of controversy. Should his course of divinity be given to the world, as many competent persons have expressed the opinion that it ought, we believe it will greatly add to his fame and his usefulness. It is stated that he was never satisfied to go through his divinity lectures unimproved, but constantly amended them as new lights were thrown on Scripture."

The following estimate of the quality of his mind is given in the funeral sermon pronounced by Dr. John Harris :—

"Those who could best appreciate him will, I think, join with me in the opinion that his mind was not distinguished by any splendid or showy attributes. The daring in imagination, the metaphysical in reasoning, and the inventive in theory, were unknown to him. But if his mental qualities were not marked by breadth and brilliance, they were characterized by strength and intensity. He united quickness of apprehension with great power of application and patient inquiry. Remarkable retentiveness of memory, and the orderly distribution of his knowledge, placed the results of his immense reading at his ready disposal. His mind was a well-arranged library, in which he could easily lay his hand on whatever he wanted. And to these qualities he added-what is rarely found in so eminent a degree in this connexion-true originality. Not that which aims at the striking, or produces the singular; but that which denotes mental independence. Whatever he produced, brought with it, both in form and in style, the stamp of his own mind.

"But more particularly; his course was marked by unintermitting mental activity. The range of reading and study which he

sketched for himself and his pupils on his first coming to Homerton, showed a determination to circumnavigate, if possible, the entire globe of knowledge. Departments of science which were then only just beginning to attract attention, were already familiar to him. The German, French, and other modern languages, unlocked their stores of literature to him, at a time when the first of these especially was, in this country, almost an unknown tongue.' Every new book of importance, however costly, was eagerly obtained, and laid under contribution in the cause of truth. And even when his growing infirmities compelled him to retire from official life, his thirst for knowledge remained unappeased. When he retired to Guildford, he entertained the hope of entering on an extensive course of reading in the ancient and modern languages.

"Nor was this intellectual activity a life of mere abstraction, or of mental luxury. Dr. Smith valued knowledge for its useful applications. It has been said that 'to write is to act.' Each of his books was an act; and an act designed to meet a want. Whether he architecturally built up the 'Scripture Testimony to the Messiah, like the ancient Tabernacle of Witness, or rebuked the flippant attacks of Infidelity; whether he asserted the Sacrifice and Priesthood of Christ, exhibited the rules for the Interpretation of Prophecy, expounded the Principles of the Reformation, or enforced the claims of Evangelical Nonconformity, his aim was usefulness of the highest order. His great work, the Scripture Testimony,' is universally acknowledged to be one of the greatest modern achievements of sanctified learning.”

He went down to the grave at last, full of years, without any special disease. His last hours were calm and peaceful :

"Looking intensely with his mild eyes in the faces of all who surrounded his dying bed, he made a last effort to bless them. "The Lord bless you all, (said he,) and He undoubtedly will.' To a medical friend he articulated with great difficulty, 'Farewell; I am greatly obliged; the eternal God be thy Refuge! And, turning to his son, 'The Lord be your portion forever!" And thus, (though he still lingered a short time,) like his Divine Master, he may be said to have ascended in the act of blessing."

THE May number of the British Quarterly Review contains an article on Jesuitism as it is, from which we make the following extracts. The present Superior General of the order of Jesuits is Johannes Roothaan, who was appointed July 9, 1829. Speaking of him, the Review says:

"Since Aquaviva, who died in 1615, the Jesuits have not had so young a superior, one still in the prime of life; and historical

truth compels us to admit that the post has never been held by so able a man, or one of such high mental endowments, as Father Roothaan, who now fills it. He was born at Amsterdam, November 20, 1785, and for a time was clerk to Mynheer Mos, a tobacco manufacturer of his native town. He afterwards left this humble situation in order to take Jesuit's orders. He was scarcely nineteen years of age when, in 1804, he entered the college at Polozk, and displayed rare ability, and great activity, in the discharge of his various and, in some degree, arduous undertakings. At the time of his elevation, Father Roothaan was not quite forty-five years old. He brought to his new office an acute, penetrating understanding, comprehending the whole world in the spirit of his order, the cool consideration peculiar to the Dutch, uncommon power of self-control united with indomitable courage, and extensive knowledge of mankind, of modern states, and their relations. He has, therefore, been deservedly called the greatest political chief, the most skilful pilot to whom the vessel of the order of Jesus could be intrusted; and the festivities with which his election was cele

brated in all the houses of the Society, were very natural. According to the prevalent opinion in Rome, heaven itself seemed to signalize Roothaan's entrance into office by a miraculously favourable omen. On the 18th July, the ninth day after his election, there happened a frightful thunderstorm, accompanied by a hurricane, at the time when eighty Jesuit disciples were met for prayer in the chapel of St. Louis of Gonzaga. The lightning struck two places in the Roman college, in the garden, in the church, and the chapel. A flash fell in the midst of those who were praying without injuring any of them. A miracle! a miracle!' exclaimed the people; and the holy fathers did not think proper to contradict them, by pointing out the very evident natural explanation of the event.

"It cannot be denied, that the triumphs of the Society of Jesus, under Roothaan's generalship, and the brilliant worldly position which they have again attained, have been in a great degree owing to the circumstances of the age, and especially to that fatal fever of reaction against the spirit of the century, which became more and more prevalent in courts, and at last infected even the wisest potentates. Nevertheless, we must also allow, that Roothaan's distinguished abilities have contributed greatly to this result. It may truly be said that he, throughout nearly the whole of his generalship, was not only the superior of the Jesuits, but also the actual pope, and possessed almost unlimited authority in the States of the Church."

The following summaries of the numbers of the "Society of Jesus" are derived from official documents:

"These tables show a constant increase of 1844, the increase in the order was, of members. In the three years from 1841 to priests, 121; of scholars, 163; of lay-brothers, 110; in all, 394 persons. The next year, 1845, gave an increase of 51 priests, 93 scholars, and 50 lay brothers; in all, 194 persons. It is a significant fact that the provinces of England and Ireland do not appear in these official statements. But our authority ('Heinrich Bode Das Innere,' &c.) gives the number of Jesuits on the 1st of January, 1844, as 164 in England, and 73 in Ireland. Some other provinces are omitted. With the probable increase for the year 1845, the aggregate number of members of this proselyting society was, at the end of that year, about 4,400 persons, and the annual increase about 214. If we suppose that the annual increase has remained from then till now the same,

though everything gives reason to believe that it has augmented considerably, then, to 4,400 we shall have to add five times 214, or 1,070, making the grand total of Jesuits at the present hour to be 5,470. This, it must be allowed, is a considerable array of spiritual power.'

An estimate is attempted of the number of Jesuits in England:

"In 1780, there were 110 Jesuits out of

359 priests then in England and Wales. Supposing the proportion to have been preserved, then, of the present 826 priests in England and Wales, 253 would be of the Society of Jesus. This calculation, however, does not inform us how many laybrethren of the order are here, and in active operation. We may employ other means of calculation. It has already been stated, that between 1790 and 1800, there were built eighteen new Catholic places of worship. The number of Jesuits in England about that time was, we have learned, 110. Now, if eighteen new chapels were produced by 110 Jesuits, how many Jesuits are necessary to produce 144-the number built in the period from 1840 to 1850? The answer is, 880. This calculation gives us 880 Jesuits employed in the extension of Catholicism in England during the decennium 1840-1850. The actual number of members that now belong to the Society of Jesus, we have calculated to be 5,470. If, then, 880 are engaged in England, this island receives a full share of attention from General Roothaan, about one-sixth of his army being here engaged in active warfare. Whether or not so large a number is employed in England, we cannot say. In that part of this essay to which we have just referred, the number of the disciples of Loyola in England and Ireland, was seen to be 237. Adding 57 as the proportionate increase, we obtain 294 as the total number of Jesuits now at work in England and Ireland. These results widely differ: 294 is only about one-third of 880. One figure or the other must be remote from the truth. But let it be remembered that England and Ireland are omitted from the official lists, and that the smaller amount is deduced from less recent, and, perhaps, less reliable sources of information than the larger. And while the omission to which we have adverted, justifies a suspicion that the number of Jesuits in England was larger than General Roothaan thought it prudent to publish, especially at a time when the legal documents of the country were declaring that the land was as innocent of Jesuits as it was of Bonzes, we may at any rate, acquiescing in the smaller total, declare that at this hour not less than 300 sons of Ignatius Loyola are employing all their confessedly great resources, and all their secret fascinations, in order to lead England back under the yoke of Rome.

"But Jesuits exist under other names. Proscribed or forbidden as Jesuits, they assume disguises; and under these disguises they work out their dark purposes, especially in Protestant lands. How many cloaked Jesuits are there in England? The idolatry of The Sacred Heart of Jesus' prevails in England. The' Society of the Sacred Heart' was, during the French Revolution, instituted (1794) by the ex-Jesuits Charles de Broglie and the Abbé de Tournely. Another Another hidden form in which Jesuits have arrayed

their forces is that of 'The Society of the Faith,' established by Paccarini, and other ex-Jesuits, in the diocese of Trent. To the existence in England of one society of the 'Sacred Heart, (at Roehampton, in the Catholic diocese of Hexham,) the 'Catholic Directory' confesses. Another Catholic authority of recent date (Aschbach's Kirchen-Lexicon) informs us that • “The Fathers of the. Faith" are beginning to spread in Holland and in England.' Are these the persons of whose existence in England many traces are found in the

Directory,' under the denomination of the "Order of the Faithful Companions of Jesus? And among the now very numerous 'Christian Brothers,' who seem specially engaged in the work of popular education, how many belong to the Society of Jesus, or some kindred association? We suspect that Catholic Jesuitism exists in this land far beyond what the smaller results of our calculations show."

Yet, on the whole, comparing Jesuitism now, with what it formerly was, there is no ground for discouragement:

"The spirit of the age is adverse to Jesuitism. The great tendencies of our actual Christianity are adverse to Jesuitism. The essential qualities of the Saxon race, now every day rising into the ascendant, are adverse to Jesuitism. Nor is the actual condition of the abominable thing otherwise than encouraging, when that condition is compared with what it was in the early days of its existence. To its repeated overthrows we have adverted. The human heart hates Jesuitism, and throws it off as soon as ever it is fully aware of the presence of the incubus. True, Jesuitism has had its revivals as well as its falls. But in the midst of these vicissitudes there has been a general tendency toward decline and decay. In the year 1626, eighty-six years after its foundation, Jesuitism numbered in Europe 13,369 members. In the year 1851, some five thousand members form the sum of its strength. Had it in the last 225 years increased in the same ratio as during those eighty-six years, it would now have held the supreme mastery of the world. Instead of an increase, the society has suffered, on the whole, constant diminution; being weakened every time that human nature and the Gospel cast it to the ground, until now it numbers not one-third of the members which it had of old."

AMONG the new works in Theology and Biblical Literature announced in Great Britain, are the following:-The Four Witnesses, or the Perfect Harmony of the Four Gospels deduced from the Character and the particular Object in view of their respective Writers, by Isaac da Costa, LL.D., Amsterdam, 8vo.:-Ezekiel and the Book