ucation, partially borrowed from another denomination a system of measures, and began to inculcate the new views of faith in respect to prayer, as specially important to the production of revivals. Owing to the estimation in which revivals were held, and the anxiety to promote them, these views circulated with amazing rapidity. The doctrine was then inculcated by some, who would now blush to own it, that a church might have a revival whenever itichose.* Instead of regarding it solely as a sovereign work of the Almighty, it was represented as suspended remotely, not on the "good pleasure of his will," but on the faith of his people. Christians were taught, that "they must pray for the conversion of a sinner, believing that he would be converted, and it would be done. At the close of public meetings, they were told, "go home, and retire to your closets, and take one of these sinners on your heart, and pray that he may be converted, believing that he will be converted, and he will be converted; and if you do not do it, you are answerable for that soul." It was inculcated, that when we do those things that are pleasing to God, we shall receive whatsoever we ask of him. Thus the Almighty was represented as bound by promise to do whatever the erring children of men shall dictate. When it was urged that "we are not omniscient, and are liable to ask for things which are not for the best," it was replied, "that the Holy Ghost is omniscient, and does know what is for the best," and that he "indites every such prayer." Thus the doctrine of the immediate and universal teaching (in effect the inspiration) of all Christians by the Holy Ghost in respect to prayer, was adopted and inculcated. It was also maintained, that "the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and that in answer to it the Lord will raise him up; and that, if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him; and that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man may avail as much in us, as it did in Elias." It was professed before the world, that if to believe this is to believe in working miracles, common Christians now can perform miracles, for they can pray the effectual fervent prayer." It was strongly intimated, that the notable gifts mentioned in 1 Cor. 10: 2, are still in the Church, and 66 It does not sufficiently appear, whether Mr. Truair was the first in this century who inculcated the preceding views. It is not improbable that the palm may yet be awarded to one in the interiour of the country, far older and more distinguished in the ministry. that nothing but faith is requisite to their exercise.* Over the fields where Truair had recently sown the seeds, the Rev. J. Burchard soon passed, whose subsequent labours in the vicinity are said to have brought forth the Rev. C. G. Finney. He came denying the depravity of man by nature, attributing conversion to four different agencies, inculcating that the Holy Ghost carries on debates and argumentation with the sinner, and communicates ideas of duty to his people without the use of words. These doctrines, with a corresponding system of measures, were driven like a hurricane through the churches. To resist this operation was to resist God. Conscientious Christians gave place, till they should see what it was. Timorous ones were attached to his triumphal car, while the bold and the ignorant seized the reins and the whip; and hundreds and thousands under these various influences, were led to believe themselves converted, and were immediately driven into the church. These scenes were called revivals; and thus the very name of the operations of divine grace was brought into suspicion. Many of his spiritual progeny, under the abilities of his system, and the several influences which acted upon them, soon manifested their fatherhood! and declared themselves to be perfect. His system itself, so long a mystery, has in these voluines come forth before all, and is seen to be the doctrines of Pelagius, slightly modified, and practically carried out into all the elements of a lawless perfectionism. Is this Mr. Finney? Is it true, that he now inculcates perfectionism? Is he now engaged in using "one of the devil's mas If any one desires more fully to understand the nature of these views, or to trace their legitimate consequences, he is referred to a letter from New Haven, Conn., published in the New-York Christian Herald, in the latter part of 1821.To an article, signed Alpha, in the Utica Evangelical Recorder, of Sept. 1821-containing remarks on the New Haven Letter.A reply to Alpha, in the Utica Christian Repository, Jan. 1822; inserted also in the New-York Christian Herald, of Jan. 19th, 1822, signed L. F. (written by Mr. Truair.) In the Repository of Feb., Alpha replied to L. F, and in June L. F. wrote again, to which Alpha rejoined; and the controversy with Mr. Truair ended. The articles of Alpha are regarded by sound divines, as a triumphant refutation of this errour. We look upon the course of Mr. Finney as peculiarly instructive. He of all others has taught the New-Haven theology in its greatest purity and has ventured to push its principles to their legitimate results. Those parts of New-York which have been the scene of his labours, are giving, and will long continue to give the most instructive lessons as to the nature of that system of doctrine, and its influence on individual character and religious institutions.-ED. ter-pieces to counteract a revival?" Is this the man, who, during twelve years has been receiving the adulations of a numerous retinue in the Church? Is it to be for ever recorded, that the great body of his converts are a disgrace to religion? Is his system to be for ever denominated Pelagianism, carried out into a burning fanaticism? And is he henceforth to take rank with Davenport, or perhaps with some other more fiery and destructive comet in the Church? Mr. Finney has in these volumes gone to the ultimate boundary of religious errour. The whole region beyond him is infidelity. Some of those who had arrived where he now is, stopped, wondered, and returned. Others, believing themselves to receive "ideas from God without the use of words," advanced till they rejected the written oracles of truth, and the ordinances of Christ. Can this system leave Mr. Finney where he now is? Or will it compel him to take one step more? Or will he yet, by grace, be enabled to abandon it? In these inquiries, some portions of our country have a weighty concern. Through the members of his Institute, these views will soon be claiming a general admission to the pulpits, and an extensive hearing by the Church. Like the evils of the fabled box, they are soon to break forth, and more widely to infest the heritage of the Lord. If they are not immediately checked, it is impossible to calculate the boldness to which they may attain, or the mischiefs which they may do; for Mr. Flavel says, "errours in the tender bud, and first spring of them, are comparatively shy and modest, to what they prove afterwards, when they have spread and rooted themselves into the minds of multitudes, and think it time to set up and justle for themselves in the world." ART. III. REVIEW OF DR. JOHNSON'S LIVES OF THE POETS. By DANIEL DANA, D. D., Newburyport, Mass. Few men of any age, have held a more distinguished rank in the Republic of Letters, than Dr. Johnson. There was, indeed, a period when, in Great Britain, the literary republic seemed to be converted into a monarchy; and Johnson reigned with a kind of absolute and undisputed sovereignty. The almost unparalleled ascendancy which he acquired, and for many years retained, is a phenomenon which has never yet.received a perfect explanation. That he possessed a mind of great native strength, which he nourished with abundant and various reading, and invigorated by deep and discriminating thought, is universally admitted. That the superiority of such a mind over the great mass of mind, should be extensively felt and acknowledged, is nowise surprising. But the claims of Johnson did not stop here; nor did his success. He was an object of admiration with those who were themselves admired: and many who were capable of prescribing opinions to others were content to receive law from him. His literary decisions and criticisms commanded a general, if not a universal homage. The tribute might be sometimes extorted; but it was still paid. If, in the wide-spread chorus, a few discordant sounds were heard, they were too feeble to make impression, or were overpowered by the general voice. This singular pre-eminence of Johnson has been strongly, and not infelicitously described by a poet of our own country.* "Just, yet despotic, deck'd with awful rays, O'er the vast realm of wit, proud Johnson sways. Nor dares the haughtiest slave his nod dispute. Old time at last, shall pluck thee from thy sphere, No throne can e'er be stable, built on fear." The suggestion that the throne of Johnson was built on JONATHAN M. SEWALL, of Portsmouth, N. H. fear, has some foundation in truth; for he swayed an iron. sceptre over most within his reach; and to question his supremacy, was generally to incur his wrath. Nor has the prediction of our poet been wholly unfulfilled. Time, which has brightened and extended the fame of a few distinguished writers, has performed, in the case of Johnson, a somewhat dissimilar operation. While to his writings has generally been conceded, even at the present day, the praise of erudition, power and depth of thought, vigour of expression, and good moral tendency, those writings find comparatively few readers. His Dictionary, indeed, is still highly and deservedly valued; and this chiefly, for the felicity and nice discrimination of its definitions. There is, however, one work of Johnson, which few general readers fail to peruse; and which, though according to their variety of tastes and prepossessions, variously estimated, all must acknowledge to hold a distinguished place in English literature. I refer to his Lives of the most eminent English Poets, accompanied with Critical Observations on their works. One of the remarkable circumstances attending this production is, that, though written about the age of seventy, it exhibits the author's mind in the full possession of all its powers. This work will be made the subject of a few remarks. A complete analysis of its contents, or an accurate estimate of its general character, is no part of my design. Such an attempt would, in the writer, be presumption, and could terminate only in failure. I shall offer some observations on the prominent excellencies and defects of this distinguished production. Adverting afterwards, to some of the principal poets introduced, I shall hazard some remarks on the degree of justice which has been done them. It is no small praise of the work to say, as may be said with justice, that its moral aspects and tendencies are generally good. Respecting the piety of Johnson, there has been some diversity of opinion. In the view of his unshaken faith in Divine Revelation, and the general regularity of his life, some have deemed his piety unquestionable. While others, discerning considerable obliquities, both in his temper and deportment, have at least doubted on this point. He certainly had enough of religious faith to make him very unhappy; for few have had such terrific apprehensions of death, as he seems habitually to have cherished. There is likewise considerable reason to believe that, in his last sickVOL. V. 10 |