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denomination should retain its distinctive name and title at its own pleasure, and so much of its own constitution as relates to its internal affairs, and does not conflict with the terms of union.

Thirdly, we would erect a Synodical Assembly, composed of an equal number of delegates from each of the constituent denominations, which should have a supreme federal authority in all matters which should be submitted to it according to the Constitution of Union. The boards or committees of domestic and foreign missions, of education, of publication, of church building, &c. (composed also of members from each of the constituent denominations), should be directly responsible to this synodical assembly, and subject to its authority. These boards, directed by just and equable constitutions, would be able to prevent all clashing of denominational interests, and direct the whole force of the United Presbyterian Church where it may be most effectual in the service of our Master, Jesus. So should we no longer present to the world the spectacle of divided and distracted partizans, as often hindering as helping each other in the common cause; but we should move forth as one mighty phalanx in the service of our King and Captain, Jesus.

We will attempt no further details of our plan, leaving that for the discussion and arrangement of wisdom and talent.

We have given utterance to these suggestions under a deep sense of responsibility to the Master and Lord, whose greater glory is our only object and end, and with a longfelt conviction that the Presbyterian church is falling far short of her mission, and wasting much of her strength by reason of divided counsels.

It seems to us that the several Presbyterian denominations are now very much in the position of the original American colonies-friendly indeed toward each other, in the main, yet suffering liability to weakness, and jealousies, and conflicting interests for want of a federal union, and needing only that to become a mighty power in the world.

The Presbyterian church claims to be eminently republican in its form of government. Can she not learn a lesson in this matter from the children of this world, who are in their generation wiser than the children of light? Our sessions or consistories, or presbyteries or classes, our particular and general assemblies or synods-these correspond to the graduated steps of government and authority in the individual States. If a federal congress over all gave unity and strength to our nation, and caused symmetry and power

to spring out of political chaos, why should not a similar arrangement do as much, with the blessing of God, for the Presbyterian (i. e. republican) church of Christ?

Here we leave our suggestions to the consideration of those who love our Lord and his cause.

ART. VII.-Psalms and Hymns.*

F devotional manuals there is none to compare with the

best of prayer-books.

Perhaps it is not sufficiently remembered that it is a book of prayers, although the very titles of some of the psalms remind us that they are "prayers" of Moses (xc.), or David (xvii., lxxxvi., cxlii.), or some one unknown (cii.); and the second of the five divisions of the book concludes, "The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended" (lxxii. 20). But even without any such indication, we have only to open at any page and judge for ourselves. There is scarcely a sentence which is not adoration, or thanksgiving, or confession of sin, supplication for the worshipper himself or intercession for others; that is to say, there is scarcely a sentence which may not be used in prayer.

But, looking a little more closely, we see that these prayers are poetical. Most of the New Testament prayers are prose. When Peter and the hundred and twenty prayed, "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, that he may take part in this ministry," the expression is prose; and so is it in the prayers scattered through the apostolical epistles, and in those of the Lord Jesus himself, culminating in that

The session of a presbyterian congregation in London having agreed to superadd to the psalms and paraphrases of the Church of Scotland a small collection of hymns, authorised by the English Synod, strong opposition was offered by some members of the church. A few expressed conscientious objections against using in the praises of God anything except the Psalms of David, and others deprecated any addition to the time-honoured paraphrases." This drew forth a discourse on the subject, which occupies the earlier portion of the following article, to which is subjoined the essence of two lectures afterwards given. A few alterations might have given them a dissertational aspect; but as nothing could change them into a regular treatise, the author has deemed it fair to the reader and to himself to retain the original form of a spoken address.

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specimen, august and unapproachable, when he "lifted up his eyes to heaven," and for once the intercessions of the Great High Priest were overheard by earthly listeners. All these, however stately, are in that form of speech, free and unconfined, which we call prose, and which is used on all ordinary occasions; but when we look at a psalm, even in the poorest translation, we see at once that it is poetry. Not only are the imagery and diction those of excited imagination, but the sentences are measured. Leaving out a few which may be called personal meditations, most of the Psalms are addressed to the Most High; and all such, whether they be mainly confessions, supplications, or thanksgivings, are, to all intents, poetical prayers.

All poetry, however, is not meant to be sung. The "Paradise Lost" is a poem, and so is the "Fairy Queen,' but nobody sings the one or the other. They answer every purpose if they are either read or recited; and so with many short effusions, such as sonnets and epigrams: although metrical and often sufficiently melodious, in order to do them justice there is no need to chant or to sing them. There is a class of compositions, however, with which it is entirely different. The odes of Dryden and Gray, and the songs of many of our popular minstrels, you know at once and they themselves tell you that they were intended for music. They are not complete till united to their appropriate air or tune; and if you cannot get them played or sung, you try as well as you can to make melody for them "in your heart."

The Psalms are such poems. They are not like the book of Job, which, although poetical, does not require a tuneful accompaniment. Essentially and avowedly, the Psalms are intended for music. They are not only poetical prayers, but for the greater part they are prayers intended to be sung. Originally, as no one denies, many of them were accompanied by the harp of the Psalmist, and started from the strings as the Spirit gave him utterance; and a few of them still carry in their structure the clash of the cymbal or the thrill of the trumpet, with which, on some great Hebrew festival, the glorious lyric first was launched and floated off imperishable on the tide of sacred song. Still, stringed instrument or none, no one can question that the Psalms, as originally indited, are devotional compositions, intended to be chanted or sung, or uttered with musical modulation of some kind or other.

"Prayers or devotional compositions intended to be sung." If we think of them as simply sung, the best name for them is "hymns," or "odes," or spiritual songs"

VOL. XIV.NO. LII.

names which are given to many of them in the Greek translation, and which are sanctioned by the New Testament itself. But if you do not like to let go the idea of instrumental accompaniment, or do not adopt the Hebrew Tehillim or "Praises," then the right name is "psalms," or sacred lyrics-poems meant for the musician on stringed instruments.

And what we said at the beginning we now repeat. If the best of prayer-books, this Hebrew Psalter is also the best of hymn-books. Of all devotion, whether sung or spoken, it is the model at once the sublimest and the safest, at once the most exalted and most sober. It is the only entire book in the Bible which God has given expressly to aid and guide the worship of man; and whilst some of its strains come down to the cradle, others ascend to a height of enraptured communion where for a higher note a seraph's voice would be needed and angels take up the chorus. And whilst adapted to every capacity, in its range of experience it includes every case, from the depths of penitential remorse to the fullest and most exulting realisation of God's friendship. And if the most comprehensive of manuals, let it not be forgotten that it is withal the most catholic. No sect refuses it, and none can monopolise it. The Episcopalian chants it in his cathedral, and the Nonconformist in his chapel; the Quaker reads it in his closet, and its antiphonies re-echo in the imperial sanctuaries of Moscow and Vienna; and just as the hunted covenanters sang it on the hills of Scotland two hundred years ago, the Jew still sings it in the synagogues of London. "Its pages have often been blotted with the tears of those whom others deemed hard and cold, and whom they treated with suspicion or contempt. Its words have gone up to God, mingled with the sighs, or scarcely uttered in the heart-broken anguish of those whom Pharisees called sinners, of those whom Christians denounced as heretics or infidels, but who loved God and truth above all things else. Surely it is holy ground. We cannot pray the psalms without realising in a very special manner the communion of saints, the oneness of the church militant and the church triumphant. We cannot pray the psalms without having our hearts opened, our affections enlarged, our thoughts drawn heavenward. He who can pray them best is nearest to God, knows most of the Spirit of Christ, is ripest for heaven."*

Such are our views regarding the Psalter. For both praise and prayer, for the worship of God whether sung or spoken,

* Perowne on the Psalms, vol. i. pp. 1, li.

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we believe that it is not only the best model, but that it contains the best materials. But whilst we feel free to sing it as well as to say it; and farther, whilst we feel free to utter prayers both in prose and verse over and above those contained in the Psalter; it is only right to acknowledge that on both points some good men have held an opposite view. Taking their stand on the ground that there should be nothing in the New Testament church for which there is no positive New Testament precept or precedent, many of our Baptist brethren used to hold that, in the great congregation, there should be no singing of any sort, neither psalms. nor hymns; and, taking their stand on a cognate principle, some Presbyterians still hold that nothing should be sung except the Old Testament psalms.

Perhaps you are not aware that there was ever any body of Christians besides the Friends or Quakers who objected to singing altogether; but two hundred years ago there was no singing nor music of any sort in the Baptist Churches of England. You would be apt to think it must have been a cold and comfortless service: but the good men were conscientious. They had paid far more for their principles than we are ever likely to do. They were familiar with prisons and pillories, and had many of them been stripped of their earthly all in maintaining their great principle of "Nothing in the church of Christ for which you have not Christ's command." And they knew of no command for congregational singing. They objected to the Psalms as part of the old ceremonial worship, and asked, "What have we to do with such beggarly elements as blowing trumpets at new moons, or praising with the timbrel and dance? These psalms and this singing or playing might do for the church's infancy; but now that we are of full age, let us put away these childish things. After Christ has commanded us, 'Love your enemies, pray for them that persecute you,' are we to cry, 'As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him; let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones ?"" Then they said there was no need for singing; anything in the Psalms which was fit for prayer or praise could as well be spoken as sung. Nor was it of any use to quote either example or precept. If you turned to the text, Eph. v. 19, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord," they smiled at your simplicity: "Yes, you may speak them as much as you please, so long as it is in your heart, and in your heart only, that you sing and make melody: speak to your brethren and sing to the Lord." And it was equally in vain that you appealed to example. If you said, Our Lord and his dis