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individually break off from them at a certain point; and Lord Mandeville very honestly uses and urges both these words, “ literal” and “material;" and has no notion of half measures, which embody the reprobated allegorisings of the spiritualists, without getting over those difficulties which an entirely spiritual view surmounts. We spoke of Messiah's wearing a material" crown;" (which was Mr. Irving's word;) Lord Mandeville says "throne" but whether crown or throne, the epithet "material" was not ours but theirs. Lord Mandeville will not allow his pre-millennarian friends to say that Christ, having returned personally to earth, will afterwards leave it to go back to heaven. He asks them to bring any passage of Scripture to prove such a notion. He insists that this material earth will be his final abode, and that of his saints; that when it was promised that Christ should sit upon the throne of David, it was "for ever;" and that those who agree with him that this session is an actual personal visible advent, have no right, after making the personal reign terrestrial and millennary, to assume that the " for ever" relates to a reign purely celestial and spiritual. He says that it was intended the Jews should understand by Christ sitting upon the throne of David precisely what the spiritualizers consider "carnal notions of Messiah's kingdom;" that they received the promise, and rightly, in "the literal import;" that our Lord's own disciples" whom Jesus had been so long teaching, came to the matter-of-fact idea of a kingdom restored to Israel;" that they did not "understand the throne of David" (mark Mr. Goode) " to be a kind of etherial negation," and that assuredly the multitude would not have "less MATERIAL notions than the apostles;" that therefore the most literal sense of Christ's kingdom is the true one; that " this earth will be the place of Messiah's reign;" and that as this reign is to be for ever, we are not to spiritualize it away, from the fear of being too "carnal" or "material" in our notions. He shews also, as before remarked, that the pre-millennarian notion contradicts the creeds. The Nicene creed, he remarks, affirms that " Christ's kingdom shall have no end; whereas the millennarians say that it shall have an end when the thousand years shall have expired." Again, remarks his lordship, the doctrine " is in opposition to the Athanasian creed respecting the day of judgment," which he shews as follows:

"The end mentioned in 1 Cor. xv. 24., say the millennarians, is the end of the thousand years; thus they make a first resurrection and a partial judgment to take place at the beginning of the thousand years; and a second resurrection, with the general judgment, at the end of the thousand years; but the creed says, that at his coming ALL men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account. We are therefore called upon, in our inquiry respecting Messiah's kingdom, to consider whether it be a personal reign upon earth, in opposition to the spiritual millennarians; and also whether, according to the literal millennarians, that personal (terrestrial) reign shall be limited to a thousand years, or whether it shall be for ever and ever."

We see not any considerable difficulty, if we regard Messiah's reign upon earth as spiritual; but once admit the idea of a personal premillennial advent, and a literal material throne, and Lord Mandeville's objections apply with full force.

We have said thus much in reply to Dr. Wolff's statement, that there is no such thing as a spiritual church; and to Mr. Goode's sensitiveness at our using-or rather copying-the word "material,” as descriptive of the personal, Judaising, or "carnal" notion of the millennial kingdom. We do not of course doubt that there are at present, and will be during the latter day glory, external visible marks

of a church. We do not resolve every thing into ether; there are rites and sacraments; there is the written word: and there are preachers and will be, we suppose, till the day of judgment: but that which consitutes the essence of the church of Christ is that it is a company of "faithful men :" and when the whole world, Jew and Gentile, shall consist of "faithful men," there will be a true millennium, though Christ may still be as to his bodily presence in heaven, and not sitting literally upon an earthly throne in Palestine. Most delightful is it to the Christian to look forward to that blessed era. In the darkest hour of the church, he beholds the dawning of a brighter day and is animated to run with faith and patience the race set before him, looking to Jesus the author and finisher of his faith. We would not mix up these glorious prospects with man's fallible hypotheses respecting dates, or the minuter arrangements of accomplishment. Such conjectures have from age to age disappointed the high-raised hopes of those who have entertained them. There is not an era of the church in which they have not proved airy phantoms : while the inspired record still remains untouched by such rash overlayings. We remember being seriously told, about the year 1820, that we could never have read, or at least understood, Euclid, if we did not admit the "demonstration" by which it was proved that Turkey was, in the course of a few months from that time, to be utterly destroyed. The battle of Navarino was afterwards another great epoch, and reams were written to shew how it fulfilled some of the Apocalyptic predictions. Dr. Wolff, we understand, has retracted the proclamation which he stuck up upon the gates of Jerusalem, announcing that the year 1847 would witness the Messiah in his personal presence in that city, surrounded by the Jewish nation. The era is now postponed: and while we are writing, a volume has come into our hands, wet from the printer, by the Rev. F. Fysh, dedicated to our much honoured brother, the Rev. E. Bickersteth, in which the writer tells us that he has had "further opportunity of witnessing the fulfilment of prophecy, in the death of the Sultan, who has left the Ottoman empire in the hands of a youth :" with much more to the same effect, with a full account of what is to come to pass in "the fatal year 1844," and "the still more fatal year 1872." He differs however, he says, in this date, four years from Mr. Bickersteth, who fixes the accomplishment of the expected events in the year 1868. We quote a passage.

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"The author is unwilling to submit these observations to the public, without noticing an opinion entertained by some eminent servants of Christ, particularly by one whom he cannot name without sentiments of the deepest respect, the Rev. Edward Bickersteth, that within the next thirty years Popery shall fall, the Jews shall be restored, the Turkish empire shall perish, the time of great tribulation will take place, our Lord Jesus Christ will return to our earth, the saints shall be raised, and the time of their full blessedness, and the kingdoms of this world becoming Christ's kingdom, shall have arrived.'

Is this wise? Is it sober? Was prophecy ever intended to make us prophets? for such we are, if we can thus minutely tell the date and order of these events. Is it consistent with the word of God, that we should know thus precisely that day and hour which we are told were enveloped in secrecy? And does any serious student doubt, when he has recovered a little from the giddiness of a new hypothesis, that in the year 1868 or 1872 men will probably take up these prognostications, as we now take up those of the early ages, or the days of Cromwell, and many others before and after, as melancholy lessons

of the infirmity of judgment of learned and holy, but fallible, men. As to the case of the Jews, we do not pretend to affirm that there will not be a literal return to Palestine: though we discern no scriptural proof of it but what we wish to urge is, that the very essence of their restoration, that which gives it value and character, is, that it will be spiritual. For the rest we incline very much to the opinion of the learned and sober-minded, though quaint, Fuller, in his "Pisgah sight of Palestine," published in the year 1662: where he says:

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"More probable is it, that the Jews shall not come back to their land, but their land shall come back to them: I mean those several places in Europe, Asia, and Africa, wherein they reside, shall, on their conversion, become as comfortable unto them as ever the land of Canaan was to their ancestors. Forti quævis terra patria; and a contented mind in them shall make any mountain their Olivet-river their Jordan-field their Carmel-forest their Libanus-fort their Zion-and city their Jerusalem. But, as for their temporal regaining of their old country, in all outward pomp and magnificence, even such as are no foes to the Jews' welfare, (but so far friends to their own judgments, as not to believe even what they desire, till convinced with Scripture or reason,) account this fancy of the Jews one of the dreams proceeding from the spirit of slumber, wherewith the Apostle affirmeth them to be possessed."

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

REVIEW OF MEMOIR OF Z. MACAULAY, ESQ.
(Concluded from page 768.)

WE now proceed with the Extract
containing the narrative of Mr.
Macaulay's valuable life; to which
we shall add, as before, some
notes and illustrations.

"It is well known, that immediately after Parliament had decreed the Abolition of the Slave Trade, a new and very important society was formed under the designation of the African Institution,' having for its chief object the civilization of Africa, and the universal Abolition of the Slave Trade. His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester was President of this Society, and personally attended almost every meeting of the Board of Directors, and many of its sub-committees; it comprised amongst its directors, not only the élite of the Whig aristocracy, but great men of all parties; and amongst them were to be found at one time or other, no less than five premiers, viz. : -Lord Grenville, Mr. Perceval, the Duke of Wellington, Mr. Canning, and Earl Grey: two Lords Chancellors, Lord Erskine and Lord Brougham; two or three Chancellors of the Exchequer, and several Secretaries of State, viz., Lord Bexley, Mr. Huskisson, Mr.

Peel, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Earl of Harrowby, Mr. Spring Rice, &c. The Archbishop of Canterbury, several Bishops, many of the leading Members of both Houses, and officers of high rank, both in the Army and Navy, several eminent members of the Society of Friends,—and added to all these, in the list of Directors, were to be found the names of Wilberforce, Granville Sharp, Clarkson, Stephen, Z. Macaulay, William Smith, Henry Thornton, Mackintosh, Fowell Buxton, C. Grant, William Evans, William Allen, Dr. Lushington, Sir Robert Inglis, &c., &c., &c. In the planning and formation of this Society, Mr. Macaulay, together with Mr. Wilberforce, Mr. Stephen, and some other leading abolitionists, took a principal share; but the chief labour, as in most other cases, fell upon Mr. Macaulay. For five years he performed gratuitously the laborious duties of secretary to the Institution-those who are unacquainted with the extended relations of the society in question, and the important and multifarious duties which devolved upon it, can but little estimate the amount of labour this office entailed upon him, during the time he held it. He at his own expense visited Paris,

expressly on the Abolition question. On his resigning the office, which he would not do, until he had found a gentleman of ardent zeal and high talents (the late T. Harrison, Esq.) to succeed him on the same terms of unrequited labour, a public Meeting of the members of the Institution, held at the Freemasons' Hall, on the 25th March, 1812, passed the following Resolution unanimously, viz. :

"That this meeting is bound once more to express the deep sense it entertains of the eminent services of their pro tempore secretary, Zachary Macaulay, Esq., who, combining great local knowledge and experience, with the most ardent zeal, and the most assiduous and unwearied industry, has strenuously and gratuitously devoted, to the concerns of the African Institution, the time and talents which, applied to the prosecution of his private business, might have been employed to the pecuniary advantage of a large and increasing family, and has thereby established his claim to the lasting gratitude of all who are interested for the civilization and happiness of Africa.'

"It was then moved, and unanimously resolved, That this Meeting can no longer excuse themselves from presenting to Mr. Macaulay a permanent, though most inadequate, testimony of their gratitude for those services of which, in the preceding Resolution, they have endeavoured to express their sense:--and that Viscount Valentia (now Earl Mountnorris,) the Right Hon. N. Vansittart (now Lord Bexley,) E. W. Bootle, Esq. (now Lord Skelmersdale,) William Smith, Esq., M.P., and William Wilberforce, Esq., M.P., be requested to take on themselves the office of providing a piece of plate, of the value of one hundred guineas, with a suitable inscription, to be offered to Mr. Macaulay, in the full confidence that he will confer on the Institution the additional favour of accepting it.'*

A calumnious story was fabricated by the pro-slavery party about these silver candlesticks; as if Mr. Macaulay had actually embezzled mines of wealth from the Society's coffers; or at least was munificently paid for his anti-slavery labours; whereas, though he was prevailed upon to accept this honorary testimonial, he deposited the value in the Society's treasury; so that the Institution lost nothing by its gift to its disinterested and largehearted friend. He was accused, on another occasion, of having been in

Although Mr. Macaulay bad resigned the Secretaryship of the Institution, he still continued to attend all the Meetings of the Board, and of the numerous Sub-Committees, which met very frequently either at GloucesterHouse, Lansdowne-House, CamelfordHouse, and at Mr. Wilberforce's, or at the office. The labours of the Society were striking and important. At the period of its formation, England was the only nation in Europe which had declared the traffic in slaves to be illegal; but further acts to render it effectual were required, and consequently the Slave Trade Felony Act, and the Act making the Slave Trade Piracy; emanated from the Society; and since that period, chiefly by its exertions and influence acting incessantly at home and abroad, more perhaps on the governments, than on the people at large, that trade, which only a few years before had been upheld by majorities in the House of Peers, and of the House of Commons, as a beneficial honest trade, and one which could not be put down without injury to the State, was declared cruel, unjust, and illegal, by every nation in Europe;-declared to be piracy by some; and holy alliances'

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strumental in procuring Parliament to offer large rewards to promote the capture of slave-vessels, in order that he might share the gains. We forget the particular facts; but one thing we well remember; that though, owing to information which he gave, an extensive capture was made, and a large portion of the prize was legally due to him, he relinquished every farthing of his share to the king's revenue officers, &c., in order to quicken their vigilance in making seizures. We may add another instance of his disinterestedness, a cold word to express the large sacrifices which he made on behalf of the captives of Africa. A proposal was made to him, in his business as a merchant, to accept a lucrative and permanent agency connected with a West India property;-for though the parties concerned might abhor his antislavery proceedings, they duly appreciated his commercial ability and integrity. There was nothing in the commission in itself exceptionable; it was no crime to be the consignee of a cargo of sugar, or to direct his broker to sell it, or to transmit European goods in return; but he thought that he should seem to be indirectly sanctioning slavery, and sacrificing consistency to lucre, and he therefore declined the engagement.

were entered into with others, mutually to assist in its suppression. The United States of North America, and the new states of South America, have joined in proscribing this accursed traffic; and whilst the Society kept a vigilant eye on the proceedings of our own West India islands, and on those belonging to other nations, it exercised a jealous watch over the infractions of the slave abolition laws of all countries; and even the furthest limits of Asia have received benefit from the pervading care of this great Institution. Thus Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, both land and sea, have been the fields over which it spread its benevolent and superintending care: but, like all human institutions, this Society at length decayed, and in 1834 it became extinct. The great men we have mentioned were not merely the ornaments of the Society; for scarcely a Board was held of which the majority was not composed of Peers and Members of Parliament; and in foreign countries they rendered it the most essential service.

"The restrictions imposed on the issue of publications, and the distate to the usual modes of getting up public meetings, and producing excitement, which was felt by the Board of Directors, certainly did not tend to increase its popularity. Mr. Macaulay, Mr. Fowell Buxton, and the late Mr. George Harrison, we believe, were the first to perceive the necessity for more popular and vigorous measures; and as the Board of Directors of the African Institution, though it devoted a considerable portion of its time to the investigation and correction of West Indian abuses, was not inclined to embark in the question of the Abolition of Slavery, Mr. Macaulay projected "The London Anti-Slavery Society." We can well remember that he was looked upon for this, as a visionary and wild enthusiast, even by some of his nearest friends; but they little knew the resources of the man, or the energy with which he could avail himself of them.

"The Anti-Slavery Society, though instituted mainly for a specific purpose, has felt the objects of the African Institution, in common with all other measures affecting the African race, a sort of legacy which it is bound to take up, when occasion may offer, and even when the specific object of the AntiSlavery Society shall have been fully accomplished, these duties will still remain to occupy its attention. The publication of Mr. Buxton's plan indeed, which accords so fully with the principles on which the African institution

was founded, seems to require the immediate consideration of the question, as to how far the Anti-Slavery members, while rallying about it the former members of the old African Society, and infusing fresh vitality into its exertions, by the addition of new members, may become an appropriate instrument for the carrying out of the original plan, and the support of Mr. Buxton's new exertions in the same

cause.

"For the sake of keeping unbroken the history of Mr. Macaulay's connexion with these Societies, we have gone beyond the date of some events which can scarcely be passed over, even in the briefest biographical notice of this eminent man and consistent Christian. About the year 1800, the Christian Observer was established by some pious individuals who then formed the circle at Clapham, long designated as The Saints, -an appellation given in levity and contempt, yet truly descriptive of the worthy men that received it. There were few indeed in that circle, who have not vindicated their title to be considered as holy men; and most of them are now gone to the mansions of 'the just made perfect.' Mr. Macaulay was literally servant of all work,' where a good end was to be obtained. The Christian Observer was designed for a channel through which sound doctrine and practical religion might be periodically inculcated among the middle and higher classes, and Mr. Macaulay was judiciously selected as its editor. This work he rendered a most powerful auxiliary to the cause of abolition; and the statements and arguments contained in its valuable pages, we have reason to believe, induced many of the classes mentioned to give in their adhesion to the Abolition and Anti-Slavery cause, who would otherwise have taken but little interest in their support.

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We could gladly say much of Mr. Macaulay's labours as Editor of the Christian Observer, from its establishment in 1802 to the end of the year 1816; but it might not be seemly in the pages of that work. The memoirs of Mr. Wilberforce and Mrs. H. More have furnished many testimonials to the religious usefulness of his pen; as well as vindicated his character as a philanthropist from the misrepresentations of pro-slavery calumniators, whose unhallowed gains were interfered with by his benevolent exertions;-though-as he justly predicted the commercial interests of Great Britain were not in

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