which gives up prayer, as the loss of almost every thing essential. She thinks that prayer reveals to us the personality of God, and that, without it, man becomes a Pantheist, and God becomes nothing but the unconscious nature of things. Miss Cobbe also believes in the sinfulness of sin, and says that the depth and the vigor of the whole religious life depend on the intensity of this feeling. She even indorses the saying, that it is in the sense of sin that the finite creature must first approach to the infinite holiness of God; and she declares, that the emotions of penitence are the most sacred of any. Every true emotion, she says, springs from this sense, that we have sinned, and are pardoned. "This alone places us in the right attitude; and without it, from beginning to end, we are in a false position." Miss Cobbe also declares, that Theists have utterly failed by not sympathizing with the mass of men. She criticises both Emerson and Carlyle for their intolerance in this respect, and says, that the humblest and narrowest Christianity, which teaches us that all souls belong to God, is better than this. If any one desires to study the questions now at issue between Theism and Christianity, he cannot find them better stated and argued than in these two books, by Dr. Bushnell and Miss Cobbe. We do not think the result will be that Christianity is to pass away, or be merged in Theism. On the contrary, Miss Cobbe's book must itself tend to convince us that her Theism is not a practical thing, and cannot subsist long outside of Christianity. The Blade and the Ear. Thoughts for a Young Man. By A. B. MUZZEY. Boston: William V. Spencer, 134, Washington Street. 1865. This book contains ten chapters on the following subjects: Introduction; The Young Man at Home; Our Young Men the Hope of the Lord; Basis of Success; Moral Dangers; Recreations ; Female Society; Books and Reading; The Bible, — why to be read; Moral Preventives. The object of this book, as these titles show, is to inculcate on young men those virtues which will make them useful citizens, and make their lives happy. It inculcates honesty, temperance, industry, purity, healthy exercise, good companions, judicious reading; and warns them against the tendencies to the opposite evils. We should think it a very useful book to be put into the hands of young men. MEETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. Feb. 13, 1865. Present, Messrs. Stebbins, Kidder, Hedge, Clarke, Brigham, Barrett, Hinckley, Lowe, Hale, Sawyer, Smith, and Fox. The Finance Committee reported, that there was now good reason to think that the $100,000 would be very soon raised, nearly $20,000 having been already collected in six societies. They further reported, that Dr. Stebbins, a few days after the last meeting, had accepted the proposition made, and had since given his whole time to the work of the Association. By their request, Dr. Stebbins then stated to the Board what steps had been taken to obtain contributions from societies, and what, thus far, had been the results. The Committee on New-England Correspondence presented an application for aid from the new society in Montpelier, Vt.; and, in accordance with their recommendation, an appropriation was made of $100. Mr. Hale stated, that he had been requested to ask for aid for the new society in Milford, Mass. ; and, on motion made by him, the application was referred to the Committee on New-England Correspondence. The Committee on Western Correspondence reported, that a communication had been received from the Mission Committee of the Western Conference, stating, that the society in Fond du Lac, Wis., would require further aid, to the amount of $100, to carry them through the year; and proposing, that the Association appropriate an additional $50, with the understanding, that the Western Conference do the same. The Committee recommended that the appropriation be made, and their report was adopted. The Committee on Publications reported in favor of presenting, in response to applications received, a copy of each of the publications of the Association, to the Town Library in Westford, Mass., and the Parish Library of the new society in Montpelier, Vt.; which report was adopted. The President having stated, that, in consequence of the resignation of Mr. Winkley as a member of the Board, there was a vacancy on the India-Mission Committee, Mr. "Hale was unanimously elected to fill the vacancy. The Army-Mission Committee reported, that they had nearly exhausted the $1,500 placed at their disposal at the December meeting, while the opportunities for circulating reading-matter among the soldiers had greatly increased; and, in compliance with their request, they were authorized to draw from the treasury $5,000 to carry on this work. This Committee also reported in favor of an appropriation of $25 to aid in the circulation of "The Soldiers' Journal," a paper published by Miss Amy M. Bradley, at Alexandria, Va.; and their report was adopted. Mr. Hale, in behalf of the Committee appointed to call the New-York Convention, made a brief report of what had been done by them, and asked for an appropriation to pay for printing, and other necessary expenses; which request was referred to the Finance Committee, with full powers. After the transaction of other business, the Board adjourned to Monday, March 13. INTELLIGENCE. Rev. JOSEPH FIELD, D.D., of Weston, Mass., having completed his fiftieth year as pastor of the society in that place, the occasion was celebrated on Wednesday, Feb. 1. The exercises in the church commenced at 12 M., and were as follows: Reading from the Scriptures, by Rev. Thomas Hill, D.D., of Cambridge; prayer by Rev. Joseph Allen, D.D., of Northborough; sermon by the pastor; original hymn; address by Rev. Edmund H. Sears, of Wayland; hymn; prayer by Rev. John B. Wight, of Wayland; benediction. After the services in the church, there was a festival at the Town Hall, attended by the members of the society, and invited guests, at which addresses were made by Rev. Drs. Allen and Hill, and Rev. George E. Ellis, D.D., of Charlestown, Rev. Frederic Hinckley, of Boston, and Rev. Leonard J. Livermore, of Lexington." Dr. Field has resigned his office as pastor of the society, but has been requested to retain at least a nominal senior pastorship, while they will at once relieve him from the responsibilities he has so long and faithfully discharged. Rev. FREDERIC HINCKLEY has accepted an invitation to take charge of the Hawes-Place Society, South Boston, for one year. Rev. C. G. HowLAND, of Tremont, Ill., has accepted a call from the society in Kalamazoo, Mich. Rev. H. C. DUGAN, of Franklin, N.H., has accepted a call from the society at Feltonville, Mass. Mr. GEORGE N. RICHARDSON, of Eastport, Me., has accepted a call from the society in Westborough, Mass. Rev. CHARLES T. CANFIELD has accepted an invitation to take charge of the society in Bernardston, Mass., for one year. Rev. FREDERIC W. HOLLAND has been invited to preach at Rochester, N.Y., for the purpose of re-organizing the Unitarian Society in that place. Rev. JOHN K. KARCHER has resigned the charge of the society in Nantucket, Mass. Rev. COURTLAND Y. DE NORMANDIE, of Fairhaven, has declined the call from the society in Marlborough, Mass. Rev. JOHN M. MARSTERS has declined the call from the society in Walpole, N.H., and has accepted a call from his former society at North Cambridge, Mass. THE NEW-YORK CONVENTION. -The Committee appointed at the Special Meeting of the American Unitarian Association "to call a convention, to consist of the pastor and two delegates from each church or parish in the Unitarian denomination, to meet in the city of New York," have fixed upon Wednesday, April 5, as the day on which the convention shall meet; and have sent circulars to all the societies of the denomination, inviting them to send delegates. The convention will be held at All Souls' Church. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 1865. Jan. 18. From Society in West Cambridge, as a donation Rev. T. B. Forbush and Rev. G. G. Withing- a lady at South Hadley Falls, for Army Fund Society in Troy, N.Y., as a donation S. G. Simpkins, as a donation Society in Chicopee, for Monthly Journals 2.00 37.00 3.00 6.00 1.00 36.55 5.00 17.00 10.00 2.00 100.00 10.00 11.00 Monthly Journals, additional. 3.00 subscribers to Monthly Journal, in Barnstable 3.00 30.00 30.00 6. |