the green herbage, the flower, the bird, the bee, expressly for our benefit.

A simple flower, even, is a sweet token of his love; it is a little decorated volume in which are written many words of wisdom; some of power, but every embellishment twined with heavenly grace around that sweet word, Love. A simple flower is a talisman of God's love; for he might have made the world without a flower. A singing-bird, even, is a mark of his affection; for he might have made the grove as silent as the grave. But if we look attentively we shall see that the whole mechanism of the world, involved and intricate as it is, converges to the happiness of man, and testifies to the love of God. And as the rays of light meet in the eye and form the image of the object on the retina, or tablet of the optic nerve, so should these kind providences of God meet in the soul, and form his glorious image on the tablet of the heart.

Let us go forth into the fields, as we find opportunity in this pleasant spring-time, and we shall behold not only the wisdom and the power, but the goodness of God in every thing around us; we shall breathe it in the health inspiring gale; we shall hear it in the hum of insects, and in the bleating of the fold; we shall see it in the bubbling fountain, in the fresh green robe of the meadow, in the bloom of the fruit-tree, in the sunny smile that gilds the morning of the year; and cold indeed must be our hearts, if they do not ascend in grateful adoration to the bounteous Giver of all good.

"The winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." What a graphic, lovely, truthful picture of the spring. Through the greatness of God's mercy we are now just coming to enjoy its freshness, bloom, and beauty. Let us, therefore, mark full well the wisdom, power, and goodness of God displayed in it. Let us see to it that it pass not by without thus bringing a spiritual benefit to our souls. To some of us this spring will doubtless be the last on earth. The very next may witness flowers springing on our lowly grave.

"Our moments fly apace,

Nor will our minutes stay,
Just like a flood, our hasty days
Are sweeping us away."

Let us examine our hearts and see if we are beginning this opening year aright; if we are praising God for his inexpressible mercy displayed in the return of another genial spring; for that higher exhibition of his mercy in preparing a lamb without spot or blemish, by whose bleeding wounds and dying love, another spring, and life and liberty and hope is given us; and a door is opened into that fair clime, "where everlasting spring abides and

never-fading flowers." Let us so bless God for his merciful kindness, and so live and labor and love, that it may not be for any one of us to say, "The summer is past, the harvest is ended, and we are not saved;" but rather, I have fought the good fight, I have kept the true faith, I have finished my course, I have glory in death, I have been forth to sow in tears.

To be wise men, we must mark the wisdom of God and lay our plans upon it; to be strong men, we must consider the strength of God, and by faith become endowed with it; to be good men, we must have the love of God, as we see it beaming forth in the floral splendors of the spring, as we behold it in the heart-moving pathos of a sacrificial scene, shed abroad in our hearts. To be wise and powerful and good, is to be godlike; and to be godlike, is the highest destiny of man; for all we know of blessedness abides in him. To reach our highest, noblest destiny, then, we must study God in his works and ways; we must believe God; we must obey God; we must imitate God; we must be one with God. Ten thousand bright and beautiful tokens of his skillful fingers, ten thousand charming voices sweetly tell us he is very near us in the spring-time; you see the petal of a rose unfolded, you almost think that you can touch the invisible hand that does it; it is a time to think of God, to study God, to feel after God, to ask great benefactions of him. He is so very, very near to us; so affectionately near to us; so all but sensibly near to us.

When Washington came to visit the North in 1789, the hearts of the people were moved that that great man had come so near to them. They hung up banners over his way; they scattered flowers before his feet; they went to him and bade him welcome; they laid their petitions down before him; they brought their little children that the hands that had gained our nation's freedom might be laid upon them. A mightier than Washington is with us now; the tokens of his love are greater; the freedom he achieved is sweeter; shall we not go out to meet him? Shall w not raise our triumphant songs to him? Shall we not bring our children? Shall spring go by, shall God go by unheeded? Shall the cup of blessing touch our lip and we not drink it? "The winter is past." Then let us shake off the icy bands of sin, and come into the sunlight of God's favor. "The rain is over and gone." Then let the stormy passions which have broken our repose, subside. "The flowers appear on the earth." Then let us pray that the sweet "Rose of Sharon" shed its sacred fragrance on our pathway. "The time of the singing of the birds is come.' Then let us sing again our highest songs of adoration, for we owe him more than they. "The voice of the turtle is heard in the land." Then let us hear the "still small voice" of the Celestial Dove, and receive it to the innermost shrine of our hearts, n never, never grieve it more.

American Theological Review.

No. X.

CONTENTS OF THE APRIL NUMBER, 1861.

I. ESSAYS AND REVIEWS.

ARTICLE I.-ANNIHILATION. By Prof. Enoch Pond, D.D.

II. SLAVERY AMONG THE ANCIENT HEBREWS. By Dr. M. Mielziner, of

III-ROTHE'S ADDRESS ON PHILIP MELANCTHON. Translated by Rev. E.
N. White,

IV. THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE NEW. By Rev. Lyman Whiting,
V.-CHRISTIAN ZEAL. By Rev. S. D. Clark,

VI. THE NEW LATITUDINARIANS OF ENGLAND. By Prof. H. B. Smith,
VIL-THE SINAITIC MANUSCRIPT,

II. THEOLOGICAL AND LITERARY INTELLIGEnce.

GERMANY: Necrology: Baur-Bunsen-Von Wessenberg-Kosegarten Theiner.
Theological Reviews. New Works, etc. GREECE: The Star in the East--Ellisen's
Analecta Oikonomos, etc. SWEDEN: New Works. HOLLAND. SWITZERLAND.
FRANCE: Journal des Savants - New Works Protestant Works, etc. ITALY:
Savonarola-Tasso-Mazzarella. SPAIN: Archives of Simancas. ENGLAND: Con-
tents of Reviews-Notes from Notes and Queries--The Infidel Press--The India
Library-New Works, etc. SCOTLAND: Puritan Divines-Dr. Robertson-North
British. UNITED STATES: Brownson's Review Methodist Quarterly, etc.-
braries,

III. LITERARY AND CRITICAL NOTICES OF BOOKS.

Bengel's Gnomon

Li

Bunsen's

BIBLICAL LITERATURE : Codex Alexandrinus
Bibelwerk - Lange's Bibelwerk - Ebrard on John- Alexander on Matthew.
THEOLOGY: Maclaurin's Works - Coles, God's Sovereignty Berg, Second Ad-
vent-Adams, Evenings with the Doctrines - Litton, Church of Christ-Bush-
nell, Christian Nurture, and Character of Jesus. PRACTICAL RELIGIOUS LITER-
ATURE: Hall's Contemplations-Horne's Psalms-Candlish, Two Great Com-
mandmen's Martin, Christ's Presence-Watson, Prayers - Alexander- Plain
Paths-Moore's Sermons-Macduff, Grapes of Eshcol, and Cities of Refuge-Eng-
land's Yeomen-Alexander, Thoughts on Preaching-Hymns and Choirs. HISTORY
AND BIOGRAPHY: Dixon's Lord Bacon-Carlyle's Autobiography-Ramsay, Scotch
Reminiscences-Alexander's Notes-Motley's Netherlands-Hagenbach's History
of Doctrines-Milman's Latin Christianity-Legends of the Madonna-Herzog's
Theological Encyclopedia. GENERAL LITERATURE: Guesses at Truth-Acker-
mann's Plato - Emerson's Conduct of Life-Prime's Coins, Medals-Chambers's
Encyclopædia-Homer's Odyssey-Herodotus-Bausman's Sinai and Zion-Mur-
doch's Dutch Dominie-Lever's One of Them-Studies from Life-Harper's Child-
ren's Books: Peterchen & Gretchen,

IV. NEWS OF THE CHURCHES AND OF MISSIONS.

Progress of the Gospel-Missions of the American Board. EUROPE: Protestantism in the Latin Race-Universal Israelite Alliance-The Jews in France-Papal Missions-British Subjects in Spain. SWEDEN: Order of Citizens-The Russian Census-German Missionary Conference-Gustavus Adolphus Society-Revival Meetings in Germany. AUSTRIA: Concordat Discussion-Manifesto of the Emperor— Methodist Mission in Bulgaria. AUSTRALIA: International Congress-Church Society. INDIA: Ahmednuggar Mission-Romish Mission-Church Missionary Record-Revival in Tinnevelly-Malay School in Singapore. SANDWICH ISLANDS: The National Revenue. POLYNESIA: Missionary Visit. CHINA: Taiping-wang Insurgent Movement. SYRIA: Executions in Damascus. TURKEY: Protestant Ambassadors-Armenian Missions-Laity of the Greek Church,

232

261

283

291

375

398

415

THE LAST ENEMY DESTROYED.

'The last enemy which shall be destroyed is Death."-1 COR. xv. 26.

I HAVE heard of an ancient king, whose slave, always in attendance on his person, had it for his duty every morning to enter his master's room, no matter what he was doing, and call out aloud: "Philip, remember thou must die." Did not experience teach us how insensible men, albeit living in a world in which Death's empire is universal, are to the fact of their mortality, we might be inclined to regard this quaint device of the king as altogether useless. When we think how often it is said, "he" or "she," whom we know, "is dead," there would seem to be no need of artificial expedients to jog the memory and call our attention to the insecurity of the breath in our