Of his innu

'The word became flesh and dwelt among us.'' merable miracles, and many parables, only about thirty-three of each are reported. We are left in ignorance "of many other things which Jesus did" before his crucifixion, and of most of what occurred personal to himself during the mysterious period between his resurrection and ascension. We catch but two or three transient glimpses of the virgin mother between the Nativity and the Pentecost; and thenceforth she is seen no more. Our Lord sent out seventy disciples to preach the Gospel and work miracles, yet the name of not a single one of these is mentioned. Eleven of the original apostles received the last command of the risen Saviour; why are the labors of Peter, alone, out of the eleven, recorded in the book which bears the comprehensive title of the Acts of the Apostles? Their names are contained in the opening chapter; in what regions did they severally preach the Gospel, and what churches did they found? Why are the names of eight out of the twelve mentioned no more in the book and in the subsequent Scriptures? Where and how did these chosen and holy men close their lives? Herod slew James, the brother of John, with the sword; what became of John? Our Lord predicted the martyrdom of Peter; was this word fulfilled in Rome or in Babylon, or in neither city? Did he meet death at the stake, at the edge of the sword, at the mouth of the lion, or on the cross? Which of his fellow disciples died by violence, and which by disease? When and where did Paul make his final and ready offering? If, as has been above suggested, the first thought of the reader might be that the historical Scriptures are little more than a series of biographies, his second thought might be that these narratives are not biographies after all, but random recollections or memorabilia only. But on a mature inquiry he will discover two circumstances which, taken together, explain the whole case. The first shows that the Scriptures were determined to biographical forms by one of the fundamental principles of the kingdom of God; the principle, to wit, of personal election to eternal life. The subjects of the kingdom are, without exception, first chosen man by man; then as many as are chosen, and no more, are efficaciously redeemed by the blood of Christ, and finally they are

regenerated one by one. From this germinal idea springs the method of the divine vocation unto service in the kingdom. The Church was originally established in the family of a single patriarch, who was personally called of God to enter into the church-covenant with himself; it was perpetuated in the family of another man, and after that in the family of a third, both of whom were selected by God for this very purpose; until at last it expanded into a nation. In the fullness of time the promised SEED emerged from the bosom of that nation, who was one Divine-human person. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, the fourteen lawful judges, David, and the prophets of the Old Testament Church, received each a divine vocation to his high office. So at the reorganization of the Church the apostles were called individually by the Master to the work set before them, and unto this day all the ministers of doctrine, discipline and distribution-to wit, pastors, ruling elders, and deacons-do lawfully come into office only as they are called of God, man by man, thereunto. Now, the extended genealogies and copious biographical memoirs contained in Scripture, are the natural expressions of the primal formative law of the kingdom-the election of men, one after another, unto salvation. If this election had been by races or peoples, then the materials of the record would have been historical as distinguished from biographical; history being the biography of a race or people in the aggregate. But as the election is individual, the record conforming thereto is constructed out of incidents in the career of individuals. The other circumsiance has been set forth in this paper. The law of the kingdom, as to its development in time, is historical and progressive. It is the evolution of the Messianic promise which was made to our first parents, "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head," and of the Messianic promise which was made to Abraham, "In thy seed shall all nations be blessed." The sacred writers take the plan of their history from the plan of the development of redemption. As the development was historical, slowly unfolding through the ages, so the narrative is historical, tracing the process from age to age. These authors adhere with unforgetful steadfastness to this idea. It regulates the selection and arrangement of the materials, prescribing what shall be introduced and what omitted. Here it

fills large spaces with minute details, and there it leaves wide blanks in the narrative. It follows the clew from land to land; to Egypt, to Canaan, to Babylon, and back to Palestine; from century to century also, through the run of four thousand years. It admits what is pertinent to its grand design, though in itself otherwise uninstructive as the genealogies; it excludes rigorously what is not relevant to that end, though otherwise most captivating as the early life of Jesus.

Here there are found two laws in force; both laws of the kingdom; the first showing how its subjects are obtained, by the method, namely, of personal election; and the second exhibiting the mode of its development, the mode, namely, of historical progress. These two laws working together on the sacred record, prescribe one of them the materials which are, in a large measure, biographical; and the other, the form into which these materials shall be cast, which is the historical. The result is a coherent consecutive narrative, wrought out of personal memoirs. It may be styled a biographico-history; the first term pointing to the primal law of personal election from eternity; the last pointing to the primal law of the evolution of the kingdom in time. By virtue of these controlling principles, the Pentateuch lifts up into the light twenty-five years of Abraham's life, and leaves in obscurity the seventy-five years which went before, and the seventy-five which followed after the historical period of his career. They admit to record the calling and training of the apostles, and exclude their birthdates, their early lives, and, excepting Peter, their apostolic labors, and, excepting James, the manner of their death. The first part of the Acts of the Apostles, relates minutely the planting of the Christian Church among the Jews by the labors of Peter, and then Peter himself is relegated into obscurity. One chapter describes the mission of Philip among the Samaritans, and then Philip disappears. Eighteen chapters are occupied with the planting of the Church among the Gentiles in the great cities of the empire, by the ministry of Paul, and so soon as he has gotten as far as Rome in his work, the history is finished, and the curtain falls upon the great Apostle. His conversion is related three times, but not a line is added respecting his death. The laws of the composition of the book are perpetually enforced, excluding this, admitting that.

Its very reserve is not less instructive than its utterances, or, to quote a fine remark of Boyle: "There is such fullness in that book, that oftentimes it says much by saying nothing; and not only its expressions, but its silences are teaching, like a dial in which the shadow, as well as the light, informs us." The final product of inspiration is a series of historical Scriptures, which combine the charm of personal incident with the majestic movement of history; a narrative full of graphic power, adorned with surpassing and surprising beauties, laden with unsearchable riches, and instinct with life and salvation.

In the work of redemption, an everlasting kingdom is established, an irresistible power is evolved, and a supreme glory floods the firmament. But the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, are all of God. Patriarch, prophet, apostle, martyr, all these are nothing. God, the uncreated, unchanging, unending one, is All and in All. Herodotus composed a history, so he himself declares, in order that the deeds done by man might not be forgotten, and that the great and wonderful exploits of the Greeks and the barbarians might not pass into oblivion. His plan was faithfully executed, and the product of his industry is an agreeable and gossiping narrative. But so humbling was the impression left on the mind of Daniel by the perusal of the historical Scriptures, that he exclaimed: "O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness." Such is the radical and thorough difference between the sacred school of ancient history and the profane.

ART. II.-The Secession Conspiracy in Kentucky, and its Overthrow: with the Relations of both to the General Revolt.

A Memoir of Civil and Political Events, public and private, in Kentucky: To serve as a History of the Secession Conspiracy which had its Center in Kentucky: Commencing in 1859, and extending to the Overthrow of the Conspiracy, and the breaking out of the Civil War in that State in 1861.

PART SECOND.-Preparations, secret and public, of the Conspirators for the seizure and subjugation of Kentucky, after their final Political Overthrow, in August, 1861; up to the Conference of Loyal Citizens at Camp Dick Robinson, which provided for the sudden and unexpected Defeat of the Conspiracy.

I-1. President Buchanan-President Lincoln-Vice President Breckinridge: Extra Session of the Senate of the United States: Called Session of Congress. 2, Concerted Movement of the Conspirators in Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri: Governor Harris, of Tennessee-Governor Magoffin, of Kentucky: Traitorous Negotiations-Invasion of Kentucky.

1. On the 4th of March, 1861, the presidential term of Mr. Buchanan expired, and that of Mr. Lincoln commenced. History furnishes little, more worthy the contempt of every true and firm spirit, and the disgust and scorn of every sincere and loyal heart, than the conduct of President Buchanan, toward the close of his administration. No one ever reached the supreme executive power, among a free people, and by the due course of their political institutions, who had need of the highest principles, the noblest endowments, and the grandest character, in a higher degree than President Lincoln. His nomination was a surprise to all parties; his election was a great shock to the nation. It remains for him, if he is capable of doing so, to make for himself one of the greatest names in the annals of mankind. At the moment of this great periodical change of the National Government, Vice President Breckinridge ceased to be the presiding officer in the Senate, and became a member of the body. A little while before, he had been Vice President, Senator elect, and candidate for the Presidency, all at once: a state of case all the more remarkable, and indicating a course all the more illustrious, that he had then hardly attained the prime of life. The events of the