Phoenicia, presents traces of its ancient renown, and solemnly impresses the traveller with the fulfilment of the prophecies concerning it. Its position and history, its former splendor and present ruins, are graphically delineated. Sidon, which has shared the fate of its sister city, is the more ancient of the two; it is mentioned by Moses and by Homer. It has now lost even its modern commerce. At Beirut the oriental pilgrimage of the author closed. He was there received by missionary friends, and in their comfortable homes, partaking of female kindness which had been one of the sorest deprivations of his journeys, he realized all the happiness which follows successful endeavor. His health gave way in the change from active motion to the indolence of life in steamboats upon the Mediterranean and Black Seas, and among the marshes of the Danube a fever was confirmed upon him, which well nigh closed his career at Vienna. But the mercy of God, and the assiduous kindness of Mr. Smith prolonged his life, and saved the results of his labors to the world.

The concluding section of this voluminous work presents information concerning the various religious sects in the Holy Land, for which the author is principally indebted to Mr. Smith. In Syria and Palestine there is a Christian population of between 400,000 and 500,000 souls, composed of Greeks, (that is, members of the Greek Church, though still Arabs by birth and descent), Greek catholics, Maronites, Syrians or Jacobites, Syrian catholics, Armenians, Armenian catholics, and Latins. The Greeks are most numerous. Protestants are not recognised or tolerated by the authorities. The Muhammedans are the lords of the country and the mass of the population, and besides those of the orthodox faith, there are four sects of heretics.

Besides the text to each of the three volumes of Professor Robinson's works there are extensive appendices. Subjoined to the third volume is a memoir upon the five maps which accompany the work by H. Kiepert, of Berlin, an itinerary of the whole route, and Arabic lists of the names of places by Rev. Mr. Smith. Probably the voluminous character of this work, its thoroughness, and consequently its learned style and manner may confine its circulation and study to scholars by profession. Yet it will not be long before the valuable information which it contains will be transplanted from the great desert of unfamiliar names and hard words, and made to appear in expositions and commentaries for popular use. Several particular statements

and incidents contained in it will serve to explain some dark passages in Scripture, and to confirm former suppositions and opinions. The author was frequently greeted in a most pleasant manner by vestiges of the ancient and now almost consecrated customs of the Holy Land. In the true style of oriental hospitality, in regions which do not lie upon the already well worn route of European or Frankish travel, he was received and entertained without pay or present with more of kindness than money would purchase where it is the sole condition of favor. His feet were washed, and his tent was guarded for him. He saw women grinding the corn with handmills, cattle treading out the grain upon the threshing floor, and the gleanings left in the field for the poor. His task was rather made more difficult than facilitated by former travellers. They have many of them been led into the bad habit of putting down the names of places which they never saw, and which do not exist, because in their anxiety to know of or to identify them, they have given too easy credence to their Arab guides, who, as has been already said, will at once point in one or another direction, if asked, the position or even the existence of any spot which the traveller may choose to name. Those who may follow on with the maps or books constructed by such superficial travellers will necessarily be disappointed, be delayed on their journey, and complain of ill success. The highest value attaches to the work before us from the thoroughness of its researches, the unwillingness of the author to take any statement upon trust, when it was in his power at the cost of much inconvenience to verify it, and the exact statistics which he has given. As an itinerary for future travellers, a road-book and a guide, it must be all that could be desired. The bearings of all the principal points are given by the compass, the distances of places, and the arrangements of travel are carefully stated throughout.

In closing our notice of this work, we cannot omit to mention with well deserved commendation, the constant faithfulness of the author and of his companion to their professed belief as disciples of Jesus Christ. They took their religion with them into the desert, and it was probably owing as much to this circumstance as to any other, that they brought with them from the desert a faith quickened and sanctified by sight. With only one exception they invariably rested on the Christian Sabbaths, consecrating the day beneath their tent. They found comfort and delight in their united devotions, morning and evening, and

connected with every spot and with every experience its best associations. They were always scrupulous about matters which to many persons would have seemed indifferent, or not within their responsibility. When some of their Arab guides, for instance, in meeting a tribe with which they were not in amity, took the liberty of stealing from them, the travellers compelled them to restore the articles thus taken. In pursuing scrupulously the Christian rule, and making the laws of Christ the laws of the desert, as well as by successfully resisting all its impositions, these travellers have sown a harvest of good for their followers. The conveniences for visiting those regions are multiplied daily, and disciples of the Saviour may well be reminded that they are especially bound to honor him in the land of his miracles and sufferings.

G. E. E.

ART. VI. -THE MORAL PRINCIPLE OF THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT. A SERMON PREACHED IN The Chapel OF HARVARD COLLEGE, OCTOBER 17, 1841. BY HENRY WARE, JR., PARKMAN PROFESSOR, &c.

"Wherefore, if meat cause my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I cause my brother to offend." - 1 Corinthians, viii. 13.

THERE is something admirable in the disinterestedness of spirit which dictated this declaration. It is the entire abandonment of selfish considerations for the sake of others' good. It in this respect exemplifies the meaning of our Lord's precept, Love thy neighbor as thyself. It is the application of the principle elsewhere expressed by Paul in various forms; - Let no man seek his own, but every man another's good. In honor preferring one another. No man liveth to himself.

The question alluded to in the text was one of peculiar interest at that time, when the new converts to Christianity had but just left their old religions, and were still connected with relatives, friends, and neighbors, who remained attached to idolatrous worship. Mingling with them in the intercourse of common life, it would not be easy to avoid contact with matters of religious form, and involving questions of religious obligation. For example, if a friend invited them to an entertainment, and set be

fore them meat which had been offered in sacrifice to an idol, what should they do? Might they, as Christians, innocently partake of it? It was plainly a question of great practical interest. The Corinthians asked advice of the Apostle respecting it. Paul, in reply, lays down the principle, that an act is to be judged of by its effect, not on themselves alone, but on others also. If they partake of the meat with the clear understanding that there is no such thing in existence as a false God, then they may do it innocently; it is no act of idolatry; it is no dereliction of their Christian principle. But all are not sufficiently enlightened to be able to do this; from custom or some other cause they still have a regard to the idol, and eat it, " as a thing offered to an idol." In so doing they sin. Such persons, therefore, must refrain. Here, then, are two classes; the enlightened and strong, who can eat without sin, the unenlightened and weak, who cannot eat without sin. But ought there to be two practices in the Church, some of the brethren frequenting the idolatrous festival, and some avoiding it? This would hardly do; because it would plainly be exposing the weaker brethren to an unnecessary temptation. They could not well understand why others should be permitted this indulgence, and themselves be forbidden; and thus, emboldened by their example, they would take the indulgence and commit sin. Accordingly, the Apostle advises, that, in all brotherly love and Christian consistency, the strong should deny themselves this gratification for the sake of the weak. His expression is very clear. "For, if any man see thee, who hast knowledge, sit at meat in the idol's temple, will not the conscience of him that is weak be emboldened to eat what is offered to the idol; and so, through thy knowledge, thy weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? When ye thus sin against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat cause my brother to of fend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I cause my brother to offend.”

The occasions for displaying the same generous disregard of selfish considerations, for the benefit of others, frequently occur; and the instances of such disinterestedness are not so rare in the Christian world as to be matters of wonder. But perhaps never, until the present age, has this principle been made the motto of a great action of philanthropy; never before did thousands unite together for the moral benefit of their fellow-men by means of an express abridgement of their own liberty of indul

gence. And, after all that has been pointed out as distinguishing this remarkable period, perhaps nothing is more worthy of being regarded its distinction, in a moral point of view, than this; that multitudes have abandoned, not for a time but for life, a customary, innocent, moderate gratification, which did them personally no harm, and apparently threatened them no harm, on the single ground that others abused it to harm, -that" this liberty of theirs was a stumbling-block to the weak." In this way, an attempt has been made to begin the removal of that great mass of crime and wretchedness which I spoke of in the morning; the removal of which once seemed so hopeless, that the boldest enthusiast hardly dared to dream of it; which had so entrenched itself in the passions of men, in their habits, in their laws, in their interests, that it laughed defiance on all opposition. Against that evil this principle of disinterestedness has been brought to bear, and the evil has begun to give way. An illustrious exemplification of the strength there is in Christian affection, and the appeal to the nobler impulses of human nature !

The words of the text express the principle on which this action has proceeded, and are at once its authority and justification. The unhappy class of sinners by intemperate excess had become alarmingly large. It seemed as if there were no hope of retrieving the lost, or of checking the progress of others to the same ruin. But it would not do to let the plague rage without an effort to stay it. First, therefore, was tried the power of a moral engagement; the exposed were persuaded to pledge themselves to entire abstinence from the use of ardent spirits. This proved an effective method, and a visible change for the better began to take place. But it soon became evident that the friends of the cause were now divided into two classes

precisely like the two already referred to among the Corinthians; one consisting of the strong, who could partake moderately and remain temperate; the other of the weak, who could not touch without excess. The former were left at liberty; why not? they would not abuse their liberty. The latter gave up their liberty; they deprived themselves of the right to use at all what they were so prone to abuse. But this came to be felt as an unreasonable and galling distinction; the liberty of the one was a stumbling-block to the other; and until it should be removed, it was plain no further progress could be made. What then should be done? Precisely what the Apostle recommended