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ness, and even the existence of our Society. If, on the other hand, they shall support it with equal, and especially with greater liberality, they will, in proportion, ensure its stability, and thereby promote, not only its present, but its future usefulness. The Directors, indeed, cannot but urge on Auxiliary Societies, and on the friends of the Society in general, the im. portance of their affording it augmented aid. It will be their study to exercise the strictest economy in the management of all its concerns, so as to render whatever funds are entrusted to their care as efficient as possible, in carrying on the great work in which they are engaged.

Let then the Auxiliary Associations, and the friends of Missions in general, throughout the country, unite in cordially supporting the Society, and it will soon be relieved of its difficul ties and embarrassments, and enabled to proceed, without fear or faultering, in extending its operations. Scotland has not hitherto sufficiently concentrated its contributions in her own institutions, and hence so many of them are in a puny, languishing condition, or have even been suffered to expire. England and America have, in this respect, acted a far wiser part, and as a consequence of this, their institutions have attained a magnitude, an interest, and a usefulness, which to ours are unknown. There is also at present a disposition on the part of many to support new schemes in preference to old, or at least new modes of carrying on particular designs; but surely old and useful institutions should not be neglected or sacrificed under a feeling of this kind. If suffered to languish and die, even their past usefulness may, to a great extent, be lost, while their future usefulness will be entirely destroyed. The Scottish Missionary Society was established at what may be called the commencement of the Missionary era, and has now existed for full forty years. Its Catholic constitution, its national character, its important objects, its past usefulness, and even its present difficulties and embarrassments-all give it a peculiar claim on the patronage and support of the friends of Missions.

Signed in name of the Directors,

DAVID DICKSON,

WILLIAM BROWN, Secretaries.

DEATH OF THOMAS GREER JACOB.

THIS worthy man was called to his rest and reward on Monday, the 10th instant. In his death society has sustained no ordinary loss. In private life, he was a man of approved Christian character. Simplicity and guilelessness were his prominent graces. None could know him, and not love him. Often did we hold sweet intercourse with him, and never were we in his society without deriving some profit from it

He was one of those Christians who carried the cause of his Master with him wherever he went, and who shewed himself to be a disciple of Christ in whatever he did. Of late years he had become more of a public character, and engaged extensively in efforts of benevolence. He was much in the habit of visiting the poor at their own houses, and it was, we believe, in these labours of love he contracted the disease which terminated in his death. But the great work to which he devoted himself was the reformation of society in its views and practices respecting the seventh commandment. The Penitentiary, of late years, owed its subsistence to him. And we are not without our fears, that this Asylum of the most wretched and degraded of our population may soon be closed. God can raise up another, whose heart will be bound up in it as was that of our lamented brother; but in Him is our only hope. The indifference of the public to this most valuable institution is truly surprising and distressing. Who will take

the place and endure the labours of Thomas Jacob, in its behalf? May God cause the mantle of this ascended Elijah to fall on some kindred disciple. It was in the same cause he acted as the gratuitous editor and proprietor of "the Advocate of Moral Reform,”. -a publication which was reprobated by many, but which effected an extensive good. It brought out the sin of licentiousness, in its hideousness, before the public eye, and was succeeding to make the public frown fall upon it. Out of this little periodical arose the larger work, now published in London, and devoted to the same object. He has not, therefore, laboured in vain. He has produced ans interest which, by God's blessing, will never die. He had the honour of suffering, too, in this righteous cause. The issue of the trial to which he was subjected is yet fresh in the public mind, and the sympathy which was shared with him, by the pure and virtuous in society, is still warm and general. In that trial, we fear, the seeds of his death were sown. It distressed him much, and he keenly felt the distress of being the accuser of a fellow creature. But he had no choice between keeping a good conscience and testifying to the truth. A very trivial explanation might have averted the prosecution, but truth was dearer to him than property and life. He is gone to another tribunal, where his sentence is not what it was at the bar of his fellow creatures. He sleeps in an early grave, and his memory is cherished with esteem and love by every friend of purity and truth who enjoyed the privilege of his acquaintance. Truly, the times are portentous. Cochrane and Jacob, both no more since the date of our last publication! The two best friends of the poor that our population could boast! These are solemn lessons, and it behoves us to learn them diligently. "Merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come."

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NOTICES OF BOOKS.

The Works of Thomas Chalmers, D.D., L.L.D. Vols. VI. VII. W. COLLINS, Glasgow.

THESE two volumes contain what are well known as the Commercial and Astronomical Discourses of their distinguished author. They are, however, not a mere reprint. Several discourses are added to each volume, so that, though much cheaper than the former volumes, they contain a great deal of additional matter. The publication of the Commercial Discourses, at the present time, is most seasonable. God is shaking the commercial interests of the world, and he is preparing the minds of many for entertaining serious subjects, who have been hitherto averse to them. Every merchant in the land should possess himself of a copy of these Discourses. Their topics are so novel, the manner of their illustration so engaging, the language so truly grand, and the whole production so fitted to improve and delight, that their circulation is ardently to be desired. This volume would make a most suitable present to any friend harassed by the perplexities and troubles of commerce, or elevated by its success. The Astronomical Discourses are, perhaps, still better known than the Commercial. The deep impression which they made on the public mind, at their first appearance, has never been eífaced. In the present volume, several discourses are added on the connexion between Theology and General Science, of great merit and utility. One of the great services which Dr. Chalmers has rendered to truth is, the rescuing of literature out of the hands of the infidel. He has done more than, perhaps, any other man to prove that religion and science are never contradictory,—that genuine literature is uniformly the handmaid of religion,-that sound philosophy is the steadfast friend of revelation. We earnestly pray that God may mercifully spare and strengthen him, that so he may complete the series of his works, now published from quarter to quarter. We rejoice to think of such streams of true religion and sound philosophy pouring over the land, and we trust they may find their way to many a dark and barren spot, spreading around the light and life of truth. We regret our space does not, at present, afford room for any extracts; but we hope, from time to time, to enrich our pages with them in future numbers, The eighth volume is expected in September.

Sacred Philosophy of the Seasons: illustrating the Perfections of God, in the Phenomena of the Year. (Summer.) By the Rev. H. DUNCAN, D.D., Ruthwell. W. OLIPHANT & SON, Edinburgh.

THIS beautiful volume is the third of a series, by the same author, on the Seasons of the year. The two preceding were occupied with the phenomena of Winter and Spring, and the present comes loaded with the fruits of Summer. It is enough to say for it, that it does not disappoint the expectations excited by its precursors. It is characterized by the utmost variety and agreeableness, united with an extensive and correct knowledge of the science of nature. Religion has its proper place as signed it as the lord over all the creation. All that we behold in nature is made to contribute to the elucidation of its principles, and the enforcement of its duties. God is seen and shewn in every thing.

THE

ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN.

No. XCV.

AUGUST, 1837. VOL. VIII.

THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.

(From Dr. Reid's History of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.) On the 16th of October, 1643, the English Parliament requested the Scottish Commissioners to take steps that the Covenant "be taken by all the officers, soldiers, and Protestants of their nation in Ireland ;" and, at the same time, both Houses pledged themselves, that the English Protestants and commanders there should join with the Scots in that bond. After some correspondence with the estates in Scotland on this subject, it was finally agreed by the Parliament, on the 9th of March," That the manner of taking and tendering the National League and Covenant in the kingdom of Ireland be referred to the corsideration of the Committee of both nations," then sitting in London. By them it was remitted to the Committee of Estates in Edinburgh, and the Commission of the General Assembly. The latter embraced the opportunity of entrusting this important business to the ministers whose turn it now was to visit Ulster. Of the ministers appointed by the last General Assembly, only two had fulfilled their mission. The Rev. Matthew Makail, minister of Carmanoch, in the neighbourhood of Glasgow, had come over in November; and, in February, he was succeeded by the Rev. John Hutchinson, minister of Colmonel, in Ayrshire. Of the remaining ministers who had yet to visit Ulster, agreeably to the Act of Assembly, the Rev. James Hamilton, minister of Dumfries, (with whom the reader is already familiar as minister of Ballywalter, in the County of Down,) was selected by the civil and ecclesiastical authorities in Edinburgh, to be the bearer of the Covenant. With him were associated in this work three others of the ministers formerly appointed, to wit, the Rev. Hugh Henderson, minister of Dalry, in Ayrshire, the Rev. William Adair, minister of Ayr, and

F

army,

the Rev. John Weir, minister of Dalserf, in Lanarkshire. The appointment of Hamilton to superintend the adminis tration of the Covenant in Ulster was, on the 26th of March, notified in a letter from the Committee of Estates, to the officers of the Scottish army. The bearer of this letter was major Borthwick, of Lord Lindsay's regiment. In it they thus expressed themselves: "As our cause is one, and has common frienals and enemies, so we must resolve, with God's assistance, to stand and fall together. And, for our firmer union, the Commissioners of the General Assemblie and we have sent Master James Hamilton (a faithful minister in this kingdome, and whose integritie is well knowne in Ireland,) with the Covenant, to be sworn by the officers and souldiours of and all such others of the British as shall be enter into this Covenant, which is alreadie universallie receavit in this kingdome, and by the Houses of Parliament and their armies, and is ordained to be taken b sorts of persones in England. Concerning the fittest time of swearing of this Covenant, we remitt it to your discretion and the messenger sent with it; but the sooner yee doe it, we think it so much the better; which will confirme the confidence this kingdome has in you, and will be a character of difference betweene the well and disaffected. In the meane tyme, we trust that you, and such of the British forces as love religion and the safetie of thir kingdomes, will stand, the best way you may,.upone your guarde against the invasione of the rebells."

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all

Hamilton and his colleagues lost no time in entering upon their mission. They reached Carrickfergus in the end of March, and immediately commenced the arduous work entrusted to them. An authentic record of their proceedings at this memorable crisis has been fortunately preserved, though never yet published. It is subjoined without abridgment, as it would be doing injustice to the important and interesting transactions which it records, to condense or curtail the relation of them.

"After this, came over by the Assembly's appointment masters James Hamilton, William Adair, John Weir and Hugh Henderson, very soon after one another. They were all present at the Presbytery held [Monday] the first of April, 1644, shewing their Commissions, and bringing a letter from the Commission of the General Assembly, directing the ministers of the Scotch, ármy, to administer

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