LITERARY NOTICES.

The Territorial Visitor's Manual. By the REV. W. TASKER, Minister of Chalmers' Territorial Church, West Port.

Our readers must for the most part be fully aware, that among the various Schemes advocated by the distinguished individual who lent to the secession from the Church of Scotland in 1843, all the lustre it could possess in the eye of the general public, unconnected with the leaders-that which was most fondly urged in various forms, and during a great part of his lifewas the attempt at a solution of the problem,-In what manner the neglected and demoralized part of the population in our large towns are most likely to be brought under the influence of religious feeling? How they may be taught to value ordinances from which they have learned to absent themselves? How far it is possible to bring the squalid and reckless denizens of lanes and courts within hearing of a Gospel ministry? Household visitation was recommended by Dr. Chalmers as a chief expedient; nor is it to be doubted, that thus no inconsiderable impression can be made upon many who have fallen out of religious habitude, and are utterly careless of the moral duties; and the selection of a manageable district-the families residing in which, are brought under benevolent and Christian surveillance on the part of willing and able agents-may be regarded as the postulate which this large-hearted, if impulsive and somewhat versatile divine, demanded in order to the verification of his theory.

Having heard much respecting the success of the experiment as made in the West Port, and knowing that Mr. Tasker was the person selected as most likely to possess the zeal and discretion required-we have perused with some interest the little work mentioned at the head of this notice. It is marked by intelligence and good sense; gives the result of no little experience, and may be safely recommended as deserving to be read by all who take a concern in the welfare and improvement of the poorer inhabitants of large towns.

The work is described as having originated in the numerous letters addressed to Mr. Tasker upon the subject of his plan of operations. Whether these were written chiefly by individuals of the same denomination, we are not aware; but in the fervour of her zeal, the Free Church, so called, teems with schemers, is prolific in plans, and aims not only at bulking largely in the public eye, but assumes the office, by herself, undisputed and indulged with much complacency-of caring supremely for the work of Home Christianization. Listening without question to many of her orators, and adverting to her public documents-but for the possession of other information, we might believe that she alone, of all other bodies and communions, had begun to care for the "lost sheep," and was busy in pouring a healing balm upon the distressed surface of the body politic. Whereas, in our innoceuce we have cherished the idea that she has done far more practical mischief by sowing discord, and weakening a great national institute, and distracting men's minds by the din of controversy about externals -than she has yet done good by caring for the neglected and the dissolute. Before the Free Church had existence-ere the roof of Tanfield resounded with applause and acclamation-before the tumultuous exodus from the Establishment of her polemic divines and puissant eldership amidst the smiles and gratulations of enthusiastic thousands who had never weighed the merits of the controversy,—the field in question had been entered, and in part, oc

cupied by obscurer but not less worthy individuals. Home missionaries had gone their patient rounds; Sabbath schools had been instituted-and many once hardened in degradation, had been led to ponder on the truths of Scripture, and to feel their importance. Notwithstanding, we have frequently noticed on the part of Free Church writers, complete silence as to all other efforts of this nature, and a quiet assumption that the Seceders of 1843, have alone looked with an eye of Christian wisdom, or a heart of Christian love upon the practical "heathenism" of the "masses." We hail all efforts made having this end in view, convinced that there can scarcely be too many labourers in a cause so salutary.

The experiment in the West Port has, it would appear from this work, and we see no reason to doubt the assertion, been attended by marked success. Originally, a mere handful of persons was with difficulty collected into an upper chamber of some description or other. Now, a congregation has been collected, a Church and School have been built, with the appendages of a model tenement of work people's dwellings, a library, saving's bank, &c., and no inconsiderable number of persons have been reclaimed to habits of attendance on ordinances, and induced to provide clothes for themselves out of the savings of regular industry; whereas, formerly, every sixpence that could be procured by them beyond that which was necessary to satisfy the cravings of hunger, was devoted to drunkenness and debauchery. On a reference to the statement of annual collections, we find that the people of the West Port Church are contributors of L.101, 7s. 3d to the Sustentation, and of L.113, 8s. 6d to the Congregational Funds of the Free Church, while their contributions to the Missionary Schemes of the Denomination are not less than L.19, 14s. 10d per annum. We have great doubts, however, whether this goodly appearance of funds comes from the inhabitants of the district alone or chiefly; and strongly suspect that the stated congregation is by no means exclusively territorial.

Encouraged, it would seem, by this flourishing experiment, we hear of efforts made in other districts of the city. We observe that, in close proximity to the ancient palace, a tender and weakly nursling is now being fostered, yclept Holyrood Territorial Church. Perhaps, because not gifted with the services of a Boanerges, it figures, in the "Financial Statement," as contributing to a much more restricted amount than the West Port undertaking. Here, the denomination in question cannot be said to be breaking up untrodden ground. They have located themselves in a quarter by no means the most desolate which Edinburgh presents; and amidst a population not by any means so stubborn and unbroken as that contained in the Cowgate or West Port. They have ceased their attempts on the St. Giles's and the Rookeries to settle down on a more inviting quarter; and by the liberal, indeed lavish expenditure of a titled adherent, have raised a mass of building by no means unambitious in appearance, within, we believe, the limits of the "Sanctuary" itself. We happen to have some knowledge of the district in question, and can safely aver that there is no suburban locality in which the means either of education or of religious improvement are more abundant, and we suspect that sectarian zeal may have had some little influence in the movement. Not to be behind hand, we find that Dr. Candlish himself has begun, or rather has set on foot, an agency for excavating, in a small way, in the neighbourhood of his former place of worship, and, accordingly, we find mention made of a "St. Georges' Mission Chapel," in the same chronicle to which we have referred. It has already been remarked, that we look on such schemes with no jealous eye; but we would whisper in the ear of all whom it may concern that, in such praiseworthy attempts, the Free Church is only following the wake not leading the van; is determined that her zeal should be noised abroad; is

inviting public notice to her magnanimity and diligence; and has not yet quite learned to

"Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame."

Her efforts at monopoly, either in regard to education or otherwise, are beginning to excite suspicion, even amongst some of her own adherents; nor with a too extended ground of occupation, and the patience of no small number of her people well nigh worn out by incessant applications,-is it hard to see that her difficulties are but beginning. She must contract, not expand, and carry herself more humbly than heretofore.

Youthful Devotedness, or the Youth of the Church instructed in the Duties of Practical Religion. By THOMAS HOUSTON, D.D., with Preface, by PROFESSOR SYMINGTON. Paisley: Alexander Gardner.

The circumstance of this little work having issued from the press of a provincial publisher, ought not to operate disadvantageously against its reception. It is a production of solid merit and of genuine excellence; comprehensive in plan, perspicuous in its treatment, and adapted to be extensively useful, if read and pondered by the class for whom it is chiefly intended. The Author is, we believe, a minister, in Ireland, of the same denomination to which Dr. Symington belongs; and we are not astonished, that Dr. Symington should, from the ability of the work, have been led to express his high approval of it. We do not think that a parent, concerned for the respectability and moral welfare of such of his sons and daughters, as are approaching the period when they must think and act for themselves, could put into their hands a more profitable manual. We have seen a very considerable number of volumes treating of the subject in question; but for manly sentiment, judicious remark, and calm wisdom, we would give Dr. Houston's work a decided preference.

The topics handled are of vital importance to the Church of Christ and to society. That is, in all respects, a perilous, and yet a hopeful period, when the responsibilities of life must be undertaken by an individual; filling a Christian parent's heart with anxiety, and constraining him to enquire how far he has diligently discharged incumbent and solemn duties. The aspect, moreover of the times in which our lot is cast, increases the need for vigilance and precaution. The spirit of our more popular literature cannot be pronounced favourable to religion, its tendency is strongly to deteriorate the taste, and to produce a love of morbid excitement likely, if not counteracted, to withdraw and seduce from serious thought and sober inquiry. The liberty, too, of the present day, has a strong leaning to latitudinarianism; while the tone of a large proportion of the public press partakes not a little, of a scoffing, irreverent and dogmatic spirit;-the effect of which is visible to any person of ordinary observation, as frequently disastrous in the case of those who have not learned to think and to investigate for themselves. Man is ready enough to doubt and disbelieve what opposes the perverted inclinations of that nature which needs to be renewed; and, hence, it is of importance that the youthful mind should be directed to the paramount claims of religious duty,-the momentous truths that concern us, as heirs of immortality. The literary production most likely to contribute to this end, must be the work of a well-informed, observant mind-not ignorant of the prevailing forms of error,-" speaking the truth in love," and doing so with prudence and wisdom.

An enumeration of the topics treated of in the volume, will enable the reader to judge of the practical value of a work, executed in the manner

above described. These are,-Baptism, viewed with reference to the Doctrines it exhibits, the Privileges it involves, and the Duties to which it calls. The nature, necessity, means, and evidences of Conversion-Profession of Religion, and the leading duties of the Christian character-Social Relations, and the Influence of the Young upon Society. But the mention of these outlines gives an inadequate idea of the full amount of matter in the book, and of the judicious advice and fervent exhortation to be found in its pages.

The Claims of the Church of Christ, or the Value and Abuse of Denomina tional Attachment. By the Rev. WILLIAM H. GOOLD. Edinburgh:

This is a discourse which the Author, a minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Synod, delivered before that body in May last. The connexion between the discourse and the title here given to it, is not very close-the remarks of Mr. Goold, however, are full of christian charity, and are written with some earnestness and eloquence.

ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIGENCE.

WILLIAM MACPHAIL, PRINTER, 2 GREENSIDE PLACE, EDINBURGH.

MACPHAIL'S

EDINBURGH ECCLESIASTICAL JOURNAL.

No. XLVI.

NOVEMBER 1849.

GEORGE WISHART OF PITTARROW—THE MARTYR.*

The monuments of a country are its history. A nation without monuments, is a nation without a history. The temples of Egypt, and the statues of Greece, are at this day the historians of the pastproclaiming in their awful grandeur, the existence of men, the occurrence of events, and the success of enterprizes, which, but for them, would have had no terrestrial record, or which serve to give life and confirmation to that which we find written. Of all countries, our own is, in this respect, the most deficient. Although highest in the scale of civilization-the professed patron of literature and the arts-we cannot equal even the meanest Continental nation in the number or the splendour of its monuments. The pettiest State in Europe may boldly rival us. The progress of letters did not bring with it in Britain the advancement of the arts. Our monumental existence is little more than a century old. It will scarcely reach back to the Revolution. But better late than never. Among all its other characteristics, it is the desire of the age to do justice to the departed dead-to those illustrious men, who by their genius have added to the stores of science and literature by their valour have secured the liberties of their country, or by their piety have advanced the interests of religion. We have monuments to Watt and Scott, to Marlborough and Knox; and as if determined to compensate for the past, we have erected not one, but many, to commemorate the achievements of the Duke of Wellington, although still living. One there is, among the many deserving to be had by a nation "in everlasting remembrance,"-who has been sadly, we would say culpably, forgotten; a name which thrills through the

*Scots Worthies-M'Crie's Sketches-Life of Wishart.