Matrimony; or, What Marriage Life is, and How to make the Best of it. By John Maynard. London: G. J. STEVENSON. THIS Book contains many good thoughts, as any volume of one hundred and forty-three pages, written by a pious man of average intelligence, can scarcely fail to do; but we carnot speak very highly of its execution. Mr. Maynard is, probably, better qualified to discharge the duties of married life than to write about them. "Matrimony" requires delicate handling, and we doubt not that he may find many topics for the discussion of which he is better adapted than this. The Crisis of Being: Six Lectures to Young Men, on Religious Decision. By the Rev. David Thomas, D.D., Stockwell; Editor of "The Homilist," &c. Fourth Edition. London: JACKSON, WALFORD, and HODDER. The Progress of Being: Six Lectures on the True Progress of Man. By the Rev. David Thomas, D.D. London: JACKSON, WALFord, and HODDER. Third Edition. THESE works have been so long before the public, and their merits are so well known, that we need do little more than inform our readers that a New Edition of each is now ready. Dr. Thomas has acquired a wide and well-earned reputation. Though his "Homilist," we fear, has spoiled many young aspirants after pulpit popularity, by leading them to aim at a style of preaching to which their powers were unequal; studied with discrimination, it may render great service to those who "Preach the Word." His Crisis and Progress of Being are specially intended for "young men," and are admirably adapted to promote their spiritual welfare. His style is attractive, his reasoning sound, and his appeals powerful. Though somewhat Calvinistic in his views, we find little in these Lectures to which we can take exception. It will be a happy day for the Church and the world when our “young men " become what Dr. Thomas seeks to make them. BOOKS RECEIVED. Jesus Only. By J. O. Jackson. London: JACKSON, WALFORD, and HODDER. Stephen's Character and Burial. A Funeral Sermon, preached in the Free Church, Camborne, by SAMUEL DUNN. Biography. MEMOIR OF JOSEPH PROSSOR SANDERSON; LATE ABSTRACT theories, subtile definitions, and metaphysical views of God, the soul-religion, or anything else, are not popular; and in all probability never will be. They require too much astute thinking, mental application, and patient perseverance, ever to captivate the massca. We learn more by the tangible than the abstract-more by a living exhibition of a truth than a dry theory or verbal utterance. Besides the difficulty of comprehending such subjects, they can be of little use, only as they are embodied in the life as principles, to regu late our actions. Of what use would the theory of steam locomotion be if it had only been delineated in the mind of Watts, or elaborated in books? Commerce would not be stimulated nor speed increased. We should, despite the theory, move on in the old fashion, and be able to get to London from the North in the course of a week, if no accident happened to interfere with our progress. To be of service it must be reduced to the events of life; for the power of a principle can only be seen by giving it a practical existence. The teaching of Christianity, if only found on parchment, would be of little utility. But, thank God, its evidences are not confined to the archives of the learned, the dead languages of Europe, or to those persons who have nothing to grapple with but imaginary wants. O no; for there are men to be found among all classes who recognize Christianity as a power to regulate the life-a power, not only to reduce the number of crimes, but to strengthen the soul, so that it may triumph over all moral evil. Yes, there are men who out of love to Christ, cling to duty rather than profit; and to maintain their allegiance to Jesus, are prepared to sacrifice lucrative positions, honour, and life itself, if need be. Such "living epistles" will be read more frequently than the most convincing arguments of Divines. Because I believe the late Captain Sanderson, of York, exemplified the power of Christianity, I cheerfully comply with the request to write a few things concerning him. In the village of Graig, Kilkenny County, Ireland, there lived, about ninety years ago, two God-fearing persons, named Richard and Marcella Sanderson, the parents of Joseph Prossor, who, in that land of Papal darkness and bigotry, had Christian courage enough to open their cottage for John Wesley and his followers to preach the Gospel in it. Such a step could not then be taken, without subjecting the parties to bitter and malignant treatment. Richard and Marcella had, however, counted the cost, and resolved to brave the storm likely to rise in consequence of their resolution to be free from priestly usurpation, and to encourage that aspect of truth which they believed to be in accordance with the word of God. The right of private judgment, and liberty to worship God according to man's own conscience, were subjects at that time pooh-poohed, and hooted down; and the man who avowed them was treated with as much aversion as if he were the victim of a foul leprosy, and his dwelling a very plague spot, to be treated with contempt and abuse. Very few services were allowed to close without interruption from without; sometimes in the shape of a stone coming through the window, or a brick knocking the door open, or a shillelah smashing the windows and distributing glass among the worshippers. Such conduct was not confined to the night on which divine service was held, but often maliciously persisted in night after night, until the inmates were in great bodily fear, and in danger of losing their lives by remaining in the house; so Richard and his son Joseph had to seek repose in the adjoining woods, where they would be in less danger from the boisterous winds, pitiless rain, and cold atmosphere, than by remaining in the house during the night, exposed to the ruthless passions of an ignorant, bigoted herd of persecuting Romanists. Marcella's health ultimately began to fail, so that she was obliged to keep her bed day and night; but this did not curb the fury of the mob, and it considerably aggravated the distress of father and son, who were obliged to leave her during the night alone in the house, while they retired to the jungle to mingle their sobs with the murmur of the waterfall, and sighing of the wind, until the morning light enabled them to return to their dwelling, to present their prayers to God for His blessing and protection, while passing through such seasons of sorrow. This state of things was protracted for months, during which time the mother grew weaker in body, but calmly and confidently could say, and sometimes faintly sing, "Other refuge have I none, Hangs my helpless soul on Thee; Still support and comfort me." Her experience during the affliction may be summed up in the words, "My flesh and heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever!" After lingering some time in a very weak state, her gentle spirit was caught away to those regions "where the wicked cease from troubling," and the weary are for ever at rest! The death of Marcella, combined with other painful circumstances, soon begun to tell upon the bereaved husband, who gradually sunk until he found that death was "But a path that must be trod, If man would ever pass to God; From the rough rage of swelling seas." Joseph Prossor was now left a poor orphan child, in a hostile neighbourhood. The cruel treatment his departed parents had received for being conscientious Christians, was too deeply and painfully impressed on his mind to allow him the consolation of thinking that he would fare better than they, if he remained in that locality; so he was at his wit's end; for he was afraid to stay, and yet knew not where to go in the "wide, wide, world!" He, however, left Graig, to navigate the sea of life in some other region. So having fixed upon the road to take, he, with a small bundle in his hand, wandered along full of memories of the past, and probabilities of the future. Though he had to bid a sorrowful farewell to the spot which contained the ashes of his sainted parents, he carried with him the savour of their example, which made him resolve to meet them in a happier clime. After a long tedious tramp, he came to a locality where he found a detachment of British soldiers in the barracks; and having some pleasing recollections of the English as a class of people who were protestant Christians like his father and mother, he at once resolved to crave protection, and ask permission to lodge in the barracks. The request was granted; and the tender story which he had to relate so affected the officers that his stay was prolonged, until he became so attached to the men that he desired to remain with them and join the army. At this time he could not be more than ten or twelve years of age. These circumstances will show how he became connected with the military profession. As his first journal is lost, I am not able to give an account of the events which influenced him for several years; so the reader must please obtain the aid of imagination to fill up the void. The following extracts from his journal give us the date of his conversion to God: "July 4th, 1824. This is my birth day. O how good has God been to me all the days of the years of my pilgrimage! Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been. O! my God, save me to the uttermost! Amen. "On the 5th of April, 1800, in the Island of Malta, while I was in tears of repentance on my knees, on the platform of a battery in Fort Mansel, behind a gun, God gave me faith in Christ crucified, and while looking steadily at the Saviour, (for I then remember I let go every other trust,) I felt I was justified freely, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. I immediately found peace and joy, in believing-unspeakable joy-and this, too, before I knew whether any one else possessed the same blessing. O may God in mercy pardon all my deviations since, and fit me for heaven! Amen." Here is a comprehensive answer to the question, "What must I do to be saved?" Look at the words,-" In tears of repentance on my knees looking steadily at the Saviour; let go every other trust; God gave me faith in Christ crucified; I felt justified freely through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; I immediately found peace and joy in believing." Here are vital subjects, which might be amplified into a volume; but instead of writing a dissertation, I commend them in all their concentrated force to the thoughtful enquirer, in the hope that they may be of service in pointing out the simple and glorious plan of salvation, that the reader may by faith feel justified, and obtain immediate peace and joy ; for if these blessings are to be obtained by a living faith, they may be had when that faith is in vigorous exercise; then, why not now? The reality of the conversion of the young soldier was soon manifested in his love to the Saviour, and consequent desire to bring sinners to repentance, and Jesus. Difficulties of no ordinary character, however, presented themselves, from the stringent rules which required the chaplain of the army alone to conduct the religious services, the almost universal indifference to, and with many, the utter contempt of religion, amongst the regiments; these, together with the profane jests, blasphemous expressions, and bitter taunts, called for great firmness in the man who was bold enough to make a profession of Christianity. Religion might do for the chaplain, the sick, and the dying, but for a soldier to entertain it, was thought to be out of place altogether, and betrayed feelings which would never make the man a hero. Joseph Prossor Sanderson had sufficient Christian fortitude to endure the reproaches of those who were his companions in arms, and sufficient love to Christ to constrain him to labour daily for those who had no saving acquaintance with the Redeemer. His uniform Christian conduct soon began to break down the prejudices of the irreli gious, and gain for him the confidence and respect of all. A great portion of his spare time was spent in visiting the hospital, to read, talk, and pray with the sick. These visits endeared him to them to such an extent, that they looked forward to his visits with great pleasure, and backward with gratitude for the profit they bad obtained from his wise and Christian counsel. In the year 1812, he took part in the siege and assault of Badajoz, during which Napier the historian says, "five thousand men fell during the siege; three thousand five hundred were stricken in the assault, sixty officers, and more than seven hundred men slain on the spot; six hundred fell in the escalade of San Vincenta, as many in the castle, and more than two thousand at the breaches. Let it be remembered that this frightful carnage took place in a space of less than a hundred yards square. Add to this, the great number of the French, who fell while defending the town; then, kind reader, moralize upon the glory (?) of war. Though the allies captured the town, yet, when the havoc of the night was told to Wellington, the pride of conquest sank into a passionate burst of grief, for the loss of his gallant men.' In the following year, Sanderson took part in the battle of Vittoria, which resulted in the capture of the place from the French, who, also, "lost all their equipage, all their guns, all their treasure, all their stores, and all their papers." The allies lost in this contest nearly six thousand men. He was also actively engaged in July, 1813, when the deep gorges, abrupt precipices, and mountain passes of the Pyrenees resounded with the rattle of musketry and roar of cannon: during nine days of continual movement, ten severe battles were fought between the armies of Soult and Wellington, when the latter proved victorious. Without loss of time Wellington marched to besiege San Sebastian, which was already blockaded; and in August, after desperate slaughter, succeeded in capturing the town and garrison. A similar fate befel Oathes, a few months after. The triumphant forces moved on to Toulouse, where the decisive battle was fought, and no sooner was it occupied by the allies, than intelligence came to the effect, that Napoleon had abdicated the throne. This at once put an end to the Peninsular war. The allies "had won nineteen battles and innumerable combats; had made, or sustained ten sieges, and taken four great fortresses; had twice expelled the French from Portugal, and from Spain; had penetrated France, and killed, wounded, and captured 200,000 enemies, leaving of their own number 40,000 dead, whose bones whiten the plains and mountains of the Peninsular." In nearly all these engagements Joseph Prossor Sanderson took a prominent part, and at the close obtained a medal and bars of honour, for bravery displayed at Badajoz, Vittoria, the Pyrenees, San Sebastian, Oathes, and Toulouse. There is not much time during the excitement of war for calm reflection; but after it has subsided, men may think of their doings, investigate their motives, and reason upon the sins and virtues (?) of a military life. Captain Sanderson, after the terrible experience of suffering and slaughter he had witnessed, began to look at the subject in the light of the Bible and the cross. The result of his meditations was a manuscript showing war to be inimical to the teachings of Christ, and consequently opposed to the growth of Christian principles. He looked upon it as a system which fostered the lowest passions of the heart, and one which had few, if any, redeeming features. These conclusions he believed right, and, therefore, as a conscientious man, he must leave the army and abide by the consequences. This step was accordingly taken, and that at a time when promotion was in sight, which would have secured him a full pension, instead of retiring on half-pay. He entertained the opinion of Jeremy Taylor, as found in the following words: "As contrary as cruelty is to mercy, tyranny is to charity, so is war and bloodshed to the meekness and gentleness of the Christian religion." Besides being antagonistic to the spirit and teachings of the Divine Master, it entails a great amount of physical suffering and evil. This view had not escaped the attention of our friend; for he had evidently seen Burke's statement in his vindication of Natural Society:-"It is an incontestable truth, that there is more havoc made in one year by men, than has been made by all the lions, tigers, panthers, ounces, leopards, hyenas, rhinoceroses, elephants, bears, and wolves, since the beginning of the world; though these agree ill enough with each other, and have a much greater proportion of rage and fury in their composition than we have." The same author says, "The number of human beings who have been slain in battles, and have perished in a no less miserable manner by the other destructive consequences of war, from the beginning of the world to the time at which he was writing, amounted to at least seventy times the number of souls on the globe." Much more might with propriety be said on this subject; but, for fear of taxing the reader's patience too severely, I will exercise self-denial, and turn my thoughts to a further portraiture of my friend's Christian character. |