hostile point of view. And soon, by his friendships, by his worldly interests and prospects, and by a thousand social ties, he is fettered still more closely to a creed adopted almost without reflection in immature youth. On every side he is surrounded and threatened by penalties for thinking. What wonder is it, that he should go on through life, repeating, parrotlike, the systems of divinity by which his youthful mind was educated! But the intelligent layman who makes theology a study, (and many such there are,) stands in great measure aside from these influences, so unpropitious to truth. His theological reading is likely to be the work of maturer years, when he can test the theories of books by the experience of life. He has no masters to direct his studies, and is the more likely on that account to go out of the beaten circle of ancient systems. He reads, not so much that he may believe what others think, as to think what he himself may believe. He studies not as a school-boy, but as a man. worldly interests and his social ties do not, to any thing like the same extent as with clergymen, identify him with a creed or a sect. He stands in a freer air and sunshine, and the road to truth is choked by fewer impediments.

His

We are not, perhaps, authorized to look for great reforms in theology to laymen, but to look to them rather as aids in breaking down those walls of system which imprison professional theologians, and prevent them from using their learning as an instrument for the discovery of truth. The clergyman and the layman may greatly aid each other by their writings. They stand at widely different points of view, and each may help to correct the errors of the other. The clergyman may have more learning; but the layman will often have a more correct judgment of the practical applications of that learning. They see truth from different summit levels; and the layman will naturally have new views of its bearings and relations. They see men and society under different aspects, and the layman will see many things illustrative of the value of truth, and suggestive of the best mode of applying it, which will never occur to a professional man. How vast an amount of new thought and illustration has been thrown into theological literature in England by lay writers, by Locke and Newton, by Milton, Wilberforce, and Hannah Moore! These names, and such as these, belong to the history of every step in the progress of both speculative and practical theology in England. May many lay VOL. XXI. 3D S. VOL. III. NO. III.

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writers like these, and like the author of the Natural History of Enthusiasm, arise among us, studious of the Scriptures, and able and willing to give the results of their studies to the world! It will be of equal advantage to Christian truth and Christian duty.

E. P.

ART. III.

The Way to do Good: or the Christian Character mature. The Sequel to" The Young Christian" and "The Corner-Stone." By JACOB ABBOTT. Boston, 1836. 12mo. pp. 248.

ANOTHER Crowded volume from a most prolific pen. We have read it carefully, without weariness, but not without satisfaction. It contains more of the author's peculiar excellences, and fewer of his faults, than either of its predecessors; unless we except the fault of dilation, or rather dilution, for which he is so remarkable, and in which we think he has here surpassed himself. There are readers of a particular class and age, perhaps more numerous than is commonly thought, to whom such extreme amplification is not objectionable, and may be useful. We have never been quite sure for what class or age, if for any specially, Mr. Abbott writes these books, there being in them an unusual mixture of strong meat for men, and milk for babes. But even if he has chiefly in view, as he intimates in his preface to this book, "the common classes of society," we are persuaded they would be better satisfied in the end, because they would find themselves aided and more profited, by that condensed style, which admits of greater definiteness and clearness of plan, and will commonly be found to leave upon all grades of mind more distinct impressions. Then there is the fact, that these books would be more likely to be bought, and far more likely to be thoroughly read, if reduced to a smaller compass, considerations not unimportant to the most disinterested and elevated motive.

We are speaking of this book in connexion with the others, to which, as the title tells us, it is designed to be a sequel. "The Young Christian,'" says the preface, "was intended to introduce the reader to the first steps of the Christian life; 'The Corner-Stone,' to explain some of the simple elements of

revealed religion; and now this work is intended to close the series, by giving the reader some general directions in respect to the great work which God has given him here to do." Such being the connexion of these works, and the series being now closed, our having noticed the first would be a reason for noticing this, though not a reason that would constrain us, if we had no other or better. We think the book worthy of notice and recommendation; and if our recommendation can help its circulation and its object, we give it cordially. Its object is one of the best. Not merely the motive of the writer, which may often be good where every thing else is bad, but the obvious. design throughout, the prevailing tendency, the means and the end, are in our view all good. There is a commendable willingness to recommend those means only, in doing good, which are most obviously and unquestionably adapted to the end. This, which at first view may seem slender praise, is yet praise which must be withheld from at least half the books that are written at the present day, and the measures of every kind used to produce an effect. Their authors and advocates seem not content to use the most obvious and probable means of accomplishing their object, those means which commend themselves to all good men, those arguments that are most reasonable, those doctrines that are least disputed, and those methods that will raise least question or resistance. The very opposite to all this is the course chosen by many religious writers, leaders, and supposed reformers. They start with the assumption, that old modes of thought and action are to be discarded as ineffectual, if not false; that that which is common to all is too common to be worth much; that to do good or be good in a merely practical and practicable way is small virtue, and that any cause, doctrine, or measure, which will unite all in its favor, is more than suspicious. Something peculiar to themselves, something that will be sure to offend carnal reason and raise the opposition of the natural man, something that will exclude others from a share both in the agency and the result, this is to be sought after, and this alone shall satisfy.

Of this poor presumption and all but intolerable folly Mr. Abbott has none. He is willing to do good in any good way, and he does not insist that there is but one good way, or, if there is, that he is more likely to have found it than the rest of the world. He does not attempt to exclude all who cannot go with him from the privilege of doing good, or pretend that he

has any right, more than they, either to refuse or accept another's contribution to the common fund of good influences. He acknowledges whatever is right, wherever it dwells, and welcomes whatever is good, though its name or form seem not the best. He prays that all Christians of all denominations may exhibit more of the spirit of conciliation and concession, and insist less than they do, on their peculiar modes and different forms. His views of this subject are free and generous. They constitute one of the chief excellences of his writings, and we are not without hopes that they will have influence upon the class of Christians to whom he belongs. We may have occasion to show these views more fully, when we speak of that part of his book which comprises them. Not that we think of noticing every part of the book. But we are anxious to give some idea of its plan, having thus spoken of its general temper.

The plan of this work is defective. It wants unity and simplicity. It comprises too great a variety of subjects, with too little connexion or natural order. The title indeed tempts to this, and is itself too comprehensive and vague. There are few features of society, or movements of the world, principles of religion, or modes of action, that might not be included in a consideration of " the Way to do Good." Mr. Abbott seems aware of this, and acknowledges both the difficulty and the imperfection. But we do not see any necessity of creating to himself such a difficulty. Nor do we think his arrangement of the topics he has taken, the best. We have first a chapter on works and faith, then motives, next ourselves, the poor, personal piety, public morals, the church and Christian union, the sick, children, instruction, conclusion. The slightest glance at these several chapters will satisfy any one of the immensity and confusion of the work. It resembles the face of an ancient sermon of the hydra genus, of which the maker seems to fear nothing so much as that he may omit some head or member which of right belongs to the body evangelic. It is true, a book of this kind is not to be subjected to the same rules as a sermon. But our doubt is, whether it is wise to make books of this kind; whether it would not be better, in the multitude of books now sent out, and from the nature of the mind, that each volume should have its own distinct subject, and exhaust it if possible, without attempting any thing more. This seems to be urgently called for in regard particularly to some of the topics embraced in this volume; as the treatment of the poor, the

sick, and children. In the present state of our community, nothing is more needed than distinct and complete treatises on these subjects, that the duties, difficulties, dangers, and claims of each may be fully considered. Notwithstanding the prevalent and perhaps correct opinion that common minds do not feel the need of such exactness and completeness, it may still be true that they would feel the advantage. This, however, is matter of judgment, and does not affect the true merits of the book before us. If books on this plan are wise and useful, we hope the work of preparing them will always fall into as good hands as those of Mr. Abbott.

His leading principle, as a guide to the way to do good, if we may state it in few words, is the principle of personal piety. Several chapters are devoted to the explanation of piety, and the means of cultivating it, first in the individual himself who is to do good, and then in those whom he is to benefit. In these chapters there are many just discriminations in relation to motives and objects. And on no subject is discrimination more needed, perhaps on none more rare. The motives from which we attempt to do good will always affect the way in which we attempt it, and both may affect materially, not only the amount of good usually done, but also the character, both of the agent and the recipient. And character, as Mr. Abbott aims continually to show, is by far the most important object to be kept in view. If the character is injured either in the giver or receiver, no good is done, but the opposite, whatever the appearance or outward result. How little this has been considered in most great systems and costly efforts of benevolence, every one knows. That it is now coming to be considered soberly and made essential, is one of the most encouraging aspects in that most perplexed and difficult of all works, common charity. If the principles laid down, the distinctions made, the errors and evils exposed, and the advice given in this book, shall be attentively read and heeded, by however limited a number, and however humble a class of benefactors, Mr. Abbott will certainly have found one way to do good.

In saying this, we have particularly in mind the chapters on motives, the poor, and the sick. They are not perfect treatises. They are not so thorough nor so able as others that may be found. They aim only to give simple, practical counsel to common laborers. And the counsel is very superior to that by which common laborers, in the different fields of Christian