faith,' or use the like phrases. And if to hold the Catholic Faith be our title to eternal life, as in a certain and very true sense it is, inasmuch as the knowledge of GOD is that which constitutes the Catholic faith, then what can be the result of not holding and keeping undefiled that same faith, except the loss of eternal life, which is what the Creed declares? If a person should interpret the clause as intended to assert that any one, who has the least doubt as to the expression given to the articles of the Catholic faith in this Creed being in every way a perfect expression of the same, shall as a punishment for that doubt suffer eternal pain, it seems clear that he would misinterpret the Creed; the Creed declares in general terms the danger of not holding the faith, it then goes on to define certain points of the faith concerning which there is a liability to error; but it is not intended by those definitions to lay snares for simple Christians, and to support the notion that saving faith consists in the knowledge of theological subtleties, and not in that knowledge of CHRIST which leads to purity and holiness."-Pp. 101-103.

The question of formalism, again, is one that Mr. Goodwin touches although briefly, yet with considerable force. "The greatest formalist," he remarks, "is he who in opposition to usual forms sets up forms of his own." And he instances the case of the Quakers, whom we all now recognize as the very types of stiffness and precision, but who yet fell into this snare by affecting a protest against all existing usages. It is the same spirit, in its recoil, that now makes Liberals (so called) the greatest tyrants, and the ultraProtestants of Exeter Hall the greatest foes to freedom of judgment, when exercised conscientiously by a parish priest for the improvement of Divine worship, and the advancement of his people in spiritual religion. The existing usage of our churches is just an unauthorized compound of ignorance and indifference, which they would force upon every body's acceptance, just as the Quaker does his drab coat and stiff collar. Young England, we warn these gentlemen, will infallibly reject both the one and the other. The only question which they can help in determining is, what they shall become? If let alone we doubt not they would in good time become earnest English churchmen; if bullied by vestries, and Protestant Defence Societies, they will become either Roman Catholics, or Irvingites, or Infidels.

It will now be our less pleasing duty to point out some blots in Mr. Goodwin's book. We have already said, that in a few points Mr. Goodwin departs from his usual line of wise forbearance towards those whose opinions are somewhat more advanced than his own, or who find themselves in a position to do more than "the Minister of S. Edward's" (we must protest against the Puritanical phrase) thinks it prudent to do. This is specially the case with regard to what Mr. Goodwin calls "vestures," the Church more generally "vestments," wherein he goes so far as to affirm that the practice of a Deacon wearing his stole over the left shoulder (although

hundreds of Deacons are now doing it) "does not hold in the English Church."

In like manner to say that the reviving of the proper Eucharistic vestments is "mischievous and useless," is a conclusion which can only be arrived at by the process of begging the question, for the writer himself admits, that if the existing state of things is "absolutely bad and injurious to the character of public worship," that then custom may be made to give way to rubrics. Now we maintain that the present state of things is absolutely bad, and we are of opinion that neither preaching nor catechising, unless we are careful by ALL lawful means visibly to elevate the celebration of the Sacrament of the Altar to an eminence above every other Service, will succeed in making our people realise the true "character of Public Worship."

But the statement most of all to be regretted in this little book, is the definition given at p. 151 of the Priest's Office. "A Priest," says Mr. Goodwin, "is a person anointed by GOD, as was Aaron, to reveal His will to His people, and to lead the people to Him." How such a passage could have been written is indeed passing wonderful. The mention of Aaron's name, we should have thought, must have brought to the writer's mind the very different definition of S. Paul. "Every High Priest," says that Apostle, "taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to GOD, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. . . . . and no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of GOD, as was Aaron." It is the Prophet's office, not the Priest's, to be a revealer of the will of God: the communications from GOD were made invariably to Moses, and Aaron was only the mouthpiece of Moses for expressing what was so revealed to the people. It is true that the office of Prophet is now combined with that of Priest in the Christian Church; but, if we compare the form of ordaining Priests with that of ordaining Deacons, we shall see at once that the essence of the Priest's office consists in these two things, and in nothing else, viz.: 1. The power of absolving and 2. The power of consecrating a valid Sacrament.

We do trust that this great blunder will be remedied in a new edition of this, in most respects, very useful work.

We will conclude with a very admirable sentiment extracted by Mr. Goodwin from one of his own University Sermons which bears closely on the right use and study of the Prayer Book:

"If we would prevent defection to Rome, it must be done by showing practically that the Church of England is equal to the supply of a Christian's wants, by not only abstaining from vulgar abuse of what our brethren hold sacred,--a process which may make them angry, or may make them infidels, and which is not likely to produce and certainly does not deserve any better fruit, but by bringing out of our own treasure-houses the stores of Catholic truth; in short the conduct of the

members of the Church must be a positive light and guide to Romanists, not a mere negation of Romanism. I do not say that we can altogether counteract the influences which lead men and women to the worship of the Church of Rome, but certainly by no other than this practical method can we hope to make the Church of England supplant the other, in the affections of those who are tempted to wander elsewhere for the supply of their spiritual needs.”—Pp. 220, 221.

We have no space left for noticing the second little book that stands at the head of this article. We cannot compliment the writer indeed on his powers of composition. The doctrine, nevertheless, is excellent, and the devotions are well selected.

"It is high time," he writes, "if merely out of charity to numberless perishing souls, for each of whom CHRIST died, that something should be done to amend, if possible, our present corrupt practice. For how lamentably small a proportion of our baptized countrymen, each one of whom has tasted of the heavenly gift,' and has incurred an awful responsibility, are communicants, or indeed know that the reception of the Holy Communion is 'generally necessary to salvation.' 'Except,' said our LORD, 'ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, ye have no life in you.' How many then, alas, in these days can have no life in them." And will not their blood be required at our hands, unless we sufficiently warn them of their terrible danger? And how can we do so practically, or on any large scale, if the Holy Eucharist continue to be celebrated only once or twice a month, and then merely at the end of a long previous service, and in a most slovenly and perfunctory manner?

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Surely, if the practice of the ancient Church had continued unbroken, there could hardly be so few communicants as there are under the present system, nor could the generality of persons be so much mistaken as to the great object of going to Church, which is, of course not instruction, but the worship of GOD in CHRIST; nor would parish priests have so often, alas, as now, the unspeakable misery of attempting to teach persons, with decaying faculties and on their death bed, respecting this most deep Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven, under whose shelter, so to speak, they should have grown up, lived, and died." -Pp. 10, 11.

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HUC'S CHINESE EMPIRE.

The Chinese Empire. Forming a Sequel to the work entitled "Recollections of a Journey through Tartary and Thibet." By M. Huc, formerly Missionary Apostolic in China. London: Longman and Co.

Ir is hardly possible to imagine a greater contrast than that which is presented by the picture of the "Missionary" given in these charming pages, and the sort of individual whose image is recalled by that name to the recollection of any one who has travelled much in countries where their labours are required. As yet, unhappily, this honourable title has (practically, at least) few associations connected with the Church of England; and the remembrance it evokes to most minds is generally that of a bitter sectarian, preaching on his own account, without authority or system, rendering the religion he would teach highly repulsive in his own person and very bewildering to the minds of his hearers, and having withal a strong disposition rather to convert any Christian who may chance to differ from him, than the heathens or Turks among whom he finds himself.

In contradistinction to such a member of the "Protestant Propaganda," as our author terms it, we have in M. Huc, whose sunny mind draws a sort of moral daguerreotype of himself in his delightful work, one of the pleasantest instances it is possible to conceive of a true apostolic missionary, going forth full of courage and honest enthusiasm, with one single-hearted view to the glory of GOD, ready if need be to meet the martyrdom which others of his countrymen have met on the same soil, forgetting himself so completely in the unity of that Church of which he is the servant, that we find him talking of what "we did" two hundred years before. He seems at the same time to have carried with him a lightness of heart, and a gentle playfulness of manner, which acted like a charm even on the wily and self-interested people among whom he was journeying. We should be disposed earnestly to recommend any one who intends to adopt the missionary life to study this book, in order to learn something of the temper and spirit in which such a calling ought to be undertaken; while to the general reader it will prove a work of singular fascination.

M. Huc, in addition to his ready wit and ingenuity, had a fund of quiet audacity, which was no doubt the real secret of his extraordinary success in gaining admission to the most secret parts of the Chinese empire; and he is par consequent enabled to give his readers a vast amount of information on the subject which no other traveller has ever been able to afford.

At the very commencement of his travels he coolly arrays himself in the cap and girdle held sacred to the members of the celestial family, the younger brothers of the Sun (i.e. the Emperor), and forthwith sets out across a country where Europeans usually stand a pretty fair chance of being strangled, and where he by no other means than his inimitable boldness renders his journey a sort of triumphal march.

Nothing can be more amusing than the quiet humour with which he describes his proceeding. Knowing well the people with whom he had to deal, he assumes, as he himself says, "a majestic attitude," he insists on being lodged in palaces, and treated everywhere with something like imperial honours; he takes the law in his own hands in a public court of justice, and bewilders the subtle mandarins with his "air capable;" he countervenes their plots on all occasions with a quick-wittedness for which they were no match; and in describing all this dramatizes his own positions, and gives graphic sketches of the characters he meets with in a manner worthy of Dickens himself.

But these are the lighter portions of the work. We have besides an account of the moral and social condition of this people, which has evidently been the fruit of much careful observation; and through the whole there is an undercurrent of deep and solemn religious feeling, which is never for a moment lost sight of. Sometimes this is called forth by the most touching incidents; like a gleam of sunshine in the moral darkness of that great empire, comes the recital of some hour of gladness to the good missionary, when as he arrives at a town where three or four hundred years before his "brethren" have been, a little company of Chinese come joyously to meet him, making the holy sign of the cross, as the token of recognition, and falling on their knees to ask his blessing. Even the women, who throughout this vast country are in a horrible state of degradation and slavery, came "tottering out," as he said, "on their little lame feet" to receive his benediction, and to show how inconceivably blessed for them, as for all, was that light of Christian truth which raised them from the condition of mere beasts of burden, supposed not even to be possessed of souls, to that of intelligent and immortal beings, who had a share in all the hopes of man's eternity.

Again it adds greatly to the pleasure which the reader experiences in the author's gaiety and light-heartedness, to perceive in every page some unconscious indications that it springs only from the calm of his strong faith and entire devotion to the will of God in all things. It is striking to see how in the midst of pain, and privation, and difficulty, he pursues unshaken his daily rule of praise, and prayer; and often when he describes some sudden danger or strange event, there is an accidental allusion to the fact that it found him on his knees by the wayside, or on the