be stated too often-miracle' is no longer regarded, by any competent thinker, as a violation of the laws of Nature. It is simply defined as the intervention of some higher law, superseding the action of some lower one; as when nervous force in muscle restrains and supersedes the ordinary force of gravitation. Dr. Strauss is so far consistent, that having begun by rejecting the historical evidence of the Resurrection of Christ, he ends by rejecting the entire doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and indeed the very existence of any spiritual element in man. But we are at a loss to understand the position of those who cling to the belief in man's immortal nature, whilst they reject the fact of Christ's resurrection and the creed of Christendom. For surely, if it be once admitted that existence is not ended and extinguished by what we call death, the re-appearance of Christ on earth was only the manifestation of the higher law of our being in a visible form. Every page of the Gospel, and of the writings of St. Paul, demonstrates that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, confirmed by the fact of the resurrection of Christ, is the grand cardinal truth which the Apostles had to proclaim to mankind. If Christ be not risen from the dead, then were they of all men the most miserable. Human life itself, with all its hopes and aspirations, would be an imposture. But if man be indeed a being with a future beyond the grave, then is the resurrection of Christ but the first fruit of them that sleep. And in that sense it is invariably presented by the Christian religion to mankind. For if the possibility of our Lord's resurrection be once fairly conceded-as it must be conceded by those who admit the immortality of the soul-then the cause of Christianity is as good as won. For the historical proof that accumulates around that one point is so overwhelmingly conclusive, that no honest and really scientific' mind, we are bold to say, can escape the conviction that it really happened. If unbelievers, instead of talking the most incredible nonsense, with M. Renan, about Mary Magdalen, as if she alone had borne testimony to the resurrection of Christ; instead of darkening amid a cloud of pious phrases-as Ewald and Schenkel have done a plain historical fact; instead of contemptuously sneering, with Dr. Strauss, at a confessedly extraordinary event, simply because it is extra-ordinary;-if such men would condescend to explain to us (1) how St. Paul's four great Epistles and the Apocalypse (which they all acknowledge to be genuine) can, under any other hypothesis, have come to be written; (2) how the terrified and scattered Apostles can, on any other rational supposition, have suddenly recovered their courage and their hopes; and (3) how, if the basis and keystone of her whole teaching be a gross imposture or delusion, the Christian Church can conceivably have grasped, with such a wonderful and permanent force, the reins which govern the human will, and have kept for centuries in the highway of progress the otherwise wild and wasteful powers of the human intelligence then, and not till then, will we consent to abandon this keep and citadel of the Christian faith. But we have no sympathy with those dreams of less than heathen piety, which would direct the faith of man to the fabric of nature or to his own destiny as objects of worship. Those pretended religions might be taught from the wretched lingering failure of their kindred Buddhism, what living death is in store for every creed that hopes to redeem the world from its moral impotence by a Godless nihilism, whose teachings (in the words of one who knew it well) are like gathered blossoms,-flowers cut away from the Root of the tree.' ART. X.-1. Report from the Select Committee appointed to consider the State of the British Establishments on the West Coast of Africa, with Minutes of Evidence. Presented to Parliament, Session 1865. 2. Correspondence relative to the Cession by the Netherlands Government to the British Government of the Dutch Settlements on the West Coast of Africa, and Convention for the Transfer. Presented to Parliament February, 1872. 3. Papers relating to the Gold Coast and the Ashantee Invasion. Presented to Parliament July, 1873. 4. The African Sketch-book. By WINWOODE READE. 2 vols. London: 1873. THE HE state of affairs on the Gold Coast has become so serious, that we propose to devote the remaining pages of this Number of our Journal to a brief survey of the peculiar position in which the British Government finds itself placed on the Western Coast of Africa. It is one of the embarrassments of a vast and world-embracing Empire that out of the most paltry circumstances, and in the most uninviting regions of the globe, disputes may arise which are judged of by the world, not in proportion to their real significance and importance, but in be stated too often-miracle' is no longer regarded, by any competent thinker, as a violation of the laws of Nature. It is simply defined as the intervention of some higher law, superseding the action of some lower one; as when nervous force in muscle restrains and supersedes the ordinary force of gravitation. Dr. Strauss is so far consistent, that having begun by rejecting the historical evidence of the Resurrection of Christ, he ends by rejecting the entire doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and indeed the very existence of any spiritual element in man. But we are at a loss to understand the position of those who cling to the belief in man's immortal nature, whilst they reject the fact of Christ's resurrection and the creed of Christendom. For surely, if it be once admitted that existence is not ended and extinguished by what we call death, the re-appearance of Christ on earth was only the manifestation of the higher law of our being in a visible form. Every page of the Gospel, and of the writings of St. Paul, demonstrates that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, confirmed by the fact of the resurrection of Christ, is the grand cardinal truth which the Apostles had to proclaim to mankind. If Christ be not risen from the dead, then were they of all men the most miserable. Human life itself, with all its hopes and aspirations, would be an imposture. But if man be indeed a being with a future beyond the grave, then is the resurrection of Christ but the first fruit of them that sleep. And in that sense it is invariably presented by the Christian religion to mankind. For if the possibility of our Lord's resurrection be once fairly conceded-as it must be conceded by those who admit the immortality of the soul-then the cause of Christianity is as good as won. For the historical proof that accumulates around that one point is so overwhelmingly conclusive, that no honest and really scientific' mind, we are bold to say, can escape the conviction that it really happened. If unbelievers, instead of talking the most incredible nonsense, with M. Renan, about Mary Magdalen, as if she alone had borne testimony to the resurrection of Christ; instead of darkening amid a cloud of pious phrases-as Ewald and Schenkel have done a plain historical fact; instead of contemptuously sneering, with Dr. Strauss, at a confessedly extraordinary event, simply because it is extra-ordinary ;-if such men would condescend to explain to us (1) how St. Paul's four great Epistles and the Apocalypse (which they all acknowledge to be genuine) can, under any other hypothesis, have come to be written; (2) how the terrified and scattered Apostles can. any other rational supposition, have suddenly recovered their courage and their hopes; and (3) how, if the basis and keystone of her whole teaching be a gross imposture or delusion, the Christian Church can conceivably have grasped, with such a wonderful and permanent force, the reins which govern the human will, and have kept for centuries in the highway of progress the otherwise wild and wasteful powers of the human intelligence then, and not till then, will we consent to abandon this keep and citadel of the Christian faith. But we have no sympathy with those dreams of less than heathen plety, which would direct the faith of man to the fabric of satire to his own destiny as objects of worship. Those proced religions might be taught from the wretchedngering fre of their kindred Buddhism, what living Set is or for every creed that hopes to redeem the word fram i nera mpotence by a Godless nihilism, whose teachings n de vre of one who knew it well) are like guterat nossons. —fover 'cut away from the Root of the t ART. X.-1. Report from the Select Committee cutestet a 2. Correspondence relative to the Cession by the N Government to the British Government of the Data Settin ments on the West Coast of Africa, and Convention for de Transfer. Presented to Parliament February. 1972. 3. Papers relating to the Gold Coast and the Ashantee Invasion. Presented to Parliament July, 1873. 4. The African Sketch-book. By WINWOODE READE. 2 V London: 1873. THE HE state of affairs on the Gold Coast has become so serious. that we propose to devote the remaining pages of this Number of our Journal to a brief survey of the peculiar posi tion in which the British Government finds itself placed on the Western Coast of Africa. It is one of the embarrassment of a vast and world-embracing Empire that out of the circumstances, and in the most uninviting region disputes may arise which are judged of by tinat proportion to their real significance and imp relation to the great European Power which finds itself engaged in them. Thus it comes to pass that the credit of British forces and public officers abroad, and even the character of the British Government, are affected by the anarchy and violence too habitually prevalent amongst the savages of the coast of Africa; and that the Ministers of the Crown are, to some extent, held responsible for occurrences over which they have in reality but a slight influence, and in which the true interest of this country is excessively small. But, unhappily, to a great country no interests are small and no war is little. Whatever the game, and wherever it be played, the stakes of England are always large. The tendency to magnify the political results of an Ashantee invasion, or a Fantee war, was never more remarkable than it has been within the last few weeks, and the very unfortunate results which followed from an imprudent, but pacific, reconnaissance in ship's boats of the mouth of the river Prah, have not unnaturally inflamed some writers in the daily and weekly press, rather beyond the true bounds of policy and reason. We must say that we have seldom read more intemperate language than they have adopted; and, as we think, without any adequate ground. For what are the facts? Upon the receipt of the intelligence that the Ashantees had invaded the protected territory; that many of the chiefs and tribes on the coast had revolted against the British power; that the Fantees had proved incapable of defending themselves; and that Elmina, one of the forts recently ceded by the Dutch, had been attacked, the British Government at once took active measures of defence. An officer of high rank and tried ability was invested with full powers, both civil and military, and despatched to the coast of Africa, with a competent staff. Large supplies of arms were embarked, and the military and naval forces at the disposal of the Governor were considerably augmented. Until reports have been received from Sir Garnet Wolseley as to the actual state of the country, and as to the feasibility of a movement directed against the Ashantee territory at this season of the year, it is impossible for the Government to determine with certainty what are the next steps to be taken. No time has been lost in making the necessary preparations; but a military expedition against one of the most numerous of the native tribes of Africa, in a country difficult of approach, and known chiefly by its excessive insalubrity, is an undertaking from which neither glory nor gain can by possibility accrue to Great Britain; it is entirely at variance with the policy which has been deliberately adopted by several successive Colonial Ministers, and sanctioned, after full inquiry, by a Committee |