4th, And lastly, in our Episcopate, Apostolical as it is, if placed in the Primitive and Apostolic position, a Bishop in every City, taking the title of his Diocese from his City, and being actually and really, as of old, the centre of Unity to all Christian feeling and Christian action, in that City and Dio

cese.

If we can understand and act upon all these facts and principles, well and good. There is an era then opening of religious peace and progress and joy for this whole land; and an era, also, of restored Union, external and internal, to God's Holy Church over the whole world. If not, mere Protestantism disintegrates more and more here, as it has done elsewhere, until it reaches a state of rank and offensive unbelief; and Romanism, using her advantages more and more, skillfully attains more influence and power and wealth, and becomes more corrupt and more tyrannical. And, finally, we have, once again, for years, perhaps for ages, the hateful and desolating religious wars, which the corruption and the depravity of the Church, Roman and Papal, have always provoked in Europe.

We have spoken most plainly, as we believe, that this age of ours is in an era, and a crisis, in which we have to make choice in behalf of our country for centuries to come, whether in this land we will have an American Catholic Church, with the Open Bible and the Primitive Faith and holiness of the earliest and purest Christianity; or, a Roman Catholic Church, with all the evils, social and political, that have ever flowed, and must ever flow from her ultramontane and Jesuit principles, and as her antagonist, the foul and scoffing Infidelity which she at the same time creates and sets against herself.

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

THOUGHTS ON THE FUTURE CIVIL POLITY OF AMERICA. By JOHN WILLIAM DRAPER, M. D., LL. D., Professor of Chemistry and Physiology in the University of New York. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1865. 8vo. pp. 325.

Prof. Draper, in the Preface to this work, states as follows:-“In a work on The Intellectual Development of Europe,' published by me in 1863, I showed that the historical progress of the nations of that continent, illustrates the fact, that social advancement is as completely under the control of natural law, as is the bodily growth of an individual. It was my intention, in that work, to limit the application of the principles employed to the case of Europe; but it is plain that they may equally be made to apply to the case of America. "Last winter, at the request of the New York Historical Society, I gave a course of four lectures, for the purpose of showing that application. The favor with which my work on Europe had been received, a great many editions, reprints and translations of it having been called for in a short time,—was again exhibited in the case of these Lectures, and I became satisfied that it was desirable to give them a more permanent form."

Now, in respect to this egotistical statement,-and the whole Preface is in the same vein,-it should be said, that the New York Historical Society was far enough from committing itself, even in the slightest degree, to these Lectures of Prof. Draper, or to his ends in their delivery. At a Meeting of that Society, some member proposed that Prof. Draper be permitted or invited to deliver certain Lectures in the Hall of the Society. The Society, with that liberality which always characterizes its doings under such circumstances, made no objection. It was a convenient way to advertise the Lectures, and to secure the use of the Hall for that purpose. The Lectures were attended, and paid for, by a miscellaneous audience, as such courses of Lectures in New York always are. But had it been supposed that the Society was committing itself, directly or indirectly, to the peculiar sentiments of the Lectures, or that its vote of courtesy was to be made use of as an advertisement in their present form, we know that Society too well to doubt what its course would have been. So much for the author's pretended endorsement by the New York Historical Society.

Professor Draper is an Englishman by birth, but was educated in this country. Some treatises of his on Physiology, Chemistry and Mixed Mathematics, have been well received. Not satisfied with his success in this field, he has lately entered upon the discussion of questions, for which neither his attainments, or habits of thought, or

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general reading, fit him;-Social Science, and the true Law of Progress in Human Civilization. What are the real elements of such progress, and what the field for its development in this country, is the subject which he proposes to discuss in the volume now before us. Whether it is the natural tendency of Physics to make men skeptical in Christianity,-and if so, why, is a question which we do not now propose to answer; but, certain it is, that in his later publications, he evinces an intense hatred of all that is supernatural in Religion, and of the idea of a personal God, as the Moral Governor of the world. We showed this to be the character of the man, in our review of his History of the Intellectual Development of Europe." (Am. Qr. Ch. Review Vol. xvi. pp. 35—56.) We there stated that "the argument of that book is simply a re-production of the worst form of the modern Infidel philosophy of France, combined with the superficial sophistry of the harsh denunciations of Volney and his compeers of⚫ the preceding century." We apply that language, in all its force, to the work before us. It is illogical, sophistical, and deceptive. His work is a lumbering mass of truisms, which nobody doubts; and of facts in History and Science; some of them pertinent, some of them impertinent, having not the slightest possible connection with conclusions which he yet announces as dogmatically as if they were axioms. He is unable to see the true use of Reason in matters of Religion, and he applies the Inductive Philosophy to things which are beyond its reach and province. When he wishes to aim a blow at Christianity, he points to the blind dogmatism of Rome, forgetting that Rome's stupidity is scouted by the great mass of intelligent Christendom. Besides, the work is full of gross misrepresentations, unworthy of a scholar. He seems to question the Unity of the Race, a fact which these men, for some reason, are always determined to get rid of,-and yet he does it on grounds which thoroughly scientific men will laugh at him for. He repeats the old falsehood, that the Jews borrowed some of the most important truths of their Faith, such as the Unity and Spirituality of God, the doctrine of a Future Life, the Resurrection of the body, the idea of a Mediator, &c., &c., from the Magians, during the Babylonian captivity. In his profane apotheosis of Modern Progress, and of Knowledge, he says, "there still linger in some of our noble old rituals, forms of supplication for dry weather and rain, useless, but not unpleasing reminiscences of the past." He says, "in Europe the attempt has been made to govern communities through their morals alone. . . . In America, on the contrary, the attempt is to govern through intelligence. It will succeed." This is the leading idea of the book. It is the rejection of God from the government of the world; a rejection of Religion; a rejection of the Church. In other words, his system is a bald Atheism; commended to his hearers by an irrelevant, yet not unfrequently glowing, and well-drawn picture of Modern Progress, by a denial or perversion of the plainest facts of a Supernatural Religion, and by an adroit and constant reference to the abuses and corruptions of Christianity, for which, as Prof. Draper well knows, Christianity is not to be held responsible.

Had we room, and we may find space hereafter, we would expose the flimsy sophistries, and uncandid spirit, of this book. We would do more. We would meet Prof. Draper on his own chosen ground. We would show him just what, and how much, mere "Intelligence" has done for Society. We would point him to "pure Reason" enthroned as a God in France, for example, and ask him to look at the sacrifices there offered upon the bloody Altars of Atheism; and we would bid him remember, that such is the system, and such are the fruits, which he is commending to the American people. We tell him, distinctly, such a Godless, Christless system, will not succeed. We commend to Prof. Draper's special attention, the immortal words of Washington, in his "Farewell Address." "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that Morality can be maintained without Religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education, on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national Morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principles."

This work of Prof. Draper,-who by the by is teacher of young men in New York University,' an Institution gotten up in opposition to Columbia College, because it is a Church College,-is a fresh proof of the desperate struggle, of which the New World is to be the grand arena, between Christianity and Infidelity. As an attack on Christianity, there is nothing in the book which is new; it is merely a regrouping of old, exploded cavils and arguments, yet done in a guise well calculated to meet the peculiar tastes and prejudices of the present age.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON, BARONET. By WILLIAM L. STONE. Albany: J. Munsell. 1865. 2 vols. 8vo. pp. 555, 544.

The reader will be agreeably surprised in the perusal of these volumes. Instead of seeing in them merely the "Life and Times" of a man whose history was full of stirring adventure, and of more than romantic interest, and whose Life Dr. Dwight, and Paulding, and James, and Charles Johnson, have either imperfectly or falsely represented, he will find the volumes full of information concerning a most important period in our country's history. Sir William Johnson was born in Ireland, County of Down, in 1715, and came to this country at the age of twenty-three. He settled at once on the Mohawk, hav

ing at first, charge of the lands of his uncle, Capt., afterwards Sir Peter Warren; where he remained until his death, at Johnstown, July 11th, 1774. Although connected, or associated, with the most respectable families of the New York Colony, the Warrens, the DeLanceys, the Van Courtlands, &c., yet he was emphatically the arbiter of his own prosperous fortune. His biographer says of him :— "From the subordinate station of an agent in charge of the landed property of his relative, he became, successively, a farmer, a dealer in peltries, a merchant, a government contractor, a general in the armies of his adopted country, &c., baronet of the British realm,-possessed of an estate of great value, and transcending in extent the broadest domains of the nobles of his parent-land." His influence over the Indians, and especially the Six Nations, who, in the English and French War occupied so important a geographical and military position, was wonderful; and was as beneficent as it was great. The proofs of his efforts, in co-operation with others, to Christianize and civilize these native tribes, form one of the most interesting portions of this work. So, also, the labors of those noble Missionaries to the Indians, Rev. Dr. Barclay, Rev. Mr. Ogilvie, and Rev. Mr. Andrews; the influences which led that staunch and pious Churchman, Lord Dartmouth, to make the handsome donation to the College in New Hampshire which now bears his name; the missionary zeal in behalf of the Indians of Bishop Lowth, and of Rev. Dr. Cooper, and other Churchmen, all this we find traces of in these volumes. Indeed, the conviction is strong, and growing upon us, that we have all done great injustice to the English Church, in our estimate of the practical piety in it a century ago. Puritan school-books and Puritan histories have led us all astray. Sir William Johnson was a Churchman, and New York was a Church Colony. New England Sectarians have a motive, though most unworthy one, in coloring our Colonial history, and in ignoring such names as Lord Dartmouth, and Bishop Berkeley, and Sir William Hamilton; and in doing a great deal more, and great deal worse than that; and hence, there is the greater need, that Churchmen, even at this late day, should render justice to their memories. Sir William Johnson was a most remarkable man. Peter Van Schaack wrote to his brother, Henry, "I consider him as the greatest character of the age." The late William L. Stone, who did so much to rescue and preserve from oblivion the aboriginal history of this country, commenced a History of his Life and Times, for which labor, his pursuits and acquisitions admirably qualified him. Letters, private papers, and correspondence, &c., &c., amounting in all to more than seven thousand letters and documents, were procured. As he died before the work was completed, it has been finished and published by his son, who has executed his filial task, we doubt not, faithfully; certainly, most creditably to himself. The volumes should, of course, find a place in all the public libraries of the country.

THE AMERICAN ANNUAL CYCLOPEDIA AND Register of IMPORTANT EVENTS, FOR THE YEAR 1864. Embracing Political, Civil, Mili