Common Sense and the Rights of Conscience Vindicated, against Apostolical Succession, and other Pretensions of Spiritual Despotism. In a Series of Papers from The Independent Whig,' and other sources. Edited by Andrew Scott, Member of the Merchant Company and Chamber of Commerce. Edinburgh: pp. 412. Strange. THESE are fresh, racy, and vigorous papers on a great variety of topics connected with ecclesiastical pretensions. It is seldom that those pretensions meet with an opponent combining so much force with so much severity. But they are things that require hard hitting. Woes of War: a Poem, in Two Cantos: from an unpublished MS. written in 1813. By a late Medical Officer, R.N. pp. 30. ONE of the woes of war, not alluded to in this production, we take to be the immense quantity of poetry, so called, for which it has furnished the occasion. Silent Love: a Poem. By the late James Wilson, Esq., native of Paisley. Illustrated with Engravings in Outline, by Joseph Noel Paton, Esq. Fourth Edition. pp. 58. Paisley: Murray and Stewart. MR. WILSON was born in 1749, acquired an independence as an apothecary, travelled for several years, and died of a decline in 1807. He was long observed to look solitary, and had scarcely a companion, and it was thought that some disappointment in love was the cause, but, as he had no confidant, the matter was never revealed.' He left behind him a poem, which the editor, his nephew, first saw in 1832. This poem contains an account of his feelings of strong attachment towards a lady, to whom he never told his love,' and who died while he was away from Scotland. It is by no means a common production. The author was inspired by something more than love in writing it. Literary Entelligence. Just Published. The Lives of Twelve Eminent Judges of the last and of the present Century. By William Townsend, Esq., M.A. 2 vols. 8vo. Twenty-four Years in the Argentine Republic; embracing the author's personal Adventures, with the Civil and Military History of the Country, etc. By Col. J. Anthony King. Tracts on Liberty of Conscience and Persecution, 1641-1661. Edited for the Hansard Knollys' Society, with an Historical Introduction. By Edward Bean Underhill. The Life and Correspondence of John Foster: Edited by J. E. Ryland. With Notices of Mr. Foster as a preacher and a companion. By John Sheppard. 2 vols. 8vo. The History of Civilization, from the Fall of the Roman Empire to the French Revolution. By F. Guizot. Translated by William Hazlitt, Esq. Vol. 1. A Course of Lectures on Dramatic Art and Literature. By Augustus William Schlegel. Translated by John Black, Esq. Revised according to the last German Edition, by the Řev. A. J. W. Morrison, M.A. Sermons by the late Rev. David Welsh, D.D. With a Memoir; by A. Dunlop, Esq. The Works of Walter Savage Landor. In 2 vols. The English Hexapla, consisting of the Six Important Vernacular English Translations of the New Testament and Scriptures. Part x. The Modern Orator. Edmund Burke. Part 19. History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century. Vol. 11. By J. H. Merle D'Aubigné, D.D. Translated by H. White. Knight's Penny Magazine. Part v. Political Dictionary. Part 13. First half. The Pictorial Gallery of Arts. Part 17. Life in California, during a Residence of several years in that Territory, comprising a description of the Country and the Missionary Establishments, with Incidents, Observations, etc. etc., illustrated with numerous Engravings, by an American; to which is annexed a Historical Account of the origin, customs, and traditions of the Indians of Alta California. Translated from the original Spanish Manuscript. A Century of Scottish Church History; an historical sketch of the Church of Scotland, from the Secession to the Disruption; with an Account of the Free Church. By the Rev. James Dodds, of the Free Church, Belhaven. John Knox, his Time, and his Work: a Discourse delivered in the Assembly Hall of the Free Church of Scotland, on 18th of May, 1846. By Robert S. Candlish, D.D. Theological Essays: reprinted from the 'Princeton Review.' The Earlier Prophecies of Isaiah. By Joseph Addison Alexander, Professor in the Theological Seminary, Princeton. Christ's Second Coming; Will it be Pre-Millenial. By the Rev. David Brown, A. M. Watson's Tutor's Assistant; or Complete School Arithmetic. Fourth edition. The Israel of God: Select Practical Sermons. By S. H. Tyng, D.D. An Exposition upon the Prophet Jonah. By George Abbott, D.D. Archbishop of Canterbury. A new edition, by Grace Webster. To which is added a Life of the Author. 2 vols. 12mo. The Spirit admitted to the Heavenly House: the Body refused a Grave. Two Sermons preached on the occasion of the Death of the Rev. T. S. Guyer. With Notes. By Thomas Binney. The Debater. A new theory of the Art of Speaking; being a Series of Complete Debates, etc. By Frederic Rowton. The History of Egypt, from the earliest times till the conquest by the Arabs, A.D. 640. By Samuel Sharpe. A new edition. The Biblical Repository and Classical Review. Edited by John Holmes Agnew. Third Series. Vol. ii. No. 2. Whole No. 62. April, 1846. Village Tales from the Black Forest. By Berthold Auerbach. Translated from the German, by Meta Taylor. Lectures on Divine Sovereignty, Election, the Atonement, Justification, and Regeneration; to which are appended Strictures upon recent publica tions, by Dr. Marshall and Mr. Haldane, on the Atonement, and upon the Statement of Dr. Jenkyn on the Influences of the Holy Spirit. By George Payne, L.L.D. Third edition, enlarged. Phrenology considered in a Religious Light; or, Thoughts and Readings consequent on the perusal of Combe's Constitution of Man.' By Mrs. John Pugh, The Mine of the Kingdom; or, Fellowship with Christ. By Rev. Robt. Sedgewick, Aberdeen. The Gardener's Wife. A Memoir of Eleanor Elliott, who died in the Faith of Jesus, 30th August, 1843. By J. Oswald Jackson. The Church in the Catacombs. A description of the primitive Church of Rome, illustrated by its sepulchral remains. By Charles Maitland, M.D. On the Health of Towns, as influenced by defective cleansing and drainage; and on the application of the refuse of Towns to Agricultural purposes. Being a Lecture delivered at the Russell Institution, 5th of May, 1846. By Wm. A. Guy, M.B., Cantab. Royal Gems from the Galleries of Europe. Engraved after National Pictures of the Great Masters. With Notes, Biographical, Historical, and Descriptive. By S. C. Hall, F.S.A. Part 1. The Christian in Palestine; or, Scenes of Sacred History, illustrated from sketches taken on the spot, By W. H. Bartlett, with explanatory descriptions. By Henry Stebbing, D.D. Part 1. Traditions of the Covenanters; or, Gleanings amongst the Mountains. By the Rev. Robert Simpson. Hora Apostolicæ; or, a Digested Narrative of the Acts and Writings of the Apostles of Jesus Christ. Arranged according to Townsend. By the Rev. W. Shepherd, B.D. The Lord's Supper. By the Rev. David King, L.L.D. Calvin and Servetus: the Reformer's Snare, in the Trial of Michael Servetus, historically ascertained. By the Rev. W. K. Tweedie. The Odes of Horace, literally translated into English verse. By Henry George Robinson. Recollections of Mexico. By Waddy Thompson, Esq., late Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States at Mexico. Royal Gems from the Galleries of Europe, engraved after Pictures of the Great Masters. With Notices, Biographical, Historical, and Descriptive. By S. C. Hall, F.S.A. Parts 11. and 1. The Christian in Palestine; or, Scenes of Sacred History. Illustrated from sketches taken on the spot, by W. H. Bartlett, with explanatory descriptions. By Henry Stebbing, D.D. Parts 1.—III. Gilbert's Modern Atlas of the World for the People; with an Introduction to the physical geography of the Globe, and an alphabetical Index of the latitudes and longitudes of 24,000 places. Parts I.-IV. A new Universal Etymological and Pronouncing Dictionary of the English Language, embracing all the terms used in Art, Science, and Literature. Parts IV.-VIII. Apostolical Succession; or, a Challenge to the Clergy generally to produce their pretended spiritual Pedigrees, and to Michael Augustus Gathercole especially, to produce his. By W. Palmer, Chatteris. Hogg's Weekly Instructor. Part XVI. Giving Sight to the Blind, considered as a characteristic of Christ, and a twofold Miracle. By W. Escott Kirkpatrick. Christian Discrimination; or, a Discourse on the things in Religion which differ. By the Rev. Henry Hollis. THE ECLECTIC REVIEW FOR AUGUST, 1846. Art. I.-1. An Exposition of the Laws of Conference Methodism; as enacted by the Conference in 1835; proving them to be contrary to the Concessions granted in 1797 in a Letter, explanatory and expostulatory, to the Rev. W. M. Bunting; containing the true Reasons of the Author's Separation from the Conference Connexion; and a Defence of the Wesleyan-Methodist Association. By the Rev. Robert Eckett. 8vo. pp. 64. Pearson, London. 1846*. 2. The Round Preacher; or, Reminiscences of Methodist Circuit Life. Small 8vo. pp. 364. Taylor, Bradford. 1845 *. THE unreflecting multitude are slow to recognise new combinations of power and influence. Methodism was a hundred years old, before it had impressed the public mind as a material *The author of the Exposition of the Laws of Conference Methodism' is a minister in the Wesleyan-Methodist Association, and editor of the monthly magazine published by that body of Christians. He was provoked into print by the conduct of the Rev. W. M. Bunting, who endeavoured to prevent his name from being placed on one of the provisional committees of the Evangelical Alliance, by alleging that he had been 'deservedly excommunicated from the Wesleyan Connexion.' Although Mr. Bunting failed in his object, yet Mr. Eckett felt, that, after a statement so prejudicial to his character, he had no alternative but to give to the world his own version of the circumstances under which he was separated from the original body of Methodists, and united to the most recent of its numerous off-shoots. The Wesleyan Conference have to thank the temerity of Mr. Bunting for the publication of a pamphlet which places their policy in no very favourable light. In 1835, they promulgated a sort of code of new laws, in many important respects at variance with another code adopted element in computing the several forces of the community. And, even now, when its adherents are too considerable to escape the notice of the most indifferent, it is a thing of which and promulgated by the Conference of 1797, and by which the Connexion was governed from that time till the year 1835. Mr. Eckett, who entered the Connexion, and filled simultaneously the offices of leader, local preacher, steward, and trustee, under the regime of 1797, had strong objections to the new regulations, as virtually a repeal of the old, and, being prevented by those very regulations from expressing his objections in a constitutional manner, had recourse to means of doing so open to him as the inhabitant of a free country. For this, he was summoned as a private member of the Wesleyan society before the authorized tribunal; and, his violation of the rules of 1835 having been proved, he was formally expelled by the fiat of his superintendent, and, in being expelled, was degraded from all his offices. Thus excluded from the parent body, he aided in the formation of the Wesleyan-Methodist Association, of which he may be regarded as one of the founders and most distinguished members. I acted, he observes, in the way that Dr. Candlish, and other ministers of the Free Church of Scotland, more recently adopted to make known their differences with the church of Scotland, from which they have separated. Many respected ministers, both Independents and Baptists, willingly lent the dissenters from Conference Methodism their chapels, to hold meetings for the exposition of their sentiments and grievances: in like manner, many Conference Methodist superintendents have allowed Methodist chapels to be occupied by the ministers of the Free Church of Scotland. It is also worthy of remark, that the principles inculcated in both cases are somewhat similar. The Wesleyan-Methodist Association objected to the absolute authority claimed by the Methodist Conference to rule the societies according to the laws of 1835, and contrary to the laws of 1797; asserting that the lay officers of the societies should have an effective voice in the administration of discipline over the members of the societies: and the members of the Free Church of Scotland objected to the setting aside of the Veto Act, and claimed for the people the right of having an effective voice as to the appointment of their ministers. Let it therefore be remembered by Mr. Bunting and his brethren, that whatever measure of displeasure they may think themselves justified in manifesting towards me, they are equally entitled to receive equal displeasure from the ministers of the established church of Scotland. * The same reasons which will justify the public exposure of the differences in the Scottish church, will justify the public exposure of, in my judgment, the not less serious evils contained in the present laws of Conference Methodism!' By the clearest and strongest evidence, Mr. Eckett proves,-that, on the death of Mr. Wesley in 1791, the preachers attempted to exercise over the people that absolute authority which had seldom been disputed to him; that the people resisted the attempt; that, in 1794, the preachers were obliged to make a show of concession; that, in 1795, further concessions were wrung from them; that, in 1797, the people, still dissatisfied, compelled the Conference to declare a sort of constitution; that, in 1828, a question arose between the preachers and the people as to the right interpretation of some of the articles in that constitution; that this question was from time to time debated with increasing bitterness; that, in 1835, the Conference terminated the controversy with new enactments, directly opposed to the view taken by the people of the disputed portions of the laws of 1797; and that, while the latter, fairly interpreted and acted upon, secured the just rights and liberties of the people, the laws of 1835 were entirely subversive of |