TERCENTENARY OF THE SCOTTISH REFORMATION, as Commemorated at Edinburgh, August, 1860, with introduction. By the Rev. James Begg, D.D., Edited by the Rev. J. A. Wylie, LL.D.

THE COMMON OR GODLIE BAND OF 1557, a Historical Narrative, with notes. By the Rev. James Young, Edinburgh.

ON all hands, it seems to be agreed that the meetings held at Edinburgh in August last, to celebrate the tercentenary of the Scottish Reformation were, in many respects, a triumphant success. But to those without, like ourselves, there are some things a little startling, almost stumbling. We imagine that, somehow, it must have been found impossible to do other than was actually done; but the broad, bald fact flaunts itself in one's face, with a not quite pleasing effect, that the commemorative gathering, from beginning to end, was all but all, an affair of the Free Church.

portant papers read at the meetings, and which are printed by themselves in the commemorative volume, we are able to recognise twelve whose authors belong to the Free Church or its branches. The Presbyterian Church of Ireland and the Presbyterian Church of England, both branches of the Free Church, closely connected with it in its origin and throughout its course, were largely represented. The Church of England -was present in three of its ministers, excellent men no doubt, but without mark or importance.

A stranger, like ourselves, to the inner and under movements, of which the commemoration was the upshot and the outcome, is forced to ask, where were the representatives of the vast nonconformist body of England? Or, to look only to Scotland, where were the Scottish Peers, whose fathers acted so grand and true a part three hundred years before? Where, above all, was the Established Church? Nowhere.

Perhaps, no real blame is to be attached to any quarter, that thus it turned out. We, certainly, in our entire ignorance, have no right to impute blame, and no wish. But the result is to be deprecated. 'Tis true, and pity 'tis 'tis true. Reasoning as we do, altogether in the dark, two things seem to us tolerably plain ; first, on the supposition that it was pre-arranged that the meetings should be held in a Free Church building, and that the leading parts were to be undertaken by Free Churchmen, the Established Church could not be expected to concur in the movement. Second, the Church of Scotland was the natural and rightful leader in any effort to commemorate the Scottish

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Reformation. There needed to have been no offensive assumption on her part, had she taken the lead. The other religious bodies, on the ground of equal interest and equal sympathy, might have cordially united with her, without the slightest sense of disparagement to themselves. As it is, the idea of celebrating the Scottish Reformation in the absence of the Established Church of Scotland seems to us something like enacting Hamlet with the part of Hamlet left out.

What has been suggested will account, in some degree, for the silence of the chief organs of public opinion respecting the tercentenary assemblies and proceedings. An event of national importance and interest, in the broadest sense of the word, has seemed to assume a sectarian form. And the nation will not accept any single party,-honoured, it may be, and widely influential, but a party, one of several co-ordinate parties-the nation will not accept any single party as the exponent of a national sentiment, the protector of a national impulse, the leader of a national move

ment.

But after making what exception we may to some of the aspects of the great Scottish gathering, we rejoice to repeat that in many respects it was a triumphant success. In point of numbers, and in regard to the harmony of opinion which prevailed, and the intense enthusiasm exhibited, it was all, and far more than all, that its devoutest friends had anticipated.

A high, clear, grand key-note was struck in Dr. Guthrie's opening sermon. Of all Scottish men, he with his large heart, his noble catholicity of spirit, his generous, gushing, warm humanity, was the one man fittest to occupy the post assigned to him. And he did his difficult part to admiration. We have it on the testimony of those who were present that seldom, if ever, was a finer or more impressive piece of sacred,eloquence pronounced, or listened to, than the sermon of that day. There might be nothing of the profound, intellectual, speculative

element, none of the higher inspirations, or the rarer touches of imaginative genius, none of the deep insight, the grand generalizations, the prophetic glances, the wealth of suggestive power, which belong to the first order of minds and to the most finished cultivation. But there was a healthy, breezy freshness of thought and of language, a loftiness and purity of principle, a graciousness and kindliness of sentiment, a highsouled love of right and abhorrence of wrong, a thorough honesty, a glowing, loving enthusiasm, and a burning fervour, which were felt to be irresistible by the thousands who listened to the preacher. Will it be believed that in Scotland-of all possible places on the face of the earth -an assembly, largely composed of ministers of the Gospel, listening to a sermon on a sacred text, were so completely carried away by the mighty eloquence of the preacher that, interrupting him, unable to restrain themselves longer, they burst forth into the common forms of rapturous applause. We humbly conceive that in that proverbially staid land such a thing never occurred before, and is not likely soon to occur again.

The tercentenary volume is altogether worthy of the occasion in which it originated. Carefully edited by Dr. Wylie (whose piece on John Knox, bating a certain not unpardonable exaggeration, is among the most interesting in the collection), it presents in small compass a large amount of reliable information. Besides an extended and faithful narrative of the entire proceedings of the Convention during each of the four days on which it was held, besides, also, the sermon preached, and the addresses delivered at the laying of the foundation stone at the Protestant Institute of Scotland, there are papers on the religious history of the north from the time of the Culdees, on the Romanism of the north in the 16th century, on John Knox and the other Scottish Re

formers, their learning and their errors, on the Scottish Parliament and on the Reformation, its principles and its institutes, and its influence on succeeding times in various directions.

Had the limits of this brief notice allowed, we should have directed special attention to the historical sketch of the Culdees by Dr. Alexander, so simply, clearly, and pleasingly drawn; to the solid, perhaps somewhat heavy, but able defence of the fundamental principles of Protestantism by Principal Cunningham; to the dramatic interest thrown around the Scottish Parliament of 1560 by Dr. M'Crie; and to the spirited, manly, scholarly style in which Dr. Lorimer describes the precursors of Knox, and defends the learning and enlightened views of the Reformers.

Perhaps, looking at the volume, and the proceedings of the Tercentenary Convention, as a whole, one might except against the too frequent and intense bitterness of spirit with which Roman Catholics are spoken of. There is too much the look of a fiery Protestant crusade, and of the mustering of red cross knights, with banners, and swords, and war-steeds. Popery and Papists are too much viewed as deadly foes, with whom there must be no parley, to whom no quarter must be given, and who must be hunted down at all hazards, and by all means. Christians do need to be reminded, that the two disciples who would have called down fire from heaven on the enemies of their Lord were rebuked, even by his sacred voice, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of."

One of the pieces in the tercentenary volume has been published in a separate form, as shown in the heading of this notice. It is entitled "The Common or Godlie Band of 1557," and is, perhaps, on several accounts, the most interesting of all the papers which were read at the convention. The facts are simply these :-The Rev. James Young, resident in Edinburgh,

searching among the writs of the ancient family of Cunningham of Balgownie, came upon a MS. of ancient date, which being submitted to David Laing, Esq., the eminent antiquarian, who is understood to be the greatest modern expositor of the literature of the Reformation, was pronounced by him to be a genuine original. It is the original bond, contract, or covenant, entered into by the Earls of Argyle, Glencarn, Morton, and Lorne, and by John Erskine, of Dun, and subscribed with their names, "for mantenance of the Evangel against the Anti-christs of our tyme." We do not wonder that an intense feeling was created when this MS.,-three hundred and three years before a living, holy deed of godly men, was held up in the crowded assembly, and was described as perhaps the original germ and model of those later covenants, which have made Scotland famous all the world over.

The respected author of the paper on the "godlie band," has entered into various curious and interesting researches, respecting the original subscribers, their personal and family history, and their political influence; respecting the times in which they lived, and respecting the special development of Popish institutions and doings in those times. The paper is short, but within the limits which it embraces, it is a model of patient and judicious research, of perfect truthfulness and honesty, and of quiet, modest, classical writing. There is so much of obvious reticence in the piece, that we are sure the man who has done this so well can do far more. Is it true that he is engaged in writing the life of Welsh ? The same sagacity, patience, truthfulness, and quiet power, manifest in the "godlie band" will, on a higher subject and with a wider scope, secure a work of permanent merit.

THE CONGREGATIONAL PSALMIST: Companion to all the New Hymn Books. Providing Tunes, Chants, and Chorales for the Metrical Hymns and Passages of Scripture contained in those Books. Edited by the Rev. Henry Allon and Henry John Gauntlett, Mus. Doc. London: Ward & Co.

THIS is, we suppose, the most classica collection of sacred Congregational melody in our language. Mr. Allon, "smit with the love of sacred song, but chief thee, Zion," has turned his affections to admirable practical account; and so in this volume he has laid under contribution all sacred harmonists. It is to Mr. Allon we are indebted for the curious antiquarian and historical notes and notices of the composers prefacing the work, and it is certainly a most interesting, and upon the subject, valuable document. We notice many old names we do not remember either in Hawkins or Burney. There can be no doubt this volume appeals to, and needs for its appreciation, a cultured musical taste. Referring to the principles of the compilation, Mr. Allon says:

"In preparing this work, therefore, the utmost care has been exercised in selecting such melodies, and in clothing them with such harmonies, as will enable the whole congregation easily and heartily to offer to God its eucharistic service of song.' The Psalmody of almost every age and land has been laid under contribution, and congregations who use the book will join in strains which have strengthened the hearts and sanctified the worship of saints, and martyrs, and reformers, and, indeed, of the Holy Church throughout all the world.'

"Especially has recourse been had to the grand chorales of the Reformation, the finest melodies of which are inserted in this work, many of them, especially of Luther's, for the first time presented in forms available for English worshippers. Some of the finest Hymns that we possess have hitherto occupied a silent place in

our Hymn Books on account of their peculiar metres. For these, tunes of a thoroughly congregational character have been carefully selected; and, judging from the experience afforded by the publication of the first two parts of this work, they will soon become the most popular hymns in our congregational worship.

"The improvement of Congregational Psalmody during the last few years has been most surprising and gratifying; and, as an essential means of perfecting it, it is hoped that the time is not far distant when, as in all the Lutheran churches, the Tune Book' will be in every pew-the inseparable companion of the Hymn Book.'

"Some arrangements of an older character have been retained, but the general aim has been to enshrine the spirit of the older harmonists in the forms of the present day.

"While melodies of a grand, majestic, and reverential character, the abiding inheritance of one generation after another, have been freely inserted, the desire has been to encourage the loud and rapturous expression of worshipping praise; "The joy of the Lord is our strength.' Praise especially should be characteristically jubilant. The 'saints shout aloud for joy. It is believed, therefore, that there will be found in this work a larger proportion of eucharistic strains than is usual. While noisy, vulgar melodies have been excluded, such as are bright and exulting have been carefully sought out. It is, of course, unnecessary to remark, that a tune is not slow because it is written in minims-the invariable method of the older Psalmodists."

We trust that this noble collection will, by a very extensive circulation through our churches, abundantly in every way compensate its laborious and admirable compiler for the time, toil, and outlay expended in its publication. If we take exception to the volume and to the kindred volumes noticed above, it would be

on the score of the absence of some of those fine old tunes which have filled our hearts with feeling and our eyes with tears in many a village chapel, and which we are afraid would have to pass muster among Mr. Allon's banished vulgar ones. Even with the seraphic subjective taste of modern Congregational harmony, we cannot see the inconsistency of those old repeats; the principle which excommunicates them would expel the "Hallelujah Chorus" from the "Messiah ;" and "What though I trace each herb and flower" from "

Solomon," and the "Kyrie Elieson" of Mozart; but we know these sentimental words of ours are all in vain, and the days of "Denmark," "Cranbrook," "Calcutta," and "Hampshire" are numbered.

1. THE NEW CONGREGATIONAL TUNE Book, adapted to the New Congrega. gational Hymn Book, issued by the Congregational Union of England and Wales, Harmonised for four voices, with accompaniment for the organ or pianoforte. By Adam Wright, organist of Carr's-lane Chapel, Birmingham. London: T. Nelson & Sons, Paternoster-row, Edinburgh, and New York. 1861.

2. The Same, harmonised for four voices. 3. The Same, Tonic Sol Fa edition.

THE first of the volumes mentioned in the above list is really a most handsome book, it is long since we have seen indeed so handsome an addition to our of Congregational Psalmody; the second edition is cheaper, more portable, and popular; the last in the list is for the benefit of the multitudes who follow the tonic sol fa notation. They are all exceedingly useful, and we trust that the publishers will be abundantly compensated for the large outlay upon this comprehensive series, published so as to meet all pockets, and both ancient and modern tastes in the ar

rangement. We must again especially call attention to the larger

volume, a beautiful book for the organist. We trust, too, it will find its way to many a parlour piano for the sweet Sabbath afternoon hymn. It is not only a use but an ornament. The editor is organist to the large congregation worshipping where John Angell James ministered so long; Mr. James' successor introduces the book, and it is no slight commendation to smaller congregations that it guides the devotions of so large an assembly. Most of the tunes are well known, almost every name is that of an old friend, and has been in many a larger or smaller circle a fountain of devotional feeling and kindler of spiritual fire.

ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS. The Secon 1 Grinnell Expedition in search of Sir John Franklin, 1853-54-55. By Elisha Kent Kane, M.D., U.S.N. London: T. Nelson and Sons, Paternoster-Row.

Most of our readers are acquainted with the first edition of this very interesting book. This much cheaper volume has all the attractions of its predecessor; it is full of woodcuts and plates, all delightfully suggestive. The narrative is full of incident and adventure in a region of the earth which, dark and cheerless as it is, is strangely fascinating.

We have been compelled to glanc again over a story we read with much pleasure when it first appeared. It is quietly told, but it is very interesting to follow Dr. Kane to the ruins of rude settlements, whence all life had vanished; to sympathise with him in his contests with his troublesome dogs-through his long, weary winter hours on Butler Island-his encounters with Esquimaux, and seal and walrus hunts-his anxieties for Hans, his runaway guide-it is all very pleasant. Reading, and descriptions, and engravings, alike convey the reader instantly to the great ice world. To the young especially the volume has the double fascination of mystery and reality.