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15.-Sermons on Different Subjects, delivered in England and America, by Rev. Edward Norris Kirk, A. M., late Pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian Church, Albany, N. Y. With an Introduction, by Samuel Hanson Cox, D. D. New-York, 1840. pp. 316.

This volume is a collection and republication of eleven Sermons and four Addresses, which had before appeared in separate forms in England and this country. They are on the following important and practical topics:-Man's natural enmity to God,-Obligations of Young Men,-Jesus the Great Missionary, The Gospel Ministry, The Nature and Influence of Maternal Associations,-Sermon to Children,-Practical Love to Christ,-Temperance and Religion,-The traffic in Alcohol, Valedictory Sermon,-Agreement with God, etc.

Though these discourses are by no means deficient in force and cogency of reasoning, there is yet less of systematic argumentation in them, than of warm-hearted and zealous appeal. The reader who has heard Mr. Kirk preach, will perceive that they are written in a style adapted to his rapid and fervid eloquence; and yet, to one unacquainted with the author, they would hardly suggest the idea of that eloquence. They will be read, therefore, with less interest, by strangers, than by those whose memory may enable them to supply, in their thoughts, the manner of the preacher. Yet they are good discourses, worthy of publication, as popular and faithful exhibitions of truth on the topics which they embrace, and as suited to impress the reader with a strong sense of religious obligation.

16.-The Museum of Religious Knowledge: designed to illus

trate Religious Truth. Edited by Marcus E. Cross. Philadelphia: J. Whetham. New-York: Robert Carter, 1840. pp. 264.

This little volume, which is neatly executed by the publisher, is made up of short and stirring discussions of a variety of interesting topics. The authors from whose writings they are principally selected, are Hon. A. H. Everett, Rev. Drs. Spring, Hawes, Plumer, Smith, Babcock, and Mrs. H. B. Stowe; and the selections are worthy of the names with which they are accompanied. Several of the pieces are from the editor's own pen. These too, are written in a chaste and attractive style, and are suited to the place which they occu py in a volume designed to allure the minds of busy men and women to the consideration of moral and religious subjects.

17.-Letters from the Old World. By a Lady of New-York. In Two Volumes. New-York: Harper & Brothers, 1840. pp. 307, 337.

To the general reader, these Letters will be found second. in interest to few of the numerous books of Travels in the "Old World," with which we are "being favored," in these days of increased and rapid intercommunication between the most widely separated countries. They are from the pen of Mrs. Haight, a lady of wealth and leisure, who has given us in these volumes the results of her observations in a tour, under the protection of her husband, and with the best advantages, through Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Asia-Minor, Turkey and Greece. It was not an idle curiosity which allured her away to those ancient lands. It was the longing of an enlightened and cultivated mind to become familiar with the scenes of the earliest times. Such a mind would be likely to find the principal pleasure of travelling abroad, in the instruction to be derived from the new and ever varying objects which present themselves in foreign lands. And we return our hearty thanks to Mrs. Haight that she has consented to share this pleasure with the public by committing these interesting volumes to the press. They are written in a lively, chaste and attractive style, and though they do not pretend to the precise accuracy of scientific observation, they may be relied on for a strict adherence to the truth. They are also characterized by more than an ordinary degree of good sense. The numerous topics and incidents which they exhibit are exceedingly miscellaneous, of course; yet associated, as they are, in locality and in history, with the oldest and grandest events of time, we read them with interest, as we love to be reminded of the line of our relationship, not only with the realms of classic antiquity, but also with

-"the land Where the patriarchs rest,

Where the bones of the prophets are laid."

18.-The Scripture Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, in their relation to God the Father. By Nathaniel S. Folsom. Boston: James Munroe & Co. 1840. pp. 84.

19.-A Letter to Ezra S. Gannett, of Boston, occasioned by his Tract on Atonement. By Nehemiah Adams, Pastor of Essex-street Church. Boston: James Munroe & Co.

1840. pp. 64.

These two publications, if we mistake not, are worthy of some more extended remarks than we have room to make in

this notice. The Letter of Mr. Adams is written in the best style of controversy, and is especially valuable as containing a clear, satisfactory and popular defence of the Scripture doctrine of the Atonement, and at the same time exhibiting the fact, that this cardinal doctrine of Christianity is rejected, not only by Mr. Gannett, but by "the American Unitarian Association." Considered in connection, these publications will inculcate some important lessons, which we hope to present in a future No. of the Repository.

20.-PRESIDENT BEECHER ON BAPTISM.

On recurring to the article of President Beecher on Baptism, in the Repository for January and April last, our readers will notice that there is some incompleteness in the argument as indicated in the plan, and as also intimated on pp. 366, 368. This was perceived by ourselves on reading the MS., but owing to some delay in Mr. Beecher's correspondence, we had the best reason to suppose that we had received all that he intended to furnish on the subject. We accordingly inserted the part which appeared in the April No., as concluding his discussion. He since informs us that he was disappointed by this announcement, and that he fears the result may be a premature answer to an unfinished discussion.

We have therefore judged it proper, as a caveat against any such premature reply, from any quarter, and as due to Pres. Beecher, here to announce that our pages will be open to a continuance of his discussion in a future No., when he proposes to present a large class of additional facts, which he regards as essential to the full power of his argument, which being moral and cumulative, a comprehensive view of the whole seems necessary to a full perception of the force of its parts.

21. A NEW WORK ON GEOLOGY.

We are informed by the publishers, J. S. & C. Adams, Amherst, Mass, that they have in the press, and will shortly publish, a work on Geology, by Prof. Hitchcock. The plan of the work, we understand, is novel and original, and that, while it is designed as a text-book for the Professor's own classes in Geology, and also to present to the public a condensed view of the present state of Geological facts, theories and hypotheses, it will also embrace the materials of the author's Synopsis of Geology, to be appended to his final Report on the Geology of Massachusetts, which is also now in the press.

AMERICAN

BIBLICAL REPOSITORY.

OCTOBER, 1840.

SECOND SERIES, NO. VIII.—WHOLE NO. XL.

ARTICLE I.

THE JORDAN AND ITS Valley.

By Edward Robinson, D. D., Prof. of Bib. Lit. in the Union Theol. Sem. New-York.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE BY THE Editors.

As introductory to the present article, the attention of the reader is directed to the "Brief Report," by Prof. Robinson, of his "Travels in Palestine," etc. in 1838, accompanied by the Rev. Eli Smith, which was published in the Repository for April, 1839. In that Report, (pp. 419, 420,) the writer gives a very brief account of the "Jordan and its Valley," which has since been brought into some discussion in the newspapers. Its authority has been appealed to by Mr. Buckingham in confirmation of his own account of the exceeding fertility of the Valley of the Jordan, and also to discredit the statements of Mr. Smith on the same subject, which appeared, some time since, in the New-York Observer. The single passage quoted by Mr. Buckingham, however, when read in its connections, affords no support to his representations, but is quite confirmatory of the statements of Mr. Smith. The passage, therefore, needs no defence, from us, against the use to which it has been perverted by Mr. B. Yet the interest which has been awakened in the subject by the discussions referred to, it is presumed, will render a more accurate and full description of the Jordan highly acceptable to our readers. On this account, in part, but mainly on account of the intrinsic interest of the subject, we have great satisfaction in committing to our pages

SECOND SERIES, VOL. IV. NO. II.

1

the following additional statements of Dr. Robinson, which were prepared several months since, but have been necessarily delayed.

In the passage referred to, in his former Report, it is manifest that the writer was speaking cursorily, and without regard to scientific exactness. He was accordingly guided, in some measure, by his remembrance of the language of the English Bible. In the present communication he reports accurately the results of his own observations in company with Mr. Smith, together with what has been ascertained by other travellers, not forgetting the account formerly given by Mr. Buckingham himself.-EDITORS.

Saturday, May 12th, 1838.-We had come this morning from our encampment on the cliffs over 'Ain Terabeh on the western coast of the Dead Sea. At 12 o'clock we were directly opposite the northwest corner of the sea, proceeding on our way towards the village Erîha, the modern representative of the ancient Jericho.

The earth as we advanced was in many places white with a nitrous crust; and we picked up occasionally small lumps of pure sulphur, of the size of a netmeg or walnut. In some parts the surface was damp, so that the horses slipped; in others it was more like ashes, and they sunk in at every step. We now found that we still had enough of the day left to pay a visit to the Jordan before going to Jericho; and as this would be a great saving of time, and we should thereby avoid the inconvenience of an escort from the garrison, we determined to take this course. On proposing it to our guides, some of the younger ones hesitated for fear of robbers; but the sheikh assented at once. We therefore turned more to the right for a time; and then proceeded about N. E. by E. This brought us at 12. 30' into the midst of a thicket of shrubs and canes around the northernmost point of the sea, watered by another brackish fountain called 'Ain Jehâir. On the flats and shoals along the shore in this part, there is in summer a deposit of salt, as at Birket el-Khulîl beyond 'Ain Jidy. We were soon clear of the thicket; and at 12. 45' crossed a small sluggish stream of salt water running through marshy ground towards the sea.

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