m. " Review of Harris on Psalmospired Scriptures, we are not informed. But we may safely infer that it was through the medium of the Dutch navigators, who had formed trading establishments in the East, before any British vessel navigated those seas. We know that ihe Reformed Church in Holland, by an act passed soon vifter the Reformation, and which is yet in existence, ordered that the 150 Psalms of David, the Apostles^ Creed, and one or two other short articles of their For- mularies should be sung in the praises of God, and none others were permitted. Such, for many years, wag the law in most Protestant churches, and in practice, the inspired Psalms were used generally to the exclv^ sion of homan compositions. It is in defence of these psalms, as the only divinely fiuthorized matter of the church's praise, that the Ploughman publishes his letter. He is a plain, un- lettered man, >vho, like Mr. Haring on Hopkinsianism, writes ably on an important subject of controversy. The polemical discussions, which, within a few years have been revived on this subject, have undergone some change on the part of those, who defend the use of uninspired songs. When Anderson, Clarke, kc. in the latter part of the last century, entered the lists in favour of inspired psalms, against Black, Latta and Freeman, it was the age of infidelity ; and we often see *Set vol. II.^Mav. Voy. »Tjd Trav, 44 Review of Harris on Psalmody, n the spirit of the world, passing, like a dark cloud, acrogjl the firmament of the church. Mack, &c. treated thfl psalms much more unceremoniously, than Priestley did the epistles of Paul. That champion of Socinian ism, charged the Apostle of the Gentiles, with unsound reasoning, and an inaccurate application of the 01c Testament Scriptures to the doctrine of Christ's priest- hood. But the advocates of human, songs in divine worship, alluded to above, had the intrepidity to charge the book of psalms with not only obscurity, and unfit- ness for'devotional singing, but with malevolent and malignant passions. This was adventuring farther than any one, professing to be a Bible believer, much less« any professed Christian minister, so far as we know,! did adventure before them, in attacking any part of thei acknowledged inspired Scriptures. The spirit of the age must account for it. The present advocates for Watts' Imitations and] Hymns, and other uninspired odes, seem unwilling to go so far in this age of Bibles, when the dark cloud of infidelity has in some measure passed away. Yet it cannot be disguised, that the very argument which they manage, appears almost to force them into'this tremendous position, at which they themselves must shudder. They must maintain, in order to be consis- tent, that the Psalms of David are unfit for Christiaa worship ; otherwise, why reject them and substitute others in their room ? Human compositions must be defended as superior to the inspired psalms, or why use them in preference ? Here is a sore temptation to go perilous lengths on this side of the controversy, whith the spirit of the age will not permit, and which. RevietJt of Harris on Psalmody, 45 we hope, their own better judgment, and heart do condemn. Treat the Psalms of David with that rever- ence, which the inspiration of the Holy Ghost challen- ges, and little room seems to be left for disputation. It is announced in the Pittsburgh Recorder, that T. D. Baird, A. M. is about to publish, should sufficient en- couragement offer, •* An inquiry into tlie duty and privilege of the Christian church in the exercise of sacred praise.'* The object of the work, is to refute Ihe Rev. Mr. McMaster*8 ** Apology for the Book of Psalms.'' We say, in the language of the Religious Wonitor, a sound, orthodox, and valuable magazine, iublished in the city of Albany, when noticing this pro* )0sed pubHcation : ** We hope he,'* the author, *' will ;vince for the book of Psalms, as a component part of he inspired volume, greater reverence than most of lis predecessors have done, when advocating the cause ^hich Mr. Baird has espoused." But we must not forget the Ploughman's letter. It J modestly addressed to his offspring and other rela- ons, who appear to be very numerous. The style lOugh unpolished, is perspicuous and nervous, and le argument manly, powerful, and, we think, decisive* iter having proved that we have a Divine warrant for le use of David's Psalm?, that the Psalms and Hymns r Watts are erroneous in many pointy, and having an- vered objections, he goes on to say : '* No matter how many good things are in Dr. Watts, ■c.ing iiis design was lo supplant the book of Psalnos •th his Psalms. This is enough to condemn his book, 'oulu yoa thiuk ijny mnn to be a friend to tlie Presi- ^nt of the United States, if he would tell the Presidetkt 4^ Reiien: of Harris ©« Psalmody^ that he was his frienrl, approved of his measures ami intended to do him a kindness ; but at the same time told him that he intended to supplant him and to take his place, turn him out of his office and only let him live as a common subject in the government ? Certainly not. How, then, can you approve of Dr. Watts' con- duct, when he has done the very same thing with David ? How much soever they sp^ak in favour of the Psalms of David, they prefer Dr. Watts'. Let eommon prudence speak, were you travelling with your waggon, and all your property in it, and shoulA, came to a river over which there were two bridges ; the one was of sound materials, of longstanding, and no danger of giving way, and that was safe for all passen- gers and for any burden, but the other bridge was of lansound materials, of a dangerous construction, and led into a dangerous swamp, would not common prudence direct you to take the onfe that was safe, notwithstand- ing the bad one was the smoothest covered. " So this is the very case with regard to Psalmody • ihc book of Psalms is, beyond all doubt, a safe way; the prophets, apostles, martyrs, reformers and Christ him- self have all gone in this way. This book stands in the very way that Ezra the scribe left it, when he made the selection under the spirit of inspiration : but this other bridge or way, by every flood, is altered, changed, amended and repaired every few years : and indeed it needs it, and it will lead them into strange and unsettled principles ; and every erroneous sect, at its first outset, will throw away the book of Psalms and get a Hymn book, with all their errors plainly held out in it, so that they will not only preach their errors, but siAg Ueviexs: of Harris on i^saljnody, 47 theai, which is ten-fold worse ihun when it is preached, for all must join ; hut when it is preaclied, it is only held out for their consideration ; this consideration ought to make a church or minister very careful that nothing that is possible for to be erronoos, sl-ould b^ admitted as the mailer of our songs and praise ; and if there is an error in the Hymn we sing, how is it pos- sible for us to be right ? If we do what God commiinds, we are on safe ground." He then proceeds to a considerably ample historical deduction, in which he demonstrates that the practice of the church in her purest parts and best times, is in favourof the use of David's Psalms. His comparisons are remarkably striking and appropriate. Take the following example ; '^ My nephews, of whom I have upwards of one hun- dred and fifty of the first and second line, all within 25 miles, besides those that are far off, all which are in the habits of friendship with me, and I am confident will attend to what I say, as to what the scriptures principally teach. Soaie of you are well established in the present truth, others are unsettled and need some advice. I offer this as my last, as one that has a great desire to see you walking in the way to peace and hap- piness, and this can only be attained by knowing the truth and walking in it. Never give up the book of Psalms which hath a positive command to be used. No scripture inference will be admitted, in order to set aside the commands of God. 1 deny that there is one single text in all the New Testament to make a Hymn ; the advocates of Hymns always fly to Col. iii. 16, and Eph. v. 19, for their scripture warrant. But in these- 48 iieview of Harrison Fsalmodi/. texts there is nothing about making Hymns, but onh; using those that were already made. Would you not easily understand the impropriety of such conduct upon such directions in temporal things. Were vou to or- der your servants to take an aie, mattock and plough, and go and chop, grub and clear such a piece of ground and plough it ; if, when you go to see how they were doing, you wound find them all making new kinds of ploughs, you would say, What is this you are about ; did I tell you to go and make ploughs ? had you not good ploughs ready made ? why did you not chop, grub and plough as I told you ? I told you nothing about making new ploughs and behold you are disputing about which of your new ploughs is the best ; you tind that they need altering, and so you are spending your time in mending that which will never answer the purpose." The extracts given are a sufficient specimen of his manner. We earnestly recommend this pamphlet to the attentive perusal of our readers. Until within a few years no kind of instrumental music was permitted in the Congregational churches of New- England. Latterly in some churches the bass viol has been introduced. An organ has lately been constructed in New-York for a Congregational church in New-London (Connecticut). Anciently, in the churches of that section of the country, David's Psalms only were sung, and that by the whole congregation — then Watts' were introduced. Next, the whole busi- ness of praising God, was committed to a choir — gene* rally some young people on the gallery — all others being silent. This is now the common practice. A good organ will prevent the words sung by the choir from being heard : it will be music only. Query. Of Ivhat use, in that case, will any psalms be of to the con- gregatign? May not psalms be dispensed witb altogether*?