slavery, without imposing a single shilling of additional taxes on the people. Proceeding in the same path, and at the same speed, they will, in the course of a few sessions more, be able to repeal every tax that is felt to be oppressive."

On the 12th of March, Sir A. Agnew obtained leave to introduce three bills,-one "to promote the observance of the Lord's day," another" to explain and amend certain acts relative to the observance of the Sabbath in Scotland," and a third "to enable local authorities to change Saturday and Monday fairs and markets to other days." The first and second of these measures were subsequently brought in, read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on the 16th of April.

Spain.

The death of Ferdinand VIIth, as was long anticipated, has proved the introduction to important events in Spain, and marked the commencement of a course of improvements, which, there is reason to expect, will sooner or later lead to a fundamental change in the condition of that interesting portion of Europe. It does not often happen that actual results are so clearly anticipated, as they have recently been with respect to Spain. From the moment when the illness of the late monarch threatened a speedy close of his life, it was foreseen that the liberal party had every thing to hope from such an event. Don Carlos, the friend of the priests and of the old system, as was expected, immediately after the king's death, presented himself as heir of the crown, and was sustained by all the influence of the clergy. In the north he has barely succeeded in sustaining himself, after suffering repeated rebuffs and disappointments, and has now no prospect of finally obtaining the kingdom. The queen, as was expected, early sought to strengthen herself against him by conciliating his most violent enemies, the liberals, and cultivating friendly relations with England, the great head and front of liberalism in Europe. She has placed Martinez de la Rosa in the prime ministry; and after several steps of a friendly nature towards those whom Ferdinand kept in exile from his restoration till his death, has recently granted them all liberty to return to their country.

These men, who are among the most influential as well as intelligent and virtuous of the Spanish race, will return with the intention of doing all they can for her restoration. They proved their acquaintance with liberal principles by introducing the Constitution in 1820,-have shown their hearty devotion to their principles by rejecting all conditional offers to return, and have improved themselves in the knowledge their country needs, by observing the politics, habits, and arts of the free countries where they have passed the years of their exile. Nothing can be finer than the noble feelings expressed by some of these distinguished men, when, on receiving, unsolicited, a few months ago, permission to return to their country, they laconically replied, that nothing would give them greater pleasure, when they should be accompanied by all their companions in exile. By a little delay they have now obtained what they desired; and Spain will be richer than she has long been, when they shall be restored to their native soil.

The queen, being a Neapolitan princess of about thirty, and but for a few past years not even a resident of Spain, cannot be expected to have those violent Spanish prejudices, which might lead a native monarch to oppose some of the chief measures that sound policy demands of the government. These are the establishment of a representative and limited monarchy; the promotion of arts, commerce, and learning, on principles adapted to the present condition of the world; a connexion with the liberal kingdoms of Europe; and the acknowledgment of the independence of her late continental American colonies. These measures would produce rapid and most important effects in Spain, which contains the physical resources of a mighty nation. What preparation there may be for the adoption of religious toleration remains to be seen. The prospect still appears gloomy; but no one can anticipate what would be the result if the first mentioned improvements were once made. The probability is, that religious as well as political freedom is to flow back upon Spain from America. Intelligent men, interested observers of Spanish affairs, have dif fered on this subject; but the aspect of things is at present more

favourable to this, than the opposite opinion. The wealth and influence of the clergy in South America have suffered great reductions; the obstacles to the general diffusion of knowledge, which they have so assiduously erected and maintained, have been in a great measure removed; and, in short, almost every feature of the hierarchal system has been assailed, impaired, or obliteraThese steps have been taken, because the plainest interests, or the most imperative necessity, demanded it; and the results have been clear and evident benefits. The statesmen of South America are every day learning the irreconcilable nature of Papacy and republican freedom; and the people not only learn that they can live without the principles of high Romanism, but that they cannot live with them. Moral sympathies will naturally pass from America to Spain, more readily than elsewhere. The mutual sympathies of those countries must ever be strong; and if favourable circumstances were once to occur, such as might be brought about by the adoption, on the part of Spain, of the measures above enumerated, we might perhaps soon see the vigour of the Spanish character displayed on both sides of the Atlantic, in a competition in the career of religious, as well as moral and physical improvement.

That day will be full of interest to every friend of Christianity and of man, when the words lately uttered by Governor Zavala, before the legislature of the State of Mexico, shall be reechoed, as they must at some period be, in Madrid :—

"Tendremos que repetir la degradante escena de humillar la magestad nacional delante del Obispo de Roma,―esa monstruosa teocracia que goberno la Europa por doce centurias ?" [Shall we have to repeat the degrading scene of humbling the majesty of the nation before the Bishop of Rome,-that monstrous theocracy which has governed Europe for twelve centuries?]

LITERARY

AND

THEOLOGICAL REVIEW.

NO. III. SEPTEMBER, 1834.

ART. I. THE EARTHLY TRIUMPHS OF CHRISTIANITY. By Rev. GEO. BUSH, Prof. of Heb. and Orient. Lit. in N. Y. City University.

THE primary truths of revelation are doubtless those which respect the being, the attributes, and the works of Jehovah; the person, and the offices of the Saviour, and of the Holy Spirit; the immortality of the soul; a judgement to come; and a subsequent eternal state of rewards and punishments. These are the grand themes of inspired writers-the cardinal doctrines upon which the ministers of Christ are chiefly to insist in their public teachings. It is by the faithful exhibition of these truths, in their prominent features, and their diversified relations, that the kingdom of righteousness is mainly to be upheld in this world, and an elect people prepared for the glory and beatitudes of another.

But the truths now cited, are far from exhausting the fulness of divine communications. The disclosures of the oracles of God, though for the most part connecting themselves with eternity, are not confined to it. The sublime range of prophecy spreads itself over the arena of this world's history, bringing to view an order of events, subordinate indeed to the final developements of Christianity, but of an interest and magnitude too great to be overlooked by the eye of faith, however intent upon the ultimate result. That this department, however, of revelation, has been comparatively neglected,-that the paramount importance of Christianity, as a system of salvation, has caused its designed relations to the present life to be in a great measure thrown into the back-ground,-is a fact which will be questioned the less the more it is considered. The predicted triumphs, therefore, of the Gospel on earth, or what may be termed the earthly and temporal prospects of the kingdom of Christ in VOL. I. 43

contradistinction from its spiritual and eternal ends, especially as viewed in connexion with the corresponding duties of Christians, constitutes a theme of remark, preferring at the present day peculiar claims upon our attention. The amplitude of the subject forbids, indeed, the attempt to pursue it in all the detail of its bearings, but there are certain bold projections pertaining to it, which may be properly grouped within our present intended field of vision.

That the bestowment of the Gospel upon the world was designed, in the counsels of its Author, to pour a flood of blessings upon man's present life, as well as to open to him the assured prospect of another and a better hereafter, is a position that needs only to be stated to a believer to meet with instant assent. This result is secured alike by its inherent genius, and by the express promise of its donor. Indeed, it has never yet failed, so far as it has obtained foothold in its purity among men, to work a signal amelioration in their temporal condition. But its successes, hitherto, have been upon a comparatively small scale, and it is more especially with reference to the latter periods of the world's history, that we are taught to anticipate its brightest triumphs. So long as the clear predictions of a coming state of prosperity and glory to our race, form an integral part of revelation, the philanthropist can never abjure the hope of the complete removal of the evils, moral, physical, and political, which have so long oppressed humanity, and mocked the sighs of desponding benevolence. Indeed, we deem the assumption entirely safe, that whatever Christianity, under the auspices of its Author, can do for mankind, it will do; and we should be sorry to have any less confident motto inscribed on the banners of the cross. But this view of the designed effects of our divine religion, we have intimated, has been borne down, in the estimation of its disciples, by the preponderating moment of its spiritual, heavenly, and eternal aims,—a fact for which we shall here endeavour to assign some of the principal reasons.

Among these, perhaps the first place is to be assigned to the consideration, that the church of God, during the ages elapsed, has been for the most part in a state of suffering. It has groaned in bondage, and sighed in exile. That adverse power, usually denominated the world, has been in the ascendant, and, prompted by the persecuting instincts of its nature, has wreaked its ire in the most cruel forms upon