After the publication of his Grammar, Nordheimer turned his attention to the preparation of a Hebrew Concordance; still associated with Mr. Turner. The original work of Buxtorf had become very rare; and the recent revision of it by Fürst had rendered it more bulky and unwieldy, without a corresponding improvement in its character. The first number of Nordheimer's Concord. ance was published early in the spring of 1842; and may be pronounced, without hesitation, as to type, paper, and arrangement, one of the most beautiful Hebrew works ever printed. It certainly exhibits a much greater improvement upon Fürst, than Fürst does upon Buxtorf; and when we take also into account its more convenient form and more reasonable price, one cannot but anticipate for it a wide circulation. There would be reason for great regret, should there be danger of its being broken off. The preparations for completing it are all in Mr. Turner's hands; and he is most abundantly capable of carrying it through, according to the plan and in the spirit of his lamented associate. Nordheimer had also plans for the future publication of Grammars of the Arabic, Chaldee, and Syriac tongues; the manuscripts of which remain incomplete.' Besides these separate works, Nordheimer furnished also several articles for periodical Journals. The following is a list of most of these: 1. The Philosophy of Ecclesiastes, translated from Nordheimer's manuscript by Mr. Turner; strictly an Introduction to the Book of Ecclesiastes. Biblical Repository, July 1838. 2. Review of Fürst's Concordance, in the Princeton Review, July 1839. 3. The Talmud and the Rabbies; Biblical Repository, Oct. 1839. 4. The Rabbies and their Literature, especially the Persian Schools; Biblical Repository, July 1841. The following'are among the manuscripts left by Dr. Nordheimer :-Chald. und Syrische Grammatik. In German. Arabische Sprachlehre. German. Arabic Grammar. A Translation and amplification of the preceding. Das Buch Koheleth. Introduction, Translation, and Commentary, in German. Manuscript for the Hebrew Concordance; incomplete. 5. On the Hebrew Article, in reply to inquiries by Prof. Stuart; blical Repository, Oct. 1841. Even before his arrival in this country, the health of Nordheimer was infirm ; and in his later years, a chronic disease was gradually wasting his strength, and leading him to the tomb. He probably was not fully aware of its dangerous tendency; and never spared himself in his labours and duties. For two or three of his last years, he spent a portion of each summer at Saratoga, and derived, as he thought, great benefit from the use of the waters. He was easily persuaded to try new physicians; and the different and varying courses of treatment to which he was thus subjected, did not tend to alleviate his disease. At the close of the Seminary-term on the last of June, 1842, he repaired immediately to Saratoga, whither he returned also twice afterwards; making, in the interval, a short seavoyage. As I was likewise absent from the city during the summer, I did not meet him again until the middle of September; and was then struck with the evident progress of rapid decay. A cough and hectic fever were already upon him; and although he was cheerful and hoped for the best, yet his physicians gave no encouragement to his friends. He entered upon his duties in the Seminary in October with his usual zeal, but with the weakness of an expiring lamp. He last met his class on Friday, Oct. 28th; and died on the Thursday morning following, Nov. 3d. His funeral took place the next day; and the corpse was accompanied to the grave by a long line of mourning friends, comprising the Professors and Students of the Seminary, the Chancellor and some of the Professors of the University, and many of the Hebrew community. He was buried according to the Hebrew rites; and the same touching custom was exhibited here, which is related to have taken place at the burial of Gesenius. After the corpse was lowered into the grave, the nearest relatives first threw earth upon the coffin, and then the Rabbi and other near acquaintances. After the usual ablutions, the burial service in Hebrew was read in the adjacent chapel. His place as an instructor in the Theological Seminary, is now filled by his friend and associate, Mr. Turner. It is needless here to dwell upon those prominent features of Nordheimer's character, which were obvious to all, and which at once inspired all who met him, with entire confidence. That he was kind, gentle, and amiable, all know; that he was learned, sagacious, and laborious, his works testify. Especially was his heart ever open to the claims of those who were in any way dependent on him. He was the hope and stay of his family; and is understood to have mainly supported his parents, and educated a brother in Germany. At his instance, three younger brothers and a sister followed him to this country; and for them he cared and provided with a father's love. He came among us a few short years ago, a stranger to our manners and our language; and now he is bewailed by very many hearts, as a scholar, an instructor, a colleague, a sincere and cherished friend! It required no ordinary love for truth and science, and no ordinary strength of character, to do what Nordheimer accomplished; to break away from the trammels and fetters of his Rabbinic education; from that nightmare of Talmudic absurdity, which for five years crushed his spirit; and learn to move freely and rejoicingly in the fields of free inquiry and scientific investigation. What he had thus done was the highest and noblest pledge, that, had his life been spared, he would have continued to reap rich harvests in the field he had so thoroughly and honourably tilled. VII. THE WORKS OF PRESIDENT EDWARDS.' NOTICE BY THE EDITOR. To undertake, at the present day and in this country, to speak in com. mendation of Edwards and his writings, would be to hold up a candle to the sun. The country pastor in his then retired valley, the Indian missionary, labouring under "a low tide of spirits," often conscious "of childish weakness," and spending thirteen or fourteen hours of each day in his humble study, sent forth nevertheless silently, from the walls of that study, unpretending treatises, which knocked at the door of every man's intellect and heart, and would be read, and would not be forgotten. That pastor and missionary has enstamped his mark upon his own age and upon the generations that shall come after him. If Bacon and Newton and Locke may be regarded as having changed the current of human thought, and turned it into new channels; even so Edwards. And more than they; because it was his nobler theme to develope the relations in which man stands to his Maker; and his high aim, ' to justify the ways of God to man.' In this consecrated field, he is the mighty master. Although Edwards died in A. D. 1758, and his writings were already spread throughout the world, yet for fifty years no collection of them was made in this country. At length in 1808-9 the Worcester edition, so called, was published in eight volumes 8vo. under the care of the Rev. Samuel Austin D. D. of that place. This became and has remained the standard edition. In 1830 another edition was published by the Rev. S. E. Dwight, in ten volumes 8vo. with a new biography, containing extracts from the diary and papers of Edwards not before printed. An edition appeared in England on stereotype plates in 1834, in two large volumes in small type. The editor of it professes to have followed mainly the Worcester edition, which (he says)" is regarded in the United States as the only one entitled to confidence ;" but he introduced also the new extracts given by Dwight, and likewise some small treatises before published, but not inserted by Dr. Austin. It needs however but a slight comparison of this with the Worcester edition, to perceive that liberties have been occasionally taken with the language; which, although some may count them improvements, are nevertheless not what Edwards wrote. The Works of President Edwards, in Four Volumes. A reprint from the Worcester Edition, with val uable additions and a copious General Index. New York: J. Leavitt and J. F. Trow. 1843. The publication before us is a careful reprint of the Worcester edition, with important additions. It is in four moderate volumes 8vo. on large fair type and good paper, handsomely bound in sheep or cloth. It is also stereotyped; and copies therefore may be multiplied to any extent and at a reasonable price. The order of the treatises in the former edition has in some cases been changed, in order to bring works of the same character together in one volume. Thus the great metaphysical treatises are comprised in the second volume; while the fourth is occupied by the sermons. In this way, should there hereafter be a demand for any of the volumes separately, they can be so furnished. But the distinguishing feature of this edition, and one which gives it a value above all others, is its extensive General Index. This supplies a want, which has long been felt, but which no one heretofore has ever undertaken to remedy. It is right to congratulate the religious public, that they now have access to the works of this greatest of American divines, in a form so cheap, so convenient, and so permanent. This edition cannot but take its place for generations to come as the standard copy. Clergymen and laymen may now have the whole works of Edwards, as readily as they have other books. Would they but also read them, and spread them far and wide; and so best counteract the tendencies of the cheap and trashy reading of the present day! Edwards was a missionary; and what should hinder liberal men, or a liberal man, from placing a copy of his works in the hands of every missionary who has gone forth from this land, either to foreign climes or to our own far west? How would thus his mighty influence be spread abroad, and act with still more directness upon the conversion of the world! The following pieces, not in the Worcester edition, are contained in the present copy: 1. Distinguishing marks of a work of the Spirit. 2. God's Moral Government, a Future State, and the Immortality of the Soul. 3. The necessity and reasonableness of the Christian Doctrine of Satisfaction for Sin. 4. Perseverance of the Saints. 5. Endless Punishment of those who die impenitent. 6. Fourteen Sermons. |