is one objection to the detailing system, of almost universal application. It is that, when officers are called on for details for detached service, they almost invariably detail their poorest men. People who have not seen service can hardly form an adequate idea of the reluctance with which officers part with good men. Many things combine to originate and strengthen this feeling. In the first place, there is the strong feeling of pride which every worthy officer feels in having his company full, and full of good men. Then, as his experience grows, he sees how greatly his daily comfort, and, when there is fighting, his chances of success and consequent distinction, are increased by his having good men under him. So, when an order comes for a detail for the quartermaster, or head-quarters, or the ambulances, his impulse is to pick out the man who is less neat than his fellows in camp, less prompt at roll-calls, less handy on drill, less quiet after taps, the man who loiters or straggles on the march,—the man who needs constant watchfulness to keep him from going to the rear when the company is under fire. The ambulance train should include no men who do not at least equal the best of the fighting-men in gallantry; for they may have to go under hot fire without the support that comes from the "shoulder to shoulder" of the line, and the pressure of the file-closers behind, and without the excitement of bearing and using arms. It should be made up of men strong enough to carry their end of a stretcher with ease, and of men who are rather over than under the average in matter of humanity, as, from the nature of their employment, they must act in great measure without the immediate supervision of officers. We again suggest to our readers to ask the officers and soldiers of their acquaintance whether or no they have found the men of the ambulance corps in our armies a plucky, vigorous, humane set of men; and whether they think that a set of men obtained by special enlistment for ambulance service would be more or less efficient than detailed It would do no harm to extend the inquiry, and to ask in what estimation those officers are held who seek employment with the ambulances, in exchange for their legitimate business, and to what estimation the subsequent conduct of such officers usually entitles them. With such sources of in

men.

formation within easy reach, it is not worth while to collect and print the common stories of ambulance-drivers taking for their own use at night the stretchers on which their feeble passengers should have slept, or of their fright at the rumored approach of the enemy, and the necessity of the production of pistols by wounded officers to prevent the drivers from abandoning them by the roadside. We desire to get at the truth, and in no way can it be more readily and surely reached than by the general use of such inquiries as we have mentioned.

We incline to think it probable that, by special enlistments for the ambulance service, a class of men might be obtained more likely to perform their duties faithfully than those obtained from the rank and file by detail. Experience has proved, we think, that many men are willing to devote themselves to the relief of their fellow-men, and to do so in cases where a high degree of self-sacrifice is required, who would not be willing to shoulder a musket and enter the ranks; and many, it is likely, would be fit for the one duty who would be physically incapable of the other. We offer this as a suggestion merely. The gentlemen connected with the Sanitary Commission would, it is likely, be especially able to express an opinion upon the probabilities of success in adopting the system of special enlistments.

It may also be remarked, that, should such a system be adopted, it would not necessarily exclude the employment of individuals taken from the rank and file. Men of approved gallantry, certified by the surgeons to be of sufficient vigor for the duties of their new situation, but unfit for the constant exposure of picket duty in all sorts of weather, might be transferred to the ambulance corps, and do good service in it. Their duties, on a great majority of the days of the year, would be lighter than those of the soldier. He must face all weathers, by night and by day, and constantly sleep on the ground, with nothing over him but his blanket. The ambulance man would have many and many a good night's sleep, while his friend in the ranks stood on guard with the rain dripping from his soaked cap and coat. His food would be more regular, from his vicinity to the train, and it would seldom happen, even at the worst times, that he could not

find some shelter at night by crawling under an ambulance. But whatever the system, whether that of detail or special enlistment, the men of the ambulance corps should be stimulated by the hope of rewards, and restrained by the fear of punishment. No coward should be tolerated among them; no act of neglect or inhumanity should go unnoticed; no instance of distinguished gallantry should fail to meet its recompense. It will be a glad day for the American army when the government decides to grant decorations, the strongest incentive, the best reward, of the soldier. Until that time, so unfortunately long in coming, increase of rank and pay by promotion, which can come to comparatively few, is the only prize which our defenders can hope to gain.

We trust that the day is not far distant when the country will be satisfied that the best possible ambulance system has been adopted and put in force. The horrors inseparable from war are enough. We should make every effort so to order affairs that all unnecessary horrors shall be done away with. Great accessions to our armies are soon to be made. Those levies will probably not be used in active operations till the spring. There is plenty of time before that for doing whatever should be done for the ambulance system. The people are not satisfied with it. The army is still less satisfied with it. We urge that one of two things should be done. If the system be defective, it should be changed or improved. If it be the best attainable, it should be approved by the deliberate action of Congress, either by the direct action of that body or by the report of a commission made up of the best-informed and ablest of the military and medical officers not otherwise on duty.

Should such a commission be appointed, there is a matter, beside the general system, which would well deserve their attention, and that is, the question whether it would not be possible to enter into something like an agreement with our enemies to consider the ambulance-men as neutrals, and admit them to the field after a battle. It is true that many difficulties would attend such a scheme, but they may, perhaps, not be insuperable. The spirit manifested by the high civil officers of the Confederate government is discour

aging to any hope of the kind, but the humanity of their prominent generals, of which we have many proofs, is in favor of it. When the advantage gained by one side is decisive, there seems to be reason to believe that the victors might admit to the field the train of their opponents, under proper restrictions, not only without loss to themselves, but with the positive gain of escaping so far from the necessity of caring for the severely wounded of the enemy. When the battle is drawn, either side may well object to the admission of any one connected with its opponents to the neutral ground which separates the pickets. Generals object, at such times, to sending or receiving flags. But, though circumstances might often make it impossible to enjoy the benefit of any such convention, yet, whenever it was otherwise, the gain would be unspeakable. It is possible that experiment might diminish the force of the objections to such liberty, and use might beget in each side a greater readiness to improve it. If the thing be feasible, the advantages incident to it would be incalculable. After the battle of the Antietam, men who were wounded before noon on Wednesday lay where they fell till the forenoon of Friday, when our advancing skirmishers found the enemy's positions abandoned.

With these statements and suggestions, we leave for the present this interesting subject.

Our duty as a people to the soldier is plain. The means of knowledge whether we are doing our duty lie within easy reach of all of us. By correspondence, through the press, by personal communication with officers and men, we are in closer relations with our armies than ever people was before. Let us learn the truth about this matter of the ambulance system, and then let us do the best we can for our defenders. tude and justice combine to make the duty imperative.

Grati

ART. IV. Bibliotheca Sacra. Vols. I. - XX.

1844-1863.

Vols. VIII.

[Vols. I.- VII. And Theological Review. XIV. And American Biblical Repository. Vols. XV. XX. And Biblical Repository.] Vols. I. – VIII. Conducted by B. B. EDWARDS and E. A. PARK, Professors at Andover. Vols. I. VII. With the Special Co-operation of Dr. ROBINSON and Professor STUART. Vol. VIII. With the Special Co-operation of Dr. ROBINSON and Professors STUART and H. B. SMITH. Vols. IX. - XX. Conducted by Professor E. A. PARK and S. H. TAYLOR, A. M., of Andover. [Vol. IX. With the Special Co-operation of Dr. ROBINSON and Professors H. B. SMITH, J. HADLEY, GEORGE E. DAY, and D. H. ALLEN, and Rev. J. M. SHERWOOD. Vol. X. With the Special Co-operation of Dr. ROBINSON and Professors H. B. SMITH, G. E. DAY, and D. H. ALLEN. Vol. XI. Aided by Professors ROBINSON, STOWE, BARROWS, SMITH, ALLEN, DAY, PHELPS, SHEDD, BROWN, PUTNAM, and Drs. DAVIDSON of England and ALEXANDER of Scotland. Vols. XII. - XIV. Aided by Professors ROBINSON, STOWE, BARROWS, ALLEN, DAY, PHELPS, SHEDD, BROWN, PUTNAM, and Drs. DAVIDSON of England and ALEXANDER of Scotland.] Andover. 184446. Allen, Morrill, and Wardwell. 1847-49. William H. Wardwell. 1850-1863. Warren F. Draper.

WE have given these modifications of the title-page of successive volumes of the Bibliotheca Sacra, because they represent so much of its history. But it has a history anterior to its name and birth-year. It may claim a considerably higher antiquity than we can trace for it in its present form. It is the legitimate successor, or rather the continuation, of what we suppose to have been the earliest New England periodical devoted entirely to theological learning. Journals of religious literature, weekly and monthly, there were indeed previously, and some of these contained occasional erudite monographs on subjects of learned research, and on the leading questions at issue between different sects and opposing schools of criticism. In the Monthly Anthology, 1803-1811, hardly less theological than literary, there were many articles of this class,