Gordon, "Immortality and the New Theodicy;" in 1898 by Professor William James, "Human Immortality. Two Supposed Objections to the Doctrine." Benjamin Ide Wheeler, the new President of the University of California, was Ingersoll lecturer for 1899, and his lecture, which discusses how the Greek faith in immortality was affected by the rise of individualism, is before us in this thin book. To know what the old Greeks really did believe one must do more than study their mythologies, which are often but light-winged fancies of the poets. "Sometimes they are mirror flashes from the ritual thrown upon the valley mist; sometimes they are dim ghosts of a storied past; sometimes they are shadowy images of nature and her signs; but seldom are they trusty guides into the land of reality. Other guides must we follow if we would come to a knowledge of the plain faith by which men stayed their lives, measured their duty, estimated the meaning of life's beginning and end." The Greek faith in immortality was marvelously quickened during one most significant epoch in the national life, and Professor Wheeler speaks of it as a period when Greece "had not yet fallen ill of philosophy." To the Greek man was body and soul. When the man dies the soul issues forth from the body to seek other residence. With Dionysos there came into Greek religion and thought a new element. He taught his followers that the inner life of man, the soul, is of like substance with the gods, and that it may commune with the divine; that the soul holds direct account with the heart of the world, a world to whose peerage it belongs and with whose plan and reason it has rights and a hearing. Thus the Greek stretched his hands toward the living God, if haply he might feel after and find him. Dr. Wheeler says in closing: "If in the throb of Dionysos's passion men seemed to gain an insight into the spiritual harmonies of nature and intimations of their own potential kinship with the divine which cold reason and dull sense had not availed to give, it was still dim, groping vision. But yet the face was set thither where, in a later day-a day for which Greece and Dionysos prepared-men learned through the Convincing Love to know and live the eternity within them." Paul Shorey, writing of Plato, says of him, "He transmits to us the final outcome of Greek culture in no quintessential distillation of abstract formulas, but in vivid dramatic pictures that make us actual participants in the spiritual intoxication, the Bacchic revelry of philosophy, as Alcibiades calls it, that accompanied the most intense, disinterested, and fruitful outburst of intellectual activity in the annals of mankind." But that statement is surely an undiscriminating, if not unintelligent, exaggeration.

The Shepherd Psalm for Children. By JOSEPHINE L. BALDWIN. 12mo, pp. 64. New York and Chicago: Fleming H. Revell Company. Price, cloth, 35 cents. In Miss Baldwin's excellent little book the Twenty-third Psalm is used as a basis for many religious lessons conveyed in a way suited to interest children, the nature of the lessons being indicated by the titles of

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the twelve short chapters: "The Shepherd Psalm," "God's Loving Care," ""A Sky Full of Goodness," "Perfect Peace," "Strength for the Weak," "Guidance in Right Paths," Courage in Dark Places," "A Voice in the Heart," "A Feast in Safety," Honor," "Blessings," "A Home in Heaven." A copyrighted leaflet is added at the end containing helpful suggestions to teachers who wish to use this book as a basis for the oral instruction of children in the home or the school. Of this useful leaflet Miss Baldwin says: "The plan of preparing an explanation of The Shepherd Psalm for Children originated in a desire to put it in such shape that teachers of primary and intermediate classes, and those of Junior Epworth Leagues and Junior Christian Endeavorers, would find it suggestive when teaching the Twenty-third Psalm as a lesson supplemental to the regular international lesson, or to the topic of the day. Later it seemed wise to so change the character of the presentation that the book could be used as a gift book to be put directly into the hands of the child. This made necessary the introduction of various Bible and other stories in order to maintain the interest of a child reading alone, which it would not be essential or wise to introduce when teaching the psalm orally." By the method which is outlined in the leaflet it is intended to teach the psalm in twelve little lessons covering the space of about five minutes each. A small illustrative picture, easy to copy on the blackboard in teaching, is at the head of each chapter of the book.

Character and Conduct. Talks to Young People. By GEORGE M. STEELE, D.D., author of Outlines of Bible Study, etc. 12mo, pp. 256. Cincinnati: Curts & Jennings. New York: Eaton & Mains. Price, cloth, $1.

These addresses have but one supreme object in view, and that the helping of the young to lives of integrity, usefulness, and Christian faith. In their devotion to this end they include the discussion of such themes as 66 Character," "Making the Best of Both Worlds,” “ Honor," “Reason in Religion,” “Individuality,” “A Vocation in Life,” “Time in Its Ethical Relations," and "Eternal Life." At the same time, in their presentation of the practical duties of life whose fulfillment makes for noble character, they are comprehensive as to their range of treatment. So that others of the thirty-two chapters of the book have such titles as "The Temptation of Eve," "The Mother of Jesus,” “Personal Independence," "Political Society and Its Government as Ordained of God," "The Bible and the Revelations of Modern Astronomy," and "Egoism and Altruism." Throughout these many addresses, in a word, Dr. Steele is at his best, illustrating that sensible interpretation of the truth, that manly vigor, and that breadth of discussion which made him conspicuous in his many years of service as an instructor. The reading of these addresses will strike the chord of memory in the hearts of many of his old students who studied under Dr. Steele, while it is to be hoped that other youths of the present time who may chance upon the book will find in it words of wholesome counsel.

The Physical Nature of the Child, and How to Study it. By STUART H. ROWE, Ph.D., Supervising Principal of the Lovell District, New Haven. Conn., etc., 12mo, pp. 207. New York: The Macmillan Co. Price, cloth, $1.

This book deals with matters as practical as they are important. Its implied teaching seems to be that for the proper training of childhood great responsibility is put upon the teacher in the secular school, as well as upon the parent. And this position is, we judge, well taken. In the coming years the task must rest heavily upon both instructor and parent for the nurture of a noble manhood and womanhood. As for this volume in detail it is full of wholesome rules for the care of the child's physical nature, under such topics as "Sight," "Hearing,” "Motor Ability," "Nervousness, Fatigue,' "Habits of Posture," "School Conditions Affecting the Child's Physical Nature," and, lastly, "Home Conditions Affecting the Child's Physical Nature." The purpose of the book is to be thoroughly commended, and, none the less, the sensible method in which the author prosecutes his line of suggestion. Under its leading, and that of kindred volumes, shall come about the ideal physical manhood of the new century.

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The Christian Life. A Study by BORDEN P. BOWNE. 16mo, narrow, pp. 152. New York: Eaton & Mains. Cincinnati: Curts & Jennings. Price, cloth, 50 cents. The character and spirit of this booklet cannot be better indicated and conveyed than in Professor Bowne's own words in his preface and opening pages: "This study aims to be a help to sincerity and naturalness in religion by clearing up some of the confusions of popular religious thought and speech. We all feel that in religion, of all matters, we should be supremely real and sincere; and yet, owing to an ambiguous and misleading terminology, and the illusions thence resulting, an uncomfortable air of artificiality and unreality often seems to pervade the subject. This is not commonly due to insincerity, but rather to the ambiguity and uncertainty of the conventional thought and language in this field. This condition of things, however, is an evil, and is one of the sources of religious weakness to-day. We grope in the dark of unwarranted expectations and misdirected effort. And the only way out seems to be to clear up our thought and speech, so that we may know what we wish and what we mean, thus enabling the religious life to grow unhindered and undistorted by illusion and misdirection." The author further says: "My professional life has largely been spent in contact with thoughtful young men and women; and I have frequently observed an uneasy feeling on their part that the traditional phrases of religious speech do not set forth with unstrained naturalness and transparent sincerity the facts of their religious life. Often they have formed a conception of what the religious life should be by reflection on the customary and inherited phrases; and thus they have been led to entertain unwarranted expectations. Then the failure to realize them has led to an uncomfortable sense of artificiality in all religious experience." The book, as will be seen, is intensely practical in its purpose.

INDEX.

Babylonia, The Religion of (Arch. and Chinese Philosophy, A Study in, etc.:

Clergy, Tyndall on Courage of (Notes and Fast-Day Proclamation of Governor Rol-

Education, Excessive Optionalism in Harlequin Bible, The (Notes and Dis.),