cernit medium aliquod gratiae, id non accipit eo rigore, quo acceperunt theologi qui notionem et numerum sacramentorum statuerunt. 49. Coena christiana paullatim indolem actionis liturgicae assumente, hi, qui Coenae praeesse consueverant, characterem sacerdotalem acquisiverunt. 50. Seniores qui in christianorum coetibus invigilandi munere fungebantur, instituti sunt ab Apostolis presbyteri aut episcopi ad providendum necessariae crescentium communitatum ordinationi, non proprie ad perpetuandam missionem et potestatem Apostolicam. 51. Matrimonium non potuit evadere sacramentum novae legis nisi serius in Ecclesia; siquidem ut matrimonium pro sacramento haberetur necesse erat ut praecederet plena doctrinae de gratia et sacramentis theologica explicatio. 52. Alienum fuit a mente Christi Ecclesiam constituere veluti societatem super terram per longam saeculorum seriem duraturam; quin imo in mente Christi regnum .coeli una cum fine mundi iam iam adventurum erat. 53. Constitutio organica Ecclesiae non est immutabilis; sed societas christiana perpetuae evolutioni aeque ac societas humana est obnoxia. 54. Dogmata, sacramenta, hierarchia, tum quod ad notionem tum quod ad realitatem attinet, non sunt nisi intelligentiae christianae interpretationes evolutionesque quae exiguum germen in Evangelio latens externis incrementis auxerunt perfeceruntque. 55. Simon Petrus ne suspicatus quidem unquam est sibi a Christo demandatum esse primatum in Ecclesia. 56. Ecclesia Romana non ex divinae providentiae ordinatione, sed ex mere politicis conditionbus caput omnium Ecclesiarum effecta est. 57. Ecclesia sese praebet scientiarum naturalium et theologicarum progressibus infensam. 58. Veritas non est immutabilis plusquam ipse homo, quippe quae cum ipso, in ispo et per ipsum evolvitur. 59. Christus determinatum doctrinae corpus omnibus temporibus cunctisque hominibus applicabile non docuit, sed potius inchoavit motum quemdam religiosum diversis temporibus ac locis adaptatum vel adaptandum. 60. Doctrina christiana in suis exordiis fuit iudaica, sed facta est per successivas evolutiones primum paulina, tum ioannica, demum hellenica et universalis. 61. Dici potest absque paradoxo nullum Scripturae caput, a primo Genesis ad postremum Apocalypsis, continere doctrinam prorsus identicam illi quam super .eadem re tradit Ecclesia, et idcirco nullum Scripturae caput habere eumdem sensum pro critico ac pro theologo. 62. Praecipui articuli Symboli Apostolici non eamdem pro christianis primorum temporum significationem habebant quam habent pro christianis nostri temporis. 63. Ecclesia sese praebet imparem ethicae evangelicae efficaciter tuendae, quia obstinate adhaeret immutabilibus doctrinis quae cum hodiernis progressibus componi nequeunt. 64. Progressus scientiarum postulat ut reformentur conceptus doctrinae christianae de Deo, de Creatione, de Revelatione, de Persona Verbi Incarnati, de Redemptione. 65. Catholicismus hodiernus cum vera scientia componi nequit nisi transformetur in quemdam christianismum non dogmaticum, id est in protestantismum latum .et liberalem. Sequenti vero feria V die 4 eiusdem mensis et anni, facta de his omnibus SSmo D. N. Pio Pp. X accurata relatione, Sanctitas Sua Decretum Emorum Patrum adprobavit et confirmavit, ac omnes et singulas supra recensitas propositiones ceu reprobatas ac proscriptas ab omnibus haberi mandavit. PETRUS PALOMBELLI. S. R. U. I. Notarius. BOOK REVIEWS. History of the Books of the New Testament-by E. JACQUIER Authorized Translation from the French, by REV. J. DUGGAN – Vol. I. Preliminary Questions; St. Paul and his Epistles. pp. xiv-335. New York, Cincinnati, Chicago. Benziger Bros. 1907. $2.00 net. As this is the first volume of a collection entitled "The International Catholic Library," it opens with an "Introduction" setting forth the leading objects of the new collection. "Its proximate object,” we are told, "is to offer to English students and readers the best results of the labors of Catholic scholars of every country. A further object of the International Catholic Library is to facilitate, between workers in the various fields of ecclesiastical science, through the comparison of ideas and ideals, a better understanding, an entente cordiale, making for peace and union." These are manifestly praise-worthy objects, and there is no doubt that they will actually be realized by this new Library under the skilful guidance of its learned and irenic editor, Rev. Joseph Wilhelm, D. D., Ph. D. The volume before us is fully worthy of forming the first instalment of the International Catholic Library. Its author, Dr. E. Jacquier, is one of the ablest professors of the Catholic Institute of Lyons (France), and all that he writes bears the mark of sound judgment and genuine scholarship. At its very appearance a few years ago,. the French original of the present volume was favorably received by scholars at large, and the fact that it has now reached its sixth edition shows that the work has steadily increased in value in the eyes of the general public. The questions treated are handled with remarkable ability and by means of that truly conservative spirit. which preserves a genuine respect for traditional positions while it utilizes the ascertained data of modern Biblical science, and which was praised by Pius X., in his letter to the late Bishop Le Camus, and has been anew commended by His Eminence Cardinal Merry del Val in his recent letter (Oct. 19, 1906,) to Canon A. Cellini. (Cfr. Revue Biblique, July, 1907, pp. 477, 478). The translator has done his work well and, as he informs us, has omitted nothing of any importance from the French original. The first part of the volume is concerned with Preliminary Questions bearing on the Chronology and the Language of the New Testament. The principal dates admitted by the Rev. Author, are for the most part, those which recent critics have accepted, and their discussion is characterized by great moderation. The principal features of the New Testament Greek are also ably, although perhaps too briefly, pointed out. The second part of the volume is taken up with a summary of St. Paul's Life, and with a historical and critical examination of the Epistles ascribed to the Great Apostle of the Gentiles. In treating of St. Paul's life, Father Jacquier sums up well what is known of the nationality and the characteristics of the Apostle, the influences literary and doctrinal which he experienced, together with the history of St. Paul before his great Epistle to the Thessalonians, and the manner of language he used in composing his Epistles. The rest of the work (pp. 67-335) deals with the Epistles themselves and in their probable chronological order. The treatment of the historical and critical questions connected with each Epistle is sober, well informed, perfectly orderly, and sufficiently complete. Here and there, however, one might have wished the learned Professor to enter more fully into details or be stronger in his criticism. All in all, the volume is a very creditable production, and every English student and reader will peruse it with pleasure and profit. The volume is supplied with an excellent map of the Journeys of St. Paul. It is well, and, on the whole, correctly, printed. It is to be regretted that the translator has not seen his way to add to the French text an Index of Contents which would have greatly enhanced the usefulness of this valuable work. FRANCIS E. GIGOT. Canaan d'après l'exploration récente par LE P. HUGUES VINCENT, des, Frères Prêcheurs, Paris, Librairie Victor Lecoffre, 1907, in 8v. xii-495 pp. Father Vincent's book is at once instructive, learned, comprehensive, accurate and, to a certain extent, even original. It is undoubtedly the most important book that has as yet appeared on the subject, and its appearance marks an epoch in the history of Canaanite, or Palestine, archeology. Even the most distinguished of our modern Palestinologists would not disdain to have their own names placed on the title-page of this book in which an immense amount of archeological and historical material is diligently gathered, carefully sifted, and critically discussed; and it is safe to say that in no language we possess such an accurate and comprehensive manual of Canaanitish history and archeology. The distinguished author is professor of Biblical Archeology in the Dominican School of Biblical Studies in Jerusalem, and is well known for his many archeological and epigraphical contributions to the Revue Biblique, published by Father Lagrange, of the same school. The history of the various archeological explorations and discoveries made in Palestine, or, as our author prefers to call it, Canaan, by English, German, Austrian, French, Russian and American scholars and societies during the last half-century, but especially since the year 1890, is well-known to the public by the various publications, reports of proceedings and quarterly statements of the Palestine Exploration Fund, of the Zeitschrift des deutsche Palestina Vereins, of the Mitteilungen und Nachrichten des deut. Palestina Vereins, of the Revue Biblique, and more popularly by Dr. Benzinger in Prof. Hilprecht's Explorations in Bible Lands During the Nineteenth Century, pp. 579-622, and by Dr. F. I. Bliss in his recent book on the Development of Palestine Exploration (N. Y., 1906). Strange to say, however, the results so far obtained from these various explorations, important as they are, do not in any way compare in importance and magnitude with those obtained in Assyria, Babylonia, Elam and Egypt. The case, of course, could not have been otherwise as the towering and gigantic civilizations of the two great nations of the Nile and of the Tigris-Euphrates valley were far more advanced than that of any period of Canaanitish history. The civilization of Canaan, so far as archeological evidence shows, is marked by neither grandeur or originality; it is distinctly Babylonian in origin and character; for although geographically Canaan stands closer to Egypt than to Babylonia, nevertheless the civilization of the latter seems to have had a far deeper influence on Canaan than that of the former. Here, in fact, we find Babylonian rule and influence already well established as early as the third and fourth millenniums B. C. The comparatively mediocre results thus far obtained in the field of Canaanite archeology do not, however, in the least minimize their importance and value for the reconstruction of ancient Canaanitish history, archeology, religion, art and civilization, as Father Vincent's elaborate book clearly shows. The principal merit of his work consists in grouping together and co-ordinating for the purpose of history the innumerable independent results thus far obtained, and scattered in various scientific publications, books and reviews. The book opens with an introductory chapter (pp. 1-22), in which the author passes in review the various archeological explorations: made at Tell-el-Hesy, Tell Zakariyya, Tell-es-Safy, Tell Djedeidah, Sandahannah, Tell Gezer, Taannak and Tell-el-Mutesellim,, by Petrie, Bliss, Schumacher, Sellin, Macalister and others. Thence the author proceeds to discuss in seven lengthy chapters the following topics: Ch. I, (pp. 23-89), "The Ancient Cities of Canaan," in which a clever attempt is made to reconstruct and locate their geographical position, fortifications, structure, fortresses, houses, public and private edifices, from the earliest period of Semitic occupation down to Israelitish times. Principal among these cities are, of course, preIsraelitish Jerusalem, Gezer, Lachish, Megiddo, Maresa and Ta'annak. In Ch. II, (pp. 90-151) the author discusses the various Canaanite centres of worship, the sanctuaries, high places, and especially the famous sanctuary of Gezer. The chapter is of capital interest, as in it the author successfully discusses the very origins of Semitic and Canaanitish religion and religious architecture, with special reference to those of the other Semitic nations of Western Asia. In Ch. III, (pp. 152-204) he discusses the cult and worship of the ancient Canaanites, their gods, superstititions and religious practices and ceremonies which have been so vividly illustrated by the recent. excavations at Gezer, Megiddo and Ta'annak. In Ch. IV (pp. 205296) a most interesting discussion is devoted to the study of the ancient Canaanitish dead, and dead-worship, sepulture, funeral rites, tombs and offerings to the dead, in pre-Irsaelitish times. Here the biblical data play a very important part, especially in connection with the so-called Hebrew belief in a life after death and the dwelling-place of the departed. In Ch. V (pp. 297-360) a very original study is made of the history of Ceramic art in Canaan from the remotest ages down to the fifth century B. C., and a comparative study is instituted between the ceramic and decorative art of the Canaanites and that of the Hittites and the other peoples of Western Asia. In Ch. VI (pp. 361-426) the geology and prehistoric archeology of preIsraelitish Palestine are diligently and exhaustively treated. The last and concluding chapter (pp. 427-469) is, according to our judgment, the most instructive, and, to the student of ancient Oriental history, the most important chapter of the whole volume. In it the |