the patristic and Medieval churches, in the Reformation, and the churches of modern Christendom.

Our first impression in reading the book was that in striking at the sects the author struck at all church organization. But afterwards the question forced itself on us whether, if every church must exclude all whom it believes not to be followers of Christ, the attempt to determine what doctrines and practices are consistent with true Christian character will not lead anew to sectarian divisions.

The scope of the book is to direct attention to the failure to attain unity by broadening and consolidating the organization, and to the as yet unappreciated power of the Spirit of God ever present in the churches and of the faith and love and light which come from Him, to give the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace. Congregational churches aim to reduce organization to a minimum, to carry liberty of conscience to its true limit, to present an open fellowship to all Christ's true disciples, to depend on the unity of the Spirit, and so put away the pettiness, and narrowness, and bitterness of sect. This is the principal, if not the only reason, which justifies the existence of the Congregational distinct from the other reformed churches. And in considering the grave problems which are urgent at this day, and to which this volume calls attention, we are confident that our strength and hope lie in a more thorough dependence on the Spirit of God which dwells with his churches through all generations, and on the influences of faith and love and Christian consecration, rather than in turning back to endeavors to broaden and consolidate the organization of the churches. The chief end for which a church exists is not to preserve its own purity of faith and life. A church or body of churches chiefly concerned for the preservation of its own purity, like an invalid whose chief object in living is to preserve a tolerable degree of health, is already sickly, feeble, and failing. Purity of doctrine and life are best preserved by absorbing energy in saving men from sin.

THE BIBLE DOCTRINE OF MAN.*-In the first lecture the author discusses the account of man's origin in Genesis, with particular reference to Biblical Psychology. In the second, he investigates

* The Bible Doctrine of Man: The Seventh Series of the Cunningham Lectures. By JOHN LAIDLAW, M.A., Minister of Free West Church, Aberdeen. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. A special edition for use in this country, imported by Scribner & Welford of New York city. 8vo., pp. 397. Price $4.20.

the significance of the words translated Body, Soul, and Spirit, in the biblical usage; also the significance of the words heart and flesh. The author examines the more important of recent contributions to the discussion of Biblical Psychology, and rejects the theory that it is founded on the Greek trichotomy of Body, Soul, and Spirit—“ Ruach (pneuma) and nephesh (psyche) denote the whole inner life or hyperphysical nature in man, and are freely interchanged throughout the Old Testament and the first part of the New." In their primary meaning, "spirit is life as coming from God; soul is life as constituted in the man." "This distinction gives color and propriety to their usage all along." "Their use up to this point cannot be held as giving us a philosophical analysis of human nature within the biblical writings... The purpose is only to present the one indivisible thinking and feeling man in diverse aspects, as these terms originally expressed man's life viewed from two different points. Between the production of the Old Testament writings and those of the New, a use of pneuma and psyche sprang up under the Alexandrian influence, which led some of the apocryphal writers and the seventy to suggest a philosophical analysis of man's nature-a trichotomy corresponding to that of Plato, although not identical with it." The use of these terms in the Gospels and by the original Apostles, was, as in the Old Testament, natural and real as opposed to analytical and philosophical. Paul adopted the trichotomy of the Greek and Græco-Jewish schools, but for the purpose of redeeming the Old Testament terms out of their hands for a new purpose. The trichotomy of the Platonising schools was intended to account for the subjugation of what is best in man to what is worst by assuming in his constitution a physical element essentially opposed to the divine. In the terms of the trichotomy, as derived from the Old Testament and used by Paul, there is no such taint. He uses them, rather, to express under the power of a new revelation the way of man's recovery. He substitutes πνευμα and its adjectives for the Platonic νους, because it is the Spirit of God who originates and sustains in man the new life. "Pneuma and psyche and their derivatives, thus assume under the influence of New Testament theology a new and enlarged significance. . . . . . Besides denoting the inner life in general with corresponding difference of emphasis, they denote a moral. and spiritual distinction. The psychical man is man as nature now constitutes him, and as sin has infected him. The spiritual man

is man as grace has reconstituted him, and as God's Spirit dwells in him." (pp. 68-74.) From this point of view the author discusses in the four following lectures the biblical doctrines of the divine image and man's primitive state; of man's nature under sin and death; of the Psychology of the new life; of man's nature in its bearings on a future life. An Appendix of 130 pages contains notes and two indexes. The work is able and valuable.

THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD.*-In addition to his professorship Prof. Steinmeyer held for many years the position of preacher to the university, which he resigned a few years ago on account of the claims of his professorship. The volume before us was primarily directed against the destructive tendencies of the writings of Strauss, who, as the author says, in the preface to this English Translation, has, in his last work, "The Old Faith and the New," 99 66 won a right to the thanks of the church that he made an end of all half-way positions and gave all concealment the coup-de-grace; that he showed by word and work the goal which every one who follows in his steps reaches and must inevitably reach." The author holds strongly to the atoning significance and sacrificial character of Christ's Passion. He says, "When preaching can no longer speak of the sacrificial death of Christ, it becomes not merely vain, it becomes altogether null and void and the office, of which this is the central theme, loses not only its raison d'être, but all and every possibility of continuing in operation." His spirit is evangelical. Of the Socinian theory of Christ's death he says, "This theory harmonizes with the scriptures as little as it does justice to the craving of the pious heart, which can rest content only with the confession,

:

"All our sins, Lord, thou didst bear,

Else had we sunk to despair."

His testimony is that on this subject the majority of modern writers have turned again to the traditional view and profess to find in it the only possible solution of the problem.

The work consists of two parts: the History of Christ's Passion, which, after an elaborate introduction, treats of "Jesus in *The History of the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord considered in the light of modern criticism. By Dr. F. L. STEINMEYER, Professor of Theology in Berlin. New edition specially revised for English readers. Translated by Rev. Thomas Crevar, M.A., and Rev. Alexander Cusin, M.A. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. 1879. Special edition for use in this country imported by Scribner & Welford, of New York. 8vo, pp. xii. and 398. Price $3.00.

Gethsemane," "The Sufferings of Jesus," and, "the Death of Jesus." The second part is the History of the Resurrection and of the several manifestations of Jesus after it. The treatment is learned and vigorous, both in suggestion and instruction, and evangelical in doctrine and spirit.

ENDLESS PUNISHMENT.*This is not designed to be an historical study of the modes of presenting and defending the doctrine in different periods. Its design is polemic, and that not in the way of argument against the doctrine, but in the way of throwing opprobrium on it. It is a selection out of the whole range of Christian writings in prose and poetry of the grossest, harshest, and most ill-considered representations of the doctrine. Of the twenty-eight authors cited, President Dwight is the only one who, in the passages quoted, treats the subject with Christian tenderness; and the author makes the impression that these passages from Dr. Dwight are the only ones in which the subject is so treated in all the Christian literature of past generations. From him he quotes the following: "There are, I know, persons who speak concerning it with an air of cool self-complacency, as being in their view easy of investigation and free from embarrassment. I am inclined, perhaps uncharitably, to give them little credit for candor, clearness of intellect, or soundness of character, and greatly doubt whether the doctrine has been investigated by them either to such an extent or with such a spirit as might furnish them with just views of its nature." They discourse of it in the phraseology, the style, and the utterance belonging to vehement eloquence, such as we often find attached to a strain of powerful invective and vigorous controversy, and terminate in awakening mere horror concerning the subject, and mere disgust at the preacher. Were such preachers to remember that at this very time they may be pronouncing the doom of their own parents, brothers, sisters, wives, children, and even of themselves, I cannot but believe that their modes of address would be essentially changed, . . and would become deeply humble, solemn, and affectionate."

He also quotes from Dr. Dwight the following: "God may punish sin as long as it exists, and it may exist forever. He who sins through this life, may evidently sin through another such period, and another and another without end. That while we * Endless punishment in the very words of its Advocates: by THOMAS J. SAWYER S.T.D. Boston. Universalist Publishing House, 1880. pp. iv. and 319.

continue to sin, God may justly punish us, if he can justly punish at all, is equally evident. No reason can be given why sin may may not be punished at any future time with as much justice and propriety as at present. That it may justly be punished at the present time cannot be denied, any more than that it is in fact punished."

In a brief appendix the author recognizes the fact that the gross and harsh passages which he has cited do not represent the modes of thought and expression current at the present day. Argument against a doctrine should be directed against it in the form in which it is now held by its advocates. It is a waste of strength to assault abandoned positions. On the whole, this book seems to subserve no useful purpose that justifies its existence.

MOZLEY'S PAROCHIAL AND OCCASIONAL SERMONS.*-Some of the discourses in this volume were delivered before Dr. Mozley had a parish, and others were addressed to a village congregation. They are brief, and in plain language. Yet those who are acquainted with his university sermons, and his elaborate treatises in theology, will recognize leading thoughts which these works present in a profounder form of discussion, and with learned illustration. The volume shows how solid instruction, with no tinsel rhetoric, can lucidly, and yet in an animated style, and with brevity, be presented to people of ordinary intelligence. These sermons are at once thoughtful and devout.

HAND-BOOK OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST.-This is one of a series of Hand-books for Bible classes prepared under the supervision of Rev. Marcus Dods, D.D., and Rev. Alexander White, M.A. This volume contains the entire life of Christ in six chapters. An analysis, directing attention to the prominent points, is prefixed to each chapter. At the end are thirteen pages of brief notes for teachers and suggestive questions for scholars. It seems to be well fitted for its purpose.

PRESIDENT MCCOSH'S TREATISE ON THE EMOTIONS is an attempt to supply a want which is generally felt and acknowledged. *Sermons Parochial and Occasional. By J. B. MOZLEY, D.D., late Canon of Christ Church, Regius Professor in the University of Oxford. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., 1879. For sale by E. P. Judd, New Haven.

The Life of Christ: by Rev. JAMES STALKER, M.A. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. New York: Scribner & Welford. pp. 151. Price 60 cents.

The Emotions. By JAMES MCCOSH, D.D., LL.D. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1880. For sale by E. P. Judd, New Haven.