The Church of the First Days. Lectures on the Acts
of the Apostles. By Dr. C. J. Vaughan. Vol. I. (Macmillan and Co.)—This volume in- cludes the first eight chapters, and is entitled "The Church at Jerusalem." It is to be followed by two others, "The Church of the Gentiles" and "The Church of the World." As the Doctor tells us that he "aims only at awakening an intelligent interest in a particular book of Scripture," and appeals only to "ordinary readers," he seems to be conscious that these sermons are scarcely worthy of him. Why inferior matter should be considered good enough for "ordinary readers" we do not know. We should have thought it batter fitted for extraordinary readers. Probably Dr. Vaughan finds that people will buy even his inferior sermons, but that is surely no excuse for publishing what he feels to be below the mark. In days when we are perfectly swamped with good level com- mon-place, the world has a right to expect that men like Dr. Vaughan will maintain a high standard of literature.
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