15 FEBRUARY 1930, Page 32

A course of lectures on the religion of the Africans,

intended (we infer) for theological students, has been published by Mr. Edwin W. Smith under the title of The Secret of the African (Student Christian Movement, 88. 6d.. in paper cover, 2s. 6d.). Their publication is well-advised, as they certainly ought to reach a wider public. The author has a deservedly high reputation as a scientific ethnologist, and this book should do much to correct the popular belief that the pagan is necessarily irreligious. While we do not share his views on the nature of African Supreme Beings—Katonda, for example, is a recent divinity and, as we believe, not typical of Bantii religion—his exposition is nevertheless eminently fair and readable. He enters a wise caveat, moreover, against the reckless derivations of amateur philologists who are prepared to twist African words into Hebrew or other exotic shapes.