16 APRIL 1870, Page 21

CURRENT LITERATURE.

Messrs. \V. H. Allen and Co. publish very opportunely a most interesting little volume under the title of the Brahmo Somaj, Four Lectures by Keshub Chunder Sen. Edited by Miss S. D. Collet. Of these four, two—that on "Jesus Christ" and that on "Great Men "—are already well known ; the other two are of more recent date, and are extremely interesting. " Re- generating Faith" presents us with the Indian teacher's views of the inner spiritual life after which he holds that man should strive. It is very instructive to see how he speaks of conversion in language closely resembling that which would be used by men who would certainly deny the possible operation of converting grace outside the limits of their own creed. The "Future Church," on the other hand, illustrates the eclecticism of his theology. We may take as instance what he says of the conception of a Trinity. There are great manifestations of the Divine Unity, " through external nature, through the inner spirit, through moral greatness impersonated in man." The corruptions of these are found respectively in idolatry, pantheism, and prophetism, by which last is meant the worship of great men. The " Future Church" is to keep each in its golden mean, and to harmonize them together. More particularly as concerns its development among hie own people, it is to unite the fundamental principles of the two great faiths of Hindostan, the contemplative life of Hindooism, the practical life of .Mohammedanism, and to effect this union under the influence of Christianity. We give these hints of Mr. Sen's views without com- ment, which, indeed, would be impossible within our present limits. But we think that our readers, after studying, as they certainly should do, Mr. Sen's volume, will agree with us that he owes more to Christianity even than he acknowledges, and yet his acknowledgments are of the largest.