16 AUGUST 1879, Page 26

The Freedom of the Truth. By Mango Penton, F.R.S.E: (Long.

mans and Co.)—The object of this book is to help those who are perplexed by opposing claims of religion and science. The writer contends for the claim of Christianity to rank as an experimental science. He thinks be can show it to be so. He proceeds to indicate the spirit in which this path of investigation Should be pursued, ea also the methods by which he conceives success may be realised. Whether or no this object has been achieved, Mr. Ponton's work contains a good deal of a particularly useful and suggest- ive character, which will Met some difficulties. We must believe that no effort, honestly made and earnestly followed up, to test the ground on which religious convictions are based, can fail to be, in some sense, rewarded.