THEOLOGY. —The Psalms. By Alexander Maclaren, D.D. (Hodder and Stoughton.)—This
volume belongs to the series of the " Expositor's Bible," and is the third and completing instal- ment of Dr. Maclaren's Exposition of the Psalms. It takes in Books IV. (90-106) and V. (107-150). The writer is well acquainted with the conclusions of modern criticism ; while he occupies an independent position, remote from the extremes of conservatism or change. He does not occupy himself, however, chiefly with this side of Biblical study. He desires his work to tend to edification. This characteristic is prominent throughout.-27u3 Greek Tenses of the New Testament. By the Rev. P. Thomson. (S. Gardner Hill, Edinburgh.)—A careful study of the tenses of the New Testament, as, indeed, of any document, must be of value. At the same time it is quite possible to make too much of it. Mr. Thomson begins with the postulate that "the New Testament writers used the tenses of the Greek verb with a near approach to classical skill." On this basis he argues. We must accept his conclusions with any modification that it may be proper to make in his premises. The main portion of his volume is occupied with "a rendering of the Gospels with a special reference to the tenses." This, too, has a value ; but we are not prepared to accept all the changes which are suggested. We take as one instance, " Prepare ye the way of the Lord ; make his path straight ; " this is altered into " Proceed to make His path straight," because grozacirrare is aorist and IrOLETTE present. But is there any practical difference ? Why disturb the familiar words ? We are inclined to call this riding a hobby.----Words to the Laity. By Archdeacon Sinclair, (Nisbet.)—It will be sufficient to quote the author's sub-title. " Addresses and Papers on Subjects of Contemporary and Ecclesiastical Controversy," and to enumerate some of the themes discussed. "The Meaning of the Word Catholic,' " " The Meaning of the Word Protestant,' " " Schism," " Mutual Tolerance," " The Holy Communion," "Fasting Com- munion," are among the titles of the chapters. Archdeacon Sinclair expresses himself with vigour, sometimes perhaps with a touch of rather self-complacent confidence.—Two volumes of Sermons, dealing with topics of controversy, not theological or ecclesiastical, but social, may be men- tioned together. To discuss their contents in anything like detail would be to review pretty well every question that has been discussed by politicians for some time past. One would not like to say that such topics should nob be discussed in the pulpit ; but there is an obvious danger in the practice. " The Coward's Platform " is a name given to the pulpit, not without some reason. It is always a temptation to speak rashly when no answer, anyhow, no immediate answer, is possible. We observe, too, that the younger the preacher the more peremptory, the more dogmatic, the more "cock-sure" the utterance. The two volumes are Religion in Common Life, a course of sermons delivered at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields by various preachers (Elliot Stock), and The Church of the People, sermons preached at All Saints Church, Notting Hill (same publisher).—The Anglican Pulgpit Library, Advent-Christmas (Hodder and Stoughton) is another of the many volumes which make sermon-writing almost too easy for our new generation of preachers. One has to remember, however, what a vast demand is made upon preachers nowadays, how many dis- courses they are required to furnish, and how much higher is the standard which they are expected to reach. Here is a massive volume of the largest octavo size, and with between five and six hundred closely printed pages ; all this space is devoted to six Sundays and Christmas Day, with the two Saints Days that occur in Advent. Each Sunday is provided with a " Complete Sermon," "Outlines," with Lessons, Epistle, and Gospel, and has "Outlines" on other passages of Scripture, and some pages of "illustrations." All this matter is partly original, partly selected. Among the divines whose works are laid under contribution we find the names of Dean Stanley, John Keble, Horace Bushnell, Liddon, Scott Holland, M. F. Sadler, R. W. Jelf. The choice, it will be seen, is sufficiently wide.--We have also received Sermons on the Book of Revelations, by the Rev. Frederick Shaw (Macmillan), a volume of discourses, largely dominated by the spirit of F. D. Maurice. They will be found to repay perusal ; Sermon-Sketches, by the Rev. W. H. Hutchings (Longmans), a volume of outlines of sermons, adapted to the Sundays and great days, whether fast or festival, of the Christian year ; The Vision of the Apocalypse, by Thomas Lucas Scott, B.D. (Skeffington and Son) ; The Holy Spirit and Christian Privilege, by Thomas G. Selly (Charles H. Selby) ; Stepping-Stones to Life : a Series of Short Plain Sermons, by the Rev. J. George Gibson (Digby and Long); Sermons of Courage and Cheer, by Brooke Herford, D.D. (P. Green) ; Simon Peter : his Later Life and Labours, by Charles S. Robinson, D.D. (Nelson and Sons) ; Hereafter and Judgment, by the Rev. W. H. Tucker (Elliot Stock) ; and Unfailing Goodness and Mercy, by the Rev. J. Kirk Pike (Marcus Ward and Co.)
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