The Companions of St. Paul. By J. S. Howson, D.D.,
Dean of Chester. (Stmhan.)—Whatever Dr. Howson, whose learning and practical wisdom are always welcome, writes about a subject so familiar to him as the life and labours of St. Paul is sure to have a special value. The Companions of St. Paul were, in truth, a very remarkable body of men, representing as they did so many different phases of life in the ancient world. Barnabas, the Levite of Cyprus; Titus, the "half-caste Jew," as we may cal/ him ; Onesimus, the run-away Phrygian slave ; Apollos, the Alexandrian theosophist, are instances of the wide range of human interest which the life of this marvellous man comprehended. Dr. Howson deals with his subject in a very simple and effective manner, not making any attempt at fine writing, but certainly succeeding in being very attractive and readable. Let any one take as a specimen of his manner the account of St. Paul's companions at Rome, and mark how he contrives to bring out into strong relief, by help of their names—mere names, as they seem, till careful study makes them something more—the chief characteristics of the Apostle's prison life. Were one disposed to
captious, one might question the right of Felix to be called "a com- panion" of St. Paul; yet we should have been sorry to miss the chapter, which, indeed, is wanted to complete the subject on one important side. Another person, whom it would scarcely have occurred to one to include in the list, is the centurion, Julius, the officer in charge of St. Paul and his fellow-prisoners in the journey to Rome. Association, however, in a voyage and in a shipwreck makes out a good case of companionship, and here, again, Dr. Howson finds a good subject. Several of the chapters give the substances of sermons preached by Dean Howson in his cathedral, and they all contain a didactic element which is never obtrusive or wanting in taste. Altogether, the volume, though the author modestly says of it that it is " obviously quite superficial," is one which we can highly recommend.
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