THEOLOGY.—Different Conceptions of Priesthood and Sacrifice. Edited by W. Sanday.
(Longmane and Co. 7s. 6d.)— In this volume we have the report of a Conference held at Oxford in December, 1899, between the representatives of various schools of thought in the Anglican Church and what are commonly called the Orthodox Dissenters. The editor sums up the results in his preface. These results consisted, we may say, in the clearing away of mis- conceptions. No one expected change of opinion ; but the discovery that different opinions were not so far apart as their holders thought is an object which it would be worth much trouble to attain. This, too, is well worth noting. " I am not sure," writes Professor Sanday, " that the most impressive feature in the Conference as a whole was not the persistent effort on all sides to give to the doctrines or practices contended for a moral meaning, and not only a moral meaning, but the very highest and most Christian meaning attainable." On the utterances themselves, as reported here, we do not propose to dwell. They must be taken as a whole. But all interested in the theological controversies of the day are bound to study the volume.—We cannot but feel that a perusal of it, had it been possible, might have modified some of the statements in The Ritualists, by Walter Walsh (J. Nisbet and Co., le. 6d. net). It must be confessed, however, that it is much more difficult to put up with innova- tions and illegalities in ritual than with extravagances, even more significant, in preaching. And there are a number of shallow, not to say silly, persons who seem bent on doing things which have neither authority nor intrinsic desirableness, simply because they are Roman. Mr. Walsh undoubtedly makes some points, quotes some utterances which need explanation, and mentions acts which can hardly be justified.
The Text of the New Testament. By the Rev. K. Lake. (Rivingtons. is.)—This is one of the series of "Oxford Church Text-Books." It is a very excellent piece of work, a model of really lucid and concise exposition of a very complicated and difficult subject. Mr. Lake describes in succession the great Uncial Codices, speaks more briefly of the Cursives, and then proceeds to deal with the Versions and with the Patristic quotations. He is inclined to accept the textual theory of Westcott and Hort, but thinks that they have not said the last word on the subject. One thing is quite clear, that he brings an unprejudiced mind to the consideration of the subject. No more serviceable manual of textual criticism is to be found.
The Great Rest-Giver. By William Haig Miller. (R.T.S. 2s. 6d.) —The writer speaks of various faults and weaknesses of human nature, and describes how the troubles which they cause may be removed by Him who said : "Come unto Me, and I will give you rest." Every lesson is illustrated with examples from life, and the collection may well be found instructive and useful.
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