The Doman See in the Early Church, and other Studies.
BY W. Bright, D.D. (Longmans and Co.)—Much of this volume has already appeared in print. The "Studies," however, are not the less welcome in this form. Professor Bright gives us only too little out of the great stores of his learning. The essay which gives a title to the volume occupies something less than a half. It is a very powerful reply to a work by the Rev. Luke Rivington entitled "The Primitive Church and the See of Peter." Mr. Rivington has been put forward, for want of a better champion, to assail Anglican claims, but, matched with Dr. Bright, he is indeed impar congressus Achalli. Whatever reputation he has was made by revivalist preaching ; for controversy he is ill-equipped ; his learning is sscond-hand and his scholarship imperfect. Imper- fect scholarship is indeed the most charitable way of accounting for some of his glosses. Imagine " Juxta cotuiuetudinem litteras ad omnes tu dirigas " being rendered "As thou shalt by letters according to custom, direct" ! It is true that this has been corrected, but scholars do not have to correct in such fashion. "St. Ambrose and the Empire" is a vigorous sketch of one of the noblest figures in history. A less pleasing aspect of Church affairs is presented by "Alexandria and Chalcedon." The other studies are "The Church and the 'Barbarian' Invaders," "The Celtic Churches in the British Isles," and "The English Church in the Reign of Elizabeth."
Previous page
