JOHN BARTON.
John Barton : a Memoir. By his Son, (the late) C. E. Barton. (Hodder and Stoughton. Ss. 6d. net.)—John Barton went out to India after graduating at Cambridge. He was chiefly concerned with education, taking up an appointment in the Missionary College at Agra in 1861. We hear a good deal about the relations between the Indian Government and the friends of education, especially in reference to the possibilities of religious teaching. The whole is a curious illustration of our own controversies on the same subject. The fanatical toleration—so to speak—of the Company's rule bad some strange developments. When Dr. Duff proposed (in 1830) to give a lecture to the students of the Hindu College, the authorities actually threatened to expel any student -who should attend! This was "toleration" indeed. In 1876 Barton returned to England, and, as he was compelled to give up the idea of renewing his work in India, accepted the benefice of Holy Trinity in Cambridge. Here he did some excellent work. He was the means of bringing Dr. Handley Houle to Ridley Hall, and he set an admirable example to his Evangelical friends by his loyalty to Church order. It is a deplorable thing to see Romanising additions excused by Puritan omissions. An Evangelical service sometimes shows a sad want of good taste, not to speak of good manners.
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