29 JUNE 1895, Page 10

Christus Imperator. Edited by Charles William Stubbs, D.D. (Macmillan.)—This series

of "Lecture Sermons on the Universal Empire of Christianity" is, naturally, one of very varied merit. Some of them put the case as effectively as could be desired. Nothing could be better argued than the case for religion as a necessity in morale as it is presented by Mr. Llewellyn Davis in " Christ in the Realm of Ethics." He makes excellent use of Professor Huxley's declaration repudiating evolutionist ethics. He refuses to accept the view of those who are content to take Christ as the greatest, or possibly the greatest, of moralists. Christ is the Divine Person, who helps not by precept or example, precious as these are, but by a living will. Canon Fremantle's " Christ in the Realm of Politics" is interesting and instructive, but he would have done well not to condescend upon particulars. We do not like the Protectionism of the United States or the policy of the Silver Kings, but it would have been better to keep these illustrations out of a sermon. Canon Itawnaley is eloquent in his " Christ in the Realm of Art; " but surely there is some wild talk in it. " The man who made Giotto his sculptor's tool or paint-brush made it from first to last," whereas now half-a- dozen men make it between them. " The sin of industrial and art- producing England is finding us out." Of course there are evils in the division of labour, as there are in the specialisation of knowledge. But there are compensations, and a preacher does far more harm than good when he dogmatises in this fashion

The shrewd men of the North who listened to this discourse must have thought or muttered, " Unpractical." Mr. J. B. Heard says some strange things about law, and draws a comparison between Greek and Latin theology much to the advantage of the former. Much surely might be said for the other side, that the sober practical genius of the West has done more for theology than the subtlety of the East. Dean Kitchin discourses on " Christ in the Realm of History," Mr. Bartlett on " Christ in the Realm of Philosophy," Mr. Brooke Lambert on " Christ in the Realm of Science," and Canon Barnett on " Christ in the Realm of Sociology," while the editor introduces and winds up the whole subject.