2 SEPTEMBER 1899, Page 25

SOME BOOKS OF THE IA EEK.

[Under this heading we notice such Books of the week as have not been reserved for review in other forms.] We have received two volumes of "The Oxford Church Text- books" (Rivingtons, is. each), The History of the Book of Common Prayer, by the Rev. J. H. Maude, M.A. ; and An Elementary History of the Church in Great Britain, by the Rev. W. H. Hutton. Both may be described as satisfactory summaries of the subjects with which they deal, the standpoint being, of course, that of the High Churchman. We are not prepared to agree in all things with the two writers—with Mr. Maude's expressed preference, for instance, for the Scottish ritual—but the books will be found generally useful; and Mr. Hutton's broad-minded recognition of the goad work of other schools than his own is very welcome. —The English Reformation, by the Rev. W. H. Hutton (same publishers), is the reprint of a lecture which has been delivered at various places. It has been severely criticised by Roman critics, and the author replies with energy. We are glad to see that Mr. Hutton takes obedience to the Archbishops' decision almost for granted. "Incense and processional lights " are "mere details of Divine service." That is good sense. But what about the zealous priest who aspires to guide all the parsons in the country, and tells us that incense is a matter de fide, with which no Church, let alone an Archbishop, has power to meddle ?