The Lord's Prayer, by C. J. Vaughan, D.D. (Strahan and
Co.) ; Words from the Cross and Thoughts for These Times, by C. J. Vaughan, D.D. (Macmillan.)--Dr. Vaughan has probably a wider influence than any other clergyman of the Church of England. He speaks of himself, and with truth, as being a man of no party, and he is assuredly re- spected by moderate men of all parties. He is not a leader in theologi- cal thought, but has pre-eminently the gift of teaching the average minds of a community. From his writings, then, it may fairly be judged what level popular theology has reached, the epithet being used in no invidious sense. Those who read the sermons referred to below with such an intention will receive the greatest satisfaction, and will rejoice in the wide popularity of such a teacher. The universal father- hood of God is the root of his theology. "In this one word lies revela- tion,—lies the Gospel. Jesus Christ stands upon the earth, and declares God a Father." And as to the universality of that father- hood, he says :—"It is in the universal that the individual finds its standing-place and its starting-point. Any limitation is fatal to the trust Human teachers may say, Repent and believe, and be sad, and then perhaps God may receive you.' Christ says, When ye pray,—when ye first begin to pray begin by saying, " Father."' " Dr. Vaughan is a theologian who holds the fact of the Atonement to be infinitely more important than any explanation of it, and is far indeed from making the acceptance of one particular ex- planation a test of orthodoxy. He even seems, if we do not mistake him, to deprecate attempts at such explanation. For our part, we cannot but think that researches into that doctrine have been as fruitful as any in modern theology. A sermon preached before the University of Cambridge, on "Exaggeration and Excitement," is especially to be com- mended to the attention of readers. We wish that we had space to quote from it at length.
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