Ta EOLOGY.—In the valuable series of "The Expositor's Bible" (Hodder
and Stoughton) we have The Epistles of St. James and St. Jude, by the Rev. Alfred Plummer, M.A. Without dealing with the more important matters of theology and doctrine raised, we may refer to the very sensible statement of the question of the lawfulness of oaths as it is involved in St. James's words (v., 12), and the related passage in the Sermon on the Mount. Mr. Plummer thinks that oaths imposed by lawful authority are not forbidden, and cites the reply of our Lord to the adjuration of the High Priest (itoptclCo: ore, says the High Priest, and our Lord, by replying, accepts the oath). if propos of this, we have an in- teresting table giving the analogies between the language of St. James and that of the Gospel. With regard to the resemblances between Jude and II. Peter, Mr. Plummer is inclined to regard the former as the earlier work. A well-reasoned passage on the bearing of various readings on the theory of verbal inspira- tion is well worth reading.—Reason and Authority in Religion. By J. Macbride Sterrell, D.D. (T. Whittaker, New York.)— Professor Sterrell briefly describes his volume as "Current Discussions of Contemporary Religious Themes and Thinkers." He is a catholic thinker, of what may be called the ortho- dox-liberal school, who traces various elements which we can find in the past, in the Christianity which is to satisfy us now. One of the best things in the volume is the comparison and contrast between the "Lux Mundi" view of the subject and Dr. James Martineau's. The value of the book is somewhat diminished by the technicality of the language.—The Weighty Charge, by the Rev. George J. Blore, D.D. (Longmans), is a volume con- taining five ordination addresses, and two appendices dealing respectively with "The Recognition of Historical Criticism of the Bible" and "The Apostolic Succession," the latter being a careful review of the facts relating to primitive episcopacy. Of the five addresses, the first deals more generally with the subject, the next three with "Diligence in Study," "Preaching," and "Pas- toral Work," while the last has for its subject "The Divine Com- raission."—The Master's Words to Women. By Mrs. James Martin. (Nisbet and Co.)—Doubtless there is a fair proportion of good sense in this volume, but this valuable quality is not uniformly present. The titles of the discourses or essays, with their ludicrous alliteration, " words " to "worrying," "widowed," "working." "weary," "waiting," "weeping," " wretched " women, have not been dictated by it.—The True Grounds of Religious Faith, by Robert Braithwaite, M.A. (Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co.), is an essay on Dr. Martinean's "Seat of Authority in Religion."--In Reasons for the Hope that is in Us, by the Von. Arthur E. Moule (Hodder and Stoughton), described as "Brief Essays on Christian Evidence," we have, of course, a very different standpoint assumed. "The Fact of the Resur- rection," in which the evidence is re-stated, the difficulties that are found in the study of the Bible, the question of a future life, are among the subjects discussed. Archdeacon Moule states with much force in his preface that the belief which he seeks to establish in this volume is an absolute essential in missionary work. He is himself grappling with the vast task of "persuading the Chinese to abandon their ancestral beliefs for the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ." The whole rationale of such an attempt lies in the persuasion that the divine claims of Christ are true. Messianic Prophecies. By Franz Delitzsch. Translated by Samuel Ives Curtiss. (T. and T. Clark.)—This was the last contribution of the great Biblical scholar whose name it bears to theology. It contains the substance of lectures which he delivered from his Professor's chair at Leipsic, and which after 1887 he put into the present shape. The correction of the proof-sheets was almost his last literary effort. "It is a depressing observation," says Delitzsch in his "Preliminary Remarks," "that Judaism has its strong support in modern Christian theology." The attitude of Judaism itself has somewhat changed ; in its hostility to Christianity, it is sometimes inclined to deny the Messianic char- acter of prophecies which have always been arranged under that category. We may especially mention "The Conception of Wisdom in the Proverbs," "The Great Trilogy of Messianic Prophecies" (Isaiah vii., ix., xi.), and "The Messianic Ideal in Deutero-Isaials." (It will be remembered that, in his later years, Delitzsch changed his views as to the authorship of the Book of Isaiah.)—The Foundations of the Bible. By R. B. Girdlestone, M.A. (Eyre and Spottiswoode.)—Mr. Girdlestone takes the con- servative view of his subject, referring by name or obvious impli- cation to Professors Cheyne, Driver, and Robertson Smith.— The Ministry of Catechising. By Bishop Dupanloup. Translated by E. A. Ellacombe. (Griffith, Ferran, and Co.)—Of volumes of sermons, we have received :—Sermons, by J. C. Louis Trial, Pastor at Nimes, translated into English by R. C. Faithfull (Clarke and Hodgson, Leicester) ; Balaam, and other Sermons, by the Rev. A. 0. Smith (Elliot Stock) ; Sunday Thoughts at Rosslyn Hill Chapel, by Thomas Sadler, Ph.D. (Essex Hall, Essex Street) ; We and Religion, by the late Joseph Leckie, D.D., edited by his Son (James. MacLehose, Glasgow) ; The Prayer of Humanity : Sermons on the Lord's Prayer, by H. M. Grimley, M.A.. (Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co.) ; The Blind Man's Creed, and other Sermons, by Charles H. Parkhurst, D.D. (R. D. Dickinson) ; and Notes of Sermons preached by Bishop Steere, edited by the Rev. R. M. Heanley, Vol. III. (Bell and Sons). —The Broad Church. By the Rev. H. R. Haweis. (Sampson. Low, Marston, and Co.)—Mr. Haweis is candid and plain-spoken. Whatever may be said of him, he cannot be accused of duplicity.. He goes as far as borrowing the language of Matthew Arnold in speaking of God. But he would add, we take it, what he calls the " affectional " element. The Power outside of us makes for the hap- piness of man, as well as for righteousness. Of the Incarnation he says that we may conceive of God " as capable of Divine manifesta- tion under the limitation of Humanity, but not of complete Human enclosure." So he goes through the chief doctrines of the Church, and gives what he holds to be the credible view of them. Many people, we doubt not, will think him grossly heterodox. Our own impression is, that though the book might be technically convicted of heresy again and again, it is substantially on the side of belief.. One of the most interesting parts of it is the account of the theistic speculations of John Stuart Mill.
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