TREOLOGY.—Doubt and Faith. By E. J. Hardy, M.A. (T. Fisher
Unwin. 6s.)—Mr. Hardy, who attracted many readers by his "How to be Happy though Married," was appointed to deliver the Donnellan Lectures at Trinity College, Dublin. He has been wise enough to use the style which he had before used with success. This was, it might be said, a new departure in apologetics. Homely illustrations, humour, plain speaking, telling anecdotes, are not familiar features in books of this kind. But the reader will find them here. He will find, also, a reasonable temper. That Revelation is progressive, that some of the Old Testament narratives are really parables, that prophecy refers to general principles and conditions, and that it is something quite different from prediction, are some of Mr. Hardy's first principles. We regard his book as a valuable contribution to its branch of Christian literature, not so much ror any novelty in its argument, as for the freshness and force of the expression.—A History of the Creeds. By the Rev. C. Callow. (Elliot Stock. 5s.)—Here, again, there is little that is new, but excellent method. Mr. Callow has sufficient learning for his purpose—and that is not an easy thing to acquire—and he uses it with discretion. The most use- ful part of his volume is, we take it, his argument about the age and authorship of the Athanasian Creed. The theory lately put forward with no little emphasis and confidence, that the Creed is the work of St. Vincent of Lerins, suffers not a little at our author's hands. As for the argument built on its re- semblances to the " Commonitorium " of St. Vincent, it is well pointed out that a yet stronger case might be made out for the authorship of St. Augustine. Theological phrases were common property, and the use of them goes a very little way towards proving authorship,—In the valuable series of " Early Church Classics" (S.P.C.K., 2s. Gd.), we have Bishop Sarapion's Prayer-book, translated from the edition of Dr G. Wobbermin, with Introduc- tion, Notes, and Indices by John Wordsworth, D.D., Bishop of Salis- bury; and The Epistle of St. Clement, Bishop of Rome, by the lien. John A. F. Gregg. Sarapion's Prayer-book belongs to the middle of the fourth century, and is a document of very considerable importance. It was found in one of the Mount Athos monas' teries. The Epistle of Clement is, of course, a well-known document, but much may be learnt from Mr. Gregg's intro- duction and notes.—In The Higher Criticism (Nisbet and Co., 3s. Gel.), Dr. Robert Sinker, a well-known champion of the conservative side in Biblical criticism, summarises the argument. He does this with moderation, and, as chap. 5, shows, he is not irreconcilable. He must be well aware that five-and-twenty years ago the statement on p. 115 that there are two stories of Creation in Genesis would have been received with the same hostility with which he now receives some of the conclusions of the critics. He seems, too, to use the word " fraud " a little wildly. Was it a fraud when the author of Wisdom called his book the " Wisdom of Solomon " P—The Ghost of Samuel, and other Sermons, by the Rev. F. F. Carmichael (Hodges, Figgis, and Co., Dublin, 3s. 6d.), may be recommended for their liberal thought and vigorous expression.
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