A Brief History of Methodism, and of Methodist Missions in
South Africa. By the Rev. W. Clifford Holden. (Wesleyan Conference Office.)—Though much has lately been written on the origin and development of the Methodist Church, yet this short sketch of its remarkable history will be found useful by many who have not the opportunity of reading more elaborate works. Mr. Holden claims that he has not written in a polemical spirit, but for our part, we should have been glad to find in him a more generous feeling towards the Church of England, and to have received from him a more charit- able, not to say fairer, estimate of the past relations between that Church and his own. A time will come when Ephraim will not envy or bear a grudge against Judah, and when Judah will not vex Ephraim, but its coming is not much helped forward by books of such a tone. Mr. Holden's history of Methodist Missions in Africa, and especially of his own arduous labours in that field, is very interest- ing. It is especially gratifying to find that converts in Africa dis- play, and in some cases very remarkably, the true missionary spirit, —a sure pledge of the future success of the Gospel in those lands.
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