SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Under this heading we notice such Books of the week as have not bun reserved for review in other forms.]
The Book of Books. By Lonsdale Ragg, D.D. (Edward Arnold. 5s. net.)—Canon Ragg's "Study of the Bible," to give the sub-title of his volume, is an exposition of reasonable modernism. It could not have been written a century ago ; now it expresses what thousands of quite sincere believers are thinking more or less defi- nitely. It is a reverent and courageous attempt to meet difficulties which all thoughtful readers of the Bible must feel. A sample of his method may be given, the story which introduces Saul. Saul goes to look for the lost asses of his father. Baffled in his search, he is advised to consult a famous expert in such cases. But he says that he has no money for the consultation fee. His servant supplies the want; he can produce a quarter-shekel, some- thing less than ninepence. So far we have a common case : clairvoyant paid for exercising his gift. Such seers were common in the ancient world; there are parts of the modern world where they are common now. But this particular seer is something more. He recognizes the occasion and rises to it. Vistas open up to him in which Saul figures as the first king of Israel. The seer is developed into the prophet. The author of a Later time sees this : " He that is now called a prophet was before time called a seer."
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