A History of Baptism and the Eucharist. By John Rawlings.
(Bennett.)—Mr. Rawlings takes his stand upon the broad principle that all ceremonial observances of any kind whatsoever are alien to the spirit of the Christian dispensation. Hence he is naturally, of opinion that no warrant is to be found in Scripture for either of the sacraments of Baptism or the Lord's Supper, which are, in fact, super- stitious observances of heathen or Jewish origin, by the introduction of which the purity of the Christian faith was corrupted at a very early date. He identifies Baptism with the purifications or lustrations which were the necessary preliminaries to a Jewish or heathen sacrifice, and finds in the Eucharist a representative of the religious mysteries of Pagan worship. While endeavouring to establish these views, Mr. Raw- lings aims further at producing a chapter of Church history which shall "give contentment to a truly Christian mind, if well informed in this department of history," and shall "come near the mark of excellence in the several points of fidelity, exactness, Christian feeling, and Christian truth." How far he has succeeded in this attempt is a point which we may safely leave the public to decide.
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