This treatise of Dr. Pond's covers most, if not all, of the important topics upon this subject, which need to be discussed. It is written in a clear, straight forward, unpretending style, and is eminently common-sense and practical in its suggestions. In treating of revivals Dr. Pond is moderate in his views, attempting to avoid extreme radicalism on the one hand, and extreme conservatism on the other. For example, on page 150, he says:

"Between these two extremes, and at a wide remove from either, there is a medium ground, on which the faithful minister will place himself, and where he may labor in promoting revivals with great success. Knowing that God works by means, and by appropriate means, he attaches a high and sacred importance to the means of grace. He labors to understand the truths and motives of the Gospel. . . . He studies the character of those whose salvation he seeks. . . . At the same time, he feels that he is a 'worker together with God,' and his whole trust and dependence are placed upon Him. He desires above all things to secure his co-operation and blessing."

And so in giving directions to inquirers, Dr. Pond would neither reiterate, "Repent!" nor "Employ the means of grace!" but would seek to discover how the Holy Spirit was working, and direct the inquirer in accordance with His suggestions.

Now that we have such a text-book as this, practical, evangelical, American, let it be introduced into our theological seminaries, and let young ministers be made masters of it, and the churches will have occasion for gratitude.

24.-St. Martin's Summer. By ANNE H. M. BREWSTER. Boston: Ticknor & Fields. 1866.

UNDER the form of a residence, with a couple of female friends in the South of Europe, the author gives us a sympathetic and appreciative picture of life and society in that ever fascinating region of the world. Naples is the centre of her observations and studies, which are surcharged with antiquarian, historical, musical, classical, artistic lore and sentiment. There is romance in it, and sightseeing; but it is not a novel or a book of travel. Much of it is a conversazione broken off and renewed to suit the convenience of its highly cultured participants. Some of these interlocutors show a remarkable literary memory: but we have known a few prodigies of this kind who seemed to have nearly the whole round of ancient and modern authorship at their tongue's end. There is valuable information in it, and an exuberance of delicate, sensitive, passion

ate description and criticism, all swimming in the delicious gold and purple of that lotos-land

"A beaker full of the warm South."

A good deal of practical shrewdness gives point to what else might diffuse itself into a dreamy transcendentalism. The thin vein of Romanism which here and there shows itself, will hardly do more than excite a smile among the unbelievers. This book shows much labor, not always concealing the tool-marks, and will make a pleasant summer day's companion.

25.-The Hebrew Lawgiver. By JOHN M. LOWRIE, D.D. 2 vols. Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication. 1865.

THE author has made a careful study of his subject in the direction of biographical exposition and religious edification, taking the biblical text for his guide. He attempts no critical work in this field, further than a popular statement of the general ground on which the authenticity of the Mosaic books is rested. In his somewhat extended preface, he tells us that his volumes were written before the beginning of the Colenso debate, into which he does not enter. He very minutely follows out the Pentateuchal history, bestowing much labor upon the leading topics involved. For the purposes which it contemplates, the work is useful. Its style is clear and direct. But what a magical power true genius can throw into language, Ruskin's descriptions of the death and burial of Aaron and Moses will show to any one who will read his glowing pages in conjunction with the chapters here devoted to these events.

26.-War of the Rebellion: or Scylla and Charybdis. Consisting of observations upon the Causes, Course and Consequences of the late Civil War in the United States. By H. S. FOOTE. 12mo. New York: Harper & Brothers. Boston: Williams & Co. 1866.

THIS book outlines the politics of the country for the last thirty years, and a perusal of it deepens our conviction of the depravity of man, specially of profound politicians. It gives much side light, and from a new quarter, on the causes of the Rebellion, showing that the Union had been in serious danger for several years before the war. The style is poor, much of it shuffling, more like that of the politician than of the statesman, yet the book is very readable from its sketchy character, touching the heads of great events and persons. It gives us a look at the Rebellion through Southern eyes, which is not unprofitable, and draws on our sympathies for the many whom the few led and forced so blindly into the

awful conflict. The work seems to be a candid one, and should have a prominent place among the partizan histories of the Civil War in its causes and management.

27.-The Shadow of Christianity: or the Genesis of the Christian State. A Treatise for the times by the author of the Apocatastasis. New York: Hurd & Houghton. Boston: E. P. Dutton & Co.

THIS is a book of five chapters: The Church: The Commonwealth The Pagan State: The Christian State: The American Republic. Under these heads there is a discussion of principles that lie at the foundation of civil government. The treatment of the theme is elaborate and staid, and the ideas are set forth in an abstract and seminal way. It is by no means a popular treatise, nor will it be likely to gain a multitude of readers, but those few only who do the labored reading and thinking and leading for the multitude.

28.-Christianity and Statesmanship, with kindred topics. By WILLIAM HAGUE, D.D., Author of "Home Life," "Guide to Conversation on the New Testament," etc. A new, revised, enlarged, and improved edition. Boston: Gould & Lincoln. 1865. [Second notice.] THIS Volume contains eleven essays, of which the first is on Christianity and Statesmanship, and the last on Christianity and Slavery. The first, based on an exposition of the Second Psalm, is a development and illustration of the fact that statesmanship has been almost uniformly hostile to Christianity. We think the author attributes altogether too much importance to this opposition in its relation to the comparatively limited progress which Christianity has made hitherto. He is equally at fault, as we judge, in the broad assertion that "There is ample ground for the position that the great reason of the limitation that has been set to the progress of Christianity, is to be found in that union of Church and State, which is a chief element of the grand apostasy." This position is hardly sustained by the history of Christianity in New England during the last two centuries and a half, where no such union has existed, as compared with the religious condition of England for the same period, from which our fathers were driven out by the persecutions of the state church, and where that proud and intolerant Establishment is still impregnable. An anti-Christian statesmanship and an unscriptural ecclesiastical establishment are only some of the manifold forms assumed by the universal and deep seated opposition of the world to Jesus Christ.

The last essay, on Christianity and Slavery, which is very elabo

rate, and contains a careful examination of all the important passages in the New Testament bearing on the subject, establishes, most conclusively and undeniably, the point, that compliance with the very positive apostolic injunctions would leave nothing but the faintest shade of a shadow of slavery, furnishing small justification of the things which were done in our sunny South in the years which are past.

In the essay on Christianity and the Turkish Power, we have a rapid and readable sketch of the rise of the Turkish Power in Europe at the beginning of the 14th century, and its growth till the appearance of the cloud in the North which burst out in the great Russian war of our own day. The author's residence in Constantinople for a time, gave him advantages in the treatment of this subject, which he has turned to account. Among the remaining papers are delineations of Wycliffe, Adoniram Judson, and John Quincy Adams, all abounding in interesting incident and broad scriptural statement. The style of some of the papers is better adapted to the ear of a popular audience, for which they seem to have been originally prepared, than for the eye of a critic. The thought, for the same reason, perhaps, is more highly colored in some instances, than a severe philosophy would approve.

29.-Spiritualism Identical with Ancient Sorcery, New Testament Demonology and Modern Witchcraft: With the Testimony of God and Man against it. By W. M'DONALD. pp. 212. New York: Carlton & Porter. 1866.

ANOTHER illustration of Solomon's saying, that there is nothing new under the sun. We think that the author fully establishes the startling proposition contained in his title-page. Modern Spiritualism is nothing more than the revival of an old imposture, and those who embrace it are either deliberate impostors, or the silly dupes of passion and fanaticism. This work was prepared at the request of the "Providence District Ministers' Association," and published under their sanction and earnest recommendation. It should be extensively circulated, and carefully read. Indeed, if circulated it is sure to be read, for the numerous facts which the author has collected and digested impart a thrilling interest to his volume. Is it not an exceedingly humiliating fact that in this day of boasted enlightenment, there is such a disposition to run after quacks and impostors of every description, and that true science and experience and wisdom are at such a ruinous discount? Can it be, that in highly educated Massachusetts, respectable people will turn their backs on a physician of thorough training and decided skill, and go to a

woman who knows more when she is asleep than when she is awake?

30. OTHER BOOKS RECEIVED. Family Prayers. By the Rt. Rev. HENRY W. LEE, D.D., of Iowa. E. P. Dutton & Company. Brief, varied, devout, pertinent.

Silver Mining Regions of Colorado. By J. P. WHITNEY. Van Nostrand.

The Freedman's Third Reader. American Tract Society, Boston. Shakespeare's Mental Photographs. Hurd & Houghton.

Cherry and Violet. A Tale of the Great Plague. By the Author of "Mary Powell." M. W. Dodd. Old English life and people of two centuries ago, reproduced with close verisimilitude and charming naturalness. The account of the great plague and fire in London is very thrilling.

ARTICLE VIII.

THE ROUND TABLE.

MONTHLY RELIGIOUS MAGAZINE. An article in the December number (1865) of the Monthly Religious Magazine, by one of its contributors, has attracted our attention, by the boldness and manifest inaccuracy of some of its statements. Our readers may

thereby understand better what liberal men, claiming to be conservative, think and say about evangelical truth and efforts. It is understood that this Magazine was established as a conservative periodical to meet and counteract the tendencies of the liberal party to extremes. If the Conservatives will say such things, what will not the Extremists say?

"Protestantism," we are told, "has ceased long since to make any gains from Roman Catholicism," and "Christianity itself has come to a dead stand in its conflict with Heathenism." Now, are these broad and confident statements in accordance with facts? No gains! At a dead stand! Then the reports of the various benevolent associations, in this country and in Europe, for the spread of Christianity, are not trustworthy, for they tell of many converts made from the ranks both of Popery and Heathenism. The Romanists have, by immigration particularly, greatly increased in the United States, but have they not diminished in the old world,