appeared before in Figuier's book, yet, as a series, they are very complete, and admirably illustrative of the creative eras.

Dr. Kinns has succeeded in showing that there is no disharmony in regard to order in the successive eras of creative operation. He gives the order of fifteen creative events as taught by science, and shows how it corresponds with that given by Moses.

He proceeds to prove that all these events happened in the Biblical order, with probable intervals of thousands, it may have been millions, of years between each; and in his scientific inductions he quotes Mr. H. W. Bristow, F.R.S., Director of the Geological Survey of England and Wales, as having examined the proofs of the geological chapters, and other well-known scientific gentlemen as corroborating human physiology, oriental antiquities, Assyrian tablets, etc., and a learned Rabbi aids him in the proper translation of the Hebrew words. With great perspicuity he arranges his facts and arguments, and treads the fields as if he thoroughly enjoyed the study, and was devoutly thankful to have reached his conclusions. However much Christian men may differ with him as to the question whether it is not rather perilous to put upon the Bible, as a revelation of divine truths to the religious heart of man, the burden of harmonizing with the exact sciences unknown to men then, and likely to imperil their understanding of religious truth, if enforced by scientific illustrations contrary to their then experiences of nature, it is certain that all will sympathize with the devout endeavour which Dr. Kinns has made. We earnestly wish that there had not been so many laudatory references to 'bishops,' 'noblemen,' and 'eminent men' in the opening pages, as the age of such anointings' is dead as Dryden, and departed, we thought, for evermore. The author has our hearty good-wishes for the wide circulation of his well-prepared volume.

WHY ARE WE DISSENTERS? By EUSTACE R. CONDER, D.D. Fourth edition. Being three lectures on the principles of Evangelical Nonconformity. London John Snow and Co., 2, Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row.

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This is a republication of a little work long out of print. Certainly, 'the number of Dissenters is not small who hold their principles lightly,' as Dr. Conder says; and it is well for our young people to be taught that our Nonconformity to-day is no mere accident of birth, but has its root in principles of allegiance to Christ in its political aspect, and in principles of Evangelical obedience as opposed to a system which finds a home for the sacerdotalism of Rome.

THE LAMB OF GOD: Expositions of the Writings of St. John. By W. ROBERTSON NICOLL, M.A. Edinburgh: Macniven and Wallace. Thoughtful-tender-truly suggestive, beautifully simple, and yet full of literary charm.

THE TRAINING OF THE TWELVE. By A. B. BRUCE, D.D. Third Edition, Revised and Improved. Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark.

We have had occasion before to refer in the very highest terms to Dr. Bruce's volume on The Parabolic Teaching of Christ.' His ability is seen in the fact that this is the third edition of a volume published first in 1871. The title carries with it the real burden of the book; and surely no subject can be more intensely interesting, to Christian teachers especially, than the study of the way in which the first disciples were trained, and so under discipline for the Apostolate. Dr. Bruce is familiar with continental literature, is truly Evangelical in doctrine and spirit, is most careful and scholarly in all his arguments and homiletic

teachings, and we can imagine no work more lastingly useful to all whose life-work it is to teach others. In all Christian households this will be an admirable volume for those 'quiet' hours which give opportunity for enriching the mind as well as inspiring the heart. We need a constructive scriptural theology, and Dr. Bruce is ably aiding this great end.

THE HOMILIST. REV. URIJAH R. THOMAS. Vol. I. Eclectic Series. London: W. Mack, 4, Paternoster Square.

When a periodical can print on its first page Vol. fifty-first from commencement,' it carries its own commendation with it. A year ago the present editor commenced his work in succession to his able predecessor and father, Dr. Thomas; and he has done it with great freshness and force. Some of the smaller etchings are the best, and free from the stiffness which characterizes some. What the editor calls 'Seedlings' and 'Breviaries,' contain the best things in the volume, such as Sins of Omission,' by E. Girdlestone, M.A.; A Characteristic Word of St. Mark,' by J. P. Gledstone. Taken throughout, however, it is a worthy fulfilment of its great aim to inspire preachers with living and quickening thoughts.

WEEK-DAY SERMONS. By R. W. DALE, M.A. London Hodder and Stoughton, 27, Paternoster Row.

The subjects of this volume are related to the Christianity of common life. We have sermons on Talebearing,' 'Unwholesome Words,' ‘Anger,' 'Cheerfulness,' 'The Discipline of the Body,' 'Amusements,' 'Summer Holidays,' 'Christmas Parties'-all capitally handled. The author says: "There is no reason why these Week-day Sermons should not be read on Sundays. If week-days are never thought about on Sundays, will not Sundays be forgotten on week-days? Would it not be well for every man to spend one hour on the first day of the week thinking over-not the business affairs--but the morality of the other six? Mr. Dale further suggests that as they are about every-day life, some readers may think them 'unspiritual,' and he adds: In the sense in which some good people use the word "spiritual," the Bible is in many parts extremely unspiritual.' We cannot read the preliminary chapter without feeling that we should like to transport it bodily' into the Evangelical, and perhaps we shall yet do so. It need scarcely be said that Mr. Dale does not ignore those higher elements of feeling which characterize spiritual life. God forbid,' he says, 'that I should depreciate those lofty acts of the soul in which it holds communion with the Father of Spirits, meditates on the love of Christ, strives to penetrate more deeply into the mysterious glory of His atonement for sin, and longs after every channel through which those streams of spiritual life and power can flow which have their springs in the living God.' This combination of true spirituality with every-day life religiousness of word and deed is the glory and beauty of Evangelical Christianity. This volume is full of wholesome words, and we most heartily commend it to all those who are gifted with common-sense in Christian thinking.

THE BIBLIOTHECA SACRA. Edited by EDWARDS AND PARK. London: Trübner and Co., 1883.

The articles on The Proposed Reconstruction of the Pentateuch,' and Positivism as a Working System,' are worth the whole price of the January number; and as the periodical is in its fifty-third year, we may remark that it bas lost none of its literary excellence and thoroughness. No Christian scholar should be without this learned review.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH BUILDING. Letters by REV. J. C. GALLAWAY, M.A. London: John Snow and Co., 2, Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row.

Mr. Gallaway has done such loyal service to Congregationalism by his able and energetic leadership in Congregational Church Building, that these weighty letters deserve careful perusal. They certainly fulfil the author's aim to help readers generally to a better insight into the true nature and bearings of the work itself, and to awaken such spiritual sympathy with it as will lead to its wider and more steadfast support.' From many remarks in these letters, we see that Mr. Gallaway has understanding of the times, and comprehends the need of the sympathy and good-will of all kindred institutions.

RECOLLECTIONS OF ARTHUR PENRHYN STANLEY. By G. GRANVILLE BRADLEY, D.D., Dean of Westminster. London: John Murray, Albemarle Street.

These pages are the record of a friend. They contain, in fact, a course of lectures delivered at the Philosophical Institution of Edinburgh. The subject on which I spoke,' says the author, was one of exceeding interest to myself.' Exactly! The consequence is that there is not a dull or dry sentence in the little volume, and it is full of interest to the end. There is much in it to stimulate to Christian service, and here and there it moves the very centre of the soul.

DICTIONARY AND CONCORDANCE OF BIBLE WORDS AND SYNONYMS. By ROBERT YOUNG, LL.D. Edinburgh: George Adam Young and Co.

This is a volume which exhibits the use of ten thousand Greek and English words occurring in upwards of eighty thousand passages in the New Testament, so as to form a key to the hidden meanings of the Sacred Scriptures. Surely every minister or student of the Bible will be glad to avail himself of such a monument of toil as this work, by the author of the well-known 'Analytical Concordance to the Bible.' It is given to few men to exercise the scholarly patience and research needed for such a dictionary as this.

EARLY DEATH.-What is this voice to us?' says Bonar of the early death of M'Cheyne. Only this much we can clearly see, that nothing was more fitted to leave his character and example impressed on our remembrance for ever than his early death. There might be envy while he lived; there is none now. There might have been some of the youthful attractiveness of his graces lost had he lived many years; this cannot be impaired now. It seems as if the Lord had struck the flower from the stem ere any of the colours had lost their bright hues, or any leaf its fragrance.'

HAVE you ever thought of the life of a child? Why, the life of a child is a perfect life of faith. That little child, what can it do? Why, that little child could not find its way to the street-end and back again. It would be lost if you trusted it alone. That little child could not find the next meal. If you left that little child it would die of want. That little child could not furnish a shelter for its own head to-night; and yet, has that little child any fear about it? Has that little child any sort of alarm about it? Not at all! How comes it that the child's life is the happy life it is? Because, instinctively and beautifully, it is a life of faith.-S. Coley,