The New York herald., 1874-11-23
LITERATURE.
ALife Of Christ for the Young.

DR.. Joseph p Thompson, OF Berlin, has ready for
the presto be published by J. k Osgood Co.,
OF Boston-a work upon which he has been en-.
gagged for The past two years, and which really Is
the product OF the studies and travels OF thirty
years. Its title is .Jesus OF Nazareth: the Story
sof His Life for the Young.r II Is not an attempt
TO tell this story chids talk for little children
there are enough OF sucn books already-out to
give TO youth, from say twelve years upward, such
a view OF the life OF Cnrisr as shan forestal them
against the objections raised by strauss Renan
/ and their school. Such objections the rising gen.
GRAFTON will be certain TO encounter, and the
surest antdore will be q clear and post tive convc-
ton OF the reality Of the life OF Jesus as
gwen in the four Gospels. 1t is the aim OF this
book to make that impression-to set the life
In It's natural surroundings or scenery, geo.
graphy, history, manners and customs. &C., so
sharply and strongly that II shall be felt 10 be real
and true. The author has had IN mind the ditrcul-
ties raised by negative criticism, and has written
SO as to ooviate these from the positive side with
out formally stating them or entering into con-
troversy. The style Is simple and easy, even for
where the subject calls for depth Of thought and
precision OF statement and American youth
trained in the knowledge OF the Bible win have
trouble on that score. Some parts OF the work are
pictorial in their description OF scenery and places,
and the book will instruct the young IN the geog-
raphy OF Palestine and in the manners and Gus
toms OF the Jews.
While firmly holding to the supernatural In tn e
life and works OF Jesus, Dr.. Thompson does not
force miracles TO do service In meeting difncuties
where the Gospels themselves do not speak OF q
miracle-as In the star OF the wise men. So too,
while believing In the divinity OF Jesus, he does
not force rhis'in as q theological dogma where The
Gospels themselves do not hint &C the divine. In
word, the book aims to make the life OF Jesus
actual, so true and so naturally self.consstenr
that the young reader, filed with the reality of
what He said and did, VIII say ar thu close, Truly
this was the Son of God.'
The whole work mas been read chapter by chap
ter select circle in Berlin, composed OF youths,
OF parents and OF critical scholars, American, Eng
llsh and German. young miss was willing to
cut short her school vacation rather than lose one
OF these readings; and an educated German, some
what tainted win the views OF strauss said, al
continue to attend these readings shall become
believer in spite OF myself. and just because the
author Is not trying to make one OF me-"
Subjoined are few extracts from this forthcom-
ing BOOK which is likely TO arouse great attention
among the tneol0gans or Europe, and which Will
assuredly do mach to strengthen tie iatn OF those
well meaning though undecided persons who are
still halting between two opinions touching the
divinity OF Christ
The following Is description OF Mary after her
babe had been blessed by Slmeon:-
AS Mary turned to go down the steps OF the
Temple with the consecrated child in her arms we
may well imagine tnat sne mad In her that
wonderful look which Raphael has gwen her, IN
the picture oi the sistine Madonna, in the gallery
/ at Dresden, which IS known all over the world by
I copies, engravngs and photographs. She saw
nothing OF the spendors oI the rempe-lts SHINING
walls o marble. It's gllttering gates OF brass, OF
SILVER and OF god, It's rows OF lofty pillars carved
with branches and rowers, and tnat wondrous
golden vine twlned over the great porch, with
clusters OF jeweis sparkling under It's leaves; she
saw nothing OF tne palaces and gardens that lay at
I her feet across .he ravine from the temple gate;
nothing OF the aqueducrs and ountains, the tLou-
sand cupolas, lAe tents, upon the house tops. the
lem the JOY or the whole land; she saw nothing
even OF the beauty OF the earth and the sky, the
10 roll away in billows westward to the sea,
southwark to the desert, eastward to the Jordan,
the valley oI the Kedron blossomlng below nothing
OF the earthly, pothing OF tue human did Mary
love- Deamlng with hope, she came forth rom the
sanctuary where she had given her cnild TO God:
but as she looked toward Bethlehem she seemed to
step upon the clouds and TO surrounded with
choir OF cneruDs greeting the cherub In her arms.
pang OF mothers grief passed over her, and her
eyes melted at the thought OF the sword that
should smlte his head and pierce her SOUL
But in the same instant there shone rom the
eyes OF the child light as from heaven, chasing
ali pain and sorrow and sin , away; oow o. mercy
reaching over the world and time. to end In an
infinite Joy.
Here is a picture Of the lost boy that Is set In
the customs OF Eastern travel:-
The parents OF Jesus were rict In the duties OF
their religion, and hence they went 70 Jerusalem
every year the feast oil the Passover; ana when
tnem At sucn tunes Jerusalem was crowded to
excess; every family In the city opened It's doors
want OF room in the houses many visitors were
obliged TO sleep in tents, 30 that the suDurDs Of
meeting. me- Tne people from the county came p up
TO tue least ia caravans; all the neightors In
village, and sometimes all the inhabitants OF
disrr
pany, because this was so much safer and
cheaper than TO go alone. they enlivened the way
Baca into we'll" The greater part wou.d go
foot, others upon asses, horses or camels, which
were also used to carry the tents, baggage and
provisions. of course such large BODY would
move slowly and could not 90 many miles IN day.
oil an army. IL is the custom IN the East Tor
caravan to begin Its journey ABOUT noon, and to
the frss day naltnR so as to make sure tnat MOTH
ting Is missing and tnat everything - 10 order ior
Al the close Of the feast everybody was in
hurry to start FOR home. and Joseph and Mary
busy getting taelr sangs together they did not
mss Jesus until they had started, ana then
they supposed OF course tina. ne was ra, some,
snoud find him at the end OF the
days Journey when would 50 soon on oe ] oyer; Jesus
and there were so many relatives and acquaint-
anccs rom Nazareth IN the party tnat his parents
q couple of hours the caravan came TO nalt, and
they hunted Tor nm among their friends and could
not nnd him. There was but one thing lor them TO
do, and that was TO hurry back TO Jerusalem; and
they turned about with iear and sorrow, search.
ing Tor along the waysde, IN the streets OF the
city, at the quarters they mad just eit and wher.
ever they remembered to have taken him. or
thought It possible that ne could have wandered.
They asked every BODY they met but one bad seen
their boy they enlisted friends to help them IN
their search, INT NOBODY brought them any
tidings. The city was still very crowded. the
streets were fnll 0; confusion and hurry from the
breaking up OF the FEAST and every nour added to
their lear that some evil had happened 10 their
child. Mary was 50 troubled that sne could
neither eat nor sleep. Sue never before knew
how much she loved her boy. Could II be that the
angels rad forgotten him, and would leave nlm TO
some dreadful fatey Had ne been saved from the
cruel Herod by tnat long nignt into Egypt ony now
TO be crushed to death IN the crowu TO be stolen