New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-06
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

HOLY CROSS A HISTORY OF THE INyENTTIopiNS;;
AN6 pIsA9r r HhHss s OF " TE
PRIME L. d. l2mO. pp. i43 A. d. F. Randolph NV
The peryading motive of this work is reVer-
ence for the and principles of Christian AMBIGUITY
as opposed TO the skeptical and destrueVNe eceu'
the spirit Of the present age The Protestant .heN, "
the opinion Of the author has suffered greatly Iro @
sssnmptiou that the modern Church since the Reorna
ton is in fact Church. and that all whch prcoeu
II in ecclesiastical history, from the times OF the Apostles
Ia corrupt and unworthy. The entire oody oil 'hu'o"
history ia thus consigned 20 the Greek ana fSoah YIN
munjons as a mass OF tradition, error, and Ha"u' "'
have lost the livcsof many martyrs VINO pfeseh'eu o
EXAMPLES of human faith and endurance because
other churches have called them saints ana made then
intercessors. Sti more, In our nosuh'y W ieii'' ~
relic wo ship in endeavors to substitute spH'"a ~
formal services. VIC have parted with much oi
tho sprit OF reverence for holy things Inc
yeneration OF the cross, as regarded by INC
spthor is not an act of superstition We are not 10
despi.e the men Of carly Christian ages because tney
assembled for prayer at the graves OF the martyrs "
turned their with loving reverence TOWARDS peoe
of wood which they believed to be the cross II was
great loss to the Church. Mr. P1newheh
q cave nm the symbols which from the days OF inc apps
tics had been the visible sign OF the Christian pehe
Bu: the loss thinks is now greatly repaired Inc uSo
OF the cross spires In churches, and worn rs Je"e
An GOLD or pearls precious stones Is not now INC sh
OF determination. It not supposed when iady
wears gold or jeweed that is worn as an anu
let but In all places it is recognized as "a simple
acknowledgment Of the faith once delivered 10 INC
saints IL is in this spirit that the author approaches
the theme OF the present volume describing the history
OF tn, finding Of the wood by the Empress Helena ana
It's influence on the fortunes of the Church during inc
middle ages Not that he is believer IN the genulheness
Of the dscoyery He has found no reason To ADOPT INC
faith whose r suits describes and unwilling 10 accept
those fragments OF wood the remains OF the true cross
san he feels himself bound TO add that there Is no'ns
10 prove the contrary. Bot whether they were go or
were not + not purpose of his book whch ains
10 illustrate tie effect of faith on the history OF man.
The wood of the which an object OF such pas
sionatc affection to whole Christian world was one
Of the most important objects in history No pyramid VI
Ecypt no AcropOlis. mound over the SIAM OH any
battlefield can be compared, hstorcat MONUMENT,
with that chapel the rocks from which the inolIer VI
Constantine the pieces of wood that were ater""
received as the cross Calvary by the nations 81 Europe
The details of the subject followed out by inc auo
with exactness and fidelity. He certainly writes WIN
degree of enthusiasm that not out OF place on theme
which appeals 70 fancy well as TO fact, ana olteh III
dulges in the suggestions Of religious hhagha'oh'
when more proslic mode of treatment would i 10 en-
kiude te synpahes OF the reader. His little DOCK mas
The sanity odor of one the old medieval hymns whch
enrich its pages and produces the same enect "a
Ing among tie groined arches OF cathedral ASSES