National Republican., 1878-01-18

all of which he was what would now be
termed a radical, but what in 1s4o to 1850
was called q fanatic. His biographer has
clothed the book in most attractive dress of
language, but withal has drawn so largely
from the speeches and writings of Mr.. Smith
as to relieve the work from everything border
ing upon fulsome eulogy or hero worship. We
commend The Life of Gcrrit Smith" to the
young men of to-day as safe political primer
OF rare excellence.
A VALUABLE WORK. A commmentsry, criti;;
cal, explanatory and practical, on the Old and
D., st. Paurs, Glasgow Rev. A. B. FAussET,A. NJ,
ST Cuthbcrts, York; and Rev. DAVID BROwS u.
D., professor Of theology, Aberdeen. Hartford,
:. 3. scranton Co.
Milton says that "a good book is the pre-
cious life-blood ofa master spirit embalmed and
treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life,"
and we were fully impressed with this re-
mark as we glanced over the pages of the
valuable work whose title is inscribed above.
II consists Of two large octave volumes, COM
prising over fifteen hundred pages Of close
matter, and is illustrated with over two hun
dred valuable engravings, all bound In excel
lent style.
1t Is a scholarly and learned commentary on
the whole Bible, and Is a work Of great value
to clergy and laity, and for that matter to any
student Of Biblical history. We regard ii as
of eminent benefit to supcrintendents and
teachers of Sabbath.schools, so long as 1t is
their mission to expound the Scriptures and
educate the young mind in a correct knowl-
edge of the history and teachings of tho
Bible.
This compendous and comprehensive com.
mentary is not the product Of single mind,
but the result of the study and labor Of three
mastery intellects, which took each portion
of the Bible and applied their powers to an in
depreciation and explanation of them criti-
cally, practically, and cxpermcntally. This
work is more modern than any other Of like
character, and is enriched with the resources
Of learning based upon study, experience, and
observation, which is OF incstimabe advantage
to the Bible student. The proverbial rcputa-
tions of the Rev. Drs Jameson, Faucet, and
Brown, who have performed the labor of COM
mcntatiou, are q sufficient guarantee of its em-
incnt worth and reliability. These divines
are distinguished alike for their scholarly at
tainrnents aud Christian picty, facts which
give assurance of the fidelity and ability with
which their work has been done.
Certain features of these commentaries
strike US with peculiar force. They are
compendous and comprehensive, and at the
same time concise, learned, free from yer.
biage, and easily understood grouping to-
gcthcr in a practical and graceful manner a
vast amount of information that could not
| otherwise be reached except by laboriOus and
patient research through the labyriuths Of
history. The explanatory and pathological notes
make clear the meaning Of words which have
long since become in part or altogether obsc'
letc. and therefore changed in significance,
We notice also that they account for and ex-
plain certain discrepancies in history, "hro-
nology, and other departments OF Biblica
knowledge which had become more oil
less stumbling blocks ir the way of the Bible
student. They elucidate and explain passage,
of Scripture which have not been clearly un
derstood and readily apprehendcd. They illus
tntc the ideas and images used il the Scrip
lures, and explain the geography, natural his
tory, and antiquities Of Bible lands.
The numerous illustrations and maps, whicl
are the result Of artistic observation and study
render the work doubly valuable to the stu
dent. because of their strict fidelity.
Taken rs whole, We feel convinced, by
Somewhat careful observation of it's contents
together with the Concordance, that this com
dent now extant
Mr.. E. A. Barber will canvass this city for
subscriptions.