Morning journal and courier., 1880-04-29
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.

Discussions in History and Theology" by
 George P. Fisher, D.D. LL.D., Professor of
 Ecclesiastical History in Yale College, is a ool-
 lection of notable essays upon important and interesting topics. Professor Fisher in his
 preface classifios most of these essays under three heads. The first group, beginning with
 the second essay, comprises papers which re-
 late to the history, polity and doRmas of the Roman Catholic Church. The Church of Rome has lately undergone two changes of
 great moment in it's loss of the principality
 which the Pontiffs had ruled for thousand
 years, and in the defining by conciliar decree
 of the infalibility and supreme "power of ju-
 risdiction" of the Pope. These new aspects
 of the Roman Catholic system, in their histor-
 ical relations, and iu their bearings On religion
 and civil society, are among the topics con-
 sidered. How the genius and religion of an
 cient Rome reappear in characteristic features of Latin Christianity is the subject of one of the discussions In this group. The second group of essays relates to New England the ology. The character of the movement in which Jonathan Edwards was the pioneer,
 and the peculiarities of the leaders of the New England school, are impartially de-
 gcribed. The Unitarian branch of the 1elig- ious history of New England is considered in paper on Charming. The third division pertains to Theism and Christian Evidences. In the essay on Rationalism the defining
 characteristic of the rationalistic theory, and it's radical assumption, are pointed out, and
 place is vindicated for the principle of authori-
 ty in religion. The discourse on Atheism in
 dicates points of argument which appear to
 the author to constitute valid grounds of faith
 in the personality of God. The review of
 Supernatural Religion examines the most
 noteworthy reproduction, in English literature,
 of the modern attack made by the Tubingen
 criticism upon ths genuineness of the canon
 ical Gospels-
 Among the essays not included in this class
 iication one has for it's object to trace to it's
 origin the Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve,
 and to sketch the rise and progress of the civil
 wars in France, down to that epoch 8 second aims to set forth the history of the doctrine of future punishment in the Ohurch-in par ticular, the opinions and arguments of modern
 theologians on that subject; third describes the position taken by the Church of England in reference to other Protestant Churches, in the age of the Reformation and subsequently,. In the essay last mentioned the relations of the Protestant leaders to one another in the different European countries, in the sixteenth century, are incidentally exhibited.
 Like all of Professor Fishers writings, these
 essays are chsracterized by great learning and
 ability, fairness, and clearness of thought and expression. The style in which they are written is attractive and they are pleasant and profitable to read. Published by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, and for sale in this city by Judd the bookseller
 Number eight of Good Company opens with story by Mrs. Rebecca Harding Davis, which is not lacking in her usual vigorous touches. The other stories are sA Tale of 1 the North Shors' and 'sNot in the Ourricu- ! lum," both from new contributors. Barber | ry Island of the last number is followed by ''Ths Schoolmistress on Barberry Island, '
 equally attractive in quaintness." readable paper on ''Archsry as It Is'' is by Maurice | Thompson, the well-known authority on this i subject. E. s. Gilbert contributes one of hi | fascinating articles, entitled Spring Flow