The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-07-14
LITERARY NOTICES.

n OOMfLEIE HISTORY OF THE CHRIS.
TAN RELIGION, TO A. D. 200, BY
CHARLES B. WAITE, A. II.
We are indebted to Judge Waite, the
author, for a copy of this able and
exhaustive work which is making no
little stir IN the field of religious histo-
~. The agitation begun by Strauss,
Renan and Colenso is deepening and
widening. Among the churches there
has been for twenty years an outburst
of bible study from the orthodox stand
point never before witnessed, while on
the other hand scepticism has address,
ed itself not only to the theological
questions involved but to historic doubts
with zeal and courage worthy of the
progressive age in which we live.. One
Of the results of this agitation is the
Revision of the Scriptures, and the re-
suit of all is an almost universal reiec-
ton. by intelligent minds, of cid or Or.
thodox Theology.
We had hoped to find time before this
to examine Judge Waite's work thor
oughly and to give it such an extended
notice as its merits deserve, but so far
we have been unable to do so, and must
content ourself for the present with the
outline sketch furnished by the publish.
ers. The book has already received ex-
tended and commendatory reviews from
the leading Chicago and other papers.
The publishers say:
The work includes the origin and his
tory of all the Gospels, not only the four
which became canonical, but those
which have been called apocryphal.
Accounts are given Of more than Forty
Gospels. Three of the most famous Of
the so called apocryphal gospels have
been taken up, and critical comparisons
with the Canonical Gospels, have been
instituted. for the purpose CT determin-
ing which were first written. 1t is be-
believed that this is the first time that
such comparisons have been made. The
extracts are given in parallel columns.
ana constitute an important feature of
the work: One chapter is devoted to
the lost gospels of the First Century.
Another, to the famous Gospel of the
Hebrews; III which is given every cita-
lion from 1t to BE- found in the works of
the fathers, and every fragment OF the
gospel which has been preserved.
The Gospel of Marci0n, compiled. A.
u. lbs, is reproduced, and is shown to
have preceded the Gospel of Luke, and
to have been the principal gospel then
in circulation.
Christian Writers. Sketches are CIV
en-, OF nearly 4 hund:e ed Christian writ
ers OF the first two centuries, with a
notice Of their works. Great pains has
been taken to assign a correct chrome.
logical position to each writer. -
Ut the earliest of these, the Apostolic
Fathers, full account is given. with
extracts from their writings. 49,
Miracles OF the First Century. There
is full history of the miracles and mir
acls.workers Of the first century, includ-
Simon Magus, and Appollonius of w.
ana, OF each Of whom an interesting BIZ
ography is furnished. =. .-..,' ;, :" +
Jesus Christ not a miracle-worker.
The silence of Paul, concerning the mir
sacles of Christ, together with the un-
certainty as to when the four gospels
were written. and the quite general a.
greement among scholars of all classes:
at the present time, that they were not
composed in the first century. induced
thorough examination of the subject
Of the miracles attributed to Jesus. with
the result above indicated. Il.
Doctrines. "A complete history Is Civ:
en-, OF the origin and progress. to the
year zoo. of the principal Christian doc.
trines OF that day. .:S..:=:5