The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-05-12

Woriu pleasure since ne began bis honor
able career.
PRESsENsE's ANCIENT WORLD AND CHRIS
TIANITY."
The ANCIENT WORLD AND CHRISTIANITY. By
e. DE Pressense, d. d. Translated by
Annie HARDWOOD Holmden. 8vo. 479 pages.
Price $1.75. New York: A. O. Armstrong
& Son.
1t seems an impertinence to dismiss such
a valuable book as this with a simple notice.
1t deserves an extended review and copious
extracts, and we trust that on some future
occasion we can make some such use of it in
favor of our readers. Suffice it now to say
that this work of De Pressense is one of
great value and rich in learning and elo-
quence. The author considers it impossible to
enter intelligently into the history of the rise
and progress of Christianity without taking at
least a preliminary glance at the antecedent
moral history of the ancient world. He rec
ognizes this fact the more strongly as there
is at the present time school which disputes
the originality and distinctive character of
Christianity. In order to bring into full view
the contrast between Christianity and the
ancient world, its social life, customs, and
philosophy, we have this portly octave. No
one can even turn over its pages without dis
covering the thorough analysis of the author
and the wide sweep of his learning.
The work is divided into five general de-
partments: ~ The Ancient East. (2) The
Religious Development of the Oriental Ar
vans. (3) The Religions of India. az Hell
lenic Paganism. (5) Greco Roman Pagan
ism and its Decline. Under each of these
general divisions, De Pressense gives a COM
prehensive review of the religions of the an
cient world and the oriental PHILOSOPHERS.
The last chapter of his work is devoted to a
survey of the pagan world at the coming of
Christ. In reading this chapter, after Canon
Farrar's famous introduction to the EARLY
Days of Christianity" even; the most careless
reader will discover the degradation from
which Christianity has now lifted the nations
Such volume as this we would recommend
to preachers who are infatuated with the
idea that Christianity is simply an evolution
lied religion. That it is "the power of God
unto salvation" is made clearly evident from
all that we know of the history of the ancient
world. Given the ancient world and all its
religion and philosophy, it is not possible to
secure Christianity as itsi product. AS De
Pressense says, in the closing sentence of the
work: " Whether man will have it so or not,
the cross of Christ divides two worlds, and
forms the great landmark of history. 1t in
terprets all the past; it embraces all the fu-
ture; and however fierce the conflict waged
around it, it still is, and shall be through all
4ha 10, &c. ~
THE HEART OF MERRE ENGLAND. By Rev.
James s. Stone, d. D., Philadelphia: Por-
ter d Coates. Price $1.50.
Books of travel are multitudinous, and it
would seem that the American press issues
more than the demand would warrant of vol
umes of travel in Great Britain. Many of
these are only elaborated guide-books and
carry the reader over familiar ground. The
present work differs from such books in
bringing together sketches and reminis-
Guided portions of the country districts of
England. 1t has an antiquarian and rural
flavor, which makes it very pleasant reading.
1t is well entitled "The Heart of Merrie
England" for it gives us descriptions of re-
mote and untraveled districts of the counl
try, with many pleasant glimpses of the iso-
lated and ancient communities of centra-
England "The Village on the Stour," A
Town in the Chilterns," "Thame" and
" Edgehill" are chapters which take the
reader into places not often traversed by the
summer tourist. Oxford, Canterbury and
Stratford- are more frequently Wis
tied, but even in these chapters DIR. Stone
strikes out for himself independently of the
guide-books, and gives us sketches which
cannot fail to interest those who love Eng
lish history, its antiquities and its rural life.
The volume is a charming one and is among
the half dozen books on England written by
Americans, which deserve pre-eminence. In
the description of the cathedral towns. the
writer's sympathetic utilization with the An.
gliean church and its history, renders these
portions of the volume particularly attractive
and valuable.