New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-31
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

by the Rev. Edwin Munsell Bliss. Ios, oN"
Up. viii, 66l and GO. Funk Y Wagnalls'
. We can heartily commend these handsome ana eN-
haustvc volumes They are valuable storehouse OF
facts concerning the organized work OF CHRISTIAN
missions and the countries in which TINS WORK ~
carried on The bulk of the volumes is made up OF
articles alphabetically arranged as In other encycio
paedas, embracing every conceivable SUBJECT relas
20 missions beginning with "Aana" mission station
in Samoa and ending with Zulu Version These
articles of course are of all lengths, from line to
forty or fifty pages. depending the importance Oh
the subject and were all written especially for this
work by special writers, who have spared no pans 10
make the work accurate, Trustworthy and up 10 oa'e
Accessory TO these articles gazetteer OF MISSION
stations, biographical sketches Of missionaries, COM
pletc list of Bible versions which have been mane
for missionary use articles special topics closely
related TO the work of foreign missions, maps, ap
pcndces OF photography and statistical tables OF all
the mission societies OF the world, ana coplouS
indces.
In his PREDATORY explanation Mr. Bliss, who, by the
way, is member OF the wellhnown missionary bhss
family, says: 1t became early evident that 10 ac
complsh so much minutiae must give place 10 per-
spcctive However fascinating the details might pe
thew must constantly be used merely as Illustrations
To do more would not only have so enlarged It's extent
as to make the book unwieldy. but have blurred the
distnctness the impression that 1t has been Sought
10 give Thus in the accounts OF the socleues ana
missions both at home and abroad is largely the
history Of individual men and women. Those who
have stood at the helm and guided these great 0rgan
zations were and less missionaries than those
who have gone to the foreign field yet to even mention
fhe names of all, within the space allotted, would
have almost made the work a mere chronicle. 30
Of the countries and stations. the and religions
Tho effort has been TO give 50 much OF geography,
history etc. as would framework for the
pictures Of missionary work and spiritual need WIN
regard TO the biographical sketches it became evident
very early that it would lie necessary to draw the line
sharply to exclude the living and that 10 mention
ALL even Of the dead, would be impossible
1t will be readily understood that many other dill
cult questions of detail up for settlement
There were for instance, the questions what special
topics relating 10 missions to treat 1t being Impossible
10 treat them all how best to present. the great mass
of confusing statistics; how TO make the general
index at once complete and concise; what system W
ADOPT in the sIellng of foreign names, ana now 10
tabulate missionary societies whose corporate names
are unfamiliar to the general public. Without enter
ing into details 1t is sufficient to say that the editor
has shown good sense and discretion in his treatment
OF these matters. His aim has been to present the
facts TO the reader as clearly and succncy as possible
rather than air his knowledge or acheVe ue oouDr
ful virtue of an ideal consistency. The article ON
Africa is an excellent example OF the merits Oh tnc
work II consists oil twentyslx pages of leterpress
different regions Of Africa five Of which arc douDe-
page maps These maps not taken out OF some
old atlas but give the latest and most &C
curate geographical divisions Of that continent So
also the article gives succinct account of the people
OF Africa and their religious and political connuoh.
Ii should be mentioned perhaps, that the accounts
of tho work done ly the various societies were with
a few exceptions, prepared by officials OF those So
cete so that the work is not open TO the charge oi
depominatona bias. Indeed Its scrupulous fairness
is one of its most noteworthy features An eAceHent
example of this fairness is found in the arucie Oh
Roman Catholic Missions which, in both its state
ents Of facts expressohS Of opinion contains very
little that candid Roman Catholics would not assent
TO. Indeed its recognition of the apostolic abors
spd evangelical fervar of many Roman Catholic mis-
ssonaries Is both hearty and ungrudGme'
II Is pleasant TO see such on
article in work edited by Protestant and issued
under Protestant auspices. Not many years ago. a
similar arcla would have been characterized pv secrS
at the work done by Roman Catholicism ana per
hans by few malicious references to the Nan OF oh'
and the Pope as Ant-Christ. That such tone IS no
longer considered necessary desirable by Intelligent
Protestant writer's does not that their opposl
on TO the PRINCIPLES Of Catholicism is less strong than
it was when the calling Of names was regarded as
powerful means Of advancing the ruth but that they
are able to take intelligent and charitable vie"
of Catholicism than they formerly took
1t remains only to add that the publishers deserve
praise for the way in which they have issued the
volumes, which are cOmcly in appearance and, typo
graphically, leave little 70 be sired. The maps are
clear and distinct, and the leterpress gives every evil
dence Of having been carefully corrected for errors by
the pr6ofreaders The worl, is that will speedily
takes its place as m indispensable book of reference for
the clergy and Christian workers generally
DR.. ncdcric Henry Hedges's sermons Roberts
Brothers. arc characterized by the autencss OF thought
and spiritual felvor which distinguish the author Dr.
Hedges IS a Christian nationalist. whose devotion TO
truth as he understands IL has stood in the way OF his
becoming party leader and, for the same reason he
has occasionally and himself differing with other dis
unguished Unitarians in his views Of Christianity New
ertheess he fairly represents the genius of Unitarian
Ism at its best, and his published works Will have
permanent place in the religious literature of this gen
Grafton. As might be expected, these sermons are
ethical rather than doctrnal. They are concerned
almost entirely with religion life Indeed, 50 far
as their teachings concerned many Of them might
have been preached from the most orthodox pulpit.
Christians OF every WIZ find in them much that
Is helpful aud edifying.
"The Being OF God rs Unity and Trinity by
Professor SIeenstra Of She Episcopal Theological school,
OF Cambridge Mass. Nioughton. Mhlin d Coz, CON
sists OF series Of lectures delivered before the stu
dents OF that institution They discuss the arguments
for the existence of God the Christian consciousness
in relation 10 the doctrine of the Trinity, and the
Trinity itself revelation and a speculative
hypothesis. They characterized by patient learn
ing critical insight and wide knowledge of formal
theology. In the nature Of the case such book
cannot and will not deeply interest the general
public. The day has gone by when laymen were
found eagerly discussing the rival theories Of the
homOOusion and the hom0iousiOn in the market
places and only few Christians nowadays know
much about the metaphysical arguments in favor Of
tile being Of God. But those who DESTROYS of
studying such questions will find this book clear,
lucid and informing. The author has not enveloped
his utteranccs I'm a metaphysical fog, but SAYS what
he has 10 say i'm a language "understanded OF the
neoples lie shows too that he has read with
proft what the old eOoges have say subject
hc discusses: and while he does not slavshy re-ccho
their conclusions, he assrnilates what is true and