New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-22
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SOME RELIGIOUS BOOKS.

sermons preached by the Rev. DR.. George william
Douglas while he was rector OF ST. Johns Episcopai
Church. Washington. They show the preacher ~
be Q man Of respectable ability. with a git OF cor
rect sermonic utterance. But they lack originality
OF thought and prophetic exaltation. without wh'ch
qualities a printed sermon Is apt TO Dc "ea''soe'
no matter how excellent Il may be In other respects
IT IS hardly fair, however. TO crucSe ser"o"s'
which. as In this case come before the puohc not
through the desire OF the preacher but OF those WHO
originally heard them They are TO be taken simply
as the graceful and tangible expression Oh 'ha' ao'
mring interest and confidence which "us' a'"ayS
be dear to the faithful pastor.
The latest volume OF the "Expostors Bible' "a. e.
Armstrong d SOM is concerned with the DOCKS OF
Ezra. Nehemiah and Esther. Professor Walter +.
Adeney OF New College London. is the writer.
and the treatment Of these important Historical
hooks is in the MAN. worthy OF commentator. He
believes that the books OF Ezra, Nehemiah and the
Chronicles were compiled by some unknown writer
of a comparatively late period. even as late as the
(;recian era The point Of view OF this writer was
priesty He hurried over secular events. and
amn6ed everything pertaining to the priesthood and
the ritual of the temple. AS to the book OF Esther
Professor Adeney admits the force OF the arguments
against its being strictly historical narration HIS
conclusion Is that 1t stands upon historical basis.
but that 1t worked up into Its present literary
form by a Jew OF later days who was living In
Persia, and who perfectly familiar with the
records and traditions OF the reign OF Nerxes
(Ahasuerus)" From an ethical point OF Ne"' lie
says that the book Is on lower plane than that
OF the prophetic and presy histories OF Israel ana
cannot claim the veneratiOn that attaches TO other
books in the Bible. These views are In accord with
the conclusions OF most modern critics, ana appear
TO be founded on facts that cannot be denied.
George NJ Could A. NJ, NJ D., approaches the
dark riddle OF life with book which he hopes VIII
at least direct attention 10 the way IN which the
riddle may ultimately be solved The TASK mas
been essayed many times before; but the meagre
success thus far attained should not lead us 10
SCOT at any new corners who. like DR.. Gould, may
boldly try TO make the sphinx speak. In his book,
which he calls The Meaning and the Method OF
Life: Search for Religion in Biology &C. /.
Putnam's Sons) he assumes that matter mas always
existed as its creation out Of nothing Is unthnK'
able but that lfe has had some definite beginning
because ait life were worker In matter In all past
eternity 1t would have been more successful con
queror OF II than Is paheticany evident" FROM
this II follows that God Is finite. and that He has
had to struggle, and is even now struggling. Win
adverse circumstances. Gods "only seat OF power
IN the material world the cell, OF which lie alone
has direct control" And "in veriest lteralness IL
is Gods own life and self that lives IN and uses
every cell OF every living thing" THESE some
what startling theories will doubtless expose the
author TO acrid criticism; but they should acqul
him OF the sin OF mental plagiarism for they are he
unique product OF his brain. That Circumstance
however, should not deter the reader from dipping
into the book because. though 1t Is full OF strange
conceits 1t contains much that is suggestive ana IN
teresting. The author is plainly man who mas
brought to bear a cultivated intelligence ana
thoughtful and inquring mind on the problems Oh
the here and the hereafter. For twenty years ne
saws IL have despairingly ransacked the wisdom OF
ehnic religions, systems Of philosophy. and OF nat
ura theology; and 10! under the microscope found
God at work, and In biology revealing iimseh so
fast and so far as fate and His myriad difficulties
.1fvfap niIally 20
await the vision and knowledge OF the ever present,
living and struggling Cod Thoughtful men ana
women Will not find the problem OF religion ana HE
solved In this book But they will find In 1t much
that will interest and instruct them, even though
they may differ with the writer in many points.
.Present Day Theology by Lewis French stearns,
late Professor of Christian Theology in Bangor Theo-
logical Seminary Charles Scrbners SOns is popu-
lar discussion OF some OF the leading doctrines OF
the Christian Church. 1t is able, lucid and logical
as we're all the writings OF the late Professor S'carhs
lie was not indeed, popular writer IN the sehse
OF being superficial; he was dstincuvey ueo'
LOGAN but not a controversial tleoogan Ihrough'
out all his writings there breathed desire Tor recon
Citation that relieved from any Suspicion Oh
weakness by his accurate knowledge and comprehen-
sve grasp OF modern thought and tendencies. lie
learned much from Hodge, Of Princeton; Henry b.
Smith in New-York; Dorner, in Berlin, and Kahns
and Luthardt in Leipsic under all OF whom ne
these great teachers Rather he accepted the essen
,ia facts underlying all the various theological
systems and out OF them aimed TO construct an
irenic evangelical theology which would be the natural
oiitgrowth OF American Christianity, and which would
at the same time recognize the legitimate tendencies
OF modern religious thought. OF al lis prccepors
he was most in sympathy with Henry b. Smith,
whose Chrisocenrc theology he did much to advance
10 its logical conclusions and whose biography he
wrote as "A labor OF love. This Chrlstocentrc prn-
ciple he brought most clearly In his famous
Inaugural Address Bangor, and in his paper read
before the International Congregational Council IN
London which has become a theological classic. ii
appears In the volume before also, and gives to
all his speculations concerning Christianity an In
spiraton and body that impart to them an
element OF strength not found In merely academic
discussions The great value OF this work as
contribution to American Christian theology en-
phasizes the loss TO American Christianity in the
lamentcd death Of Professor Stearns before he had
reached the full maturity Of his powers. The volume
IS prefxed by an excellent biographical sketch OF the
author by Professor Prentss, OF Union theological
Seminary who writes out OF the fulness OF bis
heart as friend and disciple.