The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-06-08
]. P. MAC LEANS INTRODUCTION
TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"

The Rev. J. P. MAcLEAN, Phi. D., of
Greenville, o., has recently issued
from the press of the Robert Clarke
Company, Cincinnati, an "Introduc-
ton to the Study of st. Johns Cos
pei" 1t is handsome octave vol
ume of $50 pages, of excellent me-
chanical workmanship and we'll bound
in the style of that eminent Western
firm. The volume is the result of
long and patient study of the volum-
nous literature which centers around
the discussion of the authenticity
and critical analysis of the Fourth
Gospel.
The volume will undoubtedly be
surprise to many who are accustomed
to regard DR.. MacLean as merely an
antiquarian and scientific writer. 1t
presents him in new aspect to the
reading public, and is the first work
in which he appears as theological
expert. 1t is one which does credit
to his wide reading and acquaintance
with the critical literature of his sub
ject. In the condensation Of the va
rious theories in regard to the author
ship of the Fourth Gospel, and the
balancing of evidence for and against
its authenticity, the author has been
very successful in presenting the
facts in careful and popular man
ner. His conclusion is that the Cos
pei was written by Saint John and
that there has been no mistake COM
mitted by the consensus of Christian
opinion in ascribing it to the beloved
disciple of our Lord.
The work is embraced in seven
chapters. The first is mainly intro
ductory. The second is devoted to
the authenticity of the Gospel and
presents the historical evidences, d.
rect and indirect, in it's favor, survey
ing also the various contrary opin-
ions. In the third chapter, the au-
thor discusses the composition of the
Gospel, it's occasion and its place in
the New Testament. The next chap
ter is devoted to the special charac-
teristics of the Fourth Gospel, and the
fifth discusses its relation to other
apostolic writings. In the sixth chap
ter the text and literature is consid-
cred. In the seventh chapter is given
valuable interlinear literal transla-
ton of the Gospel. based on the
Greek text of Stephens Q55O) and
giving the various readings of the
editions of Elzevir, Griesbach, Lack
mann, Tischendorf, Tregelles, Afford
and MISUNDERSTANDING an
outline of critical scholarship from
1924 (Elzevir) to our own times.
DIR. MacLean's Introduction will
be of great value in directing the at
tention of our younger clergymen to
the fact that the learning and schol-
arship of the world are not all on the
| side of the radical critics, who, in the
interest of their own system of an
emasculated Christianity. would re-
move the Gospel of John from the
place it has heretofore successfully
stood in the sacred canon, and de-
prive the New Testament of its sub
lime teaching.
With DR.. Ezra Abbott's treatise on
1.-THE External Evidences of st. Johns
Gospel" and DR.. MacLean's "Intro-
duction" in hand, the student will be
amply prepared to meet and answer
the claims of these critics and will
also recognize the adequate scholar
ship, critical acumen and wide re-
search which justifes the conviction
that the claims of the Fourth Gospel
are not inferior in authority to the Syn
optics; that it is the production of
the apostle whose name it bears; and
that its teachings are not philosoph-
ical accretions of the Gospels, as con-
tended by certain class of critics,
but are vital and component part
of Christianity, of profound spiritual
import and insight into the central
truth of our Lords revelation, render
ing this Gospel of the Gospels"
what it has been most touchingly
described, the "Heart of Christ"
DIR. MacLean's "Introduction" will
not pass unchallenged by that class
of critics whose opinions are diamet-
really opposed to its central con-
illusions; but as contribution to the
historical evidence in regard to this
Gospel, in compact form, presenting