a re-birth to Western thought. So now, from the universities and Churches of the West, there are pouring into the East influences that shall ere long give us an Eastern Renaissance. Old prejudices are being uprooted, old shackles thrown off, and as a more liberal education is making its way among the masses, the spirit of thought is achieving independence from the long bondage of conservatism.

At first there is inevitably the rebound from ecclesiastical domination to the denial of all obligation in religion, and forms of Pantheism and Atheism are spreading on every hand. Yet with the education there is gradually making its way a purer gospel, and as the people for the first time in many centuries read in their own daily language the docrines of their Church fathers, as laid down in the Bible itself, they are discovering their mistake, and turning gladly to accept a simpler faith and worship. It is in the communities that, scattered up and down the whole domain of the Eastern Church, weak as yet, but growing stronger and stronger, which teach this simpler faith that we are to find the influences which shall yet bind the East to the West. Councils may meet, and creeds, confessions, liturgies, may be harmonized, but all will be of no avail until the people themselves recognize the harmony. The time has gone by in the East as well as with us when whole Churches will follow the beck of a bishop in regard to the faith that they shall profess, and it is only as any given creed commends itself to the consciences of the people that it will gain general acceptance.

In view of the inner characteristics and historical tendencies of the races that make up the Eastern Church, it may perhaps be doubted whether an organic unity will ever be attained with the Western Church. The same causes that inevitably resulted in their separation will doubtless keep them more or less apart. Yet a deeper and truer unity in the great work of the Christian Church will exist, is even now manifesting itself. Rites and ceremonies, even formulas of doctrine may vary, but the spirit shall be one, and each section doing its own work in its own way shall contribute its share in the building up of the kingdom of a common Lord.*

* The statistics above are principally compiled from Neale's "History of the Holy Eastern Church."

ARTICLE IX.-NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.

PHILOSOPHICAL DISCUSSIONS. *-Mr. Chauncey Wright's Philosophical Discussions cannot fail to attract the attention of many readers. The reputation which he gained for himself in Cambridge and in its vicinity as a thinker and teacher, the unstinted commendation which he receives from a biographer of so high. authority as Mr. Charles Eliot Norton-the exquisite paper and presswork of the volume, will give to the author's contributions a favorable introduction to those readers to whom he had been entirely unknown, irrespective of the value of his opinions and the ability with which he stated and defended them. The papers which are contained in this volume are chiefly a few elaborate articles originally published in the North American Review, and several briefer critical notices from the New York Nation. Most of these papers relate to philosophical topics, such as relate to the doctrine of Evolution and the Associational Metaphysics. As the author does not hesitate to characterize those from whom he dissents as mystics and theologians, we deem it no injustice to describe him as a materialistic atheist. He was evidently a thinker of extraordinary reach and acuteness, who had special power in impressing his views upon others in debate and conversation, but more than usual infelicity in the exposition of his opinions by writing. We infer that the first was true from the warm and positive assertions of his biographer. We are equally confident that the last was true from the perusal of the most elaborate essays in this volume. We specify the most elaborate of these essays, because these are also careful expositions of the author's own philosophical opinions, and yet in respect of their style, are somewhat disadvantageously contrasted with those which are shorter and less dogmatical.

Of the more elaborate essays the critical examination of "the Philosophy of Herbert Spencer" and "the Evolution of Self-consciousness" are the most significant, as manifesting the peculiar ability, and, we may add, the peculiar weaknesses of the writer, and

Philosophical Discussions; by CHAUNCEY WRIGHT, with a biographical sketch of the author, by Charles Eliot Norton. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1877.

as exhibiting more fully his own opinions. His estimate of Spencer's merits and defects is independent and able, and so striking, that we are surprised to find in "the Evolution of Self-consciousness" an exemplification of the same oversights and mistakes which he finds so abundant and so glaring in Spencer. This entire essay reads, to us, like a philosophical romance, so difficult is it to one who cannot accept the associationalistic psychology to follow, with even a slender modicum of confidence, a rationale of mental development which is founded upon Mill's nominalism, Darwin's heredity and Spencer's physiological theory of ultimate relations. That the genesis of self-consciousness from brute intellectualism and of brute thinking from inorganic tendencies, should be soberly defended by strong-headed thinkers like Mr. Chauncey Wright, and endorsed by so cultivated a critic as Mr. C. E. Norton, is one of the philosophic miracles of the times, which we should have said could not possibly have occurred were the evidence of experience not decisive, and that of testimony so unshaken. We are forced to conclude from this and other examples, that the Materialistic Atheism of our times is not exempt from the confidences and credulities of its sister theologies.

THE CHRISTIAN COMMONWEALTH.*-This work does not discuss the idea and constitution of the State, but only the relations of the State and of civil government to Christianity. In discussing this general subject, it treats, with ability and candor, many of the most difficult and important of the questions of our time. Among these are: The relation of Christianity to existing authority and to the various forms of government; Its relation to absolute monarchy and to modern liberal tendencies; The relation of the Christian state to education and marriage; The temporal and spiritual power, the national church, Christian and non-Christian toleration, the emancipation of the Jews, and the separation of Church and State; The position of the Christian State in reference to the pretensions of the Papacy; Its duty to the working classes; War and International Law; Criminal Law, etc., etc. The work abounds in suggestions and discussions pertinent to

*On Christian Commonwealth. Translated and adapted under the direction of the author from the German of Dr. HENRY W. J. THIERSCH, author of "the Church in the Apostle's time," "Christian family life," etc. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 38 George street. 1877. New York: Scribner, Welford & Armstrong, 743 and 745 Broadway. 8vo, pp. xii and 272. Price $3.75.

questions of immediate and vital importance in our country. For example, he distinguishes the Christian doctrine of the separation of Church and State from the unchristian. The former "is a clear definition of, and distinction between the spiritual and temporal power, followed by a friendly agreement between the two, by which each, unhampered by the other, and yet mutually cooperative, may strive to attain their common aim, the spiritual and moral welfare of the nation." The latter is the doctrine of the first French Revolution, "The State is Atheist." The latter, we fear, is gradually but steadily displacing the Christian and American doctrine of the separation of Church and State. If the State knows no God, that is of itself a sort of establishment by the nation of the atheist's creed, and is necessarily fatal in its tendencies to the well-ordered and prosperous State, and antagonistic, unjust, and oppressive to all religion.

While the work abounds in valuable thought, it rests on erroneous principles. Monarchy under constitutional limitations is recognized as the best form of civil government, episcopacy as the original and best form of ecclesiastical polity. A national church with large toleration is advocated. No basis of popular government is recognized except the "Social Contract," and no form of it except the Red Republicanism of Europe. The right of revolution is denied. The original work is "translated and adapted"; the notes have been omitted, except a few which the translator has incorporated without designating them into the text. We protest against these "adaptations," which make it impossible to know in reading the translation, what is the language of the author and what the language of the translator"adapting" the author's thought to his own.

THE CRADLE OF THE CHRIST.*-This work consists of nine essays expressing the extreme of unbelief respecting the historical Christ and the authenticity of the New Testament.

"The actual Jesus is . . . . inaccessible to scientific research. His image cannot be recovered." "The purpose of [this] essay is to give the history of an idea, not the history of a person, to trace the development of a thought, not the influence of a life." "The ideal image which Christians have, for nearly 2000 years

1877.

*The Cradle of the Christ. A study in Primitive Christianity. By OCTAVIUS B. FROTHINGHAM. New York: G. P. Putnam & Sons, 182 Fifth avenue. 8vo, pp. xii, and 233.

worshiped under the name of Jesus, has no authentic visible counterpart in history. This conclusion . . . will be welcome only to the few calm minds who feel the force of ideas, the regenerating power of principles. These will rejoice to be relieved of the last thin shadow of a supernatural authority in the past.” "National philanthropy in London and New York finds no more serious obstacle to its advance than the benevolence that is inculcated in the name of Christ and by authority of the New Testament. It is the battle of science against sentiment."

THE TRAINING of the Twelve.*-This work presents the history of the twelve apostles and the instructions given them by Christ, with the design of setting forth the education and training which they received during Christ's life for the work which they were appointed to do after his death. In this second edition the author has made important modifications, retrenching the homiletic element; bringing out more fully the history, and the connection of events and of thought; giving more attention to the theory of the Tubingen school and other recent discussions. We think the "homiletic element" might have been still further retrenched with advantage. But the work is rich in thought and worthy of extensive circulation.

THE NATURAL SOURCES OF THEOLOGY.t-This work consists of six essays full of fresh, original, vigorous thought. They are a valuable contribution to natural theology.

Is "ETERNAL" PUNISHMENT ENDLESS?-This little book maintains that the Bible does not teach that the punishment of the

* The Training of the Twelve; or passages out of the gospels exhibiting the twelve disciples of Jesus under discipline for the apostleship. Second edition, revised and improved. By ALEXANDER B. BRUCE, D.D., Professor of Theology, Free Church College, Glasgow; author of "The Humiliation of Christ in its Physical, Ethical, and Official Aspects." Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 38 George street. 1877. New York: Scribner, Welford & Armstrong, 743 and 745 Broadway. 8vo, pp. xiv and 539. Price $6.00

A Statement of the Natural Sources of Theology, with a discussion of their validity, and of modern sceptical objections; to which is added an article on the first chapter of Genesis. By THOMAS HILL, D.D., LL.D. Reprinted from the Bibliotheca Sacra. Andover: W. F. Draper. 1877. 8vo, pp. iv and 139.

Is “eternal" punishment endless? Answered by a restatement of the original Scriptural doctrine, by an orthodox minister of the gospel. Boston: Lockwood. Brooks & Co., 381 Washington st. 1876. pp. x, 106.