the Pentateuch, into a determined advocate of the joint Elohistic and Jehovistic authorship of this portion of the Bible. This, for instance, is the wary manner in which George Smith expressed himself upon this crucial question: "Biblical criticism is a subject on which I am not competent to pronounce an independent opinion, and the views of Biblical scholars on the matter are so widely at variance, and some of them so unmistakably coloured by prejudice, that I feel I could not take up any of the prevailing views without being a party to the controversy. There is only one point which I think should not be avoided in the matter. It is the view of a large section of scholars that the Book of Genesis contains, in some form, matter taken from two principal independent sources; one is termed the Jehovistic narrative, the other the Elohistic. The authorship and dates of the original documents, and the manner, date, and extent of their combination, are points which I shall not require to notice, and I must confess I do not think we are at present in a position to form a judgment upon them." And this is the German rendering, if rendering it can be called: "Biblische Kritik ist aber ein Gebiet auf welchem ich nicht heimisch genug bin, and die Resultate der Analyse dieses oder jenes Kritikers mir anzueignen bin ich auch ausser Stande: die Vertheilung des biblischen Fluthberichts an vorausgesetzte verschiedene Quellenschriften, und die Ansichten über die Entstehungszeit dieser, ist [sic !] so buntscheckig und theilweise so wenig unbefangen, dass ich mich lieber diesem Streit der Meinungen fernhalte. Eines aber wird festgehalten werden müssen dass der biblische Fluthbericht, wie gegenwärtig die ansehnlichsten Forscher übereinstimmend annehmen, mosaikartig aus zwei selbständigen Werken, einem sog. elohistischen und jehovistischen, von einem Redactor zusammengearbeitet ist."* To say nothing of the complete inversion of the order of thought, the utter confusion of sense, and the strange chaos of logic and grammar, these words, so far as there is any meaning or coherence in them, most expressly commit George Smith to an opinion in regard to which he as evidently desired to be considered perfectly neutral. The same tactics are unblushingly repeated a few pages further on, p. 236, where in place of Smith's cautious observation, "Here it may be remarked that those scholars who believe in two distinct statements being included in Genesis, hold that in the Jehovistic narrative the statement is that the flood lasted forty days, which is certainly nearer the time specified in the cuneiform text,”—we read in the German : "So wenigstens rechnet der elohistische Erzähler. Nach den jehovistischen Bestandtheilen freilich, wenn man diese als Excerpte eines selbständigen Berichtes ausscheidet, währte die Fluth nur 40 Tage, was der in dem Keilschrifttexte angegebenen Dauer näher kommt." It may be satisfactory to know that the composite authorship of the Pentateuch is no longer an open question among Biblical scholars in Germany; but that might, if necessary, have been stated in a note; and at least the fact of George Smith's total suspension of judgment should not have been so completely concealed from German readers, a concealment which in a professedly "authorized translation" scarcely accords with our conceptions of literary conscientiousness, and certainly is not covered by the words of the prefatory notice. For the rest it may be remarked, though this is the very reverse of an exculpation, that wherever the translator intends to be accurate, he appears fully competent to his task. Dr. Delitzsch's supplement opens with a very interesting account of cuneiform deciphering, which is very full and intelligible with regard to the Persian text of the inscriptions at Persepolis and Behistun, but is little more than a very meagre summary of the progress from the forty characters of the Persian alphabet to the reading of the complex syllabic and ideographic system of the Assyrian and Babylonian cuneiform. In fact, beyond the bare = statement that the Persian was the key to the latter, and that many of the inscriptions were trilingual, the reader is left pretty much to his own imagination. The discoveries of remains, as such, apart from their interpretation, by Sir H. Rawlinson, Botta, Layard and others, are given, however, with a disproportionate fulness of detail. The remainder of the supplement consists for the most part of original and interesting matter, of which, perhaps, the most important points are the identification of the Hebrew 'ashte and the Assyrian istên with the Accadian as-tên ein-zahl, "number one;" translations of Hymns to the gods Sin and Samas; the identification of Sumer and Shinar, and a critique of several of George Smith's translations of particular words, especially of the word which Smith renders "language," in lines 6 and 8 of the fragment supposed by him to refer to the Tower of Babel; and tazimtu, rendered by him "strong building," in lines 9 and 10 of the same. Delitzch, however, still holds to the connection with Genesis, and suggests that tazimtu may be cognate with the Arabic 'azama, and the Hebrew zamam, Gen. xi. 6, in the sense of "plan" or "design."” System der praktischen Theologie. Paragraphen für academische Vorlesungen von Dr. Carl Adolf Gerhard von Zezschwitz. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs. 1876. In Zwei Abtheilungen. The author of these volumes is Ordinary Professor and University Preacher at Erlangen. The rest may be more easily imagined than described. The introduction defines Practical Theology in opposition to the popular conception of a loose and unscientific treatment of theology generally on the one hand, as well as to the view which regards it as a mere technical application of theology, or an official directory for the practical Churchman on the other, as the theory of the progressive self-realization of the Church in the world; of which the final goal is the establishment of the kingdom of God, in which the Church itself is ultimately to merge. The historical development of this idea, with all its alleged aberrations from apostolical times, is passed under review from the standpoint of Lutheran orthodoxy. Romanism and Calvinism are criticised with considerable skill as the necessary results of the failure to recognize the presumed essential difference between the symbolism of the Jewish theocracy and the sacramental reality of Christian institutions; but the tendency of the Reformed and Lutheran Churches alike to lapse into rationalism is passed over in silence, as though nothing of that sort had ever been heard at Erlangen. The interaction of Christianity and the general culture of the East and West, Roman, Gothic and Byzantine architecture, are instructively discussed; and the second volume passes on to the more technical and subordinate details of missions, catechumens, confirmation, liturgies, the reading. of the Scripture, and the administration of the sacraments. Το judge from the author's total omission of any of the stirring questions of the day, the treatment of infidels and sceptics has nothing in the world to do with the province of practical theology as the "self-realization of the Church in the world." E. M. G. Des Symbol des Kreuzes bei allen Nationen und die Entstehung des Kreuz-Symbols der Christlichen Kirche von Ernst von Bunsen. Berlin. 1876. It is the design of Herr von Bunsen's monograph to shew that the Christian Cross is the symbol of Divine illumination and not of sacrifice, of life and not of death. With the author's design we sympathize to a considerable extent; and there is much that is inte resting and valuable in his work. But as an account of the origin of the Christian Cross and a description of this symbol amongst other nations, it seems to us that the book is a complete failure. A fundamental fault, not at all uncommon in writers upon symbolism, takes from its facts their value and from its arguments their force. Herr von Bunsen sees crosses where no one else can see them, and he makes them symbols of light and life when every one else must discern quite another significance in them. Not Philo or John Bunyan could surpass him in this respect. For instance, the brazen serpent set up by Moses in the wilderness was the symbol of fire and of God's presence. The cross on which Christ was lifted up has the same symbolical meaning. The golden candlesticks of the Tabernacle were tree-shaped, therefore symbols of the tree of life, that is of Christ. Christ was crucified, and thus the central lamp and the cross are connected, and both symbols of light. In other mythologies, the cross is represented; e. g. Thor's hammer, the headless cross of the Druids, &c. It is true the word cross does not occur in the Old Testament. But neither does the word conscience. Hence, argues our author, it is clear that both words were names of mysteries, which were only to be used by the initiated. Rash assertions as well as rash arguments characterize the book throughout. For instance, without any hesitancy it is said, Moses made the Aryan fire-symbolism current amongst the Hebrews. Or what can be said to such comparative philology as the following? The Hebrew word for Noah's ark is tebah, and means a chest. The Latin word arca, also chest, may be derived from the Sanscrit arkáh = sun. Hence arcanum, the hidden mystery of the symbolism of the sun.-Without doubt, Herr von Bunsen is a man of considerable learning, and this his last book bears everywhere trace of wide research and of great powers of combination. But in the region of symbolism every fact and every interpretation must be produced and substantiated with an uncommon degree of caution and critical severity, and this he has unfortunately forgotten. == Die Ehe, ihr Ursprung, ihr Wesen und ihre Weihe, nach Gottes Wort und That dargestellt von Prof. Dr. Watterich, Pfarrer der alt. katholischen Gemeinde zu Basel. Zweite unveränderte Auflage. Nördlingen. 1876. Old Catholic priests who have just escaped from the bondage of celibacy find it necessary to vindicate their right to their new liberty. As far as the book before us does this, it has our praise. May it run through many more editions! But we do not commend it to our Protestant readers. For the book has another side. It is much too profound in its investigations into the nature and mysteries of its subject. Church Fathers and Catholic moralists may have been called to look more deeply into such matters, and the Old Catholics may have inherited their unpleasant task. Happily we Protestants occupy a freer position, and can refuse to meddle with matters that are too deep for us-it may be, too distasteful.. 2. DR. PARKER'S PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST. J. F. S. The Priesthood of Christ: a Re-statement of Vital Truth. By We are sorry that we cannot give any commendation to this book. It is altogether beneath the subject it professes to discuss. It throws no light whatever upon any one topic. It manifests the most thorough ignorance of the real difficulties of the questions with which it concerns itself. It is lamentably deficient in sound biblical criticism. Its philosophy is unworthy of serious consideration. We can imagine no reason why it was written beyond a desire to catch some part of the interest which the publication of Mr. Dale's work on the Atonement has excited. Mr. Dale's influence can indeed be traced throughout it, but the difference between the two men is very conspicuous. Dr. Parker rides an exceedingly high horse. What he calls the "Synoptical Contents" of his volume would by its formal arrangement lead us to expect great things; and the manner in which seemingly important points are introduced and dismissed is emphatic in the extreme. But nothing comes of the method or the force. There is a prevalent air of importance to which no reality answers. Each position in its turn is talked about, without being fairly examined or met. There is a great cry, but no wool. The champion steps forth, of giant proportions, clothed in formidable armour, and with a spear like a weaver's beam, but his attack is a mere roar of defiance. We are amazed that a man of Dr. Parker's pretentiousness should have become the popular representative of Evangelical Dissent which we are told he is. We will give a few specimens of the bold and reckless sentiments which the book contains. "Put your hand upon one verse in the whole Bible that gives man the credit of having saved himself."—P. 5. |