Scribner & Co. Besides the inviting appearance of the type and paper, it gives a portrait of the author, photographed from a bust, which impresses us as an antique ideal. It seems to us as if we had seen him in this country, which we believe he visited some years ago, but hitherto he has not been so well known here as some of his countrymen, who yet were not more prominent than he seems to have been in Scotland. As a professor, a theologian, and a churchman, he evidently filled a large place in his time, and the works from his pen, named after the preface as published since his death some ten years ago, are occupied with grave themes. Mr. Bonar's preface, itself twenty-seven pages, assigns him high rank as a preacher, and especially as a champion for sound doctrine, fitted to do solid service in his own day and actuated by the highest motives. At the same time, it seems to admit that his sermons are of a more dogmatic and controversial cast than the author would have framed for a later generation, and something like a conviction is betrayed that they will not make an impression answering to his reputation. Turning to the first and last sermons there cited as examples-first and last in his ministry as in this volume-we find clear statements, careful discrimination, logical reasoning, and a manly style, maintaining the rigid Calvinism so much identified with the Church of Scotland, but we miss the fervor, the unction, which the preface led us to expect, and which so often redeems even the odium theologicum among that people who have been characterized not more by their tenacity of doctrine than by their "perfervidum ingenium." They seem to us to have the merit of a theological professor with his class, rather than of a preacher with his congregation. In this respect, aside from any question of difference in doctrine, he impresses us unfavorably in contrast with Dr. John McLeod Campbell, who was ejected from the Church of Scotland about forty years since for heresy so-called, and died a few months ago, crowned with the esteem and love of all who knew him. A beautiful tribute was paid him in "Good Words" by the gifted and eminent Dr. McLeod (who so soon followed him), affirming him to be "the best man he ever knew," and at once explaining and condemning the ejection by saying it was done when the assembly was not full, and would not be done in these days. It appears by this preface, p. 26, that Dr. Cunningham was of the ejecting party ("we made short work with John Campbell," &c.), and probably a leader. Now happening to have lately read Campbell's work on "The Nature of the Atonement" (London, 1869), and admiring, as every

reader must, the St. John-like spirit of the book (whatever may be thought of the doctrine), we cannot but miss the like inestimable grace in these sermons. Not that we impute to them or their esteemed author any contrary temper, but that their acknowledged merits are too exclusively intellectual at the best to give the highest attraction or value to Christian preaching.

MURPHY'S LEVITICUS.*-The Book of Leviticus, offering fewer themes of permanent interest than other books of the Pentateuch, has been comparatively neglected. Dr. Murphy has done a good work by setting forth in a strong light its permanent relations and deeper significance. More even than in his previous commentaries does the exegetical element predominate over the critical, and here to excellent purpose. The strong point of the author is not so much profound scholarship, whether on the broader or the narrower scale, as clear insight, general comprehension, and fertile sugges

His introductory discussion is admirable in matter and manner. His classification and interpretation of the various forms of sacrifice are clearly an improvement upon Kurtz and Keil, to say nothing of Kalisch. His exposition in detail is marked by wisdom and sobriety, commonly giving results rather than processes or even proofs. It is rather singularly clear of references to authorities, or to the views of others, whether conflicting or coinciding. This trait is apparently matter of deliberate purpose. The mature student would often desire further evidence and fuller discussion, as for example, on such important topics as the use of kaphar (atone) and the like. Thus too in his decision on the famous passage (ch. xviii, 18) concerning a wife's sister, though perhaps right, he fails to answer the main objection to his view, or to recognize it. For this kind of satisfaction we should not turn to the present commentary. But for the other qualities mentioned, and for general use, it is deserving of very high commendation. For the use of the Christian community probably no other will be more acceptable.

BURGON'S LAST TWELVE VERSES OF MARK.t-We have read through, with some care, this large volume on so short a theme.

* A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Leviticus, with a new translation. By J. G. MURPHY, LL.D. Andover: W. F. Draper. Sold in Chicago

by W. G. Holmes. 8vo, pp. 318.

The Last Twelve Verses of the Gospel of S. Mark vindicated against recent critical objectors, and established. By JOHN BURGON, B.D., Fellow of Oriel College, etc. Oxford and London: James Parker & Co. 8vo, pp. 334.

We recognize its prolixity, its frequent intemperance of expression and inconsequence of conclusion, and various other defects of matter, method, and style. But taking simply the materials. which the author collects and furnishes, and judging for ourselves -and assuming the truth of those statements of fact which we have not the means of testing-we rise greatly strengthened in our conviction of the singular precipitancy with which modern critical editors have refused to admit these verses into the genuine text of Mark's Gospel. Such is the well-known fact in regard to Tischendorf, Tregelles, and Alford-although scholars like Ellicott, Wordsworth, and especially Scrivener, refuse adhesion to this judgment. One who has tracked Tischendorf through his devious path, e. g., his edition of 1859, his Harmony of the Gospels, his Seventh Critical Edition, and now through the immense, capricious, and often clearly inconsistent changes of his Eighth Critical Edition, gradually becomes less and less prepared to accept his decision as a finality, or to believe that we have yet gained a second "received text." In regard to this passage, even an epitome of the facts, given so as to show the full force of the testimony in its favor, and the inadequacy, and, in considerable degree, erroneousness of the statements urged against, is beyond our limits. It is true that the Vatican and Sinaitic codices omit it. But here they stand alone among all the uncial and nearly all cursive manuscripts; and one of these (the Vatican), by leaving a blank space sufficient for the passage--the only vacant column in the manuscript clearly shows that the older copy which the copyist had before him, or other older copies well known to him, contained it. Meanwhile, older than these manuscripts, and of about the same age, we have in favor of the genuineness of the passage, the express recognition by the Peshito, the Curetonian Syriac, the Italic, the Thebaic, Gothic, Vulgate, and Memphitic versions, Ireneus, Hippolytus, the seventh Council of Carthage, the Acta. Pilati, Jacob Nisibenus (or rather Aphraates), Ambrose, and other weighty testimonies, followed by Chrysostom, and others, representing almost every portion of the early church. As to certain alleged patristic testimony sustaining the omission, a careful sifting by Mr. Burgon attempts to show a remarkable carelessness in quotation and affirmation on the part of the critics, who repeat each other somewhat as their alleged authorities do, thus: homilies of Hesychius, Severus, and Gregory of Nyssa, cited as three witnesses, prove to be one and the same homily ascribed to different persons, Hesychius being the real author: again Hesy

chius, Jerome, and Victor, cited as independent judges, are merely quoting Eusebius verbatim, it is argued, and thus six writers are reduced to one, viz: Eusebius, and he nowhere gives the express opinion ascribed to him.

Without giving our full assent to all this showing, we recog nize the force of a large part of it. Next comes an examination of twenty cursive manuscripts cited for the omission. If the author gives a true testimony of the facts, we have here a most astounding series of blundering references handed down from Wetstein, through Griesbach, Scholz and others, and blindly accepted by Tischendorf, Tregelles, Davidson, Alford, and others, so completely misleading, that, on the contrary, sixteen of them contain the express statement that in most of the accurate copies and especially the Palestinian exemplar, these verses are found. In like manner a celebrated "Scholion of Eusebius,” at first cited by Matthaei, adopted by Griesbach and now by Tregelles, Tischendorf, and all the rest, is conclusively shown, from a personal inspection of the manuscript now at Moscow, to rest upon a misconception as to the author and the statement. The argument from diversities of style is well shown to lack weight.

But we can neither analyze, epitomize, nor criticize the entire argument. The volume contains many things from which we strongly dissent, and is more successful in its destructive than in parts of its constructive argument. It leaves some phenomena in the case not sufficiently explained or disposed of. But it leaves us, personally, with the feeling of perfect freedom to receive the last twelve verses of Mark as we do the remainder, till some better evidence is adduced against it. The case requires strong evidence against the vast weight of authority, by reason of the singular predicament in which the rejectors stand: admitting the gospel to be unfinished without these verses, finding no trace whatever of any other original termination, unable to account for its disappearance, possessing here a consistent and suitable termination sustained by all the earliest evidence, and yet rejecting it because not found in two manuscripts, one of which leaves a space for it, and both of them dating one or even two centuries later than some of the versions and fathers that contain it.

CHRIST IN MODERN LIFE.*-These sermons discuss many of the questions that are awakening great interest among theologians at * Christ in Modern Life; Sermons preached in London. By the Rev. STOPFORD A. BROOKE. M. A., Honorary Chaplain in ordinary to the Queen. New York: 12mo, pp. 108.

D. Appleton & Co.

the present day. They are thoughtful, are written in a style of freshness, beauty, and force, and many passages in them are truly eloquent. But they are often very illogical, and the theological views presented in them are vague and indefinite. Indeed the author seems to think it is because Christianity is vague and indefinite in its teachings, and nothing systematic in theology can be made out of it, that it is suited to be the religion for mankind; it can easily adapt itself to changing modes of thought and phases of society. And truly it can if the author's views are correct, for there is very little in Christianity to be adjusted to those changes. Indeed, it is difficult to say what he really thinks on what have always been considered the fundamental truths of the gospel. He seems to teach the incarnation of God in Christ; but he seems also to teach the incarnation of God in every man. He receives the doctrine of the Trinity, but not as an absolute truth-only as a relative truth. God may be, he says, twenty in one, as well as three in one. He is a minister of the Church of England, and subscribes of course to the thirty-nine articles, but we cannot find that there is any doctrine of Christianity which he holds in the sense usually attached to it by Christians.

Still many truths are presented in these sermons in a very original way, and they may be read with great profit. But considered as sermons to be preached to a congregation, we do not see how they could at all further the end of preaching-the salvation of men.

THE FOOTSTEPS OF CHRIST.*-The preface informs us that "the work of Kirchenpropst Caspers, of which the present volume contains the more important portions, is well known and prized by readers of devotional theology in Germany, as being one of the best books of that kind which have recently appeared in that country." It is meant for devotional reading, and a glance at the contents shows its evangelical quality. There are sixty-five chapters, each of a length suitable for a daily portion, and these again are distributed into four "Parts," which bear titles happily chosen and in themselves suggestive: "Christ for us," "Christ in us," "Christ before us," and "Christ through us." We have examined

*The Footsteps of Christ. Translated from the German of A. CASPERS, Church Provost and Chief Pastor at Husum, by ADELAIDE E. RODHAM. Edited, with a Preface, by Rev. CHARLES H. H. WRIGHT, M. A., Chaplain of Trinity Church, Boulogne-sur-Mer, &c. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. 1871. 12mo,

pp. 434.