This is the most comprehensive volume on the philosophy of missions with which we are acquainted. It is the expansion of a series of lectures on missions, given at Princeton Theological Seminary, and other colleges. The study of this important theme is from the view-point of what may be called the new science of Sociology.

In order to treat the subject amply and authoritatively, not only was the current literature of missions thoroughly studied, but direct correspondence was had with over three hundred missionaries representing various societies in many lands.

The environment of Oriental civilization, its history, and its present condition, are brought under searching review. The influence of the great ethnic religions of the world upon society is amply shown. Most important of all is the exhibition of the adaptation of Christianity to purify the moral life of mankind. The service rendered by missions in the spheres of education, literature, philanthropy, social reform, and national development is pointed out. While there is much in this survey of the non-Christian world in its revelation of the intense moral evil of heathenism and Moslemism, yet our author is no pessimist. He has grand and intense conviction that the religion of Jesus is the cure for all the ills of all the world.

"Christianity," he says, as yet touches the age-incrusted and unyielding surface of heathen society only in spots, and has hardly broken its way through to an extent which enables us to recognize fully its power or to discover its transforming tendencies in the non-Christian world. It is sufficiently apparent, however, that a new force of transcendent energy has entered the gateway of the nations and has planted itself with a quiet persistency and staying power in the very centres of the social life of the people. From its modest haunts of church and school, of hospital and asylum, and through its unostentatious instrumentalities of literature, personal example, regenerated home-life, and sanctified individual character, it is destined to go

* "Christian Missions and Social Progress." A Sociological Study of Foreign Missions. By the Rev. James S. Dennis, D.D. 2 vols Svo. Vol. I. Pp. xvi. 468. Price, $2.50 per volume. Toronto: Fleming H. Revell Company. William Briggs.

forth conquering and to conquer, as a potent regenerator of society and the maker of a new civilization."

A very important section of this volume is the lecture on the social evils of the non-Christian world. These are classified

as:

1. The individual group, affecting primarily the individual, as intemperance, the opium habit, gambling, immorality, self torture, and suicide.

2. The family group, as affecting the degradation of women, child marriage and widowhood, and other domestic evils.

3. The tribal group, as the slave trade, cannibalism, blood feuds, and the like. 4. The social group, as witchcraft, quackery, neglect of the poor and sick, and uncivilized and cruel customs, caste, etc.

5. The national group. as civil tyranny, oppressive taxation, massacre and pillage, as especially illustrated in Turkey and China.

6. The commercial group, as commercial distrust, deceit and fraud.

7. The religious group, as idolatry, superstition, religious tyranny and persecution.

Another lecture is devoted to the ineffectual remedies of these evils, and causes of their failure. The concluding chapter of the volume treats with enthusiasm Christianity as the only social hope of the nations.

The succeeding volume will discuss the dawn of a sociological era in missions and the contribution of Christian mis

sions to social progress. A very copious bibliography on mission literature on various aspects of this great theme is presented.

The following sentences express the convictions of Dr. Dennis as to the responsibilities of the Church to Christian

missions:

"Is it not plain that the Church in its missionary capacity has a responsibility as well as an opportunity which is of transcendent moment to mankind? Christianity needs a deeper world-consciousness. Modern life is developing it. International interchange and sympathy are quickening it. Nations are becoming members one of another. This is a process in which the spirit of Christianity is specially needed as a solvent and stimulus, and in which its universal mission will be recognized more and more.

Let us not be dismayed if only those

who believe in Christ to the uttermost, and who are in mystic sympathy with the ruling passion of His life and reign, are ready to follow the gleam' of a worldwide redemption. Missions, after all, are simply the gospel writ large by the pen of prophecy from the view-point of absolute faith. The entrance of missions into the modern life of ancient peoples is a fact of the highest historic, as well as ethical and religious, significance. They are the herald of a new era of beneficent progress to the less favoured nations of the earth. The social scientist who discounts Christian missions as of no special import is strangely oblivious to a force which has wrought with benign energy and unexampled precision in the

It is not often in Canada that such a large fortune as four millions of dollars is transmitted to a single legatee. Never, we believe, in the history of our country has that legatee been a lad of fifteen years of age. Of course it may be said that the person possessing such a great fortune had a right to do what she would with her own. We are not so sure of that. Great wealth carries with it great obligations. It would not be very difficult to find many worthy objects through which the welfare of the people at large might be greatly benefited by the bequest of a portion of this vast sum and yet leave as much as was good for any young man to start life upon, instead of six millions or more which this legatee will

A

receive on coming of age. The great philanthropies and charities of the times, the great educational interests of our country, could all make good use of a generous share of this large fortune. large proportion of such fortunes is the unearned increment for which the possessor renders no service save cutting the coupons from his debentures. It is a vindication of the succession duties of this Province that at least one-tenth of all money so bequeathed except to those near of kin shall be given to the charitable institutions of the country.

We note the recent bequest of a lady in Hamilton whose fortune was only onethirtieth as great as that above-mentioned, yet generous amounts were left

to numerous public and private charities. Less than two years ago the late Hart A. Massey passed away from a life of busy industry and bequeathed some two millions of dollars to a wide range of charities and philanthropies. Because he wisely provided that the great works whereby many hundreds of employees and their families were maintained should not be crippled by the immediate withdrawal of this large amount, certain unfriendly critics who never showed much sympathy for Methodism were greatly distressed in their minds-one would think they could not get sleep at nights on account of itlest the Methodist people should not receive within a measurable time their share of these bequests. Already, within less than two years, a large proportion of these bequests have been paid in full, and others are being promptly and generously met. Nor were Mr. Massey's benefactions postponed until he could longer enjoy his hard-earned fortune. Long before his death many great and noble gifts were bestowed on worthy charities. What a joy in life, and a joy, we judge, heightening that of the world above, to think of the pain that has been assuaged, the sorrow that has been soothed, the struggling poor who have been aided, the many who have been blessed and benefited for this world and the world to come by such use of the money wherewith God has entrusted

man.

110

We have had more than enough of fictitious narratives designed to illustrate

and often irreverent, liberties, with the sacred narrative. This book is of an

From Elizabeth Stuart Phelps' "The Story of Jesus Christ."

the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth. Many of these have taken unwarrantable,

The Story of Jesus Christ." An interpretation. By Elizabeth Stuart Phelps. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Toronto: William Briggs. Price, $2.00.

It is pro

entirely different character. perly named by its writer, "An interpretation." It seeks by tender and reverent use of historic imagination to fill out the narrative given us in outline in Scripture. It is the result of profound

study of the best literature on this subject. Above all, it is marked by spiritual insight and by poetic feeling and expression. It makes more real the sicred narrative and unfolds its inner meaning.

We may not always agree with the interpretation of the writer. The temptation of our Lord, we judge, is made too subjective in character. We prefer what we conceive to be the literal and objective narrative as given in the Gospels and repeated in Milton's "Paradise Regained." Only a woman of keenest sensibility could enter with such womanly sympathy into the contrasted experiences of the Blessed Virgin and of the much sinning but much loving and forgiving woman who anointed the feet of our Lord in the house of Simon the Pharisee. Throughout the volume Christ's chivalric tenderness to woman is admirably set forth.

Our author portrays with much skill the growing hatred of the ruling classes of Judea towards the Prophet of Nazareth. The mingling in Christ of the human and divine, and his utter loneliness and isolation, are beautifully expressed.

Our author's account of the healing of the demoniacs at Gadara and destruction of the swine is a rather rationalistic interpretation of the miracle. But elsewhere the distinctly supernatural character of the mighty works of our Lord is distinctly accepted. At times the poetic insight gives, we judge, a truer interpretation than does the acumen of the scholar. An instance of this occurs in the account of Christ's miracle of calming the storm upon the Sea of Galilee.

One

"The little craft was labouring painfully in the trough of a heavy sea. of the sudden squalls for which capricious Gennesaret was famous had struck the lake. The wind drew down from the gorges of the hills in dangerous flaws and gusts. The water was smitten to madness. The full moon had gone under a thick cloud. The light was gray and wan. Foam flew. The bow plunged too deep. Water was rushing over the rails. The experienced crew were thoroughly frightened, and that with good reason. The boat was in danger of swamping.

"The fishermen had lost their heads. The lateen sail was already down; they were in too great depth to anchor; they had not been able to keep head to the wind; their rudder refused to do its duty; and the boat was at the mercy of the sea. They clambered aft in terror. One of them had roughly awakened the Rabbi, and they were all crying out together:

"Master! Master! We are perishing! He rose to His feet quietly. The fishermen, all their lives used to the tricks of Gennesaret, were altogether demoralized. Their rude voices rang above the roar of the storm: Save us ! Save us! Save us! In fact, the boat was practically sinking. And they were far from either shore, too far for swimming. Their situation was serious enough.

"A strange expression crossed the countenance of Jesus. He seemed more surprised at the fears of His friends than disturbed at the common danger.

'But He turned His attention at once to the storm. He seemed to make a curious fine distinction between the wind, which was the offender in the trouble, and the passive sea, which was only the helpless agent. Suddenly there shot from His lips a severe rebuke; as if the wind were a conscious and a guilty thing, and as if he were lord of it; as if He and Nature understood each other better than He and man. As if it acknowledged the order, the wind went down meekly. There fell upon the air one of the sudden calms, quite possible upon the lake, but which there was no evident reason to expect just then. The moon swept out from the cloud. In the reviving light, the crew saw one another's terror-stricken faces, and His who showed no fear. He stood serene, smiling, with one upraised hand and arm, a statue of strength and assurance. In a very low tone they heard Him speaking to the water; not as He had addressed the wind, authoritatively and like a master calling to account, but in a sweet, persuasive voice, such as one might use to a nervous woman or frenzied child: Hush! Peace Peace, and be still!'

Our author here recognizes the distinction employed by the evangelist Mark when he said, "He arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still!'"

In the solemn closing scenes of the life of our Lord, scenes which are the proper subject rather for devout contemplation than for realistic description either in picture or in words, our author is, we judge, less successful. Yet with much power she describes the gathering clouds of those latter days and the meek submission of the Son of man to the will of God. It is a difficult task, if not beyond the ability of the human mind, to adequately represent the relations of the human and divine in the life of our Lord. We do not know that our author has succeeded where so many others have failed.

With permission of the publishers, we have pleasure in presenting a typical example. We saw the original of this in the Salon at Paris eighteen years ago, and it has haunted our memory ever since. It is a calm night in the desert. The bright moonlight floods the scene and brings into strong reliet the calm-browed Sphinx, in whose outstretched arms Mary and the Divine Child have found refuge. At its base, wrapped in his travelling cloak, lies Joseph beside his tethered ass. The thin column of smoke climbing to the

CROSS AGAINST CORSLET.

The year draws near the holy Christmastide, with its blessed promise of **peace on earth, good-will to men," without seeing the fulfilment of the angels' prophecy. We behold on every side larger war budgets, increasing armaments and growing navies. Yet we falter not for a moment in the confidence of the ultimate universal reign of peace.

Cross against corslet
Love against hatred,
Peace-cry for war-cry!
Patience is powerful;
He that o'ercometh

Hath power o'er the nations!

Stronger than steel

Is the sword of the Spirit ;
Swifter than arrows
The light of the truth is ;
Greater than anger

Is love, and subdueth!

It is possible that the arming of the nations may go on till the burden shall become so intolerable that they shall hurl it off. It is probable, too, that the enginery of war shall become so deadly that no nation will dare incur the risk of the appeal to arms. Certainly, the time shall come in the higher civilization of the near future, let us hope of that twentieth century, on whose very threshold we stand, when

The warrior's name shall be a name abhorrèd!

And every nation that shall lift again Its hand against a brother, on its forehead Shall wear for evermore the curse of Cain!

"Down the dark future, through long generations,

The echoing sounds grow fainter and then cease;

And like a hell, with solemn, sweet vibrations,

I hear once more the voice of Christ say, Peace!'

"Peace! and no longer from its brazen portals

The blast of war's great organ shakes

the skies!

But beautiful as songs of the immortals, The holy melodies of love arise."

ON INDIA'S FRONTIER.

There are some conditions under which for the present war seems inevitable. On the frontiers of civilization it seems that the barbaric races will only yield to the reign of law, order, and liberty when they feel the futility of savage war. Mr. Poulteney Bigelow has shown that throughout the White Man's Africa peace and prosperity now prevail, chiefly through the administration of Great Britain, instead of the tribal wars and massacres which deluged the soil with blood and piled cairns of skulls before the kraals of the headmen of petty tribes.

We are too far from the scene of the conflict in the Swat highlands to judge of the righteousness or the reverse of the war with the Afridis. Military men are sometimes too prone to appeal to the sword. Wise statesmanship, like that of Lord Elgin and Lord Dufferin, was often more successful with a policy of pacification. Certainly, it is a very sad necessity-if necessity it be-that costs the sacrifice of so many gallant British and