that we enter with our finite faculties; its problem is endless. There is not only the whole realm of the outer world, and its operations and its laws; there is also the profounder and more mysterious realm of the inner world, with its phenomena and its laws. The existence, relation, and harmony of the outer laws among themselves; the existence, relation, and harmony of the inner laws; and, moreover, the adaptation, interdependence, and harmony of the laws of the inner and outer worlds; these constitute the vast problem. And when we remember that all these laws of nature and of mind which we now know, were for centuries unknown, when man had his present faculties for knowledge, what infinite possibility is opened for future advance? And if it has taken so long to open the way to that world that lies at the very door of our senses, what infinite progress in coming time may there not still be in the knowledge of that inner world of consciousness--the laws and nature of mind? What revelation may there not still be awaiting the eager and devout seeker after truth?

Art. X.-CURRENT NOTE.

CHURCH UNITY.—If we do not share the enthusiastic hopes of the speedy ecclesiastical unification of all evangelical Christians, so forcibly advocated and predicted in the able article on that subject in this number of the REVIEW, we welcome such a presentation of the grounds of encouragement to these hopes. The recent great unions of disrupted churches are certainly cheering. Besides that of the Reformed. and Free Presbyterian Churches of Scotland, elsewhere noticed by us, that lately effected between the Methodist Churches, North and South, is a welcome movement in the same direction. It does not yet go the length of organic union, but gives promise of it in the not distant future. It has been effected on terms of "perfect equality and reciprocity." We have no doubt that fraternal relations will soon be established between Northern and Southern Presbyterians on a like basis. Both Assemblies having reached the point of expressing their construction of their previous votes excepted to on either side, in precisely the same language, the interchange of delegates on this basis. cannot long be delayed. While it is, in our judgment, true, that the Northern Assembly has always been ready to enter into fraternal re

lations on such a basis, it does not follow, as some have urged, that no progress has been made since 1870 toward this consummation. Certainly, as discussion has proved that neither side could claim to be immaculate in the matters complained of, the demands which have prevented their coming together have been much abated; and, at all events, both Assemblies have succeeded in making their respective attitudes better understood, and narrowing apparent grounds of difference. Much less does it warrant the inference we have seen made, and held up ad invidiam, that the Northern church continues to affirm the language used in the former Old School and New School Assemblies which offends our Southern brethren. It has simply and clearly from the outset declared the acts containing it "null and void,” as respects our present re-united church; thus disclaiming all responsibility for them.

We desire the speedy restoration of fraternal relations, letting bygones be by-gones, because we believe these churches, thus united, might be in many ways helpful to each other; and that neither can say to the other, "I have no need of thee."

Art. XI.-CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE.

THEOLOGY AND RELIGION.

The Preaching of the Cross and other Sermons, by THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D. Wm. Blackwood & Sons, Edinburgh and London. Dr. Crawford, late Professor of Divinity in the University of Edinburgh, was formerly one of the ministers of St. Andrew's church in that city He was a sound and able divine, and is well known in this country by his works on the "Fatherhood of God," the "Mysteries of Christianity," and the "Atonement." He was also an impressive and instructive preacher; clear and forcible in the presentation of his subjects, and earnest in his address. The first sermon in this posthumous collection gives the title and key-note to the volume, in fact, to the preacher's whole system of theology and to his religious life. It is the "Preaching of the Cross," as containing the sum and substance of all religious and saving truth for the human race, so that it cannot be superseded by any scheme of man's devising. For however times may change, there ever ts and will be the same sinfulness and the same need of redemption, met and satisfied only by the Cross of Christ. The whole number of sermons here given is nineteen. Among the

more striking of them are- "God's first Gift the Pledge of Every Other," "Retribution a Law of God's Moral Government," "The Unbelief of Thomas" (two discourses), "Faith's Victory over the World," Christ's Living Epistles," "Faith, Hope, and Charity." They are excellent examples of great themes, thoroughly worked out, and yet adapted to an intelligent popular audience, omitting the technicalities of theological expression, and the mere routine of pulpit exhortation, yet full of doctrine and of life. They will reward a diligent perusal, and help almost any preacher in his work.

The Three Gardens by J. B. BITTINGER D. D., consists of three discourses, the first on the Garden of Eden, the second on that of Gethsemane, the last on the Heavenly Paradise, which set forth in the racy and sententious style, of which our readers have had a refreshing taste, the rich lessons doctrinal and practical, to be learned from the close consideration of them.

The Union of the Free and Reformed Churches of Scotland, the latter of which was severed from the established church nearly two centuries ago, for nearly the same cause which led to the disruption of the former, viz. the refusal to submit the ecclesiastical administration to state control, was happily consummated on Thursday, May 25, 1876. We have received two pamphlets touching it; one, the Report of Proceedings in the Free Church Assembly Hall on that day; the other, the Substance of an Address to the Reformed Congregation at Eaglestown, Friday, May 19, 1876, by the Rev. J. H. Thomson. In both these, full accounts and expositions of this great measure, which will be hailed as another important movement toward Presbyterian and Christian unity, will be found. The speeches of some chief leaders in both churches, and from others at the evening sederunt; among which we find the well-known names of Drs. Dykes, Begg, Calderwood and Rainy, Sir Henry Moncrieff, and others of distinction, are vigorous, eloquent, soundly orthodox and catholic, and will well repay perusal.

Longmans, Green & Co., London, have issued new editions of" The Types of Genesis briefly considered, as Revealing the Development of Human Nature, and of The Second Death and the Restitution of All Things; with some Preliminary Remarks on the Nature and Inspiration of the Holy Scripture, by ANDREW JUKES. The former has reached its third and the latter its fourth edition. It was also brought to the notice of our readers when originally published. Its topics are, The Work and Rest of God; Adam, or Human Nature; Cain and Abel, or the Carnal and Spiritual Mind; Noah, or Regeneration; Abraham, or the Spirit of Faith ; Isaac, or the Spirit of Sonship; Jacob, or the Spirit of Service; Joseph, or Suffering and Glory. In his treatment and unfolding of these types, the author, if sometimes fanciful, is never stale or common-place; if calm and meditative, he is never dull or heavy; if unpretending, he is rich and suggestive; while devout, he is free from all cant and affected solemnity.

The other work, as its title sufficiently intimates, is a plea for Restoration, to some form of which, or of Annihilation, an increasing tendency has, we

regret to say, for some time past appeared among persons in this country and Britain as well as on the continent, hitherto accounted orthodox, and in other respects still actually so. Mr. Jukes urges, that, as death itself dies when the Christian dies as to his body; so for others who are passed over to the second death, this latter is its own destruction, the birth-throe of a sinless and joyful life. In order to obtain Scriptural sanction for this, the author is obliged to ascribe to Revelation an enigmatical character, which seems to us inconsistent with its normal authority as the Word of God. He carries the principle that God, in revealing, hides, and, in hiding, reveals truth, beyond its true and safe limits, to a length which is untenable. So also the principle that representations of the same truth sometimes involve apparent inconsistencies or contradictions, because not yet fully developed, or addressed to minds imperfectly developed, is pushed to a degree that throws doubt over the most explicit and didactic statements of Scripture. This leads him to adopt the common universalist shifts in wrenching out the eternity of punishment from the passages that indubitably affirm it. This is placing the spirit above the letter to an extent which makes the written word of God no longer a sufficient rule of faith and practice.

God's Dealings with our Nation is the title of a Centennial Discourse, by REV. R. M. PATERSON, in which the hand of God in our national history and development is very vividly and instructively traced.

Hell and Damnation; the Theories of Annihilation, Purgatory and Universalism Disproved, and the Orthodox Doctrine Demonstrated, by Rev. G. H. HUMPHREY, of Pittsburgh, Pa., is issued from the Earnest Christain Office, Rochester, N. Y. It is not dainty or delicate in its style of maintaining a great truth of Scripture, which is so far assailed, obscured or ignored, not only by avowed adversaries, but in quarters where better things might be expected, that it is quite seasonable to proclaim and defend it boldly and decisively, as is done in this trenchant argument. The author's proofs are generally clear and cogent. There is, however, a style of handling the most awful terms and ideas, which imparts more weakness than strength. The title-page, and the author's reasons for it, show our meaning. He says,

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every body should have, or seek to have, spiritual stamina enough to read the title of this book without wincing or getting angry. The title is used for two reasons; First, because it is exactly the subject of this treatise; and secondly, because there is need of reaction from the sickly mawkishness that prevails on this subject. If there is a hell, why not speak of it under its Scriptural name? Why nickname it?" Even so. But we need not swing from one extreme to another. The allocation of the phrase "Hell and Damnation" in the title-page is more after the manner of those who use these terms lightly, not to say profanely, than of those who use them solemnly and tenderly.

The Bible and the Republic by Rev. ARTHUR MITCHELL, D.D., of Chicago, is a powerful exhibition of the conservative and purifying influences of Christianity upon our social and political life.

Dr. H. A. BOARDMAN'S Letter of Resignation, of the Pastorate of the Tenth Church, Philadelphia, and the action of the session, congregation, and presbytery, thereon, are all such as befit the close of one of the longest and most honored ministries in the Presbyterian Church.

The charge and the Inaugural Address, delivered at the Induction of the the Rev. William S. Karr, D. D., into the Chair of Systematic Theology in the Theological Institute of Connecticut, May 11, 1876, give good promise of able and orthodox theological teaching in the Hartford Seminary during the incumbency of one yet in the beginning of his career.

The British and Foreign Evangelical Review for July has a number of interesting and valuable articles. The first on the "Basis of Religious Belief," by Rev. T. F. Henderson, explains the unsatisfactory theories of nescience in religion, propounded by Mansel in his "Limits of Religious Thought," and by Gregg in his "Supernatural in Religion." The former of these, in its efforts to undermine rationalism by maintaining the incapacity of human reason to cognize the infinite and absolute, in reality undermines the foundations of all religion, natural as well as revealed. The latter undertakes to assert the impossibility of a revelation to man on the absurd principle, that the "human mind cannot receive an idea which it cannot originate." The Rev. J. B. Paton in the second article, summarizes and discusses the proceedings of the Second Union Conference at Bonn, held August, 1875, between the representatives of the Old Catholics, the Greek, and Anglican Churches, to which non-episcopal delegates were also invited, among the latter Mr. Paton himself, whose testimony and judgment are therefore those of an eye-witness. It is a valuable paper, and presents judicial estimates of the progress made by the conference toward an understanding in regard to the constitution of the church, the Papacy, and Christian doctrine, including the filioque. This is shown to be of higher moment, or of wider bearings, than has been commonly supposed. The third article, on "Pioneer Presbyterianism," by Rev. George Bryce, Professor in Manitoba College, is a compendious and instructive account of the planting, growth, and organization of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and of the causes of the recent coalescence of all its branches in one body. Professor W. R. Smith, of Aberdeen, contributes an able discussion on "Progress in Old Testament Studies," indicating the necessity of corrected translation and exegesis in the light of modern linguistic, geographical, and other accompanying lights. Rev. J. C. Jones, of London, under the title "Jesus Christ the Centre of History," shows that in him "God changed" his relation to man; the God over us is a God in us; the God who created our nature is a God in our nature; the Law-giver has become a sin-bearer." Professor T. K. Abbott, of Trinity College, Dublin, sifts and shows the insufficiency of the historical evidence to establish the "Miracle of the Holy Thorn." James Mathieson, Esq., of London, pleads for an advanced "plan of Foreign Missions in the work of the Church," and contends that by a vastly greater outlay of men, clerical and lay, and of means, in this