translations from the Hebrew, while in the other portions they are from the Septuagint. To account for this, Professor Gardiner brings forward the hypothesis that Matthew originally wrote an account of our Lord's teaching in Aramaic, with little or no connecting narrative, "and that afterwards, finding a fuller narrative required, and the Greek language more fitted to his purpose, he determined to enlarge and re-issue the work in Greek. To this end he prepared the narrative in Greek, employing one of his disciples to translate into the same language what he had already written in Aramaic " (p. 2). A verification of this theory may be secured by an examination of the different parts with reference to a comparison of their peculiarities of style. From this it does indeed appear that the writer or translator of the discourses was more familiar with Greek construction than the writer of the narrative. The article is very interesting, and presents what the author truly regards "as a satisfactory solution of the puzzling enigmas in regard to this Gospel, both in the testimony of antiquity and in its internal structure" (p. 16).

Among the other more important articles are two by Professor J. Rendel Harris, the first being a collation of the important cursive MS. No. 33,277 of the British Museum, which was written in the tenth century, and was purchased as late as 1887. This MS., like the one recently collated by Mr. Hoskier (No. 604), was singled out by Dean Burgon as of special value, and like that contains a large number of unique readings, such as can only be paralleled in the Sinaitic or some other early uncial text. So numerous are these that we cannot well resist the conclusion that this was copied from a very early uncial MS.

A second paper of Professor Harris is an attempt to show, from botanical and other references to natural history, that the so-called "Epistle of Barnabas" was written in Egypt. Like everything else which Professor Harris undertakes, the argument is very interesting, and is most carefully wrought

out.

Besides these, there are papers by Professor Toy on "Evil Spirits in the Bible;" by Professor Francis Brown on "The Measurements of Hebrew Poetry as an Aid to Literary Analysis;" by Professor H. P. Smith on Professor Workman's volume on "The Variations between the Hebrew and Greek Jeremiah;" and by Professor C. R. Brown upon "The Meaning of Isa. vii. 10-17."

UNTO THE UTTERMOST. By James M. Campbell. New York: Fords, Howard and Hulbert. 1889. (pp. 254. 52x3%.) $1.25.

This is a volume of decided originality and merit; the style is perspicuous and forcible; the illustrations, interesting; and the thought in the main sound and always stimulating. The inexperienced reader, or one who does not peruse the whole volume, will at times think that the author is perilously near the logical necessity of maintaining universalism or restorationism; but careful attention to the thought will show that this is not the case. According to the author, "Every sin

brings eternal loss (p. 155); the word aionios, while not expressing the idea of absolute eternity, "suggests no idea of limitation (p. 158); and "Delusive is the dream of the greater things which the future will do. No advan tage can be offered in the future which is not held out in the present. Atonement has been completed; the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon all flesh, in a flood of saving power" (p. 252).

We miss in the volume, however, the broad scriptural treatment of the themes which they severally demand. Though the Scriptures are referred to more or less, the argument is not based as thoroughly in the objective divine revelation of the Bible as would be most profitable, and in the Scripture, which is considered, the interpretation of the author frequently seems farfetched. For example, the difficult passage in Eph. ii. 3, where all men are said to be by nature "children of wrath," is explained away as meaning no more than that we are by nature specially liable to get overcome with the passion of anger (p. 33). "The reference is not to wrath of which they are the objects, but to wrath of which they are the subjects" (p. 30). Few will be inclined to follow the author in this interpretation. More will agree with him, however, that "if the objective meaning of the term 'wrath' be insisted upon, Meyer is undoubtedly right in asserting that it is only through the development of natural disposition into actual sin that men become the objects of divine wrath... Moral tendency may depend upon things beyond the sphere of choice, but moral character is always the result of moral action " (p. 31).

CHARACTERISTICS OF VOLCANOES, with Contributions of Facts and Principles from the Hawaiian Islands, including an Historical Review of Hawaiian Volcanic Action for the Past Sixty-seven Years, a Discussion of the Relations of Volcanic Islands to Deep-Sea Topography, and a Chapter of Volcanic Island Denudation. By James D. Dana. Illustrated by Maps of the Islands; a Bathymetric Map of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; and Views of Cones, Craters, a Lava-Cascade, a Lava-Fountain, etc. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1890. (pp. vi. 399. 71⁄2 x4 ·) This sumptuous volume presents to all classes of readers a mass of most interesting information systematically arranged and thoroughly digested. Professor Dana began his personal observation upon volcanoes with the ascent of Vesuvius in 1834. Through his connection with the Wilkes Expedition from 1838 to 1841, these observations were extended to Madeira and the Cape Verds, and to a larger part of the Pacific Islands, and were completed in 1887 by a second visit to the Hawaiian Islands. The larger part of the present volume is occupied with statement of facts concerning the Hawaiian Islands, where volcanic phenomena, both past and present, are open to observation upon the grandest scale. It may be truly said that upon these islands the process of world-building is still open to inspection.

Fortunately for science these islands have, for the past fifty years and more, been occupied by a most intelligent class of missionaries, who, a' the suggestion and under the direction of Professor Dana, have kept records of observa

tions during all this period, and it is from these that the larger part of the valuable information in this book has been collected; so that the volume might properly be entitled, "Contributions of American Missionaries to the Science of Vulcanology." Any one proposing to visit the Sandwich Islands should prepare himself to appreciate the scenery by a perusal of this volume, and, on the other hand, any one who peruses this volume can scarcely fail to be filled with an unquenchable desire to see with his own eyes the marvellous facts here so graphically described and now so readily accessible. The maps and illustrations of the book are of the highest order, and the whole arrangement of the matter is such as to adapt it to the ordinary reader as well as to the scientific student.

THE VOCATION OF THE PREACHER. By E. Paxton Hood. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. 1888. (pp. viii. 528. 6x32.) $2.00.

THE THRONE OF ELOQUENCE. GREAT PREACHERS, ANCIENT AND MODERN. Uniform with the above. (pp. vi. 479.)

A neat and attractive edition of the works of an entertaining writer. The English Edition of "The Throne of Eloquence" is well known in this country. "The Vocation of the Preacher" is in part familiar to many, including, among other good things, a course of lectures delivered in Boston in 1881. These books happily blend pleasure with profit. They contain many helpful precepts, illustrated with examples of great preachers, ancient and modern. They are full of anecdote and racy word-painting, and will be read with delight by many.

We regret to be compelled to announce the death from heart failure, on the 7th of June, of Professor Israel Edson Dwinell, D. D., one of the associate editors of the Bibliotheca Sacra. Dr. Dwinell was born at East Calais, Vt., October 24, 1820. After completing his college and theological studies in 1848, he became the pastor of the South Church, Salem, Mass., where he remained until 1863. From 1863 to 1883 he was pastor in Sacramento, Cal ̧ Since 1884 he has been professor of homiletics and pastoral theology in Pacific Theological Seminary at Oakland, Cal. Almost the last work which he performed was in connection with his article in the present number of the Bibliotheca Sacra. His loss will be greatly felt.

THE

BIBLIOTHECA SACRA.

ARTICLE I.

VOLUNTARY SOCIETIES AND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.

BY THE REV. A. HASTINGS ROSS, D. D., PORT HURON, MICH.

IT may be a misfortune, but it is nevertheless inevitable, that the benevolent and missionary work of the American Congregationalists should be slowed up a little for the purpose of mending the machinery. In consequence, in part, of an unfavorable environment, the New England churches of our order adopted theories and formed alliances which were out of harmony with their polity, and which have compelled adjustments from time to time as the mistakes have appeared. We can say this and yet credit them with the honor of founding free institutions, which have given liberty here and elsewhere to the world. But they were not perfect. Their theory of the ministry-resting it in the pastoral relation—had first to be given up. Then the union of church and state, permitting only members of Congregational churches to vote and hold office in the leading colonies, had after a generation to be surrendered. Immediately out of this union there emerged the parish system, which made a church a mere appendage of a secular society holding all the property, even to the communion service, and compelling the church to nominate a candidate to the parish

or society for it to elect as pastor.

And what was worse,

a church could not exist without a parish or ecclesiastical society other than itself to which it was attached.1 This unnatural connection, born of the union of church and state, has continued to the present time, and has been extended with Congregationalism, as an integral part of it, to all the regions beyond the Hudson. But now it is said: “An unmistakable drift toward the incorporation of churches is manifest not only in this commonwealth [Mass.], but throughout the country." This parish system is not found among Congregational churches in any other country; it is largely discarded by the Western Congregational churches. So, too, the system of councils, born of the union of church and state in New England, is slowly giving way before the better system of accountability of church and minister in associations of churches.

When, therefore, "voluntary societies" are defended as "the Congregational way," no one acquainted with the facts will regard the appeal as conclusive. For while such societies are historically Congregational in America, they may not be normally Congregational. They may be an abnormal growth of Congregationalism, due to environment. The last National Council, the representative body of all American Congregationalists, seems to have regarded them as such, for without a dissentient vote it declared its "opinion in favor of steps which in due time will make the said societies the representatives of the churches." 3

But the friends of the voluntary and the close corporations, which claim to be agents of the churches, call upon the advocates of a change "to show precisely what defects now exist, and precisely what advantage would be gained by making the proposed changes." They even go so far as to 1 Baker vs. Fales, 16 Mass., 488; 10 Pick. 171.

2 The Congregationalist, July 3, 1890.

8 Minutes for 1889, p. 38.