work is substantially as Professor Stuart left it. It is a stimulating work; for the author wrote with an inspiring confidence in his own opinions, and with the hope of bringing others into harmony with himself. It is instructive, as indicating the history of theological progress or regress in our land. Professor Stuart contended for various statements which are now admitted without controversy, and he contended against other statements which now are accepted without much debate. His pages illustrate the character of the man, and also that of his contemporaries. Where he is not admitted as an authority in settling a dispute, he may be referred to as suggesting means of settling it. We are pleased with the comprehensiveness of his memory, where we do not confide in its exactness. We are refreshed by his multifarious learning, where we do not see the accuracy of his logic. He is always fertile in thought, though not always consistent with himself. His writings ought to be studied more than they are; for they reward the research to which they stimulate.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE CATACOMBS CONCERNING QUESTIONS OF DOCTRINE. By Rev. Wharton B. Marriott. London: Hatchards.

1870.

This beautiful volume is in three parts the Worship of the Virgin, the Supremacy of the Church of Rome, and the Sacraments of Baptism and Communion; the latter portion being lectures given by this Assistant Master at Eton to the Oxford Divinity School. It is partly a reply to Northcote's "Subterranean Rome," which strangely distorts the evidence of ancient inscriptions in favor of the usurpations of later times. While actually, so far from the catacombs giving testimony to Romanism, Rev. Mr. Hemans, who expected to find confirmation of his conversion by these ancient witnesses, was reconverted to Protestantism by the overwhelming proof they give that only comparative modern frescos and inscriptions sustain the claims to which he had surrendered his faith.

As to the Virgin, only the more modern delineations represent her as receiving worship; the earlier and authoritative picture the mother as subordinate to the Son. It was in the eighth century that Christian art showed the homage paid to Mary as no longer distinguished from that rendered to the Lord of all. So says the Roman Catholic historian of Christian art, D'Agincourt. But even this is claiming too much; only the twelfth century monuments substantiate this claim of modern Romanism. And it is very curious and instructive to trace the growth in this regard. In all the earlier decorations, especially before the age of Constantine, the Virgin only occurs in such connections as are directly suggested by the holy scriptures; the Holy Child being seated alone on a throne of state; the mother taking a subordinate, but honorable place on one side of the principal group, without the nimbus which her Son and the attendant angels wear, as Mr. Marriott proves by abundant illustrations.

Then, as to the second point-the superiority of St. Peter as founder of the church at Rome, and the papal claims in general. The prevailing rule of the more public monuments as the mosaics of churches is, that St. Paul is placed at our Saviour's right hand, and St. Peter at the left. To the year 800, the place of pre-eminence is assigned to St. Paul. After that a change begins to appear. From the fourth century onward, a claim for St. Peter's supremacy is made by the ornamental glasses, and by the sarcophagi after the conversion of Constantine. But the monuments themselves show the rapidity of the transition-show how the papacy grew in its pretensions; the Bishop of Rome exalting himself gradually over his brethren of Alexandria and Constantinople. In his notes Marriott states that the more modern writers on the Roman side give up as hopeless the defence of the traditions that St. Peter was for twenty-five years bishop at Rome. The Epistles and the Acts appear to prove that Paul's visit to Rome was the first of any apostle's, that then he gathered his countrymen about him, then proclaimed Christianity authoritatively for the first time, and so continued for two years the only inspired oracle of the new kingdom at the capital of the civilized world.

The Autun inscription, the third portion of the book, is that disinterred, in 1839, from an ancient cemetery in France. Marks on the back of the marble block show that it was anciently fastened upon a wall with iron clamps. Part of the stone has perished; so that there is more than one break in the reading. The general meaning seems to be:

'Offspring of the heavenly Icthus, see that a heart of holy reverence be thine, now that from divine waters thou hast received (while yet among mortals) a fount of immortal life. Quicken thy soul, beloved one, with ever-flowing waters of wealth-giving wisdom, and receive the honey-sweet food of the Saviour of saints. Eat with a longing hunger, holding Icthus in thy hands.

'To Icthus: Come nigh unto me, my Lord and Saviour, I entreat thee, thou light of those for whom the hour of death is past.

'Aschandius, my father, dear unto my heart, and thou, sweet mother, and all that are mine, remember Pectorius.'

Now, the symbolism of the word "Icthus seems to be, first, that the fish represents the food which Christ gave, and as he partook with his disciples of one broiled after the resurrection, it has been taken for a type of his passion; secondly, as a savory accompaniment of the bread, which was the chief article of food, it designated the sustaining doctrine of Christ; thirdly, it was connected with the new birth in water; Tertullian saying: 'We smaller fishes, after the example of our Fish, are born in the water, and only by continuing in those waters are we safe'; and lastly, Christ himself was signified by the letters of which the Greek word is composed, -I, C, T, U, S,- Jesus Christ, God's Son, Saviour.

The date of this stone our author would fix at the beginning of the fifth century, while the cardinal-discoverer would make it three centuries

earlier. The Roman Catholics argue that this inscription is conclusive as to the doctrine of the real presence; for it 66 says: Eat holding Icthus in thy hands." But really, no more is proved by the inscription than that Christ is to be received as the fountain of regeneration, and that this life imparted in heavenly waters is a gift entailing the responsibility of cherishing it by drinking the unfailing streams of God's Spirit. Yet further, Christ (the Healer) is not only the source of new life; he is the food of spiritual existence, from the beginning to the end. The same Saviour never ceasing from the care of his people, but being their guiding light through the dark valley to the paradise beyond, he is the light to them that have died in the faith, as to those that live therein. All these truths find expression, says our author, in this touching memorial of primitive Christian belief.

And so we may well thank God that this sacrament of peace is not brought before us in so ancient a testimonial to its grace, as a bone of contention. Sincere believers of opposite schools may unite in this quaint breathing of grateful trust to the one Redeemer, Lord of Life, and Mediator of Heaven.

A DISCOURSE IN MEMORY OF THOMAS HARVEY SKINNER, D.D., LL.D. By George L. Prentiss, Pastor of the Church of the Covenant. 8vo. pp. 145. New York: Anson D. T. Randolph and Co.

We depart from our usual custom in noticing a single discourse delivered from the pulpit. This discourse justifies our making an exception to our rule; for it is a rich expression of truths important for every minister of the gospel. It illustrates the power of "doctrinal preaching," the uses and limits of logic in the pulpit, the influence of a man's life upon his eloquence. It portrays, in a neat and accurate, as well as vivid, style, the intellectual, unimaginative, but impassioned method of preaching; the simple, guileless, childlike, transparent spirit; the earnest, profound, habitual, and winning piety which have made the memory of Dr. Skinner a treasure to the church. It gives so many intimations of truths which a single discourse is too brief to develop as to suggest the importance of publishing an extended Memoir of Dr. Skinner, and also some of his choice sermons. If Dr. Prentiss would prepare such a Memoir, and edit the select sermons, he would make a still richer contribution than even his present discourse has made to the history of American theology.

In order to make room for the following Notices sent by Dr. Simon, we omit various other Notices prepared for this Number.

Rev. John Hunt: History of Religious Thought in England. A good history of English theology of, which, by the way, many of our German cousins think we have very little - has long been, and perhaps is still, a desideratum. Mr. Hunt's work scarcely professes to supply it, but is a valuable contribution to such a history. The two volumes which have

appeared embrace the period from the Reformation to the end of the seventeenth century. The work is clear, precise, and accurate.

Dean Hook, D.D.: Life of Archbishop Parker. This is the newest volume of the Dean's Lives of the Archbishops of Canterbury, and is marked by the same general characteristics as the preceding volumes.

E. H. Palmer: The Desert of the Exodus. Mr. Palmer, a most competent scholar and sympathetic and cultured man, who went out to explore Palestine in connection with the Ordnance Survey and the Palestine Exploration Fund, has here given an account of the journeys on foot which he undertook in the wilderness of the forty years' wanderings. The work is illustrated with maps, views after photographs, and drawings taken on the spot by the Sinai exploring expedition. We need say nothing to commend the book to the attention of the countrymen of Dr. E. Robinson.

Rev. I. Edkins: China's Place in Philology. This is an attempt to show that the languages of Europe and Asia have a common origin. The author is one of the missionaries of the London Missionary Society, who has been long resident in Pekin, and is known as an energetic scholar.

Rev. I. Martin: Origin and History of the New Testament. A clear, interesting, and, in the good sense, popular account of the origin of the New Testament writings, and of their history in MSS. translations, and so forth, from the days of the apostles down to the present time. Mr. Martin is the translator of several works published in the theological series of the Messrs. Clark of Edinburgh, and has taken note of the recent German and other controversies on the subjects discussed by him.

Modern Scepticism is the title of a course of lectures recently delivered in London, under the direction of the Christian Evidence Society, by such men as Archbishop Thomson of York, Rev. W. Jackson, Dr. Rigg (Methodist), Dr. Stoughton (Congregationalist), Professor Rawlinson, and the Rev. C. Row. Among the subjects dealt with are: Miracles, Pantheism, Jesus of the Evangelists, Historical Difficulties of the Old and New Testament. On the whole, the lectures are good - one or two, very good. Whether they will convince, or in any way affect the men for whose good they ought mainly to be designed, is questionable. In general these men do not need to be convinced, or rather unconvinced; for they are already convinced, both negatively and positively.

Stopford Brook: Freedom in the Church of England. A volume containing six sermons, having a bearing on the recent controversies in the church of England, and preached by Mr. Brook in London. In them he seeks to justify the position taken up by broad churchmen like himself. With much that he says, and with the manner in which he says it, all educated Christians will sympathize. One of the sermons is on the atonement, and, though unsatisfactory, expounds an aspect of the work of Christ which deserves consideration.

T. T. Lynch: Sermons for my Curates. Mr. Lynch was one of the choicest spirits that the Congregationalist ministry has for a long time numbered within its ranks - a poetic and beautiful soul. He died not many months ago, and has left a place in London which will be difficult to fill. The present volume contains a number of sermons which he wrote, when he was so ill that he could not appear himself in his chapel, for reading to the congregation by members of the church whom he styled his curates. They are full of truth and beauty concerning God and man. Mr. Lynch was the author of the "Memorials of Theophilus Trinal," "The Rivulet-Religious Poems," and one or two series of sermons or addresses.

SYNONYMS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT; their Bearing on Christian Faith and Practice. By the Rev. R. B. Girdleston, M.A. London: Longmans, Green, and Co. 1871.

As the author tells us in his preface, this is the first attempt at a systematic investigation of the synonyms of the Old Testament. As such he presents his work to the public with diffidence. The subject is treated in thirty chapters, devoted to the following matters: the names of God; the names of man; the soul and spirit; heart, will, conscience, wisdom, understanding; sin, wickedness, trespass and guilt; repentance, conversion, and amendment; perfection and peace; uprightness, faith, and hope; grace, pity, love, and mercy; redemption and salvation; atonement, forgiveness, and acceptance; cleansing, washing, sprinkling, and baptism; justification, innocence, and imputation; sanctification, holiness, consecration, anointing; offerings, sacrifices, altar; word, law, commandment, charge, covenant; worship, pray, praise, teach; temple, tabernacle, congregation, church; prophet, priest, elder, minister; king, judge; condemn, punish, revenge; heathen, nation, people, tribe, family; land, earth, world; heaven, host of heaven, firmament; destroy, perish: the grave, hell, death; Satan, tempter, serpent; witch, diviner, familiar spirit, magician; idol, teraphim, grove, high place; eternal, everlasting, the age to come. We have enumerated the matters, in order that our readers may at once see the scope of the work. It is quite unnecessary for us to enlarge on the usefulness of such a treatise. With regard to Mr. Girdleston's success, various opinions will naturally be formed, according to the point of view of the judges. For our own part, we consider that he has accomplished his task, on the whole, in a very satisfactory manner, and has supplied the students of the Bible with a most valuable aid. We may add that the book is admirably printed; the Hebrew words are in heavy English type, as well as in Hebrew; there are ample indexes of subjects, Hebrew words, Greek words, and texts referred to; and the entire arrangement is such that it is a pleasure to use the work.