p. 11 | Book Notices

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Mar 10, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 10.

Book Notices.

“Light on the Old Testament from Babel.” By Albert T. Clay, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Semitic Philology and Archeology in the University of Pennsylvania. Second Edition, Cloth, Illustrated, Map, and Index. Price, $2.00. The Sunday School Times Company, Philadelphia.

This is a revision of a work published a few years ago, and now revised and brought up to date. Its general aim is to show that the Bible narrative is confirmed by the discoveries in ancient lands adjoining the land of Israel and having dealings with that people. Besides this it gives a large amount of information concerning archeology and its rapid development. Among the striking topics are, The Great Antiquity of Man; The Babylonian Creation and Deluge; the Tower of Babel; The Fourteenth Chapter of Genesis; Babylonian Life in the Days of Abraham; The Code of Hammurabi, and his code compared with that of Moses; The Name Jahweh, or Jehovah, in Cuneiform Literature; The Amarna Letters; Babylonian and Assyrian Inscriptions, and Babylonian Life in the Days of Ezra and Nehemiah. Some of the chapters in the book are illuminating. The essential differences between the Mosaic and the Hammurabic code are pointed out, and the superiority of the former fully shown. We see no reason to conclude that similarities in some respects prove dependence in any, nor does our author so affirm. The name of the covenant God of the Israelites seems clearly to be found in Babylonian records. The well-known Amarna letters are discussed and their evidence once more weighed. We see no reason as yet to accept the conclusions of the great antiquity of man as disclosed or rather argued and conjectured from the tablets. When Babylonian legends claim a period of 432,000 years prior to the Deluge, during which only ten kings ruled,—a story utterly preposterous,—why should we accept as conclusive their boastful claims of long existence made at a later date? Why should we assume a uniform accumulation of debris over buried objects, a process easily modified by a half-dozen different things? Why should it be assumed that advanced culture and refinement indicated long national existence? Why not admit the possibility of degeneration? Why assume many other things? These lower stratas in buried cities may have been tombs, sewers, or store chambers. Then, too, the archeological records are very fragmentary. Why should the very incomplete and uncertain fragments be set over against the far clearer, more consistent testimony of the Bible in any case?

“Twelve Lessons in the Fundamentals of Voice Production.” By Arthur L. Manchester. Well printed and bound in cloth. Price, $1.00. Oliver Ditson Company, Boston.

The author of this little work is director of music and professor of voice culture at Converse College. It is not a theoretical work, but has been tested in lessons, published in The Musician, and republished in book form at the requests of many readers. It is not a treatise on singing, nor does it profess to be an exhaustive treatment of tone production. It deals with the fundamentals and essentials, the basis of all true advanced work. Its aim is systematic order and definiteness.

“The Most Popular Hymns.” Selected and Arranged by Gilbert Clifford Noble. Large page. Bound in dark manila, with illuminated front. Price, 50 cents. Hinds, Noble & Eldridge, 31-35 West 15th St., New York City.

The compiler has done well in his selection of a hundred hymns and sacred songs, more or less, 108 pages. The book opens with “Nearer My God to Thee,” and closes with, “God Be with You Till We Meet Again.” About the only one we would delete is “Lead, Kindly Light.” Of course, all the good ones could not be given; but that would have given place for one more. The selection, however, is excellent.

“He Knew Lincoln.” By Ida M. Tarbell. The McClure Company, New York City.

A charming little monologue told by one who knew Lincoln, and put in shape by Miss Tarbell. One of the best little things on Lincoln ever published.

“The Acts.” Translated out of the Greek. From the American Standard Edition of the Revised Bible. Bound both in cloth and leather. Thomas Nelson & Sons, 37 East 18th St., New York.

A dainty little volume, easily carried in a teachers’ Bible next to the cover. It is designed to help the Sunday-school teachers in the study of the Acts.