p. 14 | BOOK NOTICES

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 13, 1901

BOOK NOTICES.

“THE ROYAL HOUSES OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH:” An Interwoven History with a Harmony of Parallel Passages. By George O. Little, D.D. 8vo, cloth, 351 pp. Price, $3.00. New York and London. Funk & Wagnalls Co.

This unique and timely work, which meets a want long felt among Bible students, preachers, and others, embraces the first successful attempt of a complete harmony of the important history of Israel and Judah. The book contains an interwoven history of the royal houses of Israel and Judah, beginning with the Israelites’ demand for a king, and ending with the return of the exiles from captivity. The treatment is divided into four parts, consisting of the foundation of the monarchy, the united kingdom, the divided kingdom, and the surviving southern kingdom. Facts and side lights are given on the national existence, civil life, political revolutions, etc., of Israel. An important feature of the book is a harmony of parallel passages in columns, line for line, showing at a glance the omissions, agreements, or disagreements of the two narratives. The interwoven history corresponds with it, line for line, so that the history is explained and verified by the harmony, and the harmony is verified and put into readable and valuable form by the history. The volume is supplied with tables of all the Scripture passages that appear in the interwoven history or those quoted in the foot-notes. These tables show in what part, or section, or on what page the passage is found. There is also a table of parallel passages. By the use of these one can readily find and examine any chapter or verse in the book. It is thus admirably adapted for ready reference for busy clergymen, Sabbath-school teachers, or Bible students. No word is used in this interwoven history that is not found in one of the scriptures, and if any are omitted the reason is indicated. The basis is the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, with many quotations from other books. It is a valuable help.

“CONSTRUCTIVE STUDIES IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST.” By Ernest D. Burton and Shailer Matthews, professors in Chicago University. 302 pp. Price, $1.00. The University of Chicago Press.

This, the first of a series of constructive studies to be published by the University of Chicago Press, takes up the great central figure of the Scriptures. The book is divided into nine parts, as follows: The Thirty Years of Private Life; The Opening Events of Christ’s Ministry; The Early Judean Ministry; First Period of the Galilean Ministry; Second Period of the Galilean Ministry; Third Period of the Galilean Ministry; The Perean Ministry; The Passion Week; The Forty Days. It is a book for ministers, designed for teachers and for all Bible students. Its study demands first of all a thorough acquaintance with the facts of the Bible narrative; secondly, an understanding as far as may be of the facts as narrated, so that the student shall construct for himself in his own mind the history of the life of our Lord. To assist to this end questions and suggestions for study are appended to each chapter. The book has no denominational bias, aiming only to treat the history. It is a helpful work to the diligent student.

“THE TREND OF THE AGES.” By John H. Boyet, D.D. 112 pp. Price, 55 cents, post-paid. Baptist Book Concern, Louisville, Ky.

The chief aim of the book seems to be to set forth the author’s view of dispensational times or ages, and a historic idea of predestination so as to harmonize it with the doctrine of free will. The book is neatly printed, the style easy and bright, tho we believe it would be better if simpler Anglo-Saxon were many times used. We do not see how God could, consistent with free will, choose certain men arbitrarily, and arbitrarily infuse into them (p. 21) the very nature of the government of heaven. The harmony between predestination and free will, will be found when men seek it from the view-point of the predestination of character. Dr. Boyet’s book will awaken thought, and for that we are glad. Address the author, 2118 Third Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky.

“WHITHER? A STUDY OF IMMORTALITY.” By Hon. W. E. Simonds, A.M., counselor-at-law. Cloth, 12mo, 114 pp., price $1.00. John B. Alden, New York.

The author endeavors to reason out from “common facts,” from man’s desires, hopes, etc., the immortality of man. He assumes that life is force, evidently because man can not grasp it by some of his senses. The book is interesting in its discussion of the properties of matter, in its showing the utter worthlessness of Buddhism, but it is after all only the cry of the soul after that which is assured only in Christ Jesus,—immortality. But in Christ it is determined, not by desire, not by hope, but by character. Righteousness is life. Sin is death. Immortality is God’s stamp upon an incorruptible character. The resurrection is not at death; it is when Christ comes. One can learn more of immortality in the fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians than in the whole volume.

“THE PROSPECTS OF THE SMALL COLLEGE,” by William Rainey Harper, president of the University of Chicago, is a pamphlet of 46 pages with cover, containing an address of President Harper’s on the above subject. The address has been misrepresented by some of the press in representing it to be against the small college. The address shows otherwise. It may be obtained of the University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Ill. Price, 25 cents.

“MARVELS IN METAPHOR” is the title of a 64-page pamphlet by Rev. T. H. Nelson. It aims to point out the prophetic significance of certain events and characters in Scripture hitherto generally unnoticed, such as the marred vessel reformed, Barak and Deborah, instances in life of Christ, etc. 64 pages. Price, 10 cents. Pentecost Band Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Ind.