LITERARY NOTICES | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 11, 1897

LITERARY NOTICES.

“EMPIRES OF THE BIBLE,” by Alonzo Trevier Jones, editor of the American Sentinel, author of “Two Republics,” “The Rights of the People,” etc. Review and Herald Publishing Co., Battle Creek, Mich., or Atlanta, Ga.

This book is the first of a history series, covering the great empires mentioned in the Bible from the confusion of tongues to the Babylonian captivity. Its object is to give not only the salient facts of history, but to show God’s overruling hand in the history of nations. The empires and countries especially considered are Shinar, Chaldea, Elam, Karvak, Accad, Babel, Assyria, Egypt, Israel. But we shall have more to say of the matter of the book hereafter. Its arrangement is excellent. It possesses a good table of contents, 21 maps, and an index of Scripture passages. It is nicely printed, has 410 large octavo pages, with numbered paragraphs. But it is too bad that it does not possess a good index of topics and authors quoted. It may be obtained of the publishers, as above, or by addressing Pacific Press Publishing Co., Oakland, Cal., 39 Bond Street, New York City, or 18 W. Fifth Street, Kansas City, Mo.

“PERILS AND POSSIBILITIES.” A Voice of Warning and an Appeal to the Citizen and the Nation. By G. K. Owen. Published for the author by Pacific Press, Oakland, Cal. Price, in neat cloth binding, $1.00; tag-board covers, 75 cents.

This little work is what the French would call a mélange, we, perhaps, a medley. We have all fields, nearly, covered in this little work of nearly 200 pages. Here History, Religion, Theology, Psychology, Poetry, and Practical Life. The contents are as follows: Perils and Possibilities of Our Nation, What Is Life? Perils and Possibilities of Human Life, The Science of Memory, The Fountain of Life, An Elaborate Health and Temperance Analysis, useful to students in Physiology and Hygiene, and the poems of the Conflict, Algoma, Broken Bands, A Voice from Slumber Land, and the Burial Mound of Kalamazoo. We hope the little book will find plenty of readers, and will do them all good.

VICK’S FLORAL GUIDE is, as ever, a thing of beauty. Its first-page cover is an illuminated wreath of double sweet pea blossoms in native colors, the name of which is “The Bride of Niagara.” The last-cover page is a fine cut in colors of the Snyder and Rathbun blackberries. There is another beautiful colored lithograph of garden vegetables, 13 in number. It contains all that is new and good in the business. If any of our readers wish good seeds of flowers, vegetables, grains, or potatoes, plants, or bulbs, we do not know where better can be obtained than of the always reliable seed house of Vick. Send ten cents for the catalogue—it is worth it—and deduct the price from your first order. Address James Vick’s Sons, Rochester, New York.

“Copp’s Mining Code,” ninth edition, just out, published by Henry N. Copp, a lawyer of Washington, D. C., who has given many years to the study of mining laws. It is a book of more than 200 pages, and will be found of great interest to mine owners and prospectors, as it gives the United States mineral land laws and the official instructions thereunder, the various State and territorial mining laws, miners’ liens, rights of way, etc., numerous forms for use from the location to the patenting, lease, and sale of a mine, and also a large collection of abstracts of court and land office decisions and rulings. The San Francisco News Company handles Mr. Copp’s publications on the Pacific Coast. The book is for sale by the principal book stores, and by the publisher, in Washington, D. C. The price is 50 cents.

We have received the “First Biennial Message of Governor James H. Budd to the Legislature of the State of California, Thirty-second Session.” It fills a good-sized pamphlet of 152 pages. It shows that Governor Budd has placed profound and diligent study on all the various departments of the State government. It is replete with timely and important suggestions, in better government and true economy, which the people will earnestly hope may be carried into effect by the Legislature. Pages 8 to 13 point out where more than twelve hundred thousand dollars have been saved to the State through economical legislation and the wise use of the veto power. A. J. Johnston, Superintendent State Printing, Sacramento, Cal.

“Will Jesus Come Again?” is a little pamphlet by Mr. and Mrs. Geo. C. Needham (Albert Needham, East Northfield, Mass.). Fourth edition, 84 pages. This little tract is written in a most excellent spirit, and is decidedly scriptural so far as the fact and the literality of Christ’s coming are concerned. It is clearly shown that it is premillennial, and the nature of this age is plainly set forth. We do not think that these sweet Christian writers have the correct—Bible—view of the intermediate state, and of the millennium and “exaltation” of the “Jew.” But we trust that He who has given them so much light will lead them on to the fullness of the light of the Gospel of Christ, his great threefold message of Rev. 14:6–14.

We have received through Miss Clara Barton, president of the American National Red Cross, a “Report of America’s Relief Expedition to Asia Minor under the Red Cross.” This is a specially illustrated edition and is published in response to a widespread demand. It gives reports of the various expeditions, financial and otherwise, and in its 144 finely-printed pages it gives nearly fifty half-tone illustrations. The returns from this edition, less cost of publication, will be used for the further relief of the Armenian sufferers. This fund is entirely independent, and will go direct from the Red Cross to the needs of the field so well known to it. This illustrated report may be obtained by sending thirty cents to the American National Red Cross, Washington, D. C.

From the Anti-Vivisection Society, of Amora, Ill., we have received a copy of Anti-Vivisection, a monthly journal published at fifty cents a year, and the following tracts and leaflets: “Vivisection,” by Mrs. M. W. Rouse; “Inhuman Devils;” Canon Wilberforce on Vivisection; “American Vivisection;” “Study of ‘Biology’ in Public Schools;” “The Main Points Concerning Vivisection;” “Vivisection and Hospital Patients;” “Opinions of Leading Physicians Concerning Vivisection;” “An Exposition of Vivisection;” “Does Vivisection Need Concealment?” and “Does Science Need Secrecy?” by Albert Leffingwell, M.D., and many others. We need not say that every one of these publications is issued in behalf of the suffering animals, many of which are dissected alive without anaesthetics. It is to arouse public sentiment and sympathy against such cruelties in schools that the societies and publications exist. Among Christians they should not be needed; but all have not the Spirit of Christ that are called Christians. We hope these publications will rouse many hearts, and make vivisection so unpopular that it will die.

A little tract has come to our table, “Christ’s Mission, New York, and Its Founder, James A. O’Connor.” It gives an interesting account of the founding of the mission and the faithful work of Mr. O’Connor, the editor of the Converted Catholic, in behalf of the Roman Catholics. Address James A. O’Connor, 142 West Twenty-first Street, New York. From the Converted Catholic publishing house comes also an interesting little tract, entitled, “Bible Reasons Why We Are Protestants,” by John Hall, D.D., pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York.

“Against the Teaching of War in History Text-books,” by the Friend writer, Josiah W. Leeds, 528 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. One sympathizes with the author, and wishes that less of war and more of the acts of peace might be given in our school text-books. But, after all, the history of the people of the world is a history of strife, either against God or among themselves. The world never has known, never can know, peace.

If one wishes motto letter paper, motto postals, tract envelopes, etc., they may be pleased to send a two-cent stamp for catalog to Rev. A. Smith, Utica, N. Y.