"The Sinner and His Friends," "a Volume of Evangelistic Sermons." By Rev. Louis Albert Banks, D.D., Funk & Wagnalls Co., New York. 12mo, cloth, 364 pages. Price $1.30 net; post-paid, $1.42.
This volume gives a series of very interesting and helpful sermons. The sermons abound in illustrations and narratives that not only fix the interest but they touch the heart and instruct. Doctor Banks speaks from the heart, and enlivens his matter, not by the foolishness of jesting and joking, but by the earnestness of his conviction. He shows by his sermons that he believes in a whole Bible, and also that he believes the world is sick thru sin; and the one and only remedy for that sin is the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ. The minister and the layman can find help and inspiration in the book, and the sinner can find help and comfort.
"Practical Christian Sociology." By Wilbur F. Crafts. Revised fourth edition, 524 pages, price $1.50 net. Funk & Wagnalls Co., New York.
This volume is a series of five Princeton lectures on the subject of "Practical Christian Sociology." It is arranged in the form of a text-book with review questions after each chapter. There is an appendix giving numerous notes on each lecture, and a "second part" to the appendix giving what the author calls chronological data of human progress. Mr. Crafts endeavors to show that there is no difference between the "secular" and the "sacred" duties. He says, "The most serious error that has come down to us from the Middle Ages, one of much greater harmfulness than many theological and ecclesiastical errors more discussed, is the unwarranted, unscriptural division of life into 'sacred' and 'secular', the double standard of piety, as unwarranted as the double standard of purity."
The volume advocates many useful and important reforms, and shows immense labor, but in this book, as in all Mr. Crafts' writings, he strongly urges the enforcement of Sunday observance by civil law. It is for this purpose as much as anything else that he makes his argument that there should be no distinction made between the sacred and secular.
The persistence with which Mr. Crafts has advocated reforms in divorce laws, and urged prohibition as the most tenable method of dealing with the drink curse, and worked for the lifting of mankind out of the numerous social vices is truly commendable. His work indicates that he is sincere, earnest, and able in his line. But it seems too bad that he has not been able to see that when he attempts to enforce by civil law such religious doctrines as the observance of Sunday he is asking us to go back into the darkness of the ages when they burned men at the stake and subjected them to all kinds of tortures because they would not subscribe to the tenets of church dogma whether they could believe in them or not. Majorities may rule in civil matters, but they have no right to rule in matters of conscience. It was this great, fundamental truth that formed the chief corner-stone of the American Republic. It is suicidal to depart from a doctrine that has been proved to be so divinely correct.
"The Life and Sayings of Sam. P. Jones, the Evangelist." By his wife. A. N. Jenkins & Scott sole distributors, Austell Building, Atlanta, Ga.
This volume tells the story of the life of the noted evangelist, Sam. P. Jones, in a very readable and entertaining manner. It is a volume that any one will enjoy reading, and as the story of his early struggles in entering the ministry is told there is an uplifting influence at the thought of the determination and devotion that he manifested. He was a character that has usually been pictured as very rough and uncouth, but when seen from the standpoint of "his wife" his devotion to God and his determination to lead souls to Christ present a very helpful narrative. The severe, rough, and harsh-mannered preacher that has been so often talked about in the papers is lost sight of in the tender, affectionate husband in the home and the neighborhood.
"Making Home Peaceful." By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle. Over 200 pages, illustrated, cloth; price 75 cents. Address your tract society or this office.
Mrs. Stuttle is a writer of long experience, and "Making Home Peaceful" will be found a delightful story for children, and grown-ups as well, in inculcating principles of filial love and duty, temperance and practical Christianity in the home. It is so simply and beautifully told that every child-heart will be touched, and the experiences of the wayward son of the story it is hoped will bring many thoughtless, drifting boys to consider their course and turn from it. The evil results of a wrong course are strikingly contrasted with the present peace and the future happy reward of right-doing.
"A Manual of Common American and European Insects." Funk & Wagnalls Co., New York, Price 25 cents.
This strikingly useful little manual reproduces the common insects in their natural colors, and gives both the common and the scientific name of each. Thus a person with the manual in hand would be able to discover the name of any of the common insects that he might meet, and by going to an encyclopedia or some work on entomology would be able to learn the history of the bug. A complete index enables any one to readily find any insect that is listed in the manual. The manual can be relied upon as being trustworthy as it is prepared under the direction of William Beutenmüller, Curator of the Department of Entomology, American Museum of Natural History, New York.
"A Manual of American and European Butterflies and Moths." Funk & Wagnalls Co., New York. Price 25 cents.
This little booklet is on the same plan exactly as the "Manual of Insects," reviewed in the foregoing. Both ought to be in every school and family.
Helps to Bible Study. A series of Bible-readings, simple and easy, designed as an aid to the personal study of the Scriptures, and adapted to the use of individuals or families: also a valuable assistant for Bible workers. 125 pages. Paper covers, 25 cents; cloth, net, 50 cents. Address this office.
Bible Text-Book.—By O. A. Johnson. A pocket edition of Bible-readings on 49 subjects, covering in a concise and complete way the prophecies, the Third Angel's Message, Two Covenants, Law of God, Sabbath Question, and many other kindred topics. 208 pages. Cloth, net, 30 cents; leather, 50 cents. Address this office.
Left with a Trust. By Nellie Hillis. Is a story of the struggles of a family to help mother and each other during the absence of father, and pleasantly reveals the brighter side of youth where there is a worthy purpose and a will to be kind and affectionate. 160 pages, illustrated. Cloth, net, 50 cents. Address this office.