Sin may sometimes seem bright and alluring; but it is always ruinous. Do you not think those are happiest who love Jesus best? Aye, happier a great deal than the cheerful birds that greet the sunrise. If you think so, you are not far wrong. Sinful pleasure is false pleasure and real ruin. It is our Saviour who gives us true happiness. seek Jesus. Avoid sin, dear little friends, and Rebicws. Golden Candlesticks; or, Sketches of the Rise of some early Methodist Churches. By JOHN BOND. Elliot Stock. A BOOK fitted to thrill the soul. The facts relate to all parts of the country, and are well selected. Would to God the Christians of our day had half the backbone and fire of their forefathers. Would Ritualism defile this unhappy land if we were as zealous as the old Methodists ? We trow not. We hope Mr. Bond's interesting details will remind our Methodist friends of their heroic days, and lead them to do their first works; and if all other Christian denominations will follow in the same hearty enthusiastic style of service, a grand day will come for England. We hardly know where to make an extract, it is all so good; but here is the portrait of "A METHODIST HERO," which may answer the purpose:-" Amongst the heroic itinerants who, through a great fight of afflictions,' won for our church its early triumphs, few will rank higher than Thomas Lee. To be struck down with violence, to be rolled in mud by cursing mobs, to be thrown into the common sewer, to be delivered by ecclesiastical magistrates into the hands of ferocious ruffians, drunken with ecclesiastical malignity, to be pelted with eggs, filled with blood and sealed with pitch, to be drenched with floods of water from head to foot, and then, by way of variation, to be painted over from top to toe, these were incidents in the life of Thomas Lee. But he met them like a soldier of heaven. Blackened, besmeared with paint and filth, bleeding, more than half dead, away he went from some of these experiences, and preached to his trembling people from the text, 'Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.' And upon a review of his past life, in comparative old age, he exclaimed, 'Lord, if thou wilt, give me strength, I will begin again; and if thou shalt add to my trials lions' dens and fiery furnaces, by thy grace I will go through them all.' Such heroism in the cause of truth and conscience and Christ has, perhaps, never been surpassed by martyr or apostle. Christian Ironsides like Lee could not but conquer. Filth, pestilence, long journeys, rough weather, rude lodgings, uncourteous congregations, hard toil and harder fare-the worst of such modern troubles -what would they be to men like Thomas Lee? Ecclesiastical dandies are altogether out of place in John Wesley's regiment of The Sacramental Host of God's Elect.' To-day's dwarfs oan hardly be expected to wear the armour and carry the weapons of their giant forefathers. If Midian is to be conquered, the timid must go home, even though Gideon's 32,000 men be reduced to 300. Oh, for lamps, pitchers, and trumpets in the hands of 300 such men as Thomas Lee!" The Light of all Ages. By the Rev. GAVIN CARLYLE, M.A. Strahan & Co. THE attempt of this volume is to show the relation of Christ to all ages and nations. Viewing him as the centre around which the world's interests have revolved from the beginning, and will revolve to the end, the author tries to show the vast import of our Lord's mission, and its bearings both upon man's temporal and eternal interests. The writer is a man of great powers, and sound views, and does his work well. The style is not sufficiently popular to secure a large audience, but solid readers will appreciate the volume. The Emphatic Diaglott. By BENJAMIN WILSON. Samuel R. Wells, New York. DESERVES to hold a place in the first rank of the many valuable works that have issued from the American religious press. The idea is excellent, and the execution leaves little to be desired. If the book does not deserve quite unqualified praise, we can nevertheless give to it our very cordial recommendation. It bears evidence of painstaking study and work, and of careful and accurate scholarship, and we learn with surprise that it is the product of but seven years' labour. The author speaks of "slow progress," but the wonder to us is that what is in many respects a truly great work should have been completed in so short a time. The principal features which distinguish this from other modern versions of the New Testament are the " Interlineary Word for Word English Translation," and the "Signs of Emphasis." Of the Interlineary Translation it would be difficult to speak too highly. It is well and carefully and faithfully executed, and is calculated to be very useful, not to those only who are unacquainted with Greek, but to all save the profoundest scholars, who are almost as familiar with the languages of the Bible as with their own mother tongue. The marking of the Signs of Emphasis is, we venture to think, somewhat overdone. No doubt there are many words and phrases in the New Testament whose full force is either not known or not observed, owing to the non-indication of the emphasis that pertains to them in the original, and hence the full import and beauty of many a passage is concealed from the general reader. In such cases the Signs of Emphasis which Mr. Wilson has employed are very useful, and very much needed. But when we come to read a chapter in his version we are absolutely bewildered by the number of emphasised words that appear in it. We do not believe that almost every fifth word that the New Testament contains was intended by the Holy Spirit to be emphatic. Of the new version as a whole we can speak only in terms of approval; it compares favourably with most others that have come under our notice. We think, however, that Mr. Wilson is mistaken in not in every instance rendering the same Greek word A Year with the Wild Flowers. A WE are very glad to see that Miss Waddy is keeping her hand in. She writes pleasingly and instructively, knowing what she has to say and how to say it. Our favourite recreation lies in old herbals, year-books of plants, botanical works of a popular character, and descriptions of forest trees. Miss Waddy's beautiful little book we shall look at all the year round; and if we go for a ramble, we shall hunt up the plants she mentions, find out her blunders, if she has made any, and thank her for refreshing our memory upon all points in which she is right. We have already gone through some few books of the same description, and therefore know what a pleasant amusement it is. Perhaps this may induce some of our young readers to do the same, and if it should, it will be very greatly to their gain. If you have not got Sowerby, or Miss Twamley, or Miss Pratt, be thankful if you can get Miss Eddy for your helper. We count the day in which we first bought Miss Pratt's splendid work to be quite a red-letter day, but our young readers have not so much money to spare just yet; they cannot, therefore, do better than let Dr. Waddy's excellent daughter give them a summary of what the bigger books contain. Little Books. By JOHN BUNYAN. Christian Work for Gentle Hands. Blackie and Son. WE are glad to see this series continued: the last issue contains, "The Resurrection of the Dead" and "The Barren Fig-tree." All Bunyan's works are choice their matter is of the best, for it is Scriptural; their language is the best on earth, for it is Saxon. High Church; or, Audi Alteram Partem. By H. H. A. S. Bemrose and Sons, 10, Paternoster Buildings. ARRAYED in full canonicals, this book will, in outward appearance, commend itself to Ritualistics, but they will be very much taken in should they be thereby induced to purchase it, for it is as forcible an assault upon them as could well be written by a member of their own church. If wealthy Evangelicals would for once follow our advice, they would largely circulate this well written and telling argument against their Tractarian brethren. If we could provoke them to the deed by questioning whether they have spirit enough among them to do it, we would at once challenge them; but it would be of no use; we have given up the jellies* as hopeless. Child's Own Magazine (Sunday School Union). The year's issue makes a very pretty book for the bairns in its coloured paper wrapper. Kind Words for Young People, by the same publishers, is a larger affair, and quite a bulky volume. This is a Christmasbox indeed, and will make Tom and Jack open their eyes with delight :— we are forgetting, we mean Ernest and Sidney, for the old names are getting very scarce now. A System of Christian Rhetoric, for the use of Preachers and other Speakers. By GEORGE WINFRED HARVEY, M.A. Houlston and Sons. ALTHOUGH We should greatly demur to some of the opinions and dicta of this work, we do not hesitate to pronounce it one of the most valuable of all the larger treatises upon homiletics which have yet appeared. It is, in fact, a standard work upon the subject. * Such is the name frequently given to the Evangelicals by the High Church party, and it is an instructive one. Thoughts on Female Agency in the WE are glad to see this little treatise in its third edition. It briefly, simply, and earnestly lays before the Christian sisterhood their privileges and responsibilities in the church of God. Oh, that many a Hannah and a Deborah may be called forth as the result of its perusal ! The Bible Educator. Edited by Rev. E. H. PLUMPTRE, M.A. Cassell, Petter, and Galpin. WE cannot do less than commend this most useful work. We might take exception to certain passages upon the modus of inspiration, but we do not care to do so, because we conceive that the fault lies deeper, and has grown to be a very common one. What right have we to be prying into "the way of the Spirit," and defining how he acts with this mind or the other, when he is presenting us with Scripture, which is all inspired, and all intended for our learning? The question of the manner of inspiration has no practical bearing, is a mere intrusion into realms beyond us, and always leads to misunderstandings. If a man believes the Holy Scriptures to be infallibly and divinely inspired, we are quite content; if he then goes on to talk about differences of modus, &c., we are off to our work, having other fish to look after. Mr. Hurditch, or C. R. H., issues The London Almanack, at one penny, and in a large type at 6d., and two Sheet Almanacks entitled The Latter Rain, and The London. They are all very good, and may be had of Shaw and Co., 48, Paternoster Row. A Freehold Villa for Nothing, or How I became my own Landlord without Capital. By J. MARVEL. Kempster and Co., St. Bride's Avenue. IN the hands of a man of common sense this book may be of much practical value, but it might fascinate others into speculations best let alone. To our unprofessional mind the information given seems to be sound and useful. On Temperance Societies. By the Bishop of Lincoln. Rivingtons. WE do not suppose that many teetotallers will be able to read this penny tract temperately, they are by far too zealous for that, but we think they might do so to advantage, and that good would come of it if their pledges were somewhat more judiciously framed in future. The bishop is sure to get into hot water for his tract, and we admire the courage which enabled him to write it; even those enthusiastic abstainers who differ from him may go as far as that. Sunday-school Teachers' Pocket-book and Diary, &c., for 1874. Sunday School Union. JUST the very pocket-book for a teacher, meeting all his wants. We always prize it very much, and have used it for years. The Mother's Friend (Hodder and Stoughton). The yearly volume of a well-intentioned serial. The engravings are hardly up to the mark, indeed some of them are ugly, but the magazine is a cheap pennyworth, and the yearly volume would make a pretty present to a cottager's wife. Death of Dr. Candlish. as as a N the death of Dr. Candlish, the Free Church has lost one of its greatest men. the sacred art; and as a councillor in the courts of the church, one of the most wise and prudent. The works he has left behind him prove him to have been an intellectual and spiritual giant. His soul was too active and full of flame for his bodily frame. He seemed to be always on the move, action was his rest. Now he has reached the land where perfect rest and constant activity are reconciled. We thought of writing some account of him, but, finding that we could only repeat what has been well said in the papers, we have been driven to content ourselves by giving extracts from a letter which we have lately received from a beloved friend in Edinburgh, who is an elder of the Free Church: 66 He was a grand soul. For depth, breadth, height, tenderness, power, we had none like him. The blank he has left it will take our church years to realise. His department, besides the care of all the churches,' was peculiar. He was a kind of standing forlorn hope. His piercing sagacity, together with his utter absence of selfishness, even of self-consciousness, in all its mean and subtle forms, made him a kind of court of last resort. All who were in distress and trouble, which no other man could deal with, went to Dr. Candlish. Through almost all the Ten years' conflict,' and from 1843 onwards, you can imagine what such a man would have to do. Prompt and rapid in judgment and in action, small persons thought him sometimes abrupt, even cross. The explanation was, he saw so quickly what they would be at, that often he saw the conclusion before prosers had their case half stated. With all this he was generous and gentle to a degree. I can myself recall illustrations, when he apologised to a poor servant girl, a young communicant,' from my own class, twenty-five years ago, when he feared that at a previous interview he had spoken a word which might have given pain. All this I can give from personal knowledge. I have known him and loved him since and before 18th May, 1843. Twenty years ago, at his own personal and earnest solicitation, I undertook what has ever since been a part of my life-work, the convenership of the Sabbath School Committee of the Free Church, which you know means the charge of the children. His death is a voice to us all concerning our unprofitableness. 'Howl, fir tree, for the cedar has fallen.' I had a note last week, which greatly touched me, from My friend the writer says:-'I am greatly saddened by our beloved friend Candlish's death. It gives me an increasing sense of loneliness. Our lifelong friendship and close association, both in public and private life, make the event very trying. The world holds me in consequence by sensibly more slender ties. I spent nearly an hour at his bedside last week, and never shall I forget the inimitable tenderness of his affection, as he held my hand in his, and poured out his feelings. He was calm, and peaceful, and trustful, as regards his own great change, that was then drawing on, and spoke of it with perfect freedom. Alas! that we shall see him no more. Help, Lord!' "The truth is that from the time the doctors told him, ten days before his death, of what they anticipated, he was himself in every way. It made no change on him. As he said to us, 'Why should this make us sad? I just wish to be cheery with you all.' The remark he made, which Mr. Lagan quotes in the Review' ('I die resting upon the facts-Christ died, and Christ is mine') was followed by the words of the fifty-fourth Paraphrase 'Jesus, my Lord, I know his name, His name is all my boast; Nor will he put my soul to shame, He often expressed himself in the same manner-'I have no great feelings of depression or exultation. I never did put much on frames or feelings, but I know. I know whom I have believed. I know that my Redeemer liveth-that Redeemer is a living One.' my "I could multiply such remarks, and remarks as to texts repeated to him, but I am unwilling to give many of those sayings which he addressed to different persons, and some of which are, at least as yet, too sacred for publication. But one thing you may tell any one who desires to know it, that he was calm and peaceful all the days of his lingering, from the time he was told of his approaching death to the very close, and that it was on the very same truths that he had loved to preach that he himself rested. The texts he best liked to hear repeated were those he liked best to preach from, and these, as you know, were such as contain most expressly the preciousness of Jesus Christ and his atonement." Notes. OUR Congregational friends appear to be greatly indignant at the remarks of Dr. Landels, and our own incidental observations in the "Signs of the Times." We are somewhat suprised at this, for they are generally well informed upon most matters, and might therefore have known the views of Baptists. We have said no more than we and our brother Baptists have always believed. If any brotherly love which has formerly been professed has been presented to us upon a false supposition, the sooner that mistake is corrected the better, for then, whatever fraternal regard may survive will be sound and real. We have spoken plainly, and mean to do so still; we have cherished the most brotherly feelings towards all Pædobaptist friends, and shall do so still; we do not ask them to conceal their distinctive views, and we certainly shall not conceal ours; ours is the charity which neither padlocks another man's tongue nor consents to hold her own. Our boys at the Orphanage are particularly anxious that Christmas Day Will their kind should not be forgotten. friends furnish them with a treat, as in former years. On their behalf we plead earnestly. Several pretendedly ignorant persons have written to know in what way Dissenters are made to support the Church of England. We have hardly the patience to remind them of the tithes. These persons pretend that tithes are private endowments. Do they expect any one to believe them? Do they believe their own nonsense? Why do they not produce the trust deeds? It is inconceivable that in every parish in England private donors gave exactly the tithe of the produce of their own free will to religion. Such a fact would far excel a miracle in being out of the ordinary course of nature. But even if it were so, these tithes were not given to the present Anglican body. The Church of England is the joint creation of Henry VIII. and Thomas Cranmer, and enjoys the tithes at the will and pleasure of the nation, which took them from the Papists, and |