The instinctive belief of all men in a future state. Belief in a future state seems implied in the funeral ceremonies connected with men of all lands and all religions and stages of civilization. HEART & HOME SONGS. ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. Arranged by M. E. TOWNSEND. Third Thousand. London: Hatchards, Piccadilly. Here are about 250 songs, most of which are very choice. They are arranged under the following headings: "Songs of Love and Home, Songs for the Children, Sacred Songs, Working Songs, Songs for Town and Country, Flower Songs, Sea and Boat Songs, Emigrant Songs, Songs of War, National Songs; Ballads, Heroic and Domestic." These are all the products of our choicest English poets. This book is an admirable one for use at "Penny Readings." The songs are all healthy, and suited to stir the soul with the noblest sentiments. Many of them are far more wholesome and Christian than some of the miserable things called hymns which are sung in churches and chapels. LITTLE FOLKS. A MAGAZINE FOR THE YOUNG. Vol. IV., New and enlarged Series. London: Cassell, Petter, & Galpin, Ludgate Hill. It would be impossible for "little folks" not to be deeply interested and greatly delighted with this work, if they once begin it. There are tales of every sort, most beautiful pictures of every description of almost all creatures under heaven, poetry, songs, charming musical airs, and the whole having a purpose and tendency to indoctrinate the young mind with the higher principles of life. The biographic sketches of the childhood of famous men are most interesting and instructive. It is certainly a very charming book for the young in every way. THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD. By WILLIAM M. TAYLOR, D.D. London: This is another of the long row of books on our shelf which is well filled with preachments to preachers and lectures to pastors. There is much in it, as in all its neighbours, that is sensible, practical, and earnest. Very little here is fresh. There is usually the amplification of well-worn themes, the reiteration of repeated advice. Probably in no work so much as that of a true minister's is it found that experience is the best teacher. To those who want guides, we should first recommend Vinet's Homilétique; and if they are still looking for help they may perchance find it in these lectures at Yale College. "ROSE IN BLOOM:" A SEQUEL TO "EIGHT COUSINS." BY LOUISA M. ALCOTT. London: Sampson, Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, 188, Fleet Street. In the Preface the Authoress says, "As authors may be supposed to know better than any one else what they intended to do when writing a book, I beg leave to say that there is no moral to this story. Rose is not designed for a model girl; and this sequel is simply written in fulfilment of a promise, hoping to afford some amusement, and perhaps here and there a helpful hint to other roses getting ready to bloom." Those who have read the other productions of the talented Miss Alcott will of course hasten to procure this, and they will not be disappointed. THE YOUNG RAJAH. A STORY OF INDIAN LIFE AND ADVENTURE. BY W. H. G. KINGSTON. London: T. Nelson & Sons, Paternoster Row. This is a story of thrilling interest, told in a masterly way, and illustrated with splendid engravings. Mr. Kingston is well-known as the Author of "Old Jack," "The Eastern Seas," "On the Banks of the Amazon," ," "In the Wilds of Africa," etc., etc. He is a master in the field of romantic literature. Everything in connection with this book is first-class, the paper and type are excellent, the illustrations superb, and the binding elegant. The young will read it with avidity. THE CANON OF THE BIBLE: ITS FORMATION, HISTORY, AND FLUCTUATIONS. By SAMUEL DAVIDSON, D.D. of HALLE, and LL.D. London: Henry S. King & Co. The Athenæum says of this book, "The work is one that should be in the hands of every reader of the Bible. It deserves wide circulation, and we trust it will be widely circulated." In this language all thoughtful men, who are at all adequately impressed with the transcendent importance of this subject and the matchless qualifications of the distinguished Author, as exhibited in these pages, will most heartily concur. It is indeed a comprehensive summary of all that concerns the formation and history of the Bible canon. Whilst every one interested in the Bible should read and study this volume, it will be scandalous if those who are the professional expounders of the Holy Scripture fail to master its contents. The book, though fraught with information, is small, and no one can plead lack of time for becoming acquainted with it. It is cheap, and comes within the reach of all. Neither lack of time nor lack of money can be justly pleaded for neglecting its perusal and study. LIFE'S AFTERMATH A STORY OF A QUIET PEOPLE. BY EMMA Marshall. London: Seeley, Jackson, & Halliday, Fleet Street. This is an interesting story of domestic life, dedicated to Longfellow the poet. The authoress is well known as a popular writer. The tale abounds with interesting incidents, and is told with intelligence and superior ability. The spirit and tendency are most commendable. FAMILY PRAYER AND BIBLE READINGS. London: Bickers & Son, Leicester Square. This is an admirable manual for family worship. The passages selected for reading morning and evening are from the choicest in the Choice Book; and the prayers are what all prayers should be, simple, reverent, short, and devout. THE NONCONFORMIST DIURNAL; BEING SCRIPTURAL EXERCISES FOR EVERY DAY IN THE YEAR. ARRANGED AND ADAPTED FROM THE WRITINGS OF REV. JOHN HOWE, M.A. BY Rev. T. C. HINE. London: J. Snow & Co., Paternoster Row. These exercises are from the writings of such men as John Howe, Flavel, Bates, and men of that illustrious order. The greater portion, indeed most of them, are from Howe, who stands unrivalled, if not unapproached, and concerning whom Dr. Watts wrote,— "Howe hath an ample orb of soul, Where shining worlds of knowledge roll; Mr. Hine has done a good work in giving every man an opportunity once every day in the year, of making himself acquainted with the royal thoughts of this imperial soul. BIBLICAL HELPS TOWARD HOLINESS IN LIVING AND HAPPINESS IN DYING. By JAMES MORISON, D.D. Second edition. London: Hamilton & Adams. WALTER BENN, AND HOW HE STEPPED OUT OF THE GUTTER. BY GRACE STEBBING. The Book Society. THE ANGLO-ISRAEL POST BAG. By REV. J. H. TITCOMB, M.A. London: W. H. Guest, 29, Paternoster Row. THE FAITHFUL LOCAL PREACHER: A Memoir of William Gibson. By W. HUDSON. London: Wesleyan Conference Office. We class these four volumes together because they are very small and all about the same size, and only require a word in passing. "BIBLICAL HELP" is the production of one of our best Biblical scholars, theological writers, and devout thinkers. All that he says deserves the profoundest attention. “WALTER BENN" is a short story written by a lady, the spirit, style, and tenor of which are good. 66 THE ANGLO-ISRAEL POST BAG." The object of this book is to prove the Israelitish origin of the Anglo-Saxon race. Who cares about our origin, from what race we sprung? Here we are; and what we have to do is, to make the best use of our existence. Such is the language of many, and with it we sympathize. At the same time the letters which we have in this volume from the pen of Mr. Titcomb are in themselves, on account of their humour, historic intelligence, and good writing, interesting. THE FAITHFUL LOCAL PREACHER" is a short biographic sketch of an excellent local preacher of the Durham Circuit. It is well written, and will repay perusal. " The Leading Homily. LIFE, AND ETERNAL LIFE. (Continued from page 252.) E are told that, "As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself." Here then we have, by excellence and by emphasis, Life. All life outside of this,—that is to say, all finite or communicated life,-is, from some unsearchable cause, involved doubtless in the nature of things, exposed to the deteriorating and destructive potencies of evil; nay, even liable, in this world at least,-and no doubt in others too, to be what the Scriptures call "lost," through them. My friends; how much it behoves us to go softly, and to look to the Strong for strength, in such an evil-fraught and dangerexposed world as this! The question of questions for each one of us is the following:-How can I, in the best way, guide and guard this life of mine, to the end that I may find the principle, and realize the boon, of eternal life? Precious life! how can I best keep thee from evil, and find for thee that immeasurable thing, that most inexpressible blessing, Eternal Life? "Ye will not come unto Me that you might have life." "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked." could I do to my vineyard more than I have already done?" "A man is carried away of his own lust" for "out "What of the heart proceed evil thoughts and evil deeds "-everything that is injurious to the life-principle, destructive of happiness, and fatally antagonistic to human well-being, both for this VOL. XL. Y "He could not do many world and for that which is to come. mighty works there, because of their unbelief." Quench not the Spirit." "He that will come may come, and take of the water of life freely." "He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned; belief and nonbelief here respectively implying two different kinds of character and of moral procedure-in short, a good personal life and a bad personal life. Who, now, after considering such passages as the above, and believing them to be God's words, will dare to say in the face of them, that there is any such thing as Fate, call it theological predestination or philosophical necessity, which you will,-sitting like a cormorant in the tree of human life,—no less than in the great Idrasil itself, as our Scandinavian forefathers called what they supposed to be the Life-tree of the universe,-spreading black wings over all that grows there, wings that come between the light of God's countenance and everything that lives and moves and is on the vast field of created being, and "seeing with equal eyes" (not 66 as God of all," but as Devil of all),— "A hero perish and a sparrow fall, Atoms and systems into ruin hurled, Now, this so persistent notion of something called Fate presiding over God and man and the universe, somewhat reminds one of the medieval difficulty, whether "the Chimera, humming through the Void of Nature, could devour Second Intentions." Fate, at its best estate, is but an abstract idea and altogether vanity. But if,—spite of the Bible and spite of consciousness, -men will set up bogies of the imagination, whether to worship or to run away from, let them not wonder that their miserable fetishes should become terrible vampires, sucking out the life-blood alike from their conscience and their common sense, and casting them headlong, as mere shells of their own rational selves, into the abyss of a God-forsaken, and therefore bottomless, despair. When Christ came into our world to cast out devils and destroy their works, there was one which He had an |