The Doctrine of the Church; Outline Notes Based on Luthardt and Krauth. By REVERE FRANKLIN WEIDNER, D.D., LL.D., Professor in Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary. Crown 8vo, pp. 120. New York: Fleming H. Revell Company. Price, cloth, $1.25. The author says: "Though professedly based on Dr. Luthardt's Kompendium der Dogmatik and Dr. Krauth's Manuscript Lectures (some of which have been published), the writer does not seek to intrench himself behind these authorities. These notes are such as a professor of theology would use as the basis of oral lectures. They are the result of twenty years' discussion in the classroom, and have gradually assumed the present form." The book is simply a syllabus of lectures on the doctrine of the Church, printed in small though clear type in brief, numbered paragraphs. A vast deal of information is packed in these pithy sentences, and if one wants to know a moderately High Church Lutheran view of what the Church is and is not, of the ministry, etc., he can do no better than to sit at the feet of Professor Weidner. The most valuable part of the book is the statement and criticism of Roman Catholic views and the setting forth of the views of Luther, Melanchthon, and other Lutheran standards and theologians. In these respects the book is most admirable. But when the author comes to the exposition and criticism of other Protestant Churches he is not so happy. On page 53 he tries to show that the Protestant Churches lack the "one faith," and therefore are not true Churches, and in the course of this he makes several misstatements: (1) "The word of God reveals one system of doctrine." It reveals no system of doctrine at all. It reveals doctrinal truths; the construction of these into a system is the work of theologians. (2) The various denominations, he says, "account for the defects in the views of others by the blindness and infirmity of man." That is news to us. In the olden times, when theological rancor ran deep (instance the seventeenth century Lutherans in Germany), the accounting for one's neighbor's heterodoxy by blindness and infirmity, or something much worse, was not uncommon, but that is no longer true. Does Drew call Princeton blind and infirm because her sister seminary is Calvinistic? Heredity, environment, education, inevitable differences of mind, of interpretation— these are the reasons the Churches assign for the others' differences; not blindness and infirmity. (3) "False doctrine, whether regarded as heresy in the sense of a deviation from the faith of the Gospel, or heresy considered as a schismatic division apart from the ground of faith, is treated in Scripture not as a misfortune, but as a crime, a work of the flesh." The inference is that the Protestant Churches, since they do not agree as to the faith, must be heretical, and if so criminal. But what were the New Testament heresies? Were they such differences as divide the Evangelical Churches of modern times? No. They were either far-reaching speculative errors which dissolved the very ground of historic Christianity, like Docetism, Gnosticism, etc., or a compulsory ceremonial Judaism, or thoroughly immoral teachings. Heresy or schism, as applied to the doctrines and divisions of the Evangelical Churches of to-day, was absolutely unknown in the New Testament. The author says again: "The various Protestant denominations do not have a unity of faith, and yet

the Scriptures declare that unity is an essential element of the Church." How often is this said by Roman Catholics, but-to be wounded in the house of one's friends! We hope occasionally the author has a larger vision, or the young Lutheran ministers who issue from the Chicago Seminary will go forth sadly prejudiced and narrow, besides with a false view of their sister Churches. For, first, do not the "various Protestant denominations" hold to "the Head, which is Christ" (Eph. iv, 15), and, having him, have they not a center of faith, a true unity? Besides, have they not the two sacraments and a valid ministry? Going farther: they have a "unity of faith" in the Apostles' Creed, in the Nicene Creed, and such a dogmatic platform underneath them all is not to be despised. Besides all this, there are other principles of faith which bind them together. In fact, there is far more unity both of spirit and of doctrine in the "various Protestant denominations" than in the schools and orders in the Roman Church before the Council of Trent (1545, ff.), than in the German Lutheran Churches to-day. Second, where do the Scriptures declare that unity, in the author's sense, "is an essential element of the Church"? There is a unity that is essential-a unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, of love, of purity, of holding to the Head. But it is not a unity of the Augsburg Confession, or of the Thirty-nine Articles, or the Twentyfour Articles. Thank God, no! The differences that separated the Jewish from the Gentile Christians in the Apostolic Church-parties that lived together in peace-were far greater than those which separate the Protestant Churches. Peter and Paul were farther apart than Hodge and Whedon, and the differences which separate the Evangelical branch of Lutheranism and Methodism are child's play beside those of the parties in the apostolic council of Acts xv. In his historical expositions the author is sometimes either unfair (Martanism, page 27) or incorrect (Roman view of salvation outside of the Church, pages 29, ff.), and in his statements of early Church polity he represents an antiquated point of view. The twelve apostles were not at first or at any other time sole directors in spiritual guidance and business (page 67). But if one wants a concise, clear, and reliable putting of High Church Lutheran ecclesiology, he can be commended to this meaty little book.

The Story of the Book Concerns. By W. F. WHITLOCK, D.D., LL.D. 16mo, pp. 204. Cincinnati: Jennings & Pye. New York: Eaton & Mains. Price, 25 cents net; by mail, 28 cents.

The Publishing Agents, at whose request this volume was written, could not have selected a more competent man for the task than Professor Whitlock. Two eminent qualifications for the work are his possession: first, thorough familiarity with the facts to be presented; second, the faculty of condensing and yet presenting in an attractive style the information, the whole information and nothing but the information pertaining to the history of the Book Concerns. For twenty years a member and for ten years the chairman of the Book Committee, the author is as familiar with our publishing interests as any man in the connection. The contents begin with "Ante-Book Concern Times," and

...

end with "Possibilities." Nine intervening chapters packed with facts, -classified and arranged in masterly order, comprise the romantic "Story." Further than this, the author, to quote from an appreciative "Introduction" by Dr. H. C. Jennings, "has given us the true philosophy underlying this great enterprise." The range of the "Story" may be gathered from the titles of the chapters: "Ante-Book Concern Times," "Organization," "Location," "History," "Agents," "Book Committee," "Financial System," "Mechanical Evolution," "Periodical Literature," "Books," "Possibilities." In the chapter on "Location" the author, after tracing the evolution of the publishing interests from 1804 to 1893, says: "It is very evident that the great publishing interests which are now the pride of the Church had a very humble beginning. They commanded a very small amount of capital, and that had been borrowed. Embarrassments without number followed. Material and labor had to be paid for promptly. The books were sold on commission to the preachers. . . . The members of the Church were widely scattered. They were poor, and sales to them and -collections from them were difficult. The Book Steward's time was necessarily divided between his Church and the Book Concern; he was without clerical help for years; he himself had to perform almost every kind of labor.... It almost seemed that the Church expected him to make bricks without straw." The "History," covering sixty-six pages, traces the development of the business from the administration of John Dickins to that of the publishing Agents now in charge thereof. The chapter on "Agents," contains a record of all who have served the Church in this capacity, together with the biographical sketches of those who have gone hence. Under the title of "Book Committee" the author defines the duties and prerogatives of this Board, and gives as complete a list as can be made, beginning with 1792, of the members who have been connected therewith. The capital invested, dividends paid, etc., are fully set forth in the chapters on "Financial Service," while the "printing," “binding,” etc," are treated under the title of “Mechanical Evolution." A fund of information concerning the publications of the two concerns is found in the chapters on "Periodicals" and "Books."

MISCELLANEOUS.

"The Call of the Wild. By JACK LONDON. 12mo, pp. 231. New York: The Macmillan Company. Price, cloth, $1.50.

A dog story fit to go with Rab and His Friends, and Bob, Son of Battle. In it semi-human qualities are attributed to "Buck," a cross between a St. Bernard and a Scotch shepherd dog. As interesting as "Buck" himself are the human beings who from time to time belong to him. The deep truth embedded in the narrative is the development of strong good qualities through the stern discipline of infinite hardship; mastership won by a brave nature through suffering and abuse, starvation, fighting, and bitter cold. It is a powerful, exciting, and pathetic story, wholesome for boys or men.

METHODIST REVIEW.

MARCH, 1904.

ART. I.-EPISCOPAL SUPERVISION FOR EASTERN ASIA.

EASTERN ASIA-Japan, Korea, and China-has never had any episcopal supervision save that by General Superintendents. This has been gradually increased-from occasional to yearly visits, then to visits by the same bishop for two successive years, and now to a resident bishop with unbroken administration for a quadrennium. More cannot be secured, under our present constitution, by lengthening the term of service of the resident General Superintendent, for the four-years term stretches its "itinerant general" character almost to the breaking point. If at all, it must be by increasing the number of bishops assigned to this field.

I. The necessity for such increase appears from the following considerations: First, the vastness of the field and the immensity of its population-three great pagan empires, with more than one third of the total population of the earth. Second, the sea-wide separation of these empires from one another and the almost total absence of railways and lines of interior transportation, especially in Korea and China. To illustrate: With steamships for two thousand miles of the round trip, a single satisfactory visitation of our West China work requires, from a bishop resident in Shanghai, four months; an equal period is the minimum for Foochow and Hinghua; work in July and August is virtually prohibited by the tropical heat. Hence the bishop's entire time is gone if thorough work is to be done-and Central China and North China, with their varied and vast interests, unprovided for, and the entire empires of Korea and Japan untouched!

In his vain endeavor adequately to administer for his entire field, the bishop, ignoring seasons and pestilence and home, constantly afield, reaching Japan from the home-campaign in April, spent the remnant of that month and part of May in Japan and South Japan; crossed over into Korea for a month; crossed over to North China for the remainder of July; spent a week of August in the "Episcopal Residence" writing up correspondence; a fortnight with the Central China Mission; then sped away to Foochow and Hinghua Conferences; then ten days in the "Episcopal Residence;" from November 5 to November 12 in the Central China Conference; since which time, including the date of this writing, he has been en route to West China, where he hopes to arrive, to open Conference, December 23. Not later than January 5 he must hasten back to Kiukiang to hold the Central China Conference, opening January 20; then visit the "Episcopal Residence" to pick up the threads of his official correspondence; ship for Korea, to hold Conference in Seoul February 17; then off for the island of Kiushiu, to hold the South Japan Conference March 17; organizing the Japan Central Conference, Tokyo, March 29 to April 5; April 5 sailing for General Conference. So far as travel is concerned, one bishop might much more easily supervise all the United States and Mexico than China alone. Is it wonderful that a sense of incompleteness attends his labors, and makes him pray for at least three bishops, instead of one, for Eastern Asia?

Third, the nature of the work. At home the work is established, the flag and the people are Christian, and a great army of well-trained pastors forwards every interest of Methodism. None of this here. The impact of paganism and Christless civilization, the most advanced communicants in the Corinthian period of development, native pastors knowing little of experimental religion and less of Methodist polity, everything in the initial and formative period, constant and close supervision is absolutely necessary as a condition of success. Fourth, the present political situation. Japan's transition is not yet complete, Korea's and China's just beginning. Changes fraught with inestimable results to humanity are pending. In this universal flux the churches