and other and better plans are in vogue amongst a large number of you. All I have sought to do is to suggest to some, who may not have noticed them before, certain methods, proved to be practicable, for enabling each church to work in its surrounding district, on the parochial or territorial system, of the goodness and feasibility of which system I have the strongest conviction.

But, let me not seem to conclude while asking you to listen thus to the rattle of machinery. The motive power of the church is infinitely more to all of us than its mechanism. Contemplating, eagerly, critically if you will, this vision of the wheels of the church's work, let us all gaze with greater earnestness, and with adoring gratitude at the Living Spirit Who alone can make those wheels glow with glory, and move with power. And let us rejoice together in Him, our Lord, who, as God-Man, King of Strength on His throne of sapphire, is above all our ways and works; rejoice, whatever the failure of our plans and the folly of our little systems; for, as Charles Kingsley has well said for us,-"With such a King how can the world but go right ?—and go right not my way, nor your way, but God's way."

Our hope is not in schemes, however lofty, or in organisations, however complete. Our hope is in God.

"That God which ever lives and loves,
One God, one law, one element,
And one far off, Divine event,

To which the whole creation moves.

As for this Congregationalism of ours, and its mission in hastening on that future, it is not for us to say boastful things. As far as we may judge, if it be filled with the broader spirit, and employ the wider methods which, from time to time, our Divine Lord may reveal to it, it has a glorious outlook. For even when it shall be merged into that great church of the future, not yet plainly discerned by any of us, which shall gather up the advantages and virtues, and let fall the evils and faults of all presently existing churches, it will not only have been a worthy herald of such an ideal, but will have brought into it a wealth of experience and of character that would otherwise have been wanting. In the nearer presence of that ideal church, Congregationalism will doubtless have to say, "This must increase: I must decrease." But, meanwhile, we may rejoice about our church polity, that there has not yet arisen a greater than it greater in its faculties for serving Christ, or greater in its capacities for adapting itself to the ever-varying needs of the different centuries, countries, classes of mankind.

Reviews.

THE BOOK OF PSALMS, Exegetically and Practically Considered; containing Sixty-Seven Homiletic Sketches, and Eighty-Three Sermonic Slippings. BY DAVID THOMAS, D.D. Vol. III. Extending from Psalm cxviii. to cl. London R. D. Dickenson, Farringdon Street.

Every reader, not less we rejoice to know of the present than of any past series, of the Homilist is so well acquainted with the spirit, and power, and methods of the author of this Commentary, that there is no need for any characterisation of his works on our Review pages. But while notifying to our readers the appearance of this volume, the third in the Homilistic Library that is to contain all Dr. Thomas's productions, and the last of his Commentary on the Psalms, we may call attention to one or two particular points in this work. To every passage in every Psalm under consideration, Dr. Thomas brings all his signal forces of suggestive analysis, so that no important phrase of the writers', and no recorded experience of any of them is ignored or neglected. Sufficient indication of that is to be found in the rich and varied Topical Index of seventy pages which concludes the volume. We never remember seeing a completer Index. It enhances the worth of the book as a book of reference a thousandfold. Very valuable, too, is the Supplement of twenty pages which deals with the Occasion and Date of each Psalm, the Classification of Psalms, Designations of the various Psalms, List of Psalms quoted and introduced in New Testament, Division of the Psalms into Books, Supposed Messianic Psalms, List of Archaisms and Ambiguous Expressions in the Prayer Book version of the Psalms, Parallel Passages in Psalms and the New Testament, and the Literature of the Psalms.

Publications of Messrs. Dean and Son, 160 Fleet Street.

THE STORY OF THE GOOD DOG ROVER.

THE LITTLE TRAVELLER.

THE HISTORY OF JACK THE CAT. By E. LECKY.

Messrs. Dean and Son deserve the thanks of all the mothers and nurses of young children, for creating such a library as the "Rose and Lily Series," so suited in every way to interest and charm the young mind in almost its first stages of development. Their new Chromo Toy-Books are truly fascinating, the numerous pictures are printed in bright colours with a softness, delicacy, and life-like touch that cannot fail to charm the

eyes even of adults. This library, at once so cheap, so beautiful, and attractive, will undoubtedly find its way into every nursery of the land. The three volumes before us are, however, only a portion of the library. We perceive there are also "Every-day children," "Bonny Ada and Spray, Fun and Frolic, Pleasant Time Pictures, Old Time Pictures and Rhymes, Pictures and Rhymes, A Summer in the Country, In Town and Country," which we will be glad to notice.

THE LITTLE GEM LIBRARY. This library contains 24 short tales, with 144 chromo pictures. Each part of the library has an interesting little tale, with charming pictures.

MARTIN LUTHER'S FRIEND. By C. N. MARKS.

THE SOLDIER'S FRIEND. BY ELLEN CLAYTON.

These two volumes are suitable for children of a more advanced age. The one contains an interesting sketch of Florence Nightingale, with illustrations, and the other an account of the Elector of Saxony. These, also, will prove a great enjoyment to young people.

Publications of the Sunday School Union, 56, Old Bailey.

CELEBRATED DUNCES. By TOM BROWN.

DENNY FROM HAVEN TO HAVEN. By ANNIE GRAY.

YOUNG ENGLAND is a tolerably large and very handsome volume. It treats subjects of great variety. We have here most interesting natural history facts, scientific incidents, biographic sketches, puzzles, poetry, tales, sports, and numerous columns under the heading of "Things Worth Noting." It abounds, too, with life-like pictorial illustrations on a large variety of subjects. It is one of the best Annuals we have seen for the young.

THE CHILD'S OWN MAGAZINE is a smaller volume and for younger children. It is equally interesting, having tales and anecdotes of all kinds, also some pretty pictures, which cannot fail to delight. The cover is most artistic and beautiful.

CELEBRATED DUNCES. This is a book full of biographic information of the boyhood of some of the great men of the world, those who in childhood and youthhood were proverbially dull, but who, in after-life, became some of the brightest stars in the hemisphere of art, literature, and science. Among those who were "dunces" in young life, we have Dr. Adam Clark, the great Biblical scholar; Sir David Wilkie, the celebrated

painter; John Hunter, the renowned surgeon; Archdeacon Paley, Thomas Chalmers, Goldsmith, Newton, the famous Sheridan, &c. This is a book that should be put into the hands of every boy who may draw from it inspiration. The book is well conceived and well written.

DENNY. This is a tale consisting of twenty-six chapters. It is written in a style that will interest the young, it is good, not only in conception and execution, but in purpose and tendency. It has several pictorial illustrations which add much to its interest.

SATURDAY'S BAIRN. By BRENDA. London: Shaw and Co., Paternoster Row.

Here is a story written by a talented, well-known, and highly-esteemed authoress. We do not wonder that it has reached its sixth edition, for the more it is known the more it will be read. It is one of those tales of which one reader may make many. It is most touching in its character and elevated in its tone.

BATTLE STORIES Ffrom British anD EUROPEAN HISTORY. BY DAVENPORT ADAMS. London: Sonneschien and Co.

The Duke of Wellington, who seems to have been possessed of a mind of low order, and at Eton and the other schools to which he was sent, proved such a dolt that his mother gave him up as unfit for anything requiring much ability and application, and decided he should join, what was then called, the "fools profession." He became a great soldier; but a great soldier may be, and often is, a very small man. Hence, individually, we have no admiration for professional man-slayers, however skilful, adroit, and successful in their fiendish occupation. Albeit they have so affected the history of the race and created such epochs that one cannot attain a knowledge of human history without some information concerning their doings. Hence, in this sense, such books as this are useful. The work before us contains interesting accounts of European battles, such as Byzantim, Auray, Cressy, Portiers, Navarrete, Agincourt, Pavia, Lutzen, The Dunes, Blenheim, Ramilies, Oudenard, Malplaquet, Pultowa, Waterloo, Inkermann, Hastings, Falkirk, Bannockburn, Towton, Bosworth, Flodden, Marston, Naseby, Sedgmoor, Culloden, Plassey, Meannel, Haidarabad, Guzerat. The author of this work has not only written much, but written well. He evidently does not write for the sake of book making, but to give people information on subjects of general interest and importance. There are no waste words or foggy expressions. His style is clear and condensed.

THE CHILDREN'S PILGRIMAGE. By L. T. MEADE London: T. Shaw, Berner's Street.

Here is a tale for the young. It is divided into three parts, "Looking for the Guide," "Finding the Guide," and "The Great Journey." The design of this book is not mere amusement or information of a secondary order, but it is usefulness, and usefulness of the higher kind, not merely intellectual, but moral. Its aim is to help the soul on through the shadowy and winding walks of life, into the Paradise of light and love.

THE FIRESIDE ANNUAL FOR 1883.

We are glad to find that the various annual publications of Rev. Charles Bullock, not only continue to exist, but to improve and multiply.

This volume of the "FIRESIDE" has all the characteristics of former volumes, and, in some cases, more than ordinary merit. It is redolent with facts taken from the domain of mind and matter, history, art, and science. It has several tales. "Mrs. Willoughby's Octave," is interesting in conception, excellent in style, and fraught with wholesome, moral influences. It also contains other stories of considerable merit. In its portrait gallery there are life-like pictures of several eminent men, such as Dr. Vaughan, Dean Close, Dr. Richardson, Lloyd Garrison, Samuel Plimsoll, to all of which is attached a brief sketch of the respective lives. There are some interesting epitaphs on parish clerks. We give the following, which is inserted on a head-stone near the south porch of Bingham Church, Nottinghamshire :

"Beneath this tomb lies Thomas Hart,
Years fifty-eight he took the part
Of Parish Clerk: few did excel.
Correct he read, and sang so well,
His words distinct, his voice so clear,
Till eighteen hundred and fiftieth year
Death cut the brittle thread, and then
A period put to his Amen.

At eighty-two his breath resigned
To meet the fate of all mankind :
The third of May his soul took flight

To mansions of eternal light.
The bell for him, with awful tone,
His body summoned to the tomb.
Oh, may his sins be all forgiven,
And Christ receive him into Heaven."