study of Genesis, with a general introduction to the Pentateuch. 16°, cloth, $1.00; paper, 40 cents. "The text is well worth reading, as containing a complete popular exposition of the Pentateuch regarded as a collection of facts, legends, and stories by unknown writers."-Eagle, Brooklyn. II. THE USE AND ABUSE OF THE BIBLE. New edition, 16°, cloth, 75 cents. "It can be truthfully said that from beginning to end there is not a dull page in them. Mr. Newton possesses the great merit of saying what he means in simple and forcible English."-N. Y. Tribune. III.-WOMANHOOD. Lectures on Woman's Work in the World. New edition. 12°, cloth, $1.25. "All earnest women and candid, unselfish men will read this series of chapters with warm gratitude to its author."- The Nation. IV. PHILISTINISM. Plain words concerning certain forms of modern scepticism. 16°, cloth, $1.00; paper, 40 cents. "They are fresh and vigorous, and brush away many of the old cobwebs which for centuries have impeded the light which should pour fully and freely through the spiritual windows.”—Transcript, Boston. G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, NEW YORK AND LONDON. THE BOOK OF THE BEGINNINGS A STUDY OF GENESIS WITH AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PENTATEUCH BY R. HEBER NEWTON RECTOR OF ALL SOULS' PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEW YORK: 27 AND 29 WEST 23D STREET LONDON: 25 Henrietta St., Covent GARDEN "As a book written in Hebrew and in provincial Greek, given in the historic form, its meaning, so far as it touches on any points of language, history, science, literature, can only be reached by an open criticism. Any theory that forbids or evades this is not only fatal to science, but to revelation itself. The authority of the church is valid, in that it preserves our unity in the essential truth of Christ, but it can never pronounce its decree on those questions which, in the nature of the case, are within the fields of a growing knowledge. If it do this, it has denied the supremacy of the Word, and affirmed the Romish dogma of a human infallibility. Biblical science, then, is simply the science of right reason and moral honesty.”—“ Epochs in Church History, by E. A. Washburn, D.D.," page 244. "It is not only in the six days of creation that science finds a stumbling-block, but in the story of Adam and Eve, of the generations before the Flood, of the Flood itself, and so on. If we add to the conclusions of physical science those of historical research, and of the comparative criticism of religious myths, it is impossible not to feel that an implicit belief in the Old Testament narratives is exposed to most serious difficulties. Any creed, therefore, which is built up on the assumption of the perfect authenticity of the earlier scriptures is likely to be rudely shaken. “Either great injury or some important gain ought certainly to accrue to our theology from such a disturbance of the traditional doctrine concerning creation and the Bible. We have reason to hope that the influence exerted will turn out in the end to be a beneficial one. Whilst we are children we may speak, think, and understand as children. But the childish forms of thought are only excusable, they are not to be permanently clung to. The moment it is possible to rise above them they begin to be restrictive, confusing, and injuri ous. 64672 |