Contemporary Literature [pp. 362-378]

362 CHRISTIANITY WITHOUT CHRIST. [April,
tern of doctrine which assigns to Christ a lower position than
that which he occupies in the New Testament, must, in a hke
degree, lower the standard of Christianity-that is, the religious
life of those oalling themselves Christians. Second, nevertheless, it is equally true that men are more governed by their
practical than by their speculative convictions. The idealist
does not feel and act on his belief that the external worl~
has no real existence. In like manner, the religious life
of men is often determined more by the plain teaching of the
Scriptures and by the common faith of the church than by their
theological theories. Hence, men have often more of Christ in
their religion than in their theology. It is, however, of the last
importance to remember, that sound doctrine is. under God,
our only security for true religion and pure morals. If we forsake the truth, God forsakes us.
Art. vII.-CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE.
THEOLOGY.
Scribner, Welford & Armstrong have imported, for use in this Country, a
special edition, price $3.00, of Volume Ii. of the Theology of the Old Testament, by Dr. GUsT. FR. OEHLER, late Professor Ordinarius of Theology in
Tiibingen, translated by SOPHIA TAYLOR. We have b~fbre call~d the attention of our readers to the merits of volume first, which, like the present, is
very scholarly, discriminating, and evangelical. In this volume the Mosaic
ritual, prophecy in its nature, various forms, stages of development, and its
theology, are very thoroughly discussed. It closes with an examination o~
the Old Testament Wisdom, as displayed in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.
We think the tendency of the author is somewhat to underrate the measure
of evangelical~expenence of the Old Testament saints, as compared with
those under the New. But the book as a whole sheds great light on the
theology of the Old Testament.
The same publishers also issue, at $2.25, Moses, a Biblical Study, by J. J.
VAN OOsTERZEE, D.D., translated from the Dutch by JAMES KENNEDY,
B.I), another signal proof that the author is equally great in practical and
speculative divinity. If history is "philosophy teaching by example," biog