New Publications [pp. 426-432]

430 ArEWFUBLICATrOArS. [Dec.,
himself enunciated them. We shall be much surprised if these opinions
and views will not excite the abhorrence of many who glory in the name of
Protestant. While they will find much to gratify their dislike of the pope,
they will learn that in the opini9n of the Reformer there was one more
worthy of detestation~namely, the prophet of whom our Lord was the
anti type: "The Lord will raise up to thee a prophet of thy nation like u,zto
me" (Deut. xviii. 15) This is the way in which Luther speaks of this prophet, Moses: "If you are prudent send that stammering and stuttering (baA
bum et blesum) Moses with his law far away from you, and be not influenced
by his terrific threats. Look upon him with suspicion, as upon a heretic,
excommunicated, damned, worse than the pope and devil" (p. 137). Extracts of a similar character might be multiplied giving Luther's judgment
on many other doctrines which we are fain to believe good Protestants
nowadays would agree with Catholics in regarding as sacred. Students of
politics also will find much to interest them in the treatment accorded to
the peasants in their revolt: "A rebel is not worthy that one ~hould answer
him with reason; he is not accessible to them; the fist has to answer such
jaws, until the blood spurts out from the nose" (p. 24!). Again: "I, Martin Luther, have during the rebellion killed all the peasants, for I have commanded that they should be killed" (p. 240). Even if it is possible to understand how the most militarily organized of nations in modern times can
look up with reverence to such a teacher, it passes our comprehension how
citizens of countries with free institutions should make a man of this stamp
an object of regard. Lovers of "urbanity" in controversial literature will
scarcely find a model in one whose habit it was to call his opponents
"liars," "sows,"" stupid-heads," "mad-brains," and other names with which
we dare not sully our pages. Yet people glorify this man, and those who
glorify him are the enlightened and cultivated, the promoters of progress,
pure religion, and civilization, and his opponents are obscurantists and reactionaries and enemies of the Gospel! God help us! After the appearance
of this book, however, and others of a similar character which have lately
been published, there can be no excuse for the dense ignorance which has
hitherto been common. Very few, doubtless, have access to the original
editions of Luther's works, or the time to wade through them. But any
one who wishes can find in the present volume enough to make him thank
God tfrat he and such a man cannot be classed under any comn0on religious
name; or, if he has that misfortune, to make him ask himself whether he
cannot find a way of removing that blot from his soul.
Lir~ or VEN. PADRE JUNIPERO SERRA. Translated from the Spanish of
Father Pal on by Very Rev. Joachim Adam, V.G., Los Angeles, Cal.
San Francisco: P. E. Dougherty & Co. 1884.
The story of the Franciscan missions in California is the most delightful chapter in the religious history of the North American continent, and
this work gives the only full and authentic account of the founder of these
missions, Father Junipero Serra, justly styled the Apostle of California. It
was written a hundred years ago at the Mission Dolores, San Francisco,
ainid the scenes which it describes. Its author, Father Palon, was the
pupil, friend, and~companion of Father Serra iff life, and he it was who