lacy of this opinion has been shown by Gesenius, and still more distinctly by Ewald. Every apparent interchange of tenses (comp. Georgi Vind. &c.,) can be accounted for on satisfactory grounds, particularly rhetorical."*

As we would fain persuade some of our readers, for their own good, to buy this book, we will quote some illustrations of the Middle Voice and of the Comparative Degree:

"Sometimes a verb is used in the Active Voice to denote material and in the Middle to denote mental objects, as: zaralaμßáver, to seize, zarakap ẞaveolar, to comprehend. At other times a new meaning appears in the Middle, as, лsiooμa, I persuade myself, i. e. I obey, ἀπολύομαι, solvo me,i. e., discedo, παύομαι, I cease, ψυλάσσομαί τινα, I guard one in reference to myself, i. e., I beware of him: zaparovpair, I deprecate something in my own behalf, I decline, has quite an active import. Alpoupar, I take for myself, I choose, añozpivoμa:, I give out a decision in reference to myself, I answer, èлexahōvpa: zaiσαρα, I call to the Emperor on my own behalf, I appeal to."†

As to the Comparative Degree. "In 1 Cor. 13: 13., μɛięwv tośTwvàɣáný, the Comparative is not put for the Superlative. The meaning is, the greater of (among) these is love. The Comparative was designedly employed, because faith and hope were regarded as different forms of one and the same thing. In 1 Tim. 3 : 14. váyeov (ἐλπίζων ἐλθειν πρός σε τάχιον) is mostly rendered as the Positive, while some take it as equivalent to 'w táxota. The meaning is, I write this to thee, though I hope to come sooner than to make this notice necessary. The meaning of his writing, notwithstanding, is contained in èav d'è ẞpadvvw, fc., compare verse 15. Likewise ε:σσоTÉρw, so much used by Paul, never occurs without a comparison. In 1 Thes. 2: 27. περισσ. ἐσπουδάσαμεν τό πρόσωπον ὑμῶν ἰδεῖν, &c., the ground of the comparison lies in the clause, àлopyavoßévtec ἀφ' ὑμῶν πρὸς καιρὸν ὥρας. The bereavement of their personal intercourse for a time (which Paul indicates by the touching term droppaviolévτes,) had made his regret stronger than it would have been but for the Christian affection by which they were united. Acts 17: 21. λέγειν τι καὶ ἀκούειν καινότερον, is peculiarly characteristic. The Comparative indicates that they desired to know something newer, (than even what was deemed new,) and was fitted to represent in a very lively manner the thirst of the Athenians after news. 1 Cor. 1: 25. τὸ μωρόν τοῦ θεοῦ σοφώτερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων is easily accounted † Pp. 268.

*Pp. 279-80

for, without the usual (and forced) solution, (Pott, Heydenreich, Flatt, in loc.) The foolishness of God is wiser than men (are;) that is, what appears foolishness in God's arrangements, is not only wisdom, but outshines all the wisdom of men."*

XX. HERMENEUTICAL MANUAL: or, Introduction to the Exegetical Study of the Scriptures of the New Testament. By PATRICK FAIRBAIRN, D.D., Principal and Professor of Divinity in the Free Church College, Glasgow; author of "Typology of Scripture," &c. Philadelphia: Smith, English & Co. 1859. Pp. 526. This Manual is divided into three parts. The first discusses the Original Language of the New Testament; Characteristics of New Testament Greek; Collateral Sources, such as Philo and Josephus, Rabbinical Writings, Ancient Versions, &c.; Rules of Interpretation; Parables; Parallelism, &c. The second part treats of various Excursus, such as, The two Genealogies; Angels; Import of Hades, &c. The third part contains the Use made of Old Testament Scripture in the New Testament; first, the Manner of Citation and next the Mode of Application. The Appendix discusses the Governorship of Cyrenius.

The Work is a compilation; but the sources are good, and the use made of the materials appears to be very judicious.

Some excellent matter will be found in the part which treats of the Mode of Application of Old Testament Scripture in the New Testa

ment.

The Appendix is very interesting. It is taken from Augustus W. Zumpt. The difficulty is, that it is said by the Evangelist Luke that the enrolment at the birth of our Saviour was "made when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria." But it is alleged, that "at the time of the birth of Christ, Q. Sentius Saturninus was President of Syria, and P. Sulpicius Quirinius (called Cyrenius by Luke) did not become so till about ten years later." There is a very strong antecedent improbability, that St. Luke should make such a mistake, inasmuch as there were two precisely similar cases, in which after such mistakes as to Roman history were charged, it turned out, on minute investigation, that the Evangelist was right, and the critics wrong. They were these:

In Acts 18: 12, Gallio is called "pro-consul"-in our version "deputy" of Achaia. The governor of a Senatorial province is called "pro-consul," but when it was under imperial government, it was presided over by a pro-prætor. Achaia was, indeed, originally a Senatorial province, but Tiberius changed it into an Imperial one, and

* Pp. 256, sq.

Strabo expressly called it a "prætorian province." So great perplexities arose among the learned, that Beza even altered the text, substituting pro-prætor for pro-consul. But Suetonius was consulted, and we learn from him that Claudius restored the province to the Senate five or six years before the time referred to by St. Luke.

Again in Acts 13: 7, 8, Sergius Paulus is called pro-consul of Cyprus, though Cyprus is known to have been ranked as an imperial province. But Dio Cassius was consulted, and he states that Augustus restored it to the Senate. "And so," says Tholuck, who, after Lardner, refers to the passage, "as if purposely to vindicate the Evangelist, the old historian adds, thus pro-consuls began to be sent into that island, also."

The investigation is a very beautiful one, but it is too long for our pages. Zumpt wrote a purely literary work on Roman Antiquities. In his second volume he has a chapter upon Syria as a Roman province from Augustus to Vespasian; and this matter comes up incidentally. He shows that Eusebius, Irenæus, Tertullian, and Clemens Alexandrinus all believed that Quirinius presided over Syria at the birth of our Saviour, that is, the matter was not questioned in the times nearest to it. Then from Tacitus, Pliny, Strabo, Velleius and Suetonius, Zumpt brings together the successive links of his argument as follows: "Quirinius, it is ascertained, was President of Syria, some time subsequent to B. C. 12, when he obtained the consulship, and before A. D. 1 or 2, when he seems to have gone to Rome, and became married to Lepida;-after entering on his Syrian presidency, he carried on a difficult conflict with the warlike mountaineers of Cilicia, and on account of his successes against them, obtained triumphal honors; about a year before the Christian era, he was appointed rector to C. Cæsar, in order to prepare him for the administration of affairs in Armenia,* for which both military prowess and a considerable measure of diplomatic skill were requisite; it was, however, while he was Governor of Syria that he held this office of rectorship, for it was as Governor of that province, that he was more peculiarly qualified to give the counsel and aid that were needed to one who was going to fulfil a difficult and dangerous mission in the neighboring region of Armeniawhence Lollius, and another person, who succeeded him in the one office, also succeeded him in the other-they became both Presidents of Syria and rectors of C. Cæsar. But since the common Christian era is four years later than the actual birth of Christ, it follows that

* C. Cæsar was one of the grandsons of Augustus. The rector was "a person of skill in war and experience in affairs, who acted as confidential adviser and counsellor to a youthful prince."

Quirinius must have been Governor of Syria about the time that Christ was born, and for a year or two subsequent to that event." The succession of Presidents stands then nearly thus: C. Sentius Saturninus became President (Josephus) B. C.9; P. Quinctilius Varus, (Coins, &c.) B. C. 6; P. Sulpicius Quirinius, B. C. 4 to 3; M. Lollius, B. C. 2 to 1; C. Marcius Censorinus (mentioned by Velleius as for a short time after Lollius, whe killed himself, rector of C. Cæsar and governor of Syria) A. D. about 3; L. Volusius Saturninus, A. D. about 4; P. Sul. Quirinius (again, the second presidency being formerly referred to by the learned) (certainly) A. D. 6." Quirinius, therefore, was president from about B. C. 4 to B. C. 1, or, as the common era is four years too late, at the birth of our Saviour and for about three years afterwards.

XXI.-THE PASTOR AND INQUIRER: or, What is it to repent and believe the Gospel? An authentic Narrative. By the REV. GEORGE DUFFIELD, JR. Presbyterian Publication Committee. Philadelphia: Presbyterian House. New York: A. D. F. Randolph. 1859. Pp. 50.

The Committee holds on its way, and has reached No. 7 in the Second Series of Tracts. The energy and perseverance of its early friends will not lose their reward.

This tract is an account of the conversations of Mr. Duffield with a member of his flock who became a Christian, and after one communion died calmly, desiring to depart and be with Christ. "It was her earnest wish, that by her death she might glorify God in the conversion of sinners, and her pastor conceived the design of writing this tract while standing by her open grave. The narrative is authentic. The conversations are genuine. The experience related is perfectly true." We commend it especially for the use of the young, though it will do any one good.

XXII. THE PRESBYTERIAN HISTORICAL ALMANAC, and Annual Remembrancer of the Church for 1858-1859. By JOSEPH M. WILSON. Philadelphia: Published by the Compiler. 1859. Pp. 316.

This Almanac contains the statistics, so far as they could be obtained, of all the Presbyterians in the world. "Differing as they do from each other, still the golden vein of Calvinism pervades each organization; and though distinct as the billows, they are one as the sea."

The Almanac is not merely statistical. The account of each Assembly or Synod is "commenced with a fair, though condensed report of the discourse preached by the retiring Moderator, and by giving a history of the churches where the Assemblies or Synods held their annual

session." There is a portrait of the Moderator of each body, with a drawing of the church where the annual sessions were held. The statistics are full, as the reader will see from the number of pages in the volume.

XXIII. THE INDIAN REBELLION: ITS CAUSES AND RESULTS. In a Series of Letters from the Rev. Alexander Duff, D. D., LL. D.: Calcutta. New York: Carter & Brothers. 1858. Pp. 408.

These letters were written by Dr. Duff to Rev. Dr. Tweedie, Convener of the Foreign Mission Committee of the Free Church of Scotland, and give his impressions of the rebellion, as its incidents were passing. The letters extend from May 16, 1857, to March 22, 1858.

The cause of the rebellion, Dr. Duff thus states:

It has been mainly of a political, and but very subordinately of a religious character Brahminical and other influences had doubtless their share in it, but the preponderant central element has been of Mohammedan origin, directed to the realization of the long cherished dynastic designs of Mohammedan ambition.

By the natives generally, no special animosity has been exhibited towards the mis. sionaries or their doings. The very contrary is the fact. If any European,” says the editor of the Calcutta Christian Intelligencer, a clergyman of the Church of England, is respected and trusted by the natives at present, it is the missionary. All the influence of public officers and their agents at Benares, could not succeed in procuring supplies for the troops and others from the country round, but a missionary well known to the people, is now going round the villages and getting in supplies for the publie service. The Government, who have always fondled and favored superstition and idolatry, are accused of an underhand design to cheat the people into Christianity; and the missionaries, who have always openly and boldly, but still kindly and affectionately denounced all idolatrous abominations, and invited their deluded votaries to embrace the gospel of Christ for their salvation-they are understood by the people; and if any Europeans are trusted, the missionaries are at present."

We are glad to see that Dr. Duff makes thorough work with caste. "What, then, is to be done with caste?" After all that has now been stated, it would seem that, as a Christian government, we are shut up to but one consistent and practicable line of action; even that of solemnly resolving to have nothing whatever to do with caste, to wash our hands in innocency concerning it, and in every possible way, simply to ignore its existence altogether."

Dr. Duff gives an idea of Lucknow:

There, as at Rome, the arts of painting, statuary and architecture, flourished along. side of abominations worthy only of the bottomless abyss. It was a city of palaces, mosques, mausoleums and magnificent gateways, adorned by all that could be achieved by the most consummate skill of Oriental painters, architects and statuaries. Mohammedanism, in this respect, has done for the East what Romanism has done for the world. Both have carried the arts of regaling and luxuriating the senses to probably the highest perfection attainable on earth; while both have, in equal proportion, succeeded in dry. ing up the fountains of spirituality, and in banishing the very conception of the need of it from men's minds.

The Imambarry, with its lofty gateway, is one of the noblest piles of architecture anywhere to be found. Of this edifice, one traveller of note, remarks that, «from the brilliant white of the composition, and the minute delicacy of the workmanship, an enthusiast might suppose that genii had been the artificers."

The southern division of the new town was built chiefly by the Nawab Suadit Ali, the brother and successor of Asoph ud Dowla. Commencing near the British Residency,