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BRIEF NOTICES OF BOOKS.

The Life of the Rev. Alfred Cookman; with a brief account of his Father, the Rev. George Grimston Cookman. By HENRY B. RIDGWAY, D.D. With a Preface by the Rev. W. MORLEY PUNSHON, LL.D. London: Hodder and Stoughton.

THOSE of our readers who read the article on the "Higher Christian Life," in our April issue, will not reqiure any further introduction to this volume; but to others we may say that the Rev. Alfred Cookman was a most genial man, a most devoted Christian, and a most useful minister. Dr. Punshon says: "If I would write down my impressions of Alfred Cookman's character, I find myself at a loss, for I can scarcely convey my lofty estimate of him in sober words. I have been privileged to meet with many gifted and godly men in various lands, and in various branches of the Catholic Church. I speak advisedly when I say that I never met with one who so well realized my ideal of complete devotedness." Again, he says of this life of his friend: "It is not surpassingly interesting considered as a story. It contains little romantic incident and no prurient sensationalism. It is not even the record of brilliant genius, though the preacher was, like Apollos, eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures; but it is the unfolding of the growth of a character which was perfect and beautiful as a star. It is a record of triumphs won for Christ by one who had given Him all. It is an illustration of the power of goodness. It shows how God honours on earth, and crowns at last, those who give themselves to His service with a full trust and complete self-surrender." In Dr. Punshon's aspiration that the Giver of good gifts may multiply evangelists of this type and pattern we cordially join, and think that one of the most likely means to accomplish that end is putting into the hands of ministers and students this memoir, as we are sure that it cannot be prayerfully read without quickening and strengthening the spiritual life.

Not Found Wanting; A Temperance Tale. By the Rev. FERGUS FERGUSON, M.A. London: W. Tweedie.

MR. FERGUSON has not formed a very high estimate of his tale as a work of art, for he says, "I am afraid that my first attempt will not be pronounced by fastidious critics to be a very decided success; but his reader will find many telling arguments and touching illustrations which they may use with advantage to confirm themselves when necessary in the principles of Temperance, or when they seek to enforce them on the attention of others.

Forty Popular Tonic Sol-Fa Sacred Songs; English and American. 4d.

New Sacred Music Tracts. Specimen Volume, 301 to 350.

Home and School Melodies. Part V. New and Popular American Sacred Songs. Is.

The Christian Slave. A Service of Sacred Song. 4d.

ALL of these, with the exception of the Christian Slave, are published by Messrs. S. W. Partridge & Co., and can be had direct of the printer and proprietor, Mr. W. Symonds, 10, Lambeth Road, London, S.W., or from our Book Room, post free. Mr. Symons generously offers to give five shillings worth of music to any of our brethren who are getting up bazaars for the purpose of reducing the debts on our chapels. He will be happy to receive an application from every Cornish circuit, for the sake of old Cornwall.

Save the Children: A Temperance Sermon, preached in the Wesleyan Chapel, Great Queen Street, London, by the Rev CHARLES GARRETT, (Longley) is a very pathetic and powerful appeal in behalf of the children, and deserves, and doubtless will have, a large circulation; and in British Narcotism, the Fifth Annual Report of the English Anti-Tobacco Society, the reader will find many startling facts respecting an insidious evil and danger which has grown of late years into enormous proportions.

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THE

BIBLE CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE.

EARNEST WORDS.*

"Not Saved."-JEREMIAH viii. 20.

My intention to-night is not to occupy the brief space allotted me, on this the last Sabbath evening of 1873, in elaborate sermonizing, but in plain, direct, solemn talking on a solemn subject most befitting the closing opportunity of the year. I wish to appear before you, not so much in the official capacity of minister as in the character of an earnest and true friend, having earnest words to say on an earnest matter; and I pray that my last utterances from this sacred platform for the dying year may impress you as none others have done heretofore, and be the means, through the Eternal Spirit, of leading you that are "not saved" to the precious Saviour, and of lifting you that are saved to a higher plateau of Christian life.

I seem to stand to-night, at the further end of the long avenue of 1873, lined on each side with months, and weeks, and days, anon intersected with golden opportunities; and as we passed each division of time there appeared to be a considerable distance between them; whereas now, on taking one retrospective glance down through the long-arched lane, the separate days, and weeks, and months, all seem to run into one another, and the whole appears to be much smaller than its parts. Thus we stalk through

* A Sermon Preached on the last Sabbath Evening of 1873, by J. O. KEEN. JULY, 1874.

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and complete avenue after avenue, each bringing us nearer the final one, which is "the valley of the shadow of death." As I stand at the terminus of this avenue and gaze on the broad intelligent foreheads of many of you present this evening; yes, you, my dear friends, to whom I have earnestly and faithfully spoken words of warning, of counsel, of entreaty, of mercy, of life; you, for whose salvation and comfort, both in secret and in public, my soul has yearned; I behold, with much sadness of heart, mystic characters glittering in the sunset glow of another year, syllabling the mournful dirge of our text-" not saved." I ask you not to follow me through the literal windings or contextual bearings of these two pungent words, but I do solicit your companionship and attention while travelling through its series of practical suggestions and inferences.

We start then from this point

"Not saved," and Salvation provided so dearly! Do you ask "how dearly?" Inquire of the dear Son of God, whose advent into the world you have just commemorated, whose birthday anniversary you have been festively keeping, and who, though He was the heir of all things, the outshining of the Father's glory, the equal of God, and rich-transcendently rich-in all the honours, treasures, splendours, and resources of eternity, for "your sakes became poor," ignoble, despised, and distressed, that you, "through His poverty, might be rich." How dearly? Go to the rude mangercradle, and as you gaze on the infant form and think of the guiding star, the angel-message, and the angel-song, and the worshipping Magi, and reading those signal honours-those ensigns of royalty-aright, your sober interpretation of their hieroglyphics will tell you that you are in the presence of the august Deity, mysteriously enshrined in that sleeping babe. Mark that child's growth to manhood. Observe Him in all the varied phases of His earthly career. Minutely watch Him as He starts from His homestead in Nazareth-the laughing, beautiful boy of twelve summers -to visit the city and temple for the first time. See Him frequenting now the synagogue, then the rural retreats-Nazareth's rocky fastnesses and shady luxuriant glens-and anon the humble workshop of Joseph in His village home, in silence and solitude preparing for His life-work; gaze on Him as He plunges into the Jordan waters to receive the baptism of John, while overhead the vail of blue is parted, and the dove-like Spirit descends and rests upon Him, and the voice of recognition, approval, and affection from the jasper-throne rings its music and message upon the vast Hebrew assembly. View Him amid the desert-gloom and loneli

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