BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9497, 28 April 1894, Page 3

BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS.

■> ; -i . m The Westminster: Henry and Co., 6, Boaverie-etreeb, Fleet-street, E.C., London. The March number is to hand, and is especially interesting. The initial article is by an Aucklander, Mr. Arthur Withy, entitled, « Work for the Workless." Mr. E. Reevea contributes a paper on The Land Laws of New Zealand.''' Lady Cook gives a graphic picture of Modern Habits and Customs," full of information concerning, the 'social life of our grandfathers and grandmothers. Mr. W. Lloyd contributes a thoughtful article upon " Republicanism v. Socialism," which is in reality a review of Mr. Yves Guzot's work on "The Principles of '89 and Socialism." The miscellaneous articles are: " Picturesque Village /Homes," " Baptismal Customs," " Ireland's Position in Literature," " Cosmic ' Emotion," < and contemporary literature and tho drama. Altogether, the Westminster-for March is an instructive and readable numbei.

Nehushtan ; A Piece of Brass.— is the title of a; short sermon preached by the Rev. S. J. Neill in St. George's Hall, Thames, on the 18th March, the day his church at' Thames was preached vacant. The text. is taken from 11. Kings, xviii., 4. In the sermon be traces the history of the brazen serpent set up by Moses, and refers to its symbolical meaning, and shows that in the days of. Hezekiah the healing power once /vested in the serpent as a symbol had ceased, and it [was then regarded as only a piece of brass. He thus regarded church creeds. For a time they had a beneficial use, bub as they did not improve while man advanced, the time came when they nob only ceased to be useful, bub became a positive means of retarding the progress of mankind. "~ He thus expresses himself : " When the church prefers the words Of the poor antiquated man-made creeds which sane men, nob held by monetary interest, find it impossible to believe—when the Church prefers that to the words of Jesus, then the Church and its idolatrous creed-worship must perish. They have already begun to pass away from the living rational thought of man."