STRICTLY SERIOUS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7319, 24 December 1910, Page 9

STRICTLY SERIOUS.

“Sermons in Braid Scots.” By D. Gibb Mitchell, of Cramoiid. Loudon: Andrew Melrose. Mr Mitchell’s book will delight all good Kirk-going Scots who remember and love, as indeed they all should, tho land and speech of their fathers. The sermons breaths a simple piety, and arc free from any too prominent sectarian sentiment. Mr Mitchell believes ia the old faith, and would fain see it followed in the old unswerving, uiiquce,tioning way. -And 'there arc many worse ways. As to the language in which the discourses ire couched tho author's pro■face, headed, “Hark-ye," is sufficiently explanatory. The . opening sentence.'* may bo quoted 1. gaithcred ray flock üboot me an’ spuk to them i the tongue o' their faithers. it was the gudo nuld. Doric; it was their am couthio wonts. It was ,sib to their fancy, an' gaed far beii into their herta. Kano were huh c at hearm then-■ ain tongue preached d’ their uin kirk. Here again, from a lamentation upon ' tho growth of Sabbath "ibreakiag"—even in Scotland it is noticeable;— Thao are; bygauo" days. Oor Sabbath is doein; it's maist a weekday; it’s elippin awa frao oor grip. It 1 was keiic aince an’ cherished. Tho Dell is uyo tollin an’ the doors are /undeekit; but tho folks geek at it, arid gang ither gaits. They maun, ■ see tn-eir frien’s an’ iiao a crack. The biurd maun, bo spread went an’ meeklo to wai© fra-e. The- wheels xin. past their door an" wyle them fur-, chur a galloii. ... . Dandy loons > swagger thro we the day -wi' their pipe -and their walking stick. There's ■ ‘ ■; *U» thoclit o’ God. There’s nao tiioeht of til Kirk, o’ a psalm, a chapter, ■ noe worryin about sin an' l 111-doin! It's an easy .canny, lat’o ■ aluno wav o’ life. ...

k "don’t affect a walking stick, even on Sundays, but that reference to the pipe gives me l a shock. Bor me, at least, the "auld itirk Saw-bath" would be urn. possible. 1 feel relieved,-however, that good Mr Gibb Mitchell says nothing about “Whustfing," winch, on the Sftwbath, was once, traditionally at least, ( a dire misdemeanour in Scotland.;

“Preachers and Teachers.” By J. G ■ Simpson, D.D., Canon, of Maiiches- - tt-er. London: Edward Arnold.

. Wleau Simpson’s object in writing these essays was, ho says, "to quicken that interest: in some of the great preachera and teachers of the past, which , may bring their example and spirit into living touch with the needs of the modern, pulpit.". The volume : includes essays on "Preachers and. Preaching," "An Impression of St. Martin of Tours," “The Study of St. Augustine,”. "Some Seventeenth Century ..Preachers," "Butler's. Sermons .at tho -Bolls," “The Principle of- -B a tier's ■ Teaching';’’ and “The Teaching of ,Edward- Irving." A final'chapter' is devoted to the "Seeds of tho Modem Pulpit." •„ The.-reverend authors ■ I .notice, deals epeeialiy with the: much-deba-tod problem, as to whether pulpit' and polities should ho permanently divorced. . Upon this subject ho 1 writes with most commendable coroimo'n-sonse and a welcome touch of' homely satire.

"The Boiling Caldron.” By Lottico Bell, ■ •■■■With four illustrations in colour, London: Hodder ' and Stoughton.

Wellington : WjVhitoetnbe and ..Tombs.

, In a brief preface Mr. G. Campbell .Morgan” points .out the difficulty which has nitherto existed in teaching the children Who “great prophetic' books in. such a : way asi to bo of any real use to them.” Mr Morgan declares that Miss Bell has succeeded in solving tho problem. He says, "The. burden of the prophet is not laid upon the mind of the child; and that is right, but Who stories of tho prophecy arc told in such wise as to giv© the child a. consciousness of the historic background; sympathy with the prophet, and a clear idea of the general purpose of his wohk.” Miss ’Boll’s Bible stories- are all (alien, from the Old Testament. It is to.be hoped that she may, later on, deal with the ’New Testament narrative in/ the same way. Her boot should prove interesting to children in the home, and be found a. most useful aid Wo ‘ Scriptural indtructio'n in the Sunday School,, especially, as chapter and verse references verify and explain the dhief points in each chapter. The illustrations, are so well drawn, that it seems a pity ’ the artisUsname should not have been given on the title, page.