Book Reviews
“T he R omance of B ible C hronology ,” by Rev. Martin Anstey, B. D., M. A., Mar shall Bros., Ltd., London, Edinburg and New York. Chronology is generally a very dry and uninteresting subject, but the present writer has succeeded in making it not only inter esting but fascinating. The book is a large work in two volumes, the second volume being given up to tables. The sub-title of the book suggests the con tents of the book, "An Exposition of the Meaning, and a Demonstration of the Truth of Every Chronological Statement Con tained in the Hebrew Text of the Old Tes tament." The way in which the author works out his results from the data given in the He brew text of the Old Testament is as in teresting as a novel, and when he gets through one is filled with a new sense of confidence in the absolute reliability of the minutest statements contained in our Bible. The writer has made a very thorough study of the different systems of chronology and also of the monumental inscriptions of various kinds that are coming to light. The book, while fair toward the critics, arrives at most conservative conclusions, far more conservative than most people thought were possible in our day, and he shows that they are not only possible but certainly correct and inescapable. Probably the author will appear to some to be dogmatic, but it is the dogmatism that arises from a thorough study of the facts and the attaining of sci entifically demonstrated conclusions. While one may not agree with him in every detail of his conclusions, his general positions seem ,to be thoroughly established.
forty years a missionary to the Chinese. Fleming H. Revell Co. It is twenty years since this book was first issued, but we have been reading it anew and have been so impressed by it that we feel that the attention of ministers and Christian workers should be called to it again. It is the great classic on this sub ject. We consider it of such value that we would urge every minister and Christian worker to study it. The book is a model in the carefulness and thoroughness of its treatment of the subject. The author displays very rare candor and fairness in dealing with the views of those with whom he does not agree. He states the argument for the other side as strongly as it can be stated. In fact, he lets the strongest writers on the other side state the argument for themselves. Starting out prejudiced against belief in demon possession in the present day, he gave a thorough study to the facts in the case; became satisfied with the reality of demon possission, and has stated the facts in such a form, and analyzed it so carefully and conclusively, that every fair-minded man who reads the book will be inevitably led along until he agrees with the author. He has made use of the very best ma terial on the subject extant. Incidentally, the book is a thorough explanation of mod ern spiritualistic phenomena, and also gives a very satisfactory explanation of many of the phenomena in the modern, so-called “Tongues Movement.” The chapter which deals with the story of the Salem witchcraft trials is very illu minating, and in this book is the most sat isfactory treatment we know of of the “facts and literature of the occult.” We can hardly refrain from large quota tions from the book, but urge every reader to get the book and read it for himself.
“D emon A llied T hemes ," Rev. John L. Nevius, D. D., for P ossession and
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