Welsh Journals

SRAEL AMONG THE NATIONS By 3^oi' man H. 'Baynt's Student Christian Movement, 328 pp., 5s. nett. This book is a sketch of the history of Israel in its setting in the ancient world. No nation can live for or by itself. And so, in isolating the life of Israel and studying its history and religion as a thing apart, we have been deceiving our- selves, and failing to see the facts as they really were. This book, then, is a contribution toward getting at the real facts of Israel's history, and a very valuable contribution it is. Here are some of the chapter headings The Semites, Egypt, Babylonia, Canaan, Philistia, Syria and Assyria, Persia, Greece; and the way in which the life of Israel is related to each of these is made clear all along. There is no padding at all; each chapter is packed full of just those facts that matter, and the author's mastery is really astonishing. He covers all this ground in 170 pages. There are no footnotes; the notes come later and occupy 120 pages. They are ex- ceedingly useful, and put one in touch with the authorities. Indeed, they are far more than notes in the ordinary sense, and include very valuable discussions. We have also 18 pages of biblio- graphy and three sets of indices. The author's outlook is sane and balanced, as one would naturally expect in a book with such wide horizons. Some people will find the author rather conservative; some will rejoice to find the historicity of Abraham and the patriarchs so con- fidently maintained in such a book! The great majority will regard the author as a safe and delightful guide, and rejoice to go exploring the story of the ancient world under his direction. Students of the Old Testament will find this book extremely useful. It really demands an extended review. J.W.H. THE WORD IN THE WORLD Adult School Lesson Handbook for 1928. pp. 294, is. 6d. The Handbook for 1928 should be given as warm a welcome as its predecessors. Unfortunately this does not convey much hope in regard to Wales. Apart from the fact that it is written in the Eng- lish language, there seems to be no other satis- factory explanation of the comparative failure of Wales to make use of this excellent publication. Its matter is always fresh, vigorous, rich and comprehensive. When will the Interdenomina- tional Committee in Wales undertake such a work as this? Adult scholars in Sunday Schools are far less given to discussing facts than ideas and themes, and the approach to the truth of the Gospel appears to be at least as unerring from that angle as from the literal verse method which so frequently fails to find release into the realities of life. And all these principles which find illus- tration from the History of England in this book have their manifestations in Welsh life. Indeed, it is just this that urges one to commend it to Welsh people. It can easily become a living thing in their hands. B.B.T. FLOWERS OF THE WAYSIDE AND MEADOW By J. Lloyd JVilliams, Tf.Sc. Messrs. Morris & Jones, Ltd., 82, Whitechapel, Liverpool This admirable little book, written in the first instance in English, by Dr. Lloyd Williams, was issued in Welsh a few years ago under the name Byd y Blodau." As the publishers note in their foreword, their attention was drawn by Mrs. Silyn Roberts and Dr. Thomas Jones to a book in use in the Schools of Denmark, which contained some beautiful illustrations of flowers, that were, in the main, indigenous to both Denmark and Wales. Professor Lange, of Denmark, made the issue of this book possible, by granting permission to use his original illustrations. There are 14 full page illustrations, rendering some sixty-four separate plants in full colours. The superb manner of their reproduction is in itself a factor of great educational value. The author's name is a sufficient guarantee that the thirty-five pages of text, dealing with the main families of the plant world, and presenting collaterally the scientific, the English and the Welsh names of the separate species, have been ably and sympathetically dealt with. Text and illustrations make the book one of rare beauty. The business house that has borne the burden of producing this book is to be complimented on the public service it has rendered. Though it is intended to distribute most of the copies as a gift in connection with certain advertising schemes of the company, single copies are obtainable at 5/ Special quotations will be made for large numbers. R.A.R. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION. The British Institute of Adult Education. 7s. 6d. Economic historians inevitably inherited the morose traditions of the "dismal science" in the arrangement of their outpourings. The need for illustration never seemed to dawn upon them.