Book Reviews

An Acceptable Sacrifice, by John Bunyan. Gospel Standard Strict Baptist Trust. Price £1.75, plus 26p postage.

This volume is the last of John Bunyan’s writings. In it he discourses on the excellency of a broken heart, from the words in Psalm 51, verse 17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” It is the writing of one who came to know in his own spiritual experience what true contrition of heart over sin is. In bringing out the necessity of a broken heart, he states the matter in the following nine propositions:—

1. Man is dead, and must be quickened.
2. Man is a fool, and must be made wise.
3. Man is proud, and must be humbled.
4. Man is self-willed, and must be broken.
5. Man is fearless, and must be made to consider.
6. Man is a false believer, and must be rectified.
7. Man is a lover of sin, and must be weaned from it.
8. Man is wild, and must be tamed.
9. Man disrelishes the things of God, and can take no savour in them, until his heart is broken.

He stresses the importance of keeping a broken heart tender and gives seven reasons:—

1. This is the way to maintain in thy soul always a fear of sinning against God.
2. A tender heart quickly yieldeth to prayer, yea, prompteth to it, puts an edge and fire into it.
3. A tender heart has always repentance at hand for the least fault, or slip, or sinful thought that the soul is guilty of.
4. A tender heart is for renewing often its communion with God.
5. A tender heart is a wakeful, watchful heart.
6. A tender heart will deny itself, and that in lawful things, lest someone should be offended or made weak thereby.
7. A tender heart, I mean the heart kept tender, preserves from many a blow, lash, and fatherly chastisement.

We just mention these matters to whet the reader’s appetite. Bunyan’s writings need no recommendation from us, his praise being in all the churches.
D. B. M.

Personal Declension and Revival of Religion in the Soul, by Octavius Winslow. Banner of Truth Paperback. Price 80p.

The Banner of Truth are doing a good service in again reprinting this excellent book by Winslow. In it Winslow follows the backslider in the various stages of his declension from God. The first five chapters are taken up with incipient declension; declension in love, faith and prayer; and declension in connection with doctrinal error. The sixth chapter is on grieving the Spirit, while the following one contrasts the fruitless and fruitful professor. Having opened up the sad case of the backslider so fully, Winslow does not leave him there but goes on to show the way of recovery for the soul from a state of backsliding. The title of that chapter is, The Lord, the Restorer of His people, while the final chapter, entitled The Lord, the Keeper of His people, directs the returning backslider to the One in whom lies his future preservation from falling.

We are sure that the subject dealt with in this volume is one much needed in our day, and there will be few readers, we feel, who will not find their case dealt with here.
D. B. M.

Life, Letters and Sermons of Caleb Sawyer. Gospel Standard Strict Baptist Trust. Price £2.95, plus 66p postage.

Caleb Sawyer was the pastor of Mayfield Strict Baptist Chapel from 1919-1962. The first 86 pages include a brief autobiographical account of his life, a brief diary written between 1900 and 1904, and also a selection of letters written over a considerable period of time. The remaining 230 pages contain sermons preached between 1921 and 1962, the year in which he died. In the book his exercises of soul are clearly brought out, showing him to be a graciously exercised man and a humble follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. His sermons appear to be full of gospel truth and we are sure will be appreciated by graciously exercised people. In the sermons Christ is exalted and shown to be the only remedy for the sinner’s needs, while special emphasis is laid on the need of divine grace if the sinner is to be brought to a knowledge of the truth. We are glad to recommend the book.
D. B. M.

The Apostle of the North, by Rev. John Kennedy, D.D. Free Presbyterian Publications. Price £3.00.

This volume in paperback is a reprint of the life of Rev. John MacDonald of Ferintosh, Ross-shire. It was written by Dr Kennedy of Dingwall and has been out of print for a number of years. Dr MacDonald was an eminent servant of the Lord Jesus Christ whose labours were greatly owned of the Lord in the conversion of many souls, as well as in the edifying of the people of God. The book tells among other interesting matters of Dr MacDonald’s part in a spiritual awakening which took place in Breadalbane, Perthshire, of his visits to St Kilda, and of his other evangelistic work throughout the Highlands and beyond. We welcome the re-issue of “The Apostle of the North” and hope that it will be greatly in demand. We would have preferred to see it in a hard cover, especially in view of its high cost.
D. B. M.

The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. Banner of Truth Trust. Price £4.00.

This is really a de luxe edition of “The Pilgrim’s Progress.” It is a large print edition and is beautifully bound. It is a reprint of an issue put out in 1895 and includes original marginal notes and Scripture references, together with fine etchings by William Strang. The book, as readers well know, is reckoned to be Bunyan’s masterpiece. As an allegory of outstanding merit it has received universal acclaim, but it is regarded also as a work of extraordinary spiritual insight. The Banner of Truth Trust are to be congratulated on this fine production.
D.B.M.

Sermons and Meditations, by Rev. James A. Tallach. Price 85p, by post £1. Obtainable from Mrs E. Tallach at the Religious Bookshop, Mill Street, Dingwall.

Mrs Tallach has reprinted the booklet issued some years ago of Sermons and Meditations by her late husband, Rev. James A. Tallach, of Kames and Stornoway. The booklet contains a brief memoir of Mr Tallach written by the late Dr Hugh Gillies, Stornoway, together with a selection of his sermons and meditations.

Rev. James A. Tallach was an able preacher of the Gospel, as all who have had the privilege of hearing him will acknowledge. From this booklet, though it contains only the merest fraction of his discourses, an estimate may be obtained of the high quality of his pulpit ministrations. He could be solemn and searching, as well as comforting to the Lord’s people. Those who sat under this ministry in Kames and Stornoway were privileged to enjoy the finest of the wheat. We can recall the impression left on our own mind by two sermons he preached at a communion at Tain. One of these was on the Rich Man and Lazarus during which he laid particular emphasis on the words: “Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed.” The other was from Ruth, chapter 1, “Entreat me not to leave thee, nor to return from following after thee.”

We wish for this booklet a wide circulation.
D. B. M.