The Wholesome Words of Jesus Christ. Four Sermons preached before
the University of Cambridge. By C. J. Vaughan, D.D. (Mac- millan.)—We heard the other day of a bishop who refined to ordain a young man on the ground that he had been reading last with Dr. Vaughan. Were we to judge Dr. Vaughan by these sermons alone, we should say that the more there were like him in the Church of England, the better both for the Church and nation. Many points, of course, are raised by all good sermons, and we should be glad to enter into a discus- sion of some in the book before us. But we must confine ourselves to a word of praise for one of the most striking thoughts to which Dr. Vaughan has given expression, and which, of itself, distinguishes him from those morbid minds that gloat over sickness as the stronghold of religion. One of these held up physical science to scorn because the greatest philosophers could not chip stones on their death-beds, and must then seek for the comfort of faith. Now, Dr. Vaughan's principle is, that religion is for health and strength, for the work of the day, and not for the restless couch or the waning intellect. Instead of aiming safe pulpit sneers at science and practical work, he would bring both of them to Christ. And as he speaks to men who would above all be strong and healthy, he talks of the wholesome words of the Gospel, just as while speaking to young men he counsels Christian ambition.
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