Commentaries on the Laws of the Ancient Hebrews (1853)

Wines's book was well-received by contemporary readers; Benjamin Butler, Levi Woodbury and William Kent were among its admirers. It begins with the assumption that "next to the birth and mission of Jesus Christ, the existence and institutions of the Hebrew people are the most important event in universal history" (Preface, iii). Its exploration of the Hebraic experience finds a senate, commons, and Chief Magistrate. The divine origin of these institutions is emphasized, along with their relation to the social and legal order. xvi, 640 pp.

E.C. Wines [1806-1879] was an expert on penology and the author of more than a dozen works on legal and religious subjects. He was a Congregational pastor, professor of ancient languages at Washington College, Pennsylvania, and president of the City University of St. Louis.