Newspaper Page Text
EIGH7H PAGE
THE SUNNY SOU7H
Literature
EDITED BY
Lucian L Knight
Religion
RUCIAL INSTANCES,”
by Edith Wharton.
(Chas. Scribner’s Sons.)
Miss Wharton Is already
widely and favorably
known through her two
popular books, “The
Touchstone” and "The
Great e r Inclination,”
both of which possess
unusually tine artistic
and literary qualities.
This new volume, writ
ten In the author's
characteristic vein, pre
sents seven excellent
little storiettes, each
of which is briliantly
worked up and is full of delicate and sub
tle literary beauties. We can only men
tion the storiettes by title, as follows:
"The Duchess at Prayer,” "The Angel at
the Grave,” “The Recovery,” "Copy: A
Dialogue,” “The Uembranda,” “The Mov
ing Finger” and “The Confessional.”
*
“A Soldier of Virginia,” by Burton Eg
bert Stevenson. (Houghton, Mifflin &
Co.) Though the country has been del
uged with historical novels during the
past few years, Mr. Stevenson demon
strates that the material for fascinating
stories has not yet been exhausted, even
in Virginia. Going back to the time of
Braddock's defeat in the French and In
dian wars the author takes up a period of
American history which has not been ap
proximated by the novelist to any marked
extent and he accomplishes the double
purpose of telling an excellent story and
of throwing light upon the study of colo
nial times, l.ieutenant Thomas Stewart,
the hero, is an officer under Major Wash
ington, impulsive, fearless and patriotic.
• If course, he falls in love; but the story
is not occupied exclusively with his love
affairs and this feature is reserved like
the sweetmeats at a dinner until the last.
Major Washington is skillfully drawn and
the portrayal of his character at this
stage of his career possesses the charm of
comparative freshness. Mr. Stevenson is
already well known as the author of “At
Odds with tht> Regent.”
“Your Uncle Lew.” ny Charles Reginald
Sherlock. (Frederick A. Stokes Company.)
In the character of the hero of this ex
cellent story Mr. Sherlock has scored an
artistic success of pronounced magnitude.
"Uncle Lew” is not unlike “David I fa-
rum” and possible Mr. Westcott’s unique
creation may have suggested him. but
“Uncle Lew” contains more than enough
originality to justify his independent ex
istence and we are sure the public will
indorse this opinion. We have been
charmed with his droll humor and shrewd
yankee philosophy and we have laughed
heartily over many of his quaint sayings.
"Uncle Lew” monopolizes the interest of
the story and apart from him the. story
is not much, tout the only way to get ly.tn
is to read the story, and so we conymend
it to our readers. Mr. Sherlo<Vfc' hails
from central New York, the local/ty which
produced Mr. Westcott. >
“Ralph Marlowe,” by Jajfios B. Naylor.
( I he Saalfield Publishing Company, Ak
ron. O.) Jn this stoi^^ u f real life the
author attempts noj^png- startling but—
■ uage—he simply re
nt. We like the nat-
c—its freedom from
t and expression and
i of unaffected inter-
1 it to our readers,
s are so belabored
lgenuity of plot as
I ted efflorescence of
t refreshing to run
3 “Ralph Marlowe.”
a doctor, it is not
strange that the hero is a drug clerk.
However, the hero's association with pills
and powders makes him none the less in
teresting.
*
“Masters of French Literature,” by
George McLean Harper. (Charles Serilt-
.ner’s Sons.) Professor Harper, tile au
thor of the work, is one of the leading
members of the faculty of Princeton uni
versity and litis appreciation of French
literature possesses the value of being
Hie estimate of an outsider who writes
from the American point of view and who
knows how to address himself to Amer
ican readers. Some idea of the scope of
the work may be obtained from this brief
summary of chapters: “The Place of
French Literature.” “The Golden Age of
French Drama." “The Revolutionary
Analysis: St. Simon and Montesquien,”
"The Revolutionary Analysis: Voltaire,”
“Victor Hugo,” "Sainte-Beuve” and “Bal
zac.”
“Martin Bro tk.” by Morgan Batec.
(Harper & Bros.) This story, which is
No. 3 in the series of "one-a-month”
American novels, is not apt to be regarded
with much favor in the south, although it
contains nothing specially offensive.
Martin Brook, the hero, is an abolition
ist of the most advanced type, and he de
votes himself to the interests of fugitive
slaves. lie experiences many hardships
at the hands of pro-slavery sympathizers
at the north and life contains little pleas
ure for him except ns he' finds it in his
sweetheart's unremitting devotion. Some-
excellent sidelights are thrown upon the
history of the times and the story is well
written, but we doubt if it will prove of
much interest in either section.
“Her Mountain Lover.” by Hamlin Gar
land. (The Century Company. In the pub
lication under review Mr. Garland tells
the story of an enterprising Colorado
prospector who goes to London to sell his
mine and incidentally falls In love with
an English girl. In describing the hero’s
adventures in London society the author
is equallv as much at home as in portray
ing the life of the mining camps in the
rugged scenery of the Roeki ?s, and the
store which he tells is full of intense in
terest. Nothing more delightfully absorb
ing has come from his pen.
*
“The Inlander.” by Harrison Robert
son. (Charles Scribner’s Sons.) Mr. Rob
ertson Is well known as the author of
“How the Derbv Was Won” and “Red
Blood and Blue.” For many years he lias
been identified with- newsDawrJom in
Louisville. Ky„ and is one of the south's
most giftrd young writers. In the publi
cation under review he charmingly deals
with southern conditions, and evinces lit
erary gifts and graces which will enable
him, unless we are greatly mistaken, to
dispute popularity with James Lane Al
len, Mary Johnston, Ellen Glasgow and
other present day fuvorites.
Fifty Best Books
In the order of preference the fifty best
bocks published in the United States dur
ing tlio year 1900. according to the returns
received by the New York state library.
!n response to letters of inquiry addressed
to librarians throughout the state and
e.’sewnere are as follows:
“To Have and To Held.” By Mary
Johnston. (Houghton. Mifflin & Co.). 137
votes.
“Biography of a Grizzly.” By Ernest
Seton-Thompson. (The Century Compa
ny). 131 votes.
“Eben Holden.” By Irving Bacheller.
(Lathroo Publishing Company). 127 votes.
“An American Anthology.” By E. C.
Stedman. (Houghton. Mifflin & Co.). 126
votes.
“Alice of Old Vincennes.” By Maurice
Thompson. (Bowen-Merrill Company).
121 votes.
“Eleanor.” By Mrs. Humphry Ward.
(Harper & Bros.). 108 votes.
“Reign of Law.” By James Lane Al
len. (The Macmillan Company), 106 votes.
“Tommy and Grizel.” By J. M. Bar- .
()
rie. (Charles Scribner’s Sons). 9S votes.
“Literary Friends and Acquaintances.”
By W. D. Howells. (Harper & Bros.). 97
votes.
“In the Palace of the King.” By Ma
rion Crawford. (The Macmillin Compa
ny), 95 votes.
“Mississippi Valley in the Civil War.”
By John Fiske. (Houghton. Mifflin &
_ Co.). 89 votes.
“Monsieur Beaucaire.” By Booth
Tarkington. (McClure. Phillips & Co.).
87 votes.
“Squirrels and Other Fur Bearers.” By
John Burroughs. (Houghton. Mifflin &.
Co.), 85 votes.
“Literary History of America.” By
Barrett Wendell. (Charles Scribner’s
Sons), 84 votes.
“Flame, Electricity and the Camera.”
By George lies. (Doubleday. Page & Co.).
78 votes.
“Our Native Trees and How to Identify
Them.” By H. L. Keeler. (Charles
Scribner’s Sons). 76 votes.
“Stage-Coach and Tavern Days.” By
Mrs. A. M. Earle. (The Macmillan Com
pany.) 74 votes.
“Life and Death of Richard Yea and
Nay.” By Maurice Hewlett. (The Mac
millan Company), 72 votes.
"Transit of Civilization.” By Edward
Eggleston. (D. Appleton & Co.). 61 votes.
“China, the Long-Lived Empire.” By
E. R. Soidmore. (The Century Company).
63 votes.
“Influence of Christ in Modern Life.”
By N. D. Hiliis. (The MacmiUan Com
pany). 62 votes.
“Life and Letters of Phillips Brooks.”
By A. V. G. Allen. Two volumes. (E. P.
Dutton & Co.). 61 votes.
“Century Book of the American Colo
nics.” By E. S. Brooks. (The Century
Company). 6(1 votes.
“Oliver Cromwell.” By John Morley.
(The Century Company). 59 votes.
“Mr. Dooley's Philosophy.” By F. P.
Dunne. (R. H. Russell). 59 votes.
“Unleavened Bread.” By Robert Grant.
(Charles Scribner’s Sons), 59 votes.
"With Both Armies In South Africa.”
By R. 11. Davis. (Charles Scribner's Sons).
5S votes.
“Book for All Readers.” By K. II.
Spofford. (G. P. Putnam's Sons), 58
Votes.
“A Woman Tenderfoot.” By Mrs. Er
nest Seton-Thompson. (Doubleday, Page
& Co.). 57 votes.
“Life and Lettets of Thomas II. Hux
ley.” By Leonard Huxley. Two volumes.
(D. Appleton & Co.). 55 votes.
“Bird Studies with a Camera.” By F.
M. Chapman. (D. Apple.ton & Co.). 54
votes.
“Grey Fairy Book.” By Andrew Lang.
(Longmans, Green & Co.), 52 votes.
“William Shakespeare.” By Hamilton
Wright Mable. (The Macmillan Compa
ny), 50 votes.
“My Winter Garden.” By Maurice
Thompson. (The. Century Company). 50
voter..
“ Voice of the People.” By Ellen Glas
gow. (Doubleday, Page & Co.),-49 votes.
“Story of the Nineteenth Century.” By
H. S. Williams. (Harper & Bros.), 49
votes.
“Progress of Invention.” By E. W.
Byron. (Munn & Co.). 48 votes.
"Our Presidents and How We Make
Them.” By A. K. McClure. (Harper &
Bros.). 4S votes.
"L'Aiglon.” By Edmund Rostand. (R.
II. Russell), 48 votes.
“Monopolies and- Trusts.” By R. T.
Ely, (The Macmillan Company), 47 votes.
“World of the Great Forest.” By Paul
B. Chaillu. (Charles Scribner’s Sons), 45
votes.
"April Baby’s Book of Tunes.” By the
author of “Elizabeth and Her German
Garden.” (The Macmillan Company), 44
voj.es.
“Jack of All Trades.” By D. C. Beard.
(Charles Scribner’s Sons). 44 votes.
"Cardinal’s Snuff Box.” By Henry Har-
land. (John Lane). 44 votes.
"Gospel of Wealth.” By Andrew Car
negie. (The Century Company). 42 votes.
“Ten Years' War.” By Jacob A. Riis.
(Houghton, Mifflin & Co.), 42 votes.
“The. Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg.”
By S. L. Clemens. (Harper Ac Bros.), 41
votes.
“The Redemption of David Corson.” By
C. F. Goss. (Bowen-Merrill Company), 41
votes.
"The Strenuous Life.” By Theodore
Roosevelt. (The Century Company), 41
Votes.
“Sailing Alone Around the World.” By
Joshua Slocum. (The Century Company),
41 votes.
We have reproduced this list in full
on the idea that it will be of some assist
ance to our readers in determining what
books to buy. Though not entirely be
yond criticism, it represents the aggregate
opinion of some two hundred or more
librarians and book readers, and is, con
sequently, an excellent guide. Of the
fifty books enumerated above fourteen are
classed as fiction, seven as juvenile, live
as sociology, four as natural science, four
as biography, three, as essays, etc., three
as description and travel, three as Amer
ican history, two as poetry, one as a book
of reference, one as religion, one as use
ful arts, one as humor, and one. as history
of foreign countries.
As to publishing houses represented in
the foregoing list, the result is as fol
lows: The Century Company and The
Macmillan Company, each eight books;
Charles Scribner's Sons, seven books;
Harper & Bros, and Houghton, Mifflin
& Co., each five books; D. Appleton &
Co. and Doubleday, Page & Co., each
three books; the Bowen-Merrill Company
and It. H. Russell, each two books, and
one book for each of the following
houses: G. P. Putnam's Sons, Longmans,
Green & Co., John Lane, The Lothroo
Company, McClure, Phillips & Co., E. P.
Dutton & Co. and Munn & Co.
Yotitk's Companion
Celebrates
On April 16th next the Youth’s Com
panion will enter upon the seventy-fifth
year of its existence and the event will
be celebrated by the publication of many
attractive stories and sketches. No juve
nile pa tier in America is more extensively
read than the Youth's Companion, and
with caual truth it may bs said that no
paper has contributed more largely to
ward shaping the morals and improving
the minds of the younger generations of
America during the period embraced In
Us long and useful career. When the
Youth’s Companion was launched on
April 16. 1827. under the editorial manage
ment of Nathaniel Willis there was noth
ing either in the growth of the country
or in the dreams of the management to
warrant the belief that the time would
ever come when the paper would wieVl
such an immense power and reach such
an enormous circulation as it today pos
sesses. Seventy-five years ago the popula
tion of the United States was barely
more than 11.000.000 and the area only
I. 04S.000 square miles. Today the popula
tion is 76.000.000 and the area 3.698,865
square miles. On this same ratio the
Youth’s Companion has likewise grown.
Starting without subscribers, it numbers
today not less than 545.C09. and from an
insignificant little sheet, meagerly equip
ped. though offering Its readers the best
advantages which the times afforded, it
has grown today into an ample sheet
freighted with the world’s best thought in
literature, art and science. When the
Youth’s Companion started out Its policy
was to instruct as well as to entertain,
and though other paper* have sought to
supercede it in popular favor by appeal
ing to the love of entertainment alone,
the Youth's Companion has never aban
doned its policy nor sought to increase its
popularity by compromising its principles
or sacrificing its ideals. No paper de
serves its success more richly than the
Youth’s Companion and may its career of
prosperity long continue.
N account of the unprece
dented success which at
tended the publication o!
“The World’s Best Ora
tors” last year, it is safe
to predict that “The
World’s Rest Essays” will
meet with equal favor.
David J. Brewer, associ
ate justice of the United
States supreme couft, who
edited the orations, also
edits the essays, and he
-- — ... .car upon the task of compil
ing the latter the same breadth of learn
ing and the same thoroughness of judi
cial research and discrimination which
he employed in compiling the former.
Justice Brewer is perhaps the ripest
scholar on the United States supreme
bench— Besides being deeply grounded
in the law. he possesses an intimate ac
quaintance with the world’s best liter
ature. ancient and modern, occidental
and oriental, and if the publisher, Mr.
Fred P. Kaiser, of St. Louis, had sought
the country from limit to limit with an
electric searchlight he cou'.d have found
no one better fitted for the task in hand
than Justice Brewer. We make this
statement deliberately and carefully, and
though we have had occnslon in review
ing the orations to criticise some of the
selections, we understand perfectly well
the difficulties involved in an effort to
please everybody and we believe now, as
we believed then, that the work could not
have been produced wifh fewer mistakes.
We are glad that the essays are to fol
low the orations and to be uniform with
them in style of binding, containing ton
elegant and sumptuous volumes. Much
of the world's best thoughts has been ex
pressed in essays. In fact, there is much
more solid intellectuality stored up in es
says than in orations, for while orations
give utterance to the great underlying
principles which have governed the
world’s political nod moral life, essavs set
forth the noiseless distillations of the
brain as it works in the quietude of the
study, apart from the world's distracting
influences. Being largely the products of
leisure contemplation they come from the
author’s pen clad in carefully woven text
ures of language, combining beauty of
diction with beauty of thought, and they
not only govern the world's life, but they
furnish the material out of which ora
tions themselves are built. So es=ays
must take precedence over orations as
thought-producers. Associated with Jus
tice Brewer in the editorship of “The
World's Best Essays” are Professors Ed
ward A. Allen and William Schuyler, A.
M.. both well known educators and men
of letters. Besides, the advisory board
is representative of the world’s best
present-day culture, including such emi
nent authorities as Sir Walter Besant.
Louise Chandler Moulton. Wm. P. Trent.
Richard Gotthe'il and many others of
equal note. In the comprehensive scope
of the work every ago and country will
be Included, and though it will be im
possible on account of the alphabetical
arrangement of the work to make the
essays of each volume equally represen
tative in character, still when the various
component parts are put together it will
be found that no period of time and no
country on the globe of any literary im
portance whatever has failed to contribute
its masterpiece to the wealth of litera
ture which the volume contains.
In point of time volume 1. beginning
with Aristotle (384-322 B. C.) gives the
masterpieces of essay writing for every
succeeding literary cycle down to “Grant
Allen” (1S4S-1899). Essayists of the classi
cal period are represented in the volume
by Aristotle, Arrian. Marcus Aurelius and
Athenaeus. while St. Augustin and St.
Thomas Aquinas stand for the post-clas
sical and mediaeval. Modern essayists,
beginning with Roger Aschan, Bacon and
Bayle, end in the chronological index of
the first volume with Charles Baudelaire.
S; : r Robert 'Ball, EMmondo de Amicis
and Grant Allen. Included among the
countries represented in the volume are
ancient Greece, ancient Africa, ancient
Rome, modern Italy, France, Switzerland.
England, Scotland and America. Only
volume I lias yet appeared, hut subse
quent volumes will appear from time to
time until the set of ten volumes is com
pleted. Combining the essays and the ora
tions together the result will prove one
of the richest of the world's collections.
Books (SL Authors
Southern readers will be deeply interest
ed in the novel which G. P. Putnam's
Sons are preparing to bring out this sum
mer entitled. “The Dwellers in the Hills.”
bv Melville D. Post. In advance oil publi
cation more than 1,590 copes of the work
have been sold. Writing to one of the
papers concerning the work Mr. Post
says:
"While it is a departure. I am inclined
to think tiiat a value ought to attach to
the fact that it is an accurate record of
life in the great blue grass cattle land of
the Virginias. I have taken great pains
to get accurately the details involved in
the story. I know these details to ba
thoroughly correct. I think the manu
script contains no .incident through which
I have not passed personally, and which I
do not know to be true. I have thought it
worth while to attempt to preserve some
record of this unique, almost romantic,
life, because the rapid industrial develop
ment of this state is crowding it out. The
splendid grazing land of the counties of
Harrison. Lewis. Upshur and Randolph.
In which have been bred the finest export
cattle in the world, is all cut up with coal
mines and oil derricks, and in a few years
Its old civilization will entirely disappear.
I am not aware that this life has been
represented in any fiction. You will readi
ly observe the wide distinction between
it and the civilization of the west.”
*
Recent developments in South America
have served to call fresh attention to the
work of Hon. W. L. Scruggs (Little.
Brown & Co.), entitled “The Columbian
and Venezuelan Republics.” In addition
to discussing the history of the two re
publics. Colonel Scruggs also discusses
the International and domestic affairs of
the governments, the peculiarities of the
people and the resources of the soil and
climate. Speaking of the asphalt deposits
of Venezuela, which have recently been
the cause of International difficulties, he
says:
“The pitch Is found in a series of little
springs or fountains in conjunction with
Dure fresh water, and forms a flooring of
several feet in depth. As taken from the
mines the Ditch is a thick, jetty black.
i viscous mass, almost odorless, and very
adherent. The process of preparing ft for
market is simple and inexpensive, the
pitch merely requiring to be boiled so as
to eliminate the higher volatiles and all
contained moisture. The refining process
may be carried to the extent of complete
carbonization.”
*
Andrew Lang in Longman’s renews an
ancient friendly feud with Professor 1
Brander Matthew's, writing:
"Professor Matthews is always ‘spoiling
for a flght’ about ‘Americanisms,’ and
returns to the charge in The Cosmopoli
tan. Very well, let us clear the. decks for
action. There is nothing injurious In the
word ’Americanism.’ No Scot or French
man Is aggrieved If we speak of a ’Gal
licism’ or a ‘Scotticism.’ Still, both
Scotticisms and Gallicisms are better kept
out of English, where they are not in
their proper place. So Is an Americanism
better kept out of English, though very
telling phrases may be borrowed from
America, as from Scotland. France, or
Ireland. ’ The survival of the fittest will
have Its way, and a fit idiom may be bor
rowed from anywhere. Still, a Judicious
writer or speaker will not be in a hurry
to borrow. Again, an idiom popular
in America, but not used in England,
may be an English idiom, used b> Shake
speare. But if it has acquired a kind
or slang currency in America, I would not
be the first to adopt it here. I hus, to
•fire a person out’ has become almost as
much slang as ‘to chuck a person out.
Shakespeares uses the phrase in the son
nets, but its modern associations are not
Shakespearean, but rather are connected
with The Sproting Times. Thus I reck
on Mr. Stephen Phillips daring when he
makes Herod say, ‘I fired the robbers
out of Gallilec.’ I would not make Mary
Stuart sav ’I fired the rebels out of Gal
loway,’ though Shakespeare, almost in
her time, used the expression. But its
familiar associations are now ’soiled by
all ignoble use,’ and it brings Its ignoble
uses into Mr. Phillip’s blank verse, as it
would into historical prose. The word
‘shove’ occurs in the contemporary trans
lation^ of a book of George Buchanan’s,
but I would not, therefore, say that Mary
‘shoved the rebels out of Galloway.’ How
ever, It is a matter on which every writ
er must form his own opinion—I trust
without vexing the patriotic soul of the
learned professor. Dr. Johnson objected
to the word ‘fun:’ by this time we do not
know why; it has its uses. The words
of The Prccleuses were denounced, some
justly—they died; some unjustly—they
survive.”
Aphorisms
People do not lack strength; they lack
will.—Victor Hugo.
Anxiety never yet successfully bridged
over any chasm.—Rufflni.
Impossible Is a word found only in the
dictionary of fools.—Napoleon.
Eternity itself cannot restore the loss
struck from the minute.—Bacon.
Things don’t turn up in this world un
til somebody turns them up.—Garfield. /
’.thilst we are considering when we are
to begin, it Is often too late to act.—Quin
tilian.
Surmounted difficulties not only teach,
but hearten us in our future struggles.—
Sharpe.
Golden opportunities are nothing to la
ziness, but industry makes the common
est chances golden.—Ma-den.
He who htts resolved to conquer or die
is seldom conquered: such noble despair
perishes with difficulty.—Corneille.
There never was a day that did not
bring its own opportunity for doing good,
that never could have been done before,
and never can be again.—W. H. Burleigh.
No man is fit to win who has not sat
down alone to think; and who has not
come forth with purpose in his eye, with
white cheek, set lips and clenched palms,
able to say; “I atn resolved.”—Bulwer.
Some Be's of tHe
Bible
Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the
day long. Ptov. xxiii, 17.
Be at peace among yourselves. I Thess.
v. 13.
Be content with such things as ye have,
llcb. xiii, 5.
Be careful for nothing. Phil, iv, 6.
Be very courageous. Joshua xxiii, 6.
Be ye all of one mind. I Pet. ii, S.
Be pitiful. I Pet. iii, S.
Be thou faithful unto death. Rev. ii. 10.
Be glad in the Lord. Fsa. xxxi', II.
Be of good cheer. Acts xxiii, 11.
Be ye holy, for I am holy. I Pet. i, 16.
Be ye kind ta one another. Eph. iv, 32.
Be kindly affectioned, one to another.
Rom. xii. 10.
Be ye mindful always of his covenant.
I C'hron. xvi, 15.
Be ye merciful, as your father is mer
ciful. Luke vi, 30.
Be not afraid of sudden fear. Brov. iii.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked.
Gal. vi, 7.
Be not overcome of evil. Rom. xii. 21.
Be not ’vise in thine own eyes. Brov.
ii. 17.
Be ye separate. II Cor. vi, 14, 17.
Be ye perfect. Matt, v, 4S.
Be ye ready. Li ke xii, 40.
Be not conformed to this world Rom.
:ii. 2.
Be ye sober, be vigilant. I Pet. v, 3.
Be strong in the Lend. Eph. vi, 10.
Be thankful. Col. ii, 1.
Be ye doers of the Word. James i, 32. 1
Be watchful. Rev. iii, 2.
Be zealous, therefore, ood repent. Rev.
i; 19.
Be steadfast, immovable. I Cor. xv. 58.
Of course you cannot receive the full
benefit unless you read the entire refer
ences.
Here you have a large swarm of “be’s”
searching for a resting place.
How many of them have you in your
“hive?” WILLIAM KING.
EV. CHARLES M.
S h e Id o n. of Topeka.
Kans., has sprung an-
other proposition.
Dropping the news
paper he now takes up
the stage and he says
that he sees no rea
son why the theater
cannot be christianiz
ed and successfully
operated on the prin
ciples laid down in his
famous book.
The proposition Is
even more sensational
in character than the
one in which he advo-
.nation of the newspaper
because the pulpits, while sustaining
and upholding the newspaper, has al
ways been extremely hostile to the stage.
But Dr. Sheldon finds much to commend
in the stage and he takes the position
that if the stage is properly utilized it
can be made the means of inculcating
Christian morals and of elevating the
condition of the masses. So he proposes
to establish Christian theaters. In the
current Issue of the New Y'ork Independ
ent Dr. Sheldon explains his idea as fol
lows;
“By Christian theater I mean an insti
tution distinctively and of set purpose
organized to represent only those plays
which would be regarded as Christian in
the best sense of the word, not necessar
ily what would be called ‘religious’ plays,
but plays as clean and sweet and whole
some as anything to be found in the
clean, sweet and wholesome lives of the
best Christian men and women in the
world. And by Christian theater I would
mean also a theater owned and con
trolled entirely by Christian people, as
much so as any church organization. In
addition to all that, I would mean also
by Christian theater an Institution in
which all the actors and actresses were
decidedly and positively Christian men
and women. The whole question of the
theater has raised In my mind the possi
bility of a school for Christian actors
and for Christian playwrights and Chris
tian managers. In other words, a dis
tinctively Christian theater where men
and women of consecrated, devout, earn
est Christian character would act onlv
good plays. I cannot answer exhaus
tively my own question: Is a Christian
theater possible? At the same time I do
not see anything impossible in men and
women being trained. in the future,
some time, to exercise their histrionic
gifts for the purpose of making life
sweeter, happier, stronger and distinctly
Christian.
Recently The. Philadelphia Times, with
characteristic enterprise, has undertaken
to interview several eminent Philadelphia,
divines upon t{ie subject. Dr. Russell
H. Con well is reported as follows:
“That there are good men and women
on the stage who are strong enough to
keep themselves clean, and who despise
heartily all these degrading exhibition?
is undoubtedly tri’«. I have seen plays
like those of the elder Jefferson. Booth,
and Cushman, which wore as powerful a?
sermons for good if they were kept free
from the sacrilegious shows which come
on the same boards the next night; or
often on the same night in some inter
lude.
“Dr. Sheldon is ri<rbt. He Is one of
Christ's noblest disciples and Is sincerely
a lover of his fellowmen. There could be
a Christian theater I believe; and the
word ‘Christian’ used tints does not mean
weak, or silly. The world has been given
a false idea of the spirit, of Christianity,
and they think a Christian theater would
be like some of our religious papers, so
awfully good and so overripe as to be
spoiled. The man who Is ’too good’ is an
idiot or a villian.
“True religion is found anywhere where
men sincerely and with inspired common
sense undertake to reach down a strong
hand to hell) men up into dearer think
ing. and more Christlike living. The the
ater might do that, if any plan can he
devised to separate the good from the
bad. and conduct a paving theater into
which it will always be safe to allow
our young men to go, I would advocate
it. and if I had time I would attend it.
My advice to the man or woman attend
ing the theater is simply to sit down at
the. end of a year’s attendance on the
theater and ask himself or herself the
plain question, ‘How much wiser or rich
er or better am I now for that expendi
ture of valuable time and money?'
Says Dr. II. M. Wharton (Baptist):
“Mr. Sheldon’s suggestion is a sign of
the times. Seeing that the multitudes
are leaving the church to attend the
theaters, he hopes, no doubt, by leaving
off certain objectionable features to ar
range an entertainment which will draw
the crowds and at the same time save
their morals. The plan has been tried
and failed, though tried by Edwin Booth.
It is wrong in principle, and would be
ruinous to the church.
church nor the individual Christia
ever hope to gain by compromise
evil. It Is a mistake to ‘fight the devil
with fire.’ He is too well acquainted
with his own weapons. The churc ’
tried its splendid buildings, flaming °
tors, scientific music, but they ha\ e
failed. There is but one magnet. «
the uplifted Savior—‘I. if I be lifted ^P.
will draw all men unto Me.’
many churches which are already L
tlan theaters,’ if you mean by a theai-
a place where peoifle profess to be vt a
they are not, say whqt they do not mean,
and proclaifh that which they do not per
form."
Rev. Edwin M. Boteat (Methodist) says.
“Mr. Sheldon's suggestion, if adopted,
would eventually turn our church build
ings into play houses and our theologi
cal seminaries into schools of drarrlttic
art: and the culture of society in morals
and religion would become again what
it was in Greece (Eleusis) before the
Christian era; that is to say, dependent
upon spectacular and symbolic represen
tations of moral and religious truth.
"In my judgment, in so far as churches
have adopted the theatrical method they
have declined in spiritual nower. And it
may be seriously doubted whether Chris
tians would like their instruction in right
eousness served up in the theater and
whether the professedly Christian play
house would be any more attractive to
non-Christians—after the novelty wore off
—than the old-fashioned church service.
Says Dr. Wilbur F. Baddock (Episcopal-
an:
“Can the modern theater be Christian-
lanized? The question theoretically
might receive an affirmative answer.
With its repertoire of plays under the
strictest censorship—excluding those
tainted with even the slightest sugges
tion of evil—its actors and playeflp in
heart and conduct thoroughly Christian;
Its manager, prompter, scene-shifter, box-
keeper and doorkeeper held responsible
for any slightest departure from moral
principle in the preparation and execu
tion; and all controlled by a body of
earnest, godly men. I am unable to see
why such a theater should not be pure,
wholesome, elevating—could not be strict
ly Christian. I can conceive all this un
der favoring circumstances.
“But would it be practical as society
now is? To some best people and good
Christians a play without a Mephis-
topheles is stale and uninteresting, and
were a millionaire to pay all the expenses
I fear the playing would largely be to
empty seats. The gospel of Christ and
the baptism of the spirit are, needed be
fore a distinctively Christian theater can
be successful.”
Dr. Mervin J. Eckels (Presbyterian)
says:
"I see no reason to think that any
large proportion of Christian people who
go to the theater would prefer a distinc
tively Christian institution to such a
worldly affair as now holds the field.
People who seek the excitebent of the play
are not likely to be over-scrupulous
as to the matter either of the play or
the players. I do not think the ‘goody
goody’ sort of play would apeal to them
any more than the same sort of novel.
In short, I believe that the theater is in
the hands of the world V stay; that the
world is too well satisfied with it to desire
its conversion to a Christian character,
and that the church people who do not at
tend the theater are too much opposed
to it to adopt it as a child of the church,
and baptize it with a Christian name.”
Religious Items of
General Interest
While Tolstoi's criticism of modern
Christianity will evoke an indignant pro
test from millions of sincere men and
women, thoughtful people, generally will
concur In wliat he has to say about the
evils of militarism. There has been a
sad recrudescence of the military spirit
In the past few years, and the world is
more than ever an armed camp. We see
the growth of the spirit among the Eng
lish-speaking peoples as well as among
the nations of continental Europe. Abol
ish the immense standing armies, and. as
the Russian humanitaran well says, the
world will be vastly better, because
when there are no armies the oppres
sions to which the nations are subjected
will disappear of themselves.—Baltimore
Sun.
*
Professor W. M. Petrie's recent Egyp
tian discoveries are turning out to be
even more important than at first
thought. He identifies the tomb of
Menes. the first king of united Egy|\t.
THE HOME OF “NEW STYLES”
A Busy Skyscraper in The Heart of Tlio
Metropolis.
ROOMY FLOORINGS DEVOtED TO VARI
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A Publishing; House Equipped with Latest
Modern Devices—The Vast Outlay and
Hard Work Required to Produce
500,000 t opics of a Single Nmn- •
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lishing Enterprise of The
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One of our correspondents in the trreat metropolis
writes us that |tne neighborhood Vif Tenth street
Fourth avenue is one the busiest local lies Jr,
Greater New \ ork, and sTys: The thoroughfare is
crowded with pedesf rians; there is a bustle and roar
of vehicles and iim incessant sound of the warning
bells of rushing electric cars. .Retail store buildings
line the avenue on either side, with a liberal allot
ment of lofty skj scrapers. Here, soaring above its
neighbors on
the east side *>/
Fourth ave
nue, and the
6e ond build
ing above
Tenth street,
your corre-
k ponden t
found the sky
scraper which
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Nkw Styles.
On the roomy
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partment. the addressing department, occupying a
whole ttoor; the premium department, with a w ic e
floor to itself; the shipping department, al“o occu
pying a whole floor, and the pattern department.
The building is equipped with all the heft modem
appliances, telephones, telegraph, addressing ma
chines operated hv the stenciling process and run
electricity, the latest devices in the folding and m, .■
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Order reigns in tiie manifold operations am, -i
energy and enterprise which have built up a c:rcu .,-
tion o‘t over 500,iHS) in less than two years arc appa
rent evervwliere.
The impression made upon your correspondent wa,
that the publication of a journal with a circulation
of 500 COO is in itself an undertaking of the first mag
nitude, and when that journal conducts a premium
department which mounts to hundreds of thousands
yearly giving away handsome premiums, part"-
larly breakfast, dinner and tea sets and tat lewar-,
ol a'il kinds, the stupendous size of the business can
be imagined and the necessity of a huge skysurapf r
for its occupation realized.
years B. C. Hundreds of vases, cups
and other things are found, many of
them having upon them valuable in
scriptions. This discovery pushes back
the world's civilization and puts to con
fusion some of the higher critics’ reck
less assertions. Every time the spade
turns up a new fact the Bible shines
more steadily.
Dr. Ingram, the new bishop of London,
has a remarkable gift in attracting m
and especially young men and boys. His
keen perception of the social side of
Christianity leads him to desire to bring
opposite poles into contact. "When head
of the Oxford House it was his custom o
take parties of his East End lads. year
by year, to the old grammar school at
Bcrkhamstead to play cricket with ho-’.?
of gentler birth. And this he did with
the avowed object of doing quite as mu, h
good to the Berkhamstead boys as to
those under his special charge.
The Rev. Alfred Waller, a eiergym n
whose church is located in Southend, a
few miles down twt river from London,
is an enthusiastic temperance worker.
He offered a local saloonkeeper $10 for
the privilege of hanging up behind tlo
bar a temperance placard. The saloon
keeper is a bit of a wag. and he replied
“Certainly, parson: and I'll give you
the same amount if you let me. 'ang up
on the pulpit an advertisement of my
bottled ale.”
#
Liquor dealers in Abingdon. Mass., bv
way of a joke nominated Rev. W. H.
Wyman for constable, but they have
about come to the conclusion that the
joke is on them instead of on the r \ t r
end gentleman. They thought the proffer
of such honor would anger Mr. Wyman,
but he enlisted the aid of local church
pc-opip. was triumphantly elected and
now declares that the Sunday and mid
night closing ordinances must be rigid!v
observed.
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