The sun. [volume], November 29, 1891, Page 14, Image 14

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; 14 s 1
BBK, JOACE JVIT BOOKS.
Hhu BosUUsss.
ML ' Tin soeond odlllon of Cbnfrmporari Socialiim,
BBJ ,', by Jonit Rat-(Bcrlhnor'sUs In a largo measure
BBj r, anew book. That is to bat. the chapters on
BBN ,f"ThorProgrcss nnd Present Position of 8ootal-
BB' ' Ism" and on "Russlnn Nihilism" retain onlr
BB a few eentoncos from tlio first edition of tlio
BB ' 'book, wbllb'tho chapters on "Anarchism" nnd
BB o"n"HttoBociallsm"r entirely new. From
BB T tho tacts brought forward it Moms n fnlr do
BB i ductlon that soolnllsm propor. by. which, ot
BBJj eourso. wo moan tlio revolutionary soelal do-
BB ' tuocracr. has lost around In sovoral countries
BB ' it compared with Stato socialism, by Which Is
BB signified tlio application of the principles of
BB ' paternal govornmont on an extensive Bcnle
BBJj Moroovor. otcn In Gormany, whoro tho social
BBJ democrats remain numerically strong, they
BBJj havo. slnco tlio reponl of tho laws Intonded to
BBJ ' suppress them, ovlncod n willingness to as
BBJ sumo nn opportunist rather than an Irrecon-
BBj ellablo attltudo. Thay arc, in fact, exempli-
BR tying tho old fablo of tlio man with tho
BBJI " elonk, who only drow it around him tho moro
BB elosely under tho buffets of tho wind, but
BB) flung Itoff when tho sun's rays fell on hi m.
BB Naturally, bowovor. tho Increasing inclination
BB of socialism propor to nrrivo at same under-
BBJ standing wltli the Stato has onused rt splitting
BBj off ot tho Intractablo and uncompromising
BB elomont which, loft to Itself, has organized tho
BBJ' so-callod party ot nnarehy. Itlssomofrnturos
BBJ of tho new material collected by Mr. lino that
J t may intcrobt tho roador to examine In somo
BB detail
HBWJ
BBj
B Itsoomstlm. In England (.oelallsm proper.
BBJ by which, wo repeat, must bo undorstood rovo-
BE lutlonnry social democracy, seems decidedly
BBJ . weakor than it wts a few years ago. while, on
BBJ tho othor hand. Stnto soclnlism has acquired
BBJ ' amuohstrongorholdonthotrudouulons. Tho
BBJ fact Is tho mnro notoworthy because it is only
BBJ' about eight yours since socialism, considered
BBJ as nnargantzod movomentmnybosaldtiJhavo
BBJ started upon English soil England. In fact.
BBJ was the last country to be reached bythofion-
BBJ ' tompomry wnvo of revolutionary .soclatlsm.
BBJ although tlio schomo of Socialist doctrine has
BBJ been largely evolved by Karl Marx and others
BBJ , , from a ktudy ol English circumstances, mid Is
BBJ asscrtod to bo pooullnrly adapted to them.
BBJ England still Is, as slio has ibusr boon, nl-
BBJ f ornately tlio hopo nnd the dospalr of Contl-
BBJ nontal Socialists. Every mulatto ot revolution
BBJ is thoro. and yet tho people will not rUe. Tho
BBJ yeomen aro gono; tho land has oome Into tho
BBJ hands of a tow: industry it carried on by in-
BfiU tensely centralized capital; tho system ot pro-
BBJ ductlon on a largo scale has almost attained
BBJ . tho utmostllmlts; tho mass of the peoplo has
BBJ ' bocomu a crolotarlut: tho toilers aro crowdod
BBJ in large towns :. overy tenth person Is a paupor.
BBJ "Tho English." Mild Eugono Dupont a lending
BBJ ' member of tho old International, "possoss
BBJ all tho materials nocossary for the social
BBI revolution, but they lack the generalizing
BBJ spirit And tho revolutionary pusaion."
BBS According to Karl Marx, any proletariat
BBS , movement in whloh tho English proletariat
BB should take no part, would bo "no hotter than
BB a storm in a glass of wator." yet although Marx
BB himself resided In England for mbst of his
BB llfo.no organized attomptwas mado to gain
BB over the Encllsh proletariat to socialism till
BB 188a the year ho died. It is truo that after
BB tho fall ot tho Paris Communo hopes were for a
BB time entertained ot starting a serious Boclallst
BB propacunda in tho larger English towns; but
BB , " these hopos proved so delusive that Karl Marx
BB .. said moro than onee to Mr. Hyndman, as wo
BB , are told by tho latter, that he despaired "ot
BB anv ereat movement fn Ensland dnlessln re-
BB spnnse to somovlolont impetus from without"
BB In 1883. however. Interest in soclnlism fioemed
BB ' to break out spontaneously In England. , For a
BB season tho air bummed with a multifarious
BBJ " social asltatlon, and tlioro was soon a fairly
BBJ ' eomplote array of Socialist organizations
BBJ f - soolal-domoerotlc. anarchist, d'liletun'fo-which
BBJ have oyor since attracted a cood deal ot atton-
BBJ , tlonby moansof newspapers, looturee. debates,
BBJ . , speeches, and demonstrations In the streets.
BBJ , It was In the year just, raontlonod that the
BBJ i Democratlo Federation, which ha(J bean estab-
BBJ, llshed a little" whtlo' before to promote moas-
BBJ.. uresof radical reform, includlne among othor
BBf '' ' things the nationalization ot the land, aloptod
BBS,' the' socialists principles ot Karl Marx, and
BB '' chanced its name to the Social Democratic
BBJ , Federation. Its principal foundors were Sir.
BB William Morris, the poet and artist, who, as a
BBJ' ,,' manufacturer of furnltute. hud lone been ox-
BBJD. v ceptlonally enultnblo in his arrnnccments
BBJ) with his woik pooplu: Mr. H. M. Hyndman. a
BBJjj - journalist t btandlns nnd ability; Mr. J.
BBJ - Stuart Glonnie, and. Mr. Bclfort Bax. both
BBJ authors of considerable repute; Or. Avollnc, a
BBJ , popular loctnror on scionce and son-in-law of
BB ' Eft I Marx: Miss Holen Taylor, stepdaughter
BBJ - of John Btuiirt Mill, nnd tho Kov. Stewart
BBJ , Hsadlam In January. 1884, they started a
BBJ ! weekly, newspaper, Ja$tlce. nnd n monthly
BBJ i magazine. To'-dau. both of which, still
BBJ nppotr, and they also began the nctivo work of
BBJ lecturing and founding branches. Boforo tho
BBJ year was out, however, that deadly cnomy ot
BBJ' Hoelallsts.thaspIrltof division, entered among
BBJjji ' them, and Jlr. Morris, with Dr. Avellng and
BBJ i ". "Mr. Bax, secedod And sot up an independent
BBJ I ., organization called tho Hoelalistlo League,
BBJ ' - with a separata weekly organ." the Oimwii-
BBJ ictal The HChisni seeing to have arisen out
BH ot tho common dtftoroncuof opinion conccrn-
BBJ ' ibg the proprioty of mixing In current politics.
BBJ Tho snmo disruptive tendenoy has porslstnd
BBJ i In the separative associations, and toward tho
BBJ " eud of 1890 Mr. William Morris, with his local
BBJ following abandoned tho boclallst League.
BBJ Of those English revolutionary bodies, tho
BBJ " Booial Democratlo Federation and tho Social-
BBJ' 1st Loaguo, nolthor has n complete organlza-
BBJv' tlon llko analogous socloties in Continental
BBJ' countries They have nover hold a congress,
BBJ eltlior national or provincial. They consist ot
BBJ a rontral committee in London and ot do-
BBJ tached local groups in tho provinces; thoex-
BBJi tent of tholr mombor&hip is not accurately
BBJ known, but It Is not extensive. In tlio case,
BBJ also, of both associations tho number of muin-
BBJ bors In docllnlng, and it has always been
BBJ ..variable, young men joining for a year or
BBJ' xi'two and then leaving. Tholr chief sue-
BBJ ', cess has boon among tho minors of north-
BBJt'' em Eugland, whero they have roturned threo
BBlfe r- wombora to tho School Board ot Newcastle.
BBJ1 Tliorelsono Socialist member in Parliament,
BBJ' ' Mr. Cunningham Graham, but ho was not ro-
BBJ, turned on a Boclallst platform or by Socialist
BBJ ' Votes. It is probablo. however, that Mr. John
BBJ' . Burns, who was oloetod not long ago to tho
BBJ;, Xiondoii County Council, will suocetd in cntor-
BBJi' ' lng the next House of Commons. Tho now
BBJ labor moveinont of which he U the hoad, tho
BBJ so-callod Nuw Unionism, Is undoubtedly for-
BBJ1' mentod with no small ino.isuro of soclulistla
BBJ' leavoni but upon tho wholo It has moro In com-
BBJ', mon with State soclnlUm than with revolution-
BBJt ary social domocracy. Tho Readers of this
BBJ, abpr movo;ncnt have boon, ulnco thUbooic
BBJ( wentto press, strong enough to carry through
BBJ the Trado Union Congress a resolution in fa-
BBJ if ' vor of a Parliamentary eight-hour day.
H , -
B
BB 1 '"Aooordlug to a recent statement ot a well-
BBJ' Informed German writer, the Continental An
BBJ , archlsts have transferred their headiiuartors
BBJ' 'to London and through cldbs and newspapers
BBJ are formings relations with tho F.nsllrdi people.
BBJ On this "alleged fact "Was based the prophooy
BBJ.t "tfiatnglishmun -would soon have -to oxtln-
BBJ4 Kutsh-'on tholr own hearth an Anarchist fire
BBJ'" much mora serious than Germany or Austria
BBJS -'b'aahad,to encounter. Mr. ltae bos been able to
BBJ ' dtocovor but' llttlu ground for such a prodlo-
BBT tion. Thoro arc. to bo suro. four small anaroh-
BBJii 1st clubs In London-three of thorn German
BBJ. coteries, whloh llvo at strife with ouo anothor,
BBs, and the fourth a Hussion or Polish club, whoso
BB;, . members have few or no, dealings with the
BB '' 4 Gormads. Tho Gormnn Anarohlsts publish two
BBV. wcokly newspapers In Gorman, principally for
BB the purpose'of smuggling them into thofather
BBh ''"Bind, arfd tlio Hussljinft PoHslr Anarchists
BB " JpuMlsh 'o'rKi 'la ,VedlabV-the German-Hobrow
BB',, ' Ziioii 4t, .! rolUh. Jowa-whiclv.- Is
BB ' printed (or tlio edification of the Polish tailors
BvBBT'''
BBv
of the East End. It ! true that some of tlio
leading Anarchist live In England-for exam
ple. Princo Krapotkln aud Victor Davo-and
thatundcrthelrlnnuonce o group of English
Anarchists-has of iato grown up. But this
group hos already, after tho manner of mod
ern revolutionists, split on i point ot doctrlno
Into two opposed camps, tho ono upholding
Socialist anarchism and tho other Individual
ist anarchism: flo far ns his Information goes,
Mr. Uao does not consldar tho conversion of
Englishmen by Anarchist refugoos an IdenJ
worthy of serlons consideration. Ho thinks it
much more llkoly that tho present Anarchist
exiles will. like their precursor, Alexander
liorzen. bo converted In England to raoro ra
tional views In politic-. Mr. Bao, howovor. is
not ono of those who hold thnt the English
peoplo oro shleldod liy their practical charac
ter from tho Invasion of Anarchist doctrlno.
ltathor does tholr safety lie In their habits ot
frconnd opon discussion. Tho author seen
clearly that what l" cnllod practicality Is no
safeguard ngilnstdoluslvo Ideas outsldo ono's
own Immedlato field of activity, nnd thoro Is por
haps no country excopt tho still moro practical
United States whero moro favnr Is shown than
In England to fanaticism ot any kind If there
seems to bo heart In It Ho reminds us, too.
thattothonoodynnd unhappy tho practical
tostofaschomolsnot. Will they bonny the
hotter for tho chanco proposed ? but. Will
thoybennytliRWorsnforit? Tho truo palla
dium of English Institutions Isthatundorthcra
grlovancos always got ventilated: vontila
tlons lead tomoroorlossromwllal moasuros.
nnd discontent Is romovod nltogothor. or nt
any rato appeased for tho tlmo. Although,
moroqver. under froo Institutions ill-considered
schemes whloh Inflate discontent with
doluslve hopes may rnlso for a season a boom
of earnest discussion, tho discussion event
ually kills thorn. Ho. nocordlng to Mr. Itno. It
is with revolutionary socialism In England to
day. It hns boon much discussed for six
years, but in his opinion tho helghth of tho
tldo has boon already roached. and the move
ment is now soemlnaly on tho obb.
We should add that In Scotland there nro a
good many bronchos of the two regular So
cialist organizations to which we havenbovo
referred, but tho recent wavo of soclnlism
hecma to have passed nvor discontented Ire
land and to havn loft It llko Gideon's fleece,
qultodry. Indood, ono might havo said thnt
thero aro no raoro Socialists than thoro aro
snakos In Ireland but for tho exlstenco of a,
small branch of tho 8oc!allt Loaguo in Dub
lin, called tho Dublin Socialist Club.
IK.
Mr. Henry Georgo cannot fairly be classlCod
among Socialists, for ho himself repudiates
6uch a classification, and tho United Labor
party, which ho founded In Now York in 1880 to
promote his vlows by political action, expelled
the Socialists from membership In the follow
ing year. Nevortholess. no review of the roccnt
reaction against Individualism in tho United
Kingdom would bo oompleto without some ref
erence to the reception ot his land nationaliza
tion projoct. In the same year. 188L In which
Mr. Georgo publlshod his "rrogross nnd Pover
ty," tho Democratic Federation was organized
In London with land nationalization for ouo of
itsprinclplos.and contemporaneously Mr. A. B.
Wallace, tho omlnont nnturallst. founded tho
Land Naturalization Boclety. In 1882 Mr.
Wallaco contributed etlll further to awaken
discussion to tho question by publishing his
work on " Land Naturalization." and the dis
cussion was spread everywhere in 188.) by tho
appearance In England of a sixpenny edition
of Mr. George's remarknblo work. Mr. Wallace
proposed to buy up the rights of the existing
landowners; Mr. Georgo to practically con
fiscate them by exceptional taxation. This
dlfteronco broke up the Land Naturalization
Socloty, and thet partisans of Mr. George's
lows seceded and formed themsolves Into tho
English Land Bostoratlon League, which has
established, branohes In most ot the larger
towns and has now probably a more numorous
membership than the original association.
In Scotland, especially. 'it has cvlncod
considerable vigor. Having a:qulrod a Arm
hold upon tho .Highland, orof tors, and being
strong enough In Glasgow to run throo candi
dates at the last general election. We scarcely
need to say that in Iroland tlio land naturaliza
tion doctrines of Mr. Goorgo have been spread
widely through the influonco of Mr. Michael
Davltt It is less known that during his recent
lecturing tour through Australasia Mr. Goorgo
made many converts to his Idea and gavo rise
to n considerable agitation. In South Aus
tralia three of hisdlsclplos wero returned to
tho Legislature in 1887. and their views nro
advocated by soveral nowspapors In Adelaide.
In Sydney Mr. Georgo's followern publish a
nowspaper callod tho Land Xaturaliier, and his
doctrines aro supported by ono of tlio most In
fluential journals in the colony, tho Sydney
UuUrtin. In New Zealand a bill has actually
been brought in for the purpose of naturaliz
ing tho land.
IV.
Of the new paces added to this volume
nearly a hundred are allottod to tho growth of
State socialism in rocent years. Mr. Bao be
gins by pointing out how much misconcep
tion there Is regarding the attltudo of lending
English political economists toward Stato In
tervention. Ho insists that, with tho excep
tion ot Mr. Herbert Sponcor. none ot tho great
English thinkers on economlo subjects has
been a bollovor In lalun-faire. The 'Tlanchos
tor school." of whloh wo hear so much In Con
tinental writings, has never existed except In
tlio imagination ot ita assnllants. It is really
nothing but a stago convention, a convenient
polemical dovico for marking off an assumed
extromo hypothesis respecting tho task ot tho
State. Tho persons in actual life who havo
presumed to compose tho school wero no
more, all of them, adhoronts ot that theory
than Scotohmen off the stage havo. all ot thorn,
tdiortkllta aud rod hair. Tho Manohoater men
propor Cobden. Bright, and tholr coadjutors,
nevor constituted a school of political philoso
phy: they wore simply a band of practical
politicians leagued to promote pattloular re
forms, especially two reforms in international
polioy, viz.. freo trado with other countries
and non-interforonoo with tholr Internal af
fairs. They woro far from thinking, however,
that becauso the State had no civilizing mis
hlon toward tho peoplo of othor countries It
had theroforo no civilizing mission toward
its own. On the contrary. Cobden, to go no
further, was a llfo-long advocate of a national
system of education: ho was a friend of factory
legislation for womou and ohlldren. and with
respoot to the poor ho taught the soml-soclal-istlo
doctrlno that they hnvo the first right ot
maintenance from tho land; that they aro. so
to spoak. first mortgagees. In fact, the theory
of lalurt-faire has never In England been
really anything else than It is now. tlio plea of
nhtrmod vested interests, stealing an un
warranted Bhelter undor the regis of economlo
science English economists from Adam
Smith to MoCulloch, and again from McCul
loch to Sldgwlok. have adherod with remark
able steadiness to a soclal-cconomio doctrine
of a precisely contrary character, a doctrlno
whloh instead of exhibiting any uncompro
mising aversion to govornmrnt Interposition,
expressly assigns to-gdvornment a consider
able place in promoting the social and indus
trial development of the community. Thus.
In the department ot production they allow
that just as there are many Industrial enter
prises In the conduct of which' individual in
itiative most for various' reasons yield to
joint stock companies, so there are others for
which Individuals and companies ullke
must glvo plaeo to the State because
the Stato is hotter fitted to con
duct them satisfactorily. Again. In the
department of distribution, almost all tho
English economists, while rating the moral or
personal Independence ot tho Individual as a
supremo blessing aud fundamental right, have
no scruplo In calling on tho Statu to Interf ore
with tho natural liberty of contract botwoen
man and roan, whorever such interference
scorns requisite 'to, secure, just arid oqultablo
dealing, to guard personal independence itself ,
fron being sappd,.or to better establish tho
fi v.
TILE SUN, SUNDAY. NOVEMBER 2 1BD1. -!:::: '
people In any of the elementary conditions ot
humano living. .
It Is woll tiiat tho current misconception
of tho position token by most English eeon
omlsta toward tho tnla-atr doctrlno
should bo corrected, by 3Ir. Rao, for wo find it
Inculcated In regard to McOuUooh. In particu
lar. In tho latest odltlon ot the Ency
clopedia Brltannlca. It Is. In truth. A mis
taken although chivalrous Idea, which lies ot
tho bottom of tho aentlmontal pnlronagoot
socialism, tlio IdeA, namely, thatordlnary self
interest has boon glorlflod by tho English
economists Into a sacred nnd nll-sufriolng
prlnolple. which It would bo interfering with
tho designs otProvldonco to restrict. Theln
foronoo drawn by sympaUiotlo persons from
this mistaken notion Is thnt it Is only right for
them to side with socialism as n protest
ngalnst tho position occupied by tho upholders
of tho present stntoot things, without being
Understood to commit themselves to any par
ticular sytcm which socialism may proposo
to put in its place. But. ns Mr. Rao
shown, tlio fact is that, although Eng
lish economists think that solf-lntorost
must nlways be rogardod ns tho ordinary
guide of life, and that tho world cannot
bo expected to bocomo bolter or bettor
off If everybody wero to look alter other peo
ple's interests (which ho knows nothing
about), instoad of looking aftor his own (ot
which ho at least knows something). Uioso
same economfsts nro far from showing any
Indlfferenco to tho danger of self-interest run
ning into selfishness. On tho contrary, they
havo continually Insisted that whero tho self
interest of tho strong failed to subject Itself
spontaneously to tho restraints of social jus
tlconnd tho responsibilities of common hu
mnnlty.lt was for socloty to stcpinnnd Imposo
such restraints ns might bo just and requisite,
nnd to do bo eltlior through public opinion
orbypubllo authority In tho way most likely
to bo elToctunl. Another thing overlooked by
thoso who foci thomsolves sontlmontnlly at
tracted toward socialism Is that the So
cialists of tho present day havo no thought
of substituting any other general economlo
mctlvo In the room of self Intoroat. If tholr
schemes could bo realized to-morrow a man
would still bo paid according to the amount of
his Individual work, nnd ho would to this ex
tent bo working for his own hand. His dally
raotlvo would still bo his individual intorost.
though his scopo of achlovomont would bo so
eroly limited by law with tho view of secur
ing a higher gonernl level of happiness In tho
community. Tho question. In fine, between tho
English economists and tlio Socialists is not,
as many sympathctlo persons Imagine,
whether tho claims of 6odal justice aro en
titled to bo rospectod. but whethor tho claima
put forwnrd by ono or othor of thooppobod
parties really aro claims of social justlco or not
V.
It Is. of course, understood that whon Mr. Rao
speaks of tho vlows of 6tato Intervention held
by Adam Smith, Ulcardo. MoCulloch. and tho
great majority of English economists, ho ex
pressly excepts Mr. Herbort Sponoer. Tho
lattor's first work. "Social Status," was an ex
position of tho theory that tho end of alt gov
ernment was the realization for overy citizen
of tho grentost amount of liberty It was pos
sible for him to onjoy without interfering with
tho corresponding claims of his follow citizens.
Acoordlng to Mr. Spencer, tho individual has
only oub right, tho right to equal freedom with
everybody else, nnd tho 8tnto only ono duty,
tho duty of protecting that right ngnlnst vio
lence and fraud. Beyond thnt task tho Ktato
cannot stir without trondlng on tho right ot
somo one. and therefore It ought not to i-tlr
at all. It has nothing to do with health,
or roliglon, or morals, or education,
or rellof of distress, or public convonlenco of
any sort, oxcopt to loavo sUoh things stornly
alone. It must, of course, renounco tho
thought of bounties and protective duties, but
it must also give up marking plate, minting
coin, and stamping butter; it must tako no
part In building harbors or lighthouses, or
roads or canals; and even a town council
cannot, without offence, undortako to pave or
clqsn or light 'the strcots uridcr'its jurisdic
tion. It is true that Mr. 8pencor now rofusas
to bo bound by ovory dotal! of his youthful
theory, but ho has ropeatcd tho substunoo of it
In his recont work, "Tlio Man versus tho
Stnto." which alms to provo that tho only thing
that wo want from tho Stnto is protection, and
that tho protection wo want most ot lato is
protection against our protectors.
This theory Is ovidently as oxtremo a develop
ment ot individualism as could woll bo com
passed, and though it was transcended at ono
or two points in njuvonllo essay by Wilholm
von Humboldt, who objected ovon to marrlago
laws, no important English wrltor has deliber
ately and systematically adopted it. No doubt
the description of tho State's business, as bo
lng tho task of protecting the citizens from
force and fraud, has been familiar in English
literature sinoe tho days of Locke, and isolated
passages may bo citod from tho works
ot various political thinkers which, it
wrenched out of their context, soem to
deny to the Stato ony right to net except
for purposes of soil-protection. John btuart
Mill himself would sometimes speak in
that way, although It Is mado certain by the
chapter ho devotes to tho subject ot govern
ment Intorforenoo in his "Principles of Politi
cal Economy "that ho really assfgnod to the
Stato far wider functions. To Mr. Ilao. who
has minutely reviewed the writings of English
economists for tlio oxpross purposo ot dolln
ing their preolso relation to tho laiisa-Salre
doctrlno, it seems amazing how thoy ovor
came to bo credited with any scruplo on
ground of principle to invoke tho powor of tho
Stato for tho solution of social and industrial
questions, whon that powor seemed to them
likely to prove ot effectual assistance.
A Catholic Kite of Jesus.
The Messrs. Appleton aro to bo congratu
lated on tlio oxcollonce of tholr English version
ot tho nlroady oolobratod Life afJtfui Clirist by
tho distinguished Dominican, the Rev. Father
DiDo.v. Evory ono who ha tried knows that
to translate French tolerably is easy enough,
but to translate It admirably Is truly a tour de
Sorer. What De Qulncoy usod to call itho lit
erature of knowlodgo obviously lends itsolf to
the transfer of facts from ono tongua to an
other with tho requisite exactitude. It isqulto
othorwlss with tho literature of power orstyle.
and especially Is this the case with a languago
llko tlio Fronoh, which, although In the
hands of a master, It Booms not locking
In fluidity and grace, must really conform
to artificial, not to say ucademlca!. stand
ards. Huoh an author, tor Instance, as De
Mussot. Gauthler. or Itenan, Is the despair of
a translator. Now it la just the exqulslto fin
ish and dollcooy of the diction that constitute
one ot the main charms of the addition made
by Father Dldon to tho innumerable lives ot
Christ When we say, then, that wo do not miss
this souroe of attractlvoness in tho version
now issuod by the Messrs. Appleton. wo pay
no stinted trlbuto of respect to the' English
translators and to Mgr. Bernard O'Reilly, by
whom their work has been carefully edited.
It Is not morely on the score ot etyle that the
work of Fatbor Dldon Is deemed A remarkable
literary achievement He has brought to his
task qualifications of the same order. If not ot
tho same quality, us those which are conspicu
ous in the attempt of M- Itenan to reconstruct
, tho story of Chrliit The Dominican preacher
also has recognized that only through the Illu
mination afforded by local observation and
historical study oan the Gospel narrative be
Interpreted. Ono must travel eastward In
space and sojourn In Palestine amid the scenes
which Jesus looked upon, and one must travel
backward In time and becomo a naturalized
cltizon of the ora in which Christ was born.
Thnt both of these prerequisites wero forth
coming will bo ovldonton tho first Inspection of
tho book beforo us.Tho exhibition of topograph
ical and historical knowlodgo Is tho more
striking, because In the collecting of data and
the drawing ot conclusions from them Father
Dldon could not mora with. tho. Ixeodom en
joyed by some of his precursors in tho Hold,
11 ! fc 11I in Hiiil ! sm-ibi mini in ninr " -. ...i
but had to keep continually' In view that both
his statements of fnct nnd hs deductions would
need tho sanotlon ot his Church beforo they
could bo given totho world. That under such
conditions he should hnvo producod a wort
accbptablo nt oiico to students in respect ot
breadth nnd ocouracy of scholarship, and to
tho Imaginative reader by reason of It vivid
local color, bear signal testimony to the ex
tent of tho nuthor Acqiifrimonts and ability.
1.
With nn ontlro absenco of pretention, and yot
with tho fulness ncodod to justify his under
taking, the author, himsoU lias in an Introduc
tion Indicated tho pains whloh ho has taken to
proparofor the composition ot this-history.
Ho feels that his rooders havo a right to know
that ho comprehends tho laws of historical
portraiture, and nbovo nil tho fundamental
prinelplo thnt n fact is nltored if takim awny
from Its surrouudlngs: that however perfect a
painting may be, it noods a Dt nnd harmonious
frame that tho sealo ot color and tonp bo not
falsified, nnd that it may gain In force! Ho has
accordingly ondenvored to place tho ll.fo ot Je
sus first In its propor pictorial nnd geographical
framowork and then in its s6cl.il nnd Jewish
environment. Two axtonslvo journeys en
abled him to Btudy Palestine Vory closely: ho
travollod through it slowDr in every direction,
following the traces ot the Mnstor from, Bethle
hem and nebron to tho boundnrios of Tyro
nnd Bldon and tho sources ot Jordan. Ho stayed
long In the very places whero Jesus lived the
longost, whoro ho strove and suffered most
ardently, taught the most nnd lovod tho most
He endeavored to soo tho places as thoy woro
eighteen hundred years Ago! ths was a hard
t hlng to compass, for tholr piesont dosolatlon.
their Iichps of ruins, and tho buildings rat sod
by tho piety of Christiana havo loft scarcely
nnythlng of their primitive stale To that end
Father Dldon oxa'mlnwl ancient traditions In
tho placoof tholr origin, questioned the most
experienced travellers, and abovo nil studlod
tho Gospels on tho spot: indood, ho deems
himself warranted In saying thnt ho llvod
tho story ot tho Evangels In tho land whero
tho events recounted took' place. This sedu
lous comparison of tho nnrratlvo with lis top
ographical sotting plaotod In tho author's
mind tlio conviction that they who hnvo as
sailed tho roallly of tho history of Jesus can
not havo Roen Palestine: had they roved over
tho Holy Lund with tho Gospel In hand thoy
would hnvo understood that the Scriptureal
record wan not Invented. In tho view of tho au
thor, enlightened as he became by a careful
and sympathetic study ot eaoh momorablcJo
callty. no llfo known to us presents a closer
harmony with tho land in which it
was spent than thnt ot Christ In a
few sentences ho sums up the Improssion
made upon his mind as follows: "Galileo,
with tho town of Nnzaroth. tho Lako of Tibe
rias, Tabor with its hills and its gruon valleys,
make n fitting framo for Josus. living for
thirty years unknown, for tho apostle, tho pop
ular teacher, announcing tho Gospe) of tho
kingdom, instructing tho crowd In parables,
leading thorn into tho desert, and rovenllng in
tho mountain to tho disciples Ills otornr.l glory.
On tho othor hand. Judea, austoro and arid,
with its rocky hills; Jerusalem, with its
valley o! Cedron and gloomy tombs,
harmontzo well with thq Prophet mls
o nstrued and rejected, oondemned to
an ignominious death. I seemed to havo
gained, in contact with Palestine, with Its
ruins and the sacrod memorlos ot which it is
full, a profound fooling ot-tho Gospel facts and
their truth, their roality nnd tholr beauty.
The facts uro insoparablo from the land. It
rony btromo sadder yet moro desoloto. And
moro dead. It always frames them in its
light. In Its valleys and undulating bills, in
the roads whero Jesus passod. and whero ond
less generations still pass and reaass ftftor
Him."
II.
Hard as it is to reproduce the outer aspect of
Palestine as it unfolded itself under th- eyes
of Jeaus.und to describo lis they then were the
localities associated with tho principal inci
dents of His lifo. It is still moro difficult to re
constitute His social surroundings, tho slightly
Romaulzcd, largely Hellonlzod. and yot at bot
tom ossentlally Jewish society with which Ho
had to de-1. Such a resuscitation of social
conditions is unquestionably the most com
plex and arduous task of tho historian, and it
is ono to which at best only approximations
nro possible. A poet will sometimes seize
with startling prccisiou the tomper and
posture of men's minds nt an epoch far distant
from his own, but If ho attempt to entor on a
detailed dolinontlon his picture is nlinost cer
tain to be marred with ludicrous anachronisms.
Landor's Imaginary Conversations aro familiar
examples of tho limits of a poet's achievements
in this direction. Such books as Chariclostind
Gullusaro oqually woll-known Instances ot tho
elaborate mosaics pieced together by Gorman
scholarship. In which ovory particular is ac
curato, but In which tho appropriate atmos
phere the spirit of the times. Is lacking. Hero,
again. Father Dldon has shown himself nlivo
to tho refractory nature of tho conditions
which confront him. and ha has grappled with
them with a remarkable measure ot sucoess.
" Wo con attempt." ho says, "tho portrait ot a
man. but not that ot nn age. a time, a
civilization, nt a deflnito point in its ox
istouce: yet it is impossible to under
stand a man. abovo all n public man. if we do
not study him In tho socloty to whloh ho bo
longed. Now, u socloty is made up ot a thou
sand elements, whloh, in splto of nil efforts,
and with tho most varied and exaot informa
tion. It Is impossiblo to reproduce in their
complexity, tholr shifting choractor. and their
activity; nnd all that tho stnooro historian can
attempt Is to doscribo tho religious and polit
ical organization of a poople, to enumerate and
explain tho parties which moved within ita or
ganization, to point out its philosophical doc
trlnos and creeds, Its prejudices, way of llfo,
morals, and traditional customs. Its national
and political passions. However lmporfoct
this restoration may bo, It throws much light
upon tho llfo of a man. Many words of .Tosun.
many facta In Ills life, explain thomsolves,
without commont so soon as they aro placed
In their truo'aocial surroundings."
IK.
Whon, hownvor, a historian has managed to
replace tho facts of a human life in their truo
soonlo and social framo. ho has only gained
tho powor ot describing thorn jumbled to
gether as If thoy had ocourrod simultane
ously; It Is no loss indlspensablo to group
them in the right chronological order, so that
thoy may bo recounted In tholr consecutive
evolution as thoy actually took plaCo. It Is
tho fashion among certain men of letters to
sneer at dates and thoBo who sot great storo
by them, ns It a skeleton woro not as essen
tial to a human body ns tho eyo-charmlng
surfaoe of flesh and blood. Vet If one
will but take tho trouble to retrace the
course of his own life, ho will per
ceive that for n biographer to muke a mistake
of a year, a month, a wook, or ovon sometimos.
of a day. would be fatally disruptive. Father
Didon distinctly recognizes that history Is the
record ot evonta In their proper sequence, and
that the unity ot an individual existence Is not
ronoeivable without sueq interdependence.
Of tl)e life of Jesus, in partieular.lt la one ot
the difficult problems to determine exactly
the succession of facts which are registered
for us In the extant documents and which
constitute Ills public l.fe. Nevertheless,
the Indications of time given by the third
and fourth Gospels and by somo secular
historians. Illumined, moreover, by as
tronomy and numismatics attentively in
vestigated and compared, enable tho
studont 'to arrivo at doflnibo results, it Is ot
course especially Importantto llx tho starting
point. Wo scarcely need romlnd tho roador
that modern critics aro strongly tending to ao
oept i It C. as the probablo yoar of Christ's
birth. Our present era. which was fixed In 525
A. D.. Is now generally admitted to bo erro
neous by at least (our yeara.'In an appendix to
tho work beloro 'wJ,r1ver Dldon. has set
forth at length tho reasonerhlch havo led him
1
to place tho birth ot Jesus between the years
of Rome 747-70 Instead of In the year ot
Rome 753 with which tho ora In common use
begins. As regards tho controverted length
ot Christ's publlo life, the author points
out thnt whllo It may be opon to discus
sion whether accordlug to tho Uiipvls there
wero three Passovers or four In tho ministry
ot Jesus, wo certainly connot discover ono
moro than four or one less than three. What
ever chronological system bo ndopted with
reference to Ills publlo ministrations, tho en
tire llfo ot Jesus was confined botweon two
fixed nnd Incontestable dates: He was born
before tho death of Herod, which took plaoo In
tho spring of tho year 750 or 751. and He in
disputably died, boforo Pilate quitted Judea.
thatls to say boforo tho ycarJJOof tho com
mon era. In which. as wo havo seen, thoro Is nn
error of nt lonst four yenn.
Wo should add that from tho view -point ot a
convlncod and forvent Christian tho nuts of
Christ And His doctrines Are not to bo fully
comprohonded becnuso 0110 can master nnd
lnvoko tho wholo ciroloof auxiliary soloncos.
On this point let us listen to thuHiilhornf this
book. "At ovory moment" he says, "tho llfo
of Josus puts to rout what wo aro pleased to
call our psychology, ethics, philosophy, soci
ology, and anthropology, as well ns our feeble
and timid theodicy. Therefore, whon I appeal
to thoso sclonco.s. so far as I am conversant
with thorn. I havo never hosltatcd to lift thorn
up to Jesus, and havo never attempted to
confine Him by them: when Ho is greater
than thoy. Ho doos not destroy but gives
clearness to thorn. Tho greatest monumont
raised by theology to thn glory ot Jesus Is St
Thomas Aqulnas's treatise on tho Incarnation.
No Intellect hos ovor oxplulnod in a moro pow
erful synthesis, with strnngor reasoning, nnd
moro exact payoholbey. tho mystory of Christ.
Every life of Josus should contain the wholo
of It, In order to bo in tho full light ot His doc
trine. I owe to this master all that is good In
my attempt to roach what may bo called the
Christian philosophy ot this history."
IV.
To exemplify the quality and. perhaps wo
might ndd. tho limitations of Father Dldon's
scholarship, wo can hardly do bettor than nolo
what he snys about tho education of Josus. a
branch ot his subject which should lead him
to inqulro how far Judea and Galileo had
been Ucllcnlzed.and Incidentally to nnswor tho
question whether Josus spoke Groek. In the
chapter devoted to this topic wo aro rominded
that nothing less resembled tho modern moth
ods of Instruction for tho young thnn thoso
followed in Pntostlno In tho tlmo of Horod.
Publlo schools, play a largo part among us.
taking children from the paternal homo to
glvo thorn ovor to n master for a porlod usually
extending from tho tenth to the twontloth
year. Tho system did not yet exist among tho
Jews. Jerusalem alone had n popular school
which was called "Both-Hassepher." tho
Houso ot tlio Book, founded beforo Christ
by the Iliariseo Simon ben Sehctoh. It
became tho modol of tho schools which about
the year (M of our ora wero established in
nil towns nnd villages by ordor of the High
Priost, Josus ben Gnmnla. In tho time of
Christ tho Jowlsh child was educated In his
father's bouse. In tho workshop, and in tho
synagogue. In tho houso ho recetvod tho pre
cepts of his father and mother: In the work
shop ho learned a tntdo: In tho synagogue ho
learnod to read tho Tornh. Domestic educa
tion among the Jews was exclusively roliglous
and patriotic, being concentrated on the law,
morals, and history. Its purpose was to form
the consclenco nnd ongravo upon it tho com
mands transmitted by God through Moses,
Tho tuition of children was imposed on par
ents as a sacred duty; tho Hebrew legislator
never ceased to exhort a father to Instruct his
son at home, at meals, nnd in family, in the pro
mpts and blessings of God. At the same tlmo
tho children aro Admonished to hear
the Instructions of their father and not to
reject tho teachings of their mother. Tho
chnracteristlo featurn of Jowlsh domostio
morality Is the inculcation of reciprocal duties
and of reciprocal respect and tenderness. Wo
mayhoro mention that Father Didon hns no
doubt that tho dwelling in which Jesus grew
up was llko that which Is still common among
tho sedontnry Arabs in Palestine up to the
presont date. Ho Is led to this conclusion be
causo the typo of tho Oriental house has not
changod for many centurion. It is Bquarc. ot
brick or stone, and often only of concrete covor
cd with etiff clay, sun-dried, and whitewashed.
Tho roof Is a terrace surmounted by a balus
trade, nnd Is reached by a movable ladder ora
staircase fixed to tlio wall. On tho roof is the
guest chamber and tho place of prayer, and
thero during the hot season a little hut of
leaves or roods is orected for sleep
ing in at night. The house proper has
but ono or two rooms. And ofton no other
opening than the door: in front is n narrow
court surrounded by a wall of looso stones. In
ono of the angles ot tho court Is tho baking
oven, a little round structure of clay closed by
a movable cover. Tho furniture of the dwell
ing is primltivo: a fow stools, a tnblo, cush
ions strown along tho wall, mnttrcssos nnd
mats, a chandelier, an nit lamp in a corner of
, the wall, a largo coffor for linen and clothes, n
meal tub. a few urns, and n basalt mortar for
tho grain. The chimney, or. rather, tho
hearth. Is sometimes placed in tho middle ot
tho room : at tho door of each Jewish house Is
a llttlo oblong box, tho " Mezuzzah," enclos
ing a roll nt parchment on which aro written
two portlom of tho law tnkon from Deu
toronomy. V.
Tho eni punter mIiop w.h the firtt and true
f-chool ot Josus. Thoro Ho grew up beside His
father and mother nnd hoard Irom their
mouths tho precepts ot the law nnd the history
ot tho people. If. as Father Dldon says. Ho
learned of them to read tho Scriptures. It was
douhtlcsii In nn Aruinaic vrrnlon. On this
point tlio author is not so clear its wn could
wish, lie points out. Indeed, (hat Aramaic or
Hyro-Cliulduian was tho mother tongue of
Josus, hut ho conveys tho impression that in
tho synagogue, whero the young Israelite was
wont to eoniploto Ills education. Josum was
taught to road the Bcrlpturos in the original
Hebrew. Thero Is no evidence In tho Gospels
that tho Hnbrow languago wus known to
Josus. Tho words which He is mado to oc
casionally utter, and which aro mistaken
by tho iinlonrned for Hobruw, Aro, as
a matter of fact. Aramaic It Is certain, in
deed, that Hebrew had long caused to bo
thovornacularof Palestine and thoro Is 110
reason to beliovnthat with the exception of tho
scribes, any ot tho contemporaries of Jesus
eould rend It When ono of tlio readers In tlio
synagogue had recited passages from tho
law or the prophets In Hebrew, he always
proceeded to Interpret them In tho Aram.iln
tongue. It seems to us also that Father Didon
passes too lightly over the controverted point
whethor Jesus was acquainted with tho Hoi
lenla languago, or rather with the dUloet of It
spoken in tho numerous Uellonlzed cities ot
tho Holy Land, and by tho wholo body of civil
administrators. All that tho author has to say
opon the subject is contained in these linos,
vie: "It does not appear that Jesus spoke
Greek. Hellenic culture had not penetrated
the Jewish population In Palostlne. and In any
case the people only felt Its influence fesbly."
This Is certainly only a vague. Inadequate
sUtsmsnt'of the fsot For nearly two cen
turies before the birth of Christ Hellcnlo
Influence had bsn invading the Holy Land,
and tho revolt under the Maccabees did not
avail to stem It for no sooner was tholr
authority established than tho princes ot that
house gavo way to It In all ways which did not
threaten tho Integrity ot tholr religion. All
overPttleBtlno.oxoept In tho Interior of Judea
Itself, Jowlsh communities and Greek colonies
stood sldo by side in incessant intercommuni
cation, and it seems that somo knowledgo of
tho two tongues, Greek and Aramaic, must
have been needed for the ordinary business uf
life. It baa even beon disputed whether soma
quotations made by Jesus from the Old Testa
mentare uotln factmadafromthoSoptuaglnt
It the fact could bo established, tho proof that
Jesus could read Greek Would be of eourso
forthcoming. It Is true, of course, thai tho
assimilation of Hellenic culture would be tho
lonst noticeable on tho humblest lovel of
Jowlsh society to which Jesus belonged, anil
on this occount Father Dldon tuny be justlnod
in minimizing the extent to which Jesus felt
Hollenlo Influence .....
The author docs not fall to mark that tho
Jewish schomo ot education did not negloct
tho worldly nnd practical side. Every lsraollto
of whntovor rank had to loam n trndo. "On
the father lies tho task to circumcise his son.
to Instruct him In th- bw, and to teach him a
craft"-thus does the Talmud sum up the
tradition of Jewish manners. They whu train
up their children tonoeolllogneglocta great
doty: It Is. as one of tho Tnrgums says, to
teach them to steal Tho Jew hns novor known
tho Indolence, the lazlnoss. nnd the kontlo
resignation born of fatalism whloh astonishes
tho European In tho Moslora fellahs of Pales
tine. In the eyes of the Jew work Is sacred
nnd trado nn honor, even among tho most il
lustrious mbbts. Hlliel nnd Aqulbn, two of
tbo most eminent, wore woodcutters: Rabid
JohananwnsaMmomtikursRnbbl Isaao Nan
Mchn a blacksmith. Josus Himself wus n enr
tciiter. like Joseph. His father: Ho grew up In
tho shop and at His WJrk. He made, as Justin
says, woodon Implements, ploughs, yokes,
and scales: Ho aided His father, and lived by
tho work ot His hands as an artlsnn. Having
brought out this fart with distinctness. Father
Pldon does not fall to rebuko by Implication
tho unreasonableness of tho nvorsion to Chris
tianity professed by many Continental woik
men, nnd especially by those who havo adopted
Boclallst doctrines. We quoto some words
whoso boarlng Is qulto evident: "The truo
Master ot men was tit comn from a smnll work
shop. Ho remained, whllo watting till Ills hour
was come, the modol ot humblo men. of thoso
whoso name Is unknown to history, who llvo
obscure and undiscovered under tho oyo of
God. Tho yenrsof thelrllfofticcpedeachother
monotonously, nit Is silent in them : sorrow
nnd joy. labor and virtue. The majority of
men live thus; nnd It Is not one of tho lenst
foreos of Christianity thnt It can present for
tho Imitation of tho poople a workman drift.
devoted in His childhood and youth t 1 dally
labor llko the greater part of men."
VI.
To Illustrate the insight nn.l sympathy with
which the narrative of the Evangelists has
been studlod by Father Didon. wo may tako
his account ot tho meeting ot Josus with Mury
of Magdala, the preolso Incident which ot Into
has beon beautifully treated by Btr Edwin
Arnold in "The Light ot tho World." In tho
story as recounted b; Luke, the name of tho
fomlnlne transgressor is withheld, but she has
been recognized by almost unanimous tradi
tion as Mary Magdalene. The author ot this
book sums up the traditional knowledgo or
boilers supplementing the scanty Indications
of tho Scriptural record. According to Father
Dldon. tho Mary whom Jesus met In the houso
of Simon the Pharisee, and by whom His feet
wero anointed with precious ointment, was by
birth a member ot a rich family, Hor brother
Lazarns possessed groat wealth at Jerusa
lem; hor sister Martha lived at Bethlehem,
and sho herself had lands in Galilee and
llvod on the westorn shore ot tho lako
at Magdala: henco her surname Magdalene.
We are not told whether at the time of tho In
terview In Simon's house sho was married or
n widow. Of her youth only tho memory of
hor sins has been preserved. She was one of
thoso who aro carried away by their heart and
by passion, and who sacriflro everything to
them, even honor. Her lifo of splendid shamo
had been notorious. Father Didon deems it
possible that sho may havo previously heard
Jesus speak to tho crowd and that Ho may al
ready havo acquired the friendship of her
brothor Lazarus and received hospitality
from Martha nt Bothlohem whllo Mary
Magdalene was leading her lifo of
ploasure. Of this, nt all events, tho au
thor has no doubt, viz.. that tho words
ot Jesus had "found an ocho in her hoarU
they had powor to touch oven her wretched
ness. The teaching ot the Mastor seemod to
havo been made for hor. Somo ot His words
would strike straight to her eonscionoe and to
her heart. He said that He was sent not for tho
just but for sinners. Ho spoke of tho lost
sheep and of tho joy In finding it again."
Was it not Ho. too. who said. "The
publicans and tho harlots shall entor
tho kingdom of God beforo tlio Phari
sees." Sho know tho anguish and the tears
lnsopsrablo trom it llfo of passion, and tho
words of Jesus. " Illossed are thoso who weep,
for they shall Lo comforted." seoracd ad
dressed to hor. "Wo do not know." continues
Father Dldon, "what passed in thoBoulof
Mary Magdalone, nor thn nature of hor Inward
conflict. Wo do not know how thedivino ray.
which was to save her. penetrated her con
science." But a day came whon hor eyes wore
opened nnd sho recognized in Jesus tho
8.n lour who pnrdons and regenerate. "On
that day sho hesitated no longer. Such naturos
a.s burs do not Mop half way: their greatnoss
is oxhlbltod in pressing onward to tho goal
with all their strength whether for good or fur
cviL Sho wished her repentance to be as open
as her sin. Ho who loves doos not stay to
reason: ho is obedient nun slave to tho feeling
uhlcli rules him: nnd this woman who braved
opinion to follow her earthly passions, nnco
more iet it nt naught to throw herself at the
foot of Jesus."
Having heard that Ho was Invited to tho
ho.ise of Simon tho Pharisee sho fwlt herself
urged by nn Irresistible impulse Shu longed
to confers to Him hereof row: sho burned to
oxpresslierropentnin'o nnd remorse her lovo
nnd her faith, und to hear vords of mercy and
forgiveness. Noor.oknewof thedramo aboutto
be emitted, ami which was tho very crisis of her
life; she was still to nil a fallen, n lost woman.
Volled and silent sho entered, not oven Booing
tho disJalnful looks ot tho guests who in their
sanctimonious prido were shocked at her
presence. She weur, and stood behind Jei-us.
holding In hor hand u box ot alabaster llllod
with olntmont. Tho author of this book Is
careful to romlnd us that tho greatest honor
which could bo paid to a man In tho Enst was
to break one ot theso fragile vessels and to
pour tho preolous contents upon his head and
feet. Father Didon then proceeds as follown:
"Mary said nothing, for silence is the sign of
an overflowing heart. But In hor attltudo of
humiliation, herttars, her kisses, her stream
ing hair, thero was nn vloquenoo beyond
the reach of words. She has not corao bo
foro Jrsus us the multitude had come to beg
for earthly benefits: she comes to Implore
Him who can henl and purify and transform
tho soul. Nover did penitence shed such tears:
nevor did repentant lovo ovlnce such longing
nfter pardon; nover did toars and perfume
gymbollzo such lively faith pr such Intense de
votion. In Mary Magdalono may bo seen tho
perfect typo uf the convert." A little later the
author adds: " To forgivo sins is tho privilege
of Grid only. It U faith In God alnnn thnt saves
tho lost soul, and It Is beyond man's power to
give pardon or to giro peace. Jesus only can
say these things and bring thorn to pass. They
alone can understand them who, like Mary
Magdalone. havn beard and provod them In
the depth ot tliotr consolenee. Tho rest who.
like the Pharisees, neither believe nor love,
are offended In their blindness and murmur
at tbem. But Jesus is justified of His elect"
We must still find room for some sontenees
which bring to a close the chapter devoted to
the memorable scone In the houso ot Hlmon:
"Tens of thousands of souls have arisen
from degradation In the foatsteps of the sinner
of Magdala, Sho has thrown opon tho path,
and loads on tho procession of the converted
nnd restored among women. Sho personlfl a
mankind, onoo lost in vices, which hits found
at tho foct of Jesus that God whom sho should
love, and whoso love transfigures hor and
gives hor mercy and pence The scene of the
feast In tho houtn ot Simon Is forovor being
repestod, llko nil else In tho Gospel history.
The Pharisee dollant even In good Intentions,
has not changed; hols Always with us. unablo
to understand the God who pardons, and the
repentant soul which expiates and adores.
But by the side of theso obotlnate ones, hard M'W
of heart nnd stubborn of spirit, wo can see nnd I M
admtro tho souls that lovo nnd fnlth hav Big
saved. Tlio tears of tho Magdalene flow on lis
unceasingly: tho perfumes nro ovor poured 'JJ
upon tho Son of Mau: Ho is ndorod from cen- Wtlt
turyto contury. and ceases not lo speak to K?
men tho encouraging nnd consoling words; BO
Many sins are forgiven to them who havn pHl
loved mnch. Your faith hath saved you; je Bf
who weep. J'tf who bellctc. yo who love go in m,i
pcaco." B sj
It Is, of courss. with peculiar ourlilly and I -t
Interest that one turns tn tho final pages nf
this book. In which tho author uyterbikes tu
deal with tho problem of tho resiv, ectlon. H HR
is. of course, nwaro that to tho nfflimalivo
evidenco brought forwnrd the rationalists re- ?j
ply by raising the question of the credibility v
of mlrnclos Fnthor Dldon Admits that there i
could be no grontormlrnclo than tho resurrec-
tion. but on tho other hnnd he Insists that ,
thoro has been none moro thoroughly attested.
Tho reality of It rests not upon the nssorll. n
of one woman, nor of several women only, hut
ot men. nnd men In hundreds. Theyeortify
that thev havo Been ngnlu anri yet .-.;nln. In-
credulous they woro nt first even to the
point of obstinacy, and it was only
by repeated appearances thnt their Master
convinced them that Ho was In truth the
crucified one The weight of such testimony
could only bo destroyod by sacrificing the lion
ostyorthointolllgonccof the wltnosMt.( Ac- "
cordingly, in the eighteenth oontnry thoy woro
called rogues and Impostor?, whllo nowa
days rationalists fall bock upon tho the
ory of hallucination. This, which IsM. Ronan
hypothesis. Is discussed by tho author nt somi
length. He deoms it Impossible to account l.y
such u thoory for tho prodigious trunformo
tlonof tho apostles, who nt llrst woro nolle
nbly slow to believe, into mon of unnssallabU
and horolo conviction. The eonduct of tl..
eleven, for example, presents rsd tho slightest
traeo of nervous excitement or incolierenc-.
In their enso tho essential condition, f hallu
cination li lucking, for it is tho clistVtnr
istlc of such cerebral dlsturbunco that r
person subject to It ulwayn sees what he
dreads or what ho desires. Now. the apoMlrn
had not n thought of the resurroctlon of tlielr
Mastor: thoy neither fenrod nor delreif ii.
and, not comprehending the possibility .'f
such a thing, refused to bolleve it. Sucli .;
attitude of mind Is precK-ly tho oppoplle or
that pertaining to UI0n.1rloH Iiithesciilf-iica
which follows. M. llennn IsdlBtlnetiynlmed at:
"To seek to explain tho possibility of such
state (the state of Imagining what did not ex -istl
by a burning love of Jobus. by the optical
Illusions natural toan Eastern ntmosphOc. r
tho dazzling sky of n Galilean springtime. Is
to exposo ourselves to the derision of aT u
who is familiar with tho East nnd experience!
in the subtleties and tho transparent mtllices
of incredulity. Tho Jew und tlio Arab art po
visionaries. Inuoraco is tho feeling for n.'
ture less dovolopod. and OOnsequont'y no men
Is less accessible to refined ocstnaloa such ns
tho modern Imagination can alone experience."
Finally, wo aro invitod toromomber that as
amntterof fact tho world hns been won over
to a faith, which rationalists discard, by 1110a
who have preached a crucified und risen God.
Dsmissliig tho enso of Slohammed. Father
Dlilon avers that wo have 110 txaniplo of Cu
lonarles conquering tho world, but that on thd'
contrary they nro destined onlv to recelvn
compassion. In his judgment, therefore. !
deny tho mlracleof the resurrection of .lesvi
is only to replace it by another miracle, to
wit. tho foundation ot Christianity by the vic
tims of hallucination. , M. W. H.
ron adfrxt svyD.tr.
Some or the Music that U to be OItck la
Churches To-day.
Many of tho leading churches hare prepared
extra musloal servicos for to-day. It being lAd
vont Sunday. At tho Church of tho Incarna
tion John Ooss's " Vonlte " and " Gloria ratri."
a To Doum LaudamUs, nnd a Bpnedlctu
willbe rendered in tho morning."" Tlio" anthem,
"The Night Is Far Spent." by Montont 'Smith;
a magnificat y Fred Archer, the well
known organist, and a Nunc Dimlttis from
"Tonus Regius "will be given in tho at tomoon.
At Graoo Church Stalner's To Dcumwill bo
sung at the morning service.
An offertory by Mendelssohn. "Sleepers.
Awake a Tolco Is Calling." for tho morning
scrvleo. nnd Dvorak's anthom, " Dies Ira:," for
tho evening sorvlce. have been prepared at
Trinity Church by Mr. Messlror.
At St. Bartholomew's Church SiHiidolfsohn's
offertory anthem. "O Come Let V Worshir."
for chorus, with tenor eolo, will be given.
This will form part of tho snoclat musical ser
vice to bo sung at this church to-day. " S'.w
tho Day la Over." a recessional l.v II. IV Ii.
Itldor. will also bo sung.
There will bo un interesting musical service
to-day nt Trinity Chapel, Wost Twontv-illtli
ftrcet. In the morning. "Prppnro Ye the Viny
of tho Lord," by Mlohnel Wlt-e will bo rung for
tho offertory. It is n nugiiillccnt nntlie.'ii.
pregnant with the inoi-t bo.iut.ful harmony,
and ivum written in li'.TO. Gilbert's "La He
Comes with Clouds" will bo sung as thn Intioit.
and the t'anctus llenedlctus nnd Agnus Del
will bo from tho old Cathedral service. At
evensong, at 4 P. M.. Mr.zaifs "Dies Irm" will
be given. Tho choir of Trinity Chapol is n
vested ono of thirty-two oiccfi. Dr. Walter
Gilbert is the orgnnlst.
At the Madison Avenue Baptlpt Church, cor
ner Thlrty-flrst street, the trjo for remain
voices. "Lift Thine Eyes" will lio fling thii
evening by Miss Kelly and Miss Fleming, so
prano and alto of the choir, assisted l.y Mrs,
Baldwin, contralto of All Soulh' Church, mid I
MIhh Liicilc D11 Pre. who will piny the violin I
oliilgati.. George Martin Hues Is thn leader of
the choir.
A choir festival service nill be given ar Sr.
John's Church. I,afnyrtt j place, Brooklyn, thin
evening at 1:'.M. "Sleopors Wake" from Ht.
Paul: "Comfort o My Peoplo" and "Lvnry
Vathiv SI111II be r.tnltcd." from th Messiah,
nnd Arthur Sullivan's llcirkcii Unto lltt"
lire the principal features of tho programme.
1tt.sv1.1n of timoshits' jvi:sis.
Momti queer Verdict Sliidr ill Sltllng naif
n Outurjr Abo,
',., ii.. o.B1.1 ;jiV '.
Soma of the oronorit' verdict In the iSHJit
tryllfty or sixty yenrs ago are very curious
The folli'Wlur me bouiu of tlio cuuu unsigned m
tordeiith:
" hhe i-onio to hor death by strangulation in
testimony wit Iiumi nit our hands nnd seal th I
day ubovn written."
"Paul Dm on c.imoto his death by a mule .
running nwny with a waggon nnd being thrown 1
therefrom." ...
" From causes unknown to the jury and hav
ing 110 medical attendance.'' 1
"Cninoto Ills (loath from national causes."
' An inquisition holden upon tho body of
John Brown thorn lyliisr dead by the Jurors
whom namcfi ore heiounto MiliKcrlbod, who
uion their oath do suy tint he came to hfs
death In tho following njunner. by falling off
the plank hridgo nccMontal whllo trying to
cross tin- stream and wiih drowned."
"Thejoiiereaon thii-c oiiiitli dt say thnt he
come lo Ills deth by old age, us tha could nt
Bet-niitiythlng oIeii the mattor."
"Come to Ida dcnlh Irom tho following
cause, to wit: from conn. uddout cause to
thn joiiercit unknown." ,
"The said ilcceimed being nn orphan, father
nnd mother being boih dean." ...
"From unoveruooo of giu administered by
his own hand.'1
"Disability caused bv lunacy, ' ....
"Being run over by two ooul trucks while
detached from thft engine" . ,
'"Come to his death by tondor No 7 jumping
the truck, nu which he was riding. eitliHr jump
ing or falling off, and engine running over
him, whloh was an acidant and no fault of the
unglnoer of said engine" ....
''Sho eomo to her death by tho lighten ttnk
Inglier." "From hart dese Ize."
"Come to his death in thn following manner.
to wit: Ho was born dead."
." From excessive drinking and laying out In
tha sun." . .
" From thn hands of some peri-on or persons
to the Jury unknown nnd (ifterward placed on
the track nnd got run over by Incoming train.
."Congestion ot tho bruin und applloolo
fltze."
."The bodv was so manglcl and mutilated
that llm could not tell enn) tiling about it. In. t
th think It wus put In tho uLstfino bysouw
unknown pernon or persons."
L'J.'ljcusot the hare und api.loxlty fltze "
"Cabled on tho loft sldu by kittle of hot
water burning over on her sldo aud tmmeglUly '
causing hirdviktu."