Book Review

BOOK REVIEW. THE THEOLOGY OF AN EVOLUTIONIST.

A few years before the death of the late Henry Ward Beecher the writer had the pleasure of listening to his lecture on the subject of "Evolu- tion and Christianity." In the course of that lecture the pastor of Plymouth Church expressed his determination to devote the remainder of his life to the task of harmonizing what he regarded as the truths of Christianity and the truths of evolution. Two or three years after this he died, and Dr. Lyman Abbott succeeded him as the pastor of Plymouth Church. Whether or not Dr. Abbott considered himself as having fallen heir to Mr. Beecher's task of harmonizing Christianity and evolution or not, we cannot say, but certain it is that Dr. Abbott is devoting much time to such an effort. We are in receipt from his publishers, Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Company, his latest production on that subject, The Theology of an Evolutionist. It has been preceded by two other essays on the same subject under the titles, The Evolution of Christianity, and Christianity and Social Problems; and in the preface of the book before us the author announces his intention to follow it with a fourth and that possibly by a fifth. The present volume is written in that brilliant literary style for which Dr. Abbott is noted, and that the sentiments expressed are lofty in their character, and the whole work on a high level of excellence will be readily granted; but how far the doctor succeeds in making it appear that the theology of the evolutionist and the religion of the Christian are or may be one and the same is a matter about which there will be a great difference of opinion. The doctor might possibly deny that this is his purpose, for the purpose of his book as declared by himself is not to "show that the scientist is right, but to show that if he is right, he may still hold to spiritual faith in God, Bible, Christ, Sacrifice. This volume is addressed not to disbelievers in evolution to prove that they are mistaken, but to be- lievers in evolution to show them that their belief is not inconsistent with the Christian faith; it is inconsistent with much in the old theology, but not with anything in the old faith." But this definition involves the task of harmonizing the Christian re- ligion, "the old faith," with the philosophy of evolution; and in that, in our judgment, Dr. Abbott fails, as all must fail so long as the "old faith" as well as the "old theology" teaches that the Christian religion is based upon the two great facts, the Fall of man in the transgression of Adam, and the Redemption of man through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Whatever else may be obscure in the revelations of God, those two facts are clear and stand out in bold relief on the pages of revelation, and the only way evolu- tion, as commonly explained, can be harmonized with those two facts is, if the paradox may be pardoned, by getting rid of them, and that, by the way, is the manner in which both Dr. Abbott and his predecessor Mr. Beecher and all philosophers of their school, go about the work of harmonization. A new

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Christ must be and is conjured up to fit the theory of evolution, and he may be a very excellent mental creation, a very high ideal, and the eloquence of gifted men may surround him with a spiritual and moral atmosphere both refining and beautiful, but try how they may, he is not and cannot become Jesus of Nazarath, "the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world." And however fine spun the Theology of an Evolutionist may be as a piece of word painting, no ingenuity can continue to make it out to be the old Christian faith.

LETTERS TO THE FARM BOY. "Uncle Henry's Letters to the Farm Boy," by Henry Wallace, editor of Wallace's Farmer, Des Moines, Iowa, and published by Wallace Publishing Company of that place, is one of the few books issued from the groaning press of today that the Era without reserve can recommend to its readers. It is a small book of 218 pages, but into it Mr. Wallace has crowded more things that a farm boy should read than appears in many more pretentious volumes. He deals with the Farm Boy and his Father, the farm Boy and his Mother, the Farm Boy and his 1 emper, the Farm — — Boy and his Chum, His Reading, his t-uture Business, His Fun, — — — — His / ducation, His Start in Life, His Habits and soon through all the things concerning which something should be said to the farm boy. If our farmer fathers feel that there is advice they would like to impart to their sons, but are conscious that they lack the ability to say that which would be suitable, or doubt if they could hold the attention of their sons owing to a lack of an interesting manner of telling a thing, we commend to them the letters of "Uncle Henry," and feel confident that they will find there, not only what they want to say, but find it told in English that the boys can both understand and that will please them. It is written in pure, simple English; and drives straight to the point that the writer is trying to make, and, what is best of all, he makes it. We have seen nothing of its class since the publication of the Timothy Titcomb Letters, by John G. Holland, that is equal to this book either in charm of diction, clearness of style, or that is calculated to have such a direct influence for good on that large class of America's population now made up of farm boys, but who, as Mr. Wallace points out, in twenty years from now will mainly control the business of the state and the nation, as it is now controlled by the farm boys of twenty years ago. While the little book deals in the main with things practical, and that concern the affairs of this life, it is easy to discern that the advice given springs from deep religious convictions on the part of the writer; if nothing else indicated it then it would be found in this beautiful passage with which the book closes: "I desire, above all things else, that you be a good man. The good man is of the seed royal of the universe, the golden harvest, the ripened fruitage of creation. For him the deep found- ations of the world were laid. For him the ages have been preparing. For his redemption 'The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,' and the cross erected upon Calvary. For his perfection is all the work, the toil, the paiD and suffering among men, and when chastened by experience, and ripened by the wisdom which years only can give, he enters the house pre- pared for him, and for which he has been prepared, its doors will spring open of their own accord, and he will be welcomed by all that is good, beautiful and true in the universe of God."