The Labor enquirer., 1884-08-30
Mrs. Wnm.n. Critiei.ed.

Mrs. Wnmans Criticised.
For The Enquirer.
In the Chicago Express Mrs. Wilmans
reviews the Book of Wisdom. CA later
edition is called Book of. Life The
review contains much praise of the book,
but begins with what seems to be dis
courtesy to say the least. When an
author suppresses his name entirely
from his work, it is supposed he has
some reason for SO doing! Mrs. Wilmans
uses the title page of the book as the
caption of her article, but on her own
responsibility adds the authors name
though he may wish it withheld.
Mrs. Wilmans thinks the book "a
remarkable work well worth the earnest
consideration of every thoughtful
reader"
She thinks the author has demonstra.
ted the Messianic Kingdom from scien-
tifc facts, and shown how the results
may be obtained.
''And it is because the author does
show this that the book is so valuable" /"
1t would be "the great book of the
century," except for the vanity of the
author. He is vain because he claims
to have sho wn the very thing Mrs.
Wilmans says he has shown; the very
thing that makes the book valuable.
Let us see if her exception is well
taken. The author holds that the full
fillment of the Jewish prophecies must
be the work of science it will be the
work of one who has knowledge of
man and the laws Of his being. Mrs.
Wilmans says the author possesses the
requisite knowledge, but calls it vanity
for him to claim it. He should pretend
be has 1t not He is the first man who
has formulated these truths into a
scientific system and if it takes god to
do this, then he is the god who has done
it.n g
The Christians have called Jesus
Christ god, therefore Mrs. Wilmans
thinks the Jewish Messiah was to be a
god. l cannot find from the bible that
the Jews expected god for their king.
They believed in but one God Jehovah.
Their God and their promised king were
always spoken of as two distinct persons.
The latter was to be a son of David,
therefore conld not be god. Jehovah
said he would SEND king to execute
his statutes He could not speak SO of
himself.
Let US suppose this vain author had
taken an opposite course to the one for
which Mrs. Wilmans condemns him.
Suppose he, or Robert Owen, or Karl
Marx, or Fourier has assumed Mrs. WIS
standard of modesty and said to the
world:
IL have worked out q system of socie-
tary life which I think is better than
every one heretofore tried. am not
sure tits perfect, but want the opinion
and help of all for | doubt my own
ability to apply it practically"
He would be laughed at and would
gain no hearers. The scientists must be
able to say bis statements are facts. If
science can furnish laws that will govern
society the discoyerer must be sure they
are true.
The author claims the Book of Life
contains perfect system of society and
claims to be able to establish the same
with all necessary details. He did, not
make the laws on which they rest but
found them in the sciences and sin the
inner nature of man" where the prophet
said they were.
For this Mrs. WIlmans calls him 50
crank" No leader ever gained followers
by doubling his ability and the truth of
his theories.
Mrs. Wilmans' charge is that this
author thinks himself the Jewish Mes
siah. / can find no such thonght in the
book, except that the Messiah must have.
. sufficient knowledge for the reconstruc-