The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-20
DAVID STARR JORDAN.

THE STORY OF THE INNUMERABLE COM
PANY, and Other Sketches. By David Starr
Jordan, president Of Leland Stamford Jr Uni
yersity. San Francisco: The Whitaker & Ray
Company publishers; clothbound; price 81 rs.
The volume before US is made up of separate
sketches, nine in number, historical or allie
gorlcal, "having in some degree bond of
union in the idea of the higher sacrifice ;"
| The substance of most of the sketches has
already been given in lectures by the versatile
head of Stanford University. "The Story of
the Innumerable Caravan" is an categorical
review of the religious creeds and beliefs of
the world, in their various pilgrimages, since
the birth OF Christianity. The allegory is well
sustained. The journey over the mountains
and through the forests and across the desert
OF life to the distant river, the waters of which
every traveller must breast alone, was made by
One in early times by way so fair that the
memory OF it became part of the story of the
land. He left a Chart behind for the guidance
OF those who should come after him. but some
who tried to follow him said that the Chart
was not explicit enough, and marked out
every step of the way. Then discord arose. and
new Charts were made, resulting in great con-
fusion, until many despised and threw their
Charts away. AS time passed on the way grew
brighter, and men saw that most of the diff
culties and dangers of the way were those
which they unwittingly had made for them
| along the way; men held the old Chart more
| in reverence than ever before. No longer did
men say, "This path have l taken; this way
must thou CO."
A nd some wrote upon the Chart this single
rule of the forest: "Choose thou thine own best
way, and help thy neighbor to find that way
which for him is best" But this was erased at
last; for beneath it they found the older palmer
words, which One In earlier times had written
there. "Thy neighbor as yself"
"The Story of the Passion" is a description
of the famous Miracle Play as it is to-day mod
ernized and perfected at Oberammergau The
author shows respect akin to admiration for
the simple, pious peasants in the Bavarian
Alps who endeavor to faithfully and artistic
ally represent the life and acts of Christ The
sketch contains never a word nor a suggestion
which could possibly invite exception from
the most ardent believer In the divinity of the
holy Nazarene. The play is criticized in a
broad and generous way. Mr. Jordan declares
that only in the sense of historical continuity
can the Passion Play at Oberammergau be
characterized as relic of medieval times;
that the spirit of the age has penetrated even
10 that isolated valley, and that its Passion
Play is as much product of our century as
the poetry OF Tennyson. The machinery of
superstition is done away with; harmony has
taken the place of crudity, and the Christ of
Oberammergau is the Christ of modern con-
ception.
With reference to such scenes as those ac-
companying the crucifxlon, the author OBJ
serves that treatment less reverent than is
given by those peasants would make intoler-
able blasphemy. In his opinion the perfection
of the Passion Play is its Justification
at can never become show" he concludes
at can never be carried to other countries,
1t can never be given under other circum-
stances. So long as its players are pure in
heart and humble in spirit so long can they
keep their well-earned right to show to the
world the tragedy of the cross"
"The California of the Padre" ian address
delivered at the Teachers Institute. Monterey
in 1889 pays a tribute to the early Spanish
missionaries, whose age of glory faded away.
but ''lett no stain in the pages of our his tory"
1.-THE Conquest of Jupiter Pen" tells how
according to old chronicles, St. Bernard
through the influence of charity and truth.
drove the spirits of evil from the Alps.
1.-THE Last OF the Puritans'' ian address be-
fore the California State Normal School, San
Jose, 1892 honors the memory OF the Elm
mortal hero, John Brown, "whose body lies
moldering in the grave" but "whose soul
goes marching on
The writings of Ulrich Won Hutton, con-
temporary of Martin Luther in the great re-
ligious struggle of four centuries ago, receive
the strongest praise. Hutton, with fiery pen,
fought for freedom of the spirit This sketch
is entitled "a Knight of the Order of Poets"
A plea for Mature Study as Means of Moral