The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-10
LITERARY NOTES.

To discuss Theology in manner interesting
as the most fascinating novel is an achievement
which might be regarded as Impossible; hut IN
''Lrt There Be Light" published by the Put.
mans, David Lubin has done it and moreover has
offered plans for church universal which diner
widely from those most familiar to students OF
religion. The books structure may be outlined
follows.
Six workngmcn. cNpCri, ncing the evils AMI
impcrfections of the industrial and social con
dtions under which they labor, meet TO dis
cuss those conditions and to seek the causes OF
those evils. Their Investigation: lead them TO
the conclusion that tho causes OF the inequality
Of which they feel the burden arc to be sought
in the defects of religious systems. The de-
bates disclose truths which crystaac into prac-
tical form. The truth.scekers, rich and poor,
ConseCratc themselves TO the principles which
they find revealed, and believe that their dis
coyerics will lead to tangible and potent chang
cs in the world of economies and religion. They
formulate their beliefs they devise methods OF
promugatng and perpetuating them, and they
deliver to the world plan for a new church,
an outline OF a new social order.
This new church would hardly he accepted as
orthodox. 1t utterly rejects all Crecds and
dogmas, builds its foundation " the Golden
Rule, and in place of theology substitutes study
Of the laws of God manifested in nature,
! using as accessories Of worship tube of water
! Il Il
bolize the life and the laws OF which God is the
beginning and the end. The manner in which
! this system of nature study is justified conSti-
tutes interesting argument, and its relation TO
| social conditions as elaborated in theory con
! stitutes a study which, once begun, will not be
laid aside until the reading of the book is
| finished.
To II. s. Stone & Co.'S slightly Green Tree
| library, "a series OF books representing what
| may broadly be called the new movement in lit
crature," has lately been added translation by
| William Archer, Of Henrik lbsens dramatic epi-
| loguc in three acts entitled "When the Dead
! Awaken II is typical specimen OF Ibser-
| ism. II looked at in a common sense manner
| it is as close to rubbish as a literary work can
be. An elderly sculptor after winning fame,
wcds material young woman Of whom he tires
and who rcCprocally tires of him; at Norwe
gian watering place he meets old fame
crazy, who used to he his model, and his vile
| is attracted to a burly bear hunter who is not
handicapped by an artistic temperament. They
separate by mutual consent and the sculptor
| leads his maniac charmer up into the noun
tain, where both killed in a landslide. All
| this is supposed by prophets of the Ihsen cult
to be highly synibocal and significant, May
be it is
A contrvance to liberate the hydrogen in the
sor, plays sensational part in Fred T. James
"Thc Violet Flame" published by Laird & Ice.
As the professor aims his apparatus at a certain
portion OF the carth's surface and presses but
ton, violet fame appears and the real estate
in question, together with all that appertLins
thereto, suddenly disappears-houses, land peo-
pie, everything, are instantaneously annhated.
This goes on until in an nnguarded moment the
professor, who has laid all mankind under sub
lection through .tar. lets his Internal machine
run down whercupon few entcrprisng human
remnants e.: the earth's rapidly diminishing
population opportuney step III and shoot him,
after which they have chance to sleep in com
parativc peace. The book is full of shvers.
Ore of the most striking features in the cur
rcn. issue Of Success is unique symposium
showing wherein this country has failed in
! ethics, in poctry, in law, in justice TO woman
and in business honor. In other contributions
Senator Foraker and Congressman Lttlcheld Wig
orousy take issue over the proposition that
young men should be trained for public life
Hall Caine tells the story OF his first book
Hudson Maxim describes the horseless city; amC
readable articles appear from the pens Of Ella
Wheeler Wilcox, Major Watrous, United State
army; Elizabeth Grannis, Fighting joe
Wheeler. pr. Felix Adler A. Conan Doyle, JOIN
: &, EamCs, Assistant District Attorney Osborne
who convicted MoncuX; Edward +. Higgins
and William Dean howells.
Current History, of which the MAY number
, now on sale is the complete and reliabl
periodical history Of our times. Formerly is
sued as a quarterly, its recent change to
monthly shows relaxation Of careiulncss a
to detail Its scope is limited to no city or sec
tion; the whole world is its field; and ever
historical incident, every notable achievement
| OF mechanical invention and scientific skill, COZ
tributes to its pages Its plan OF arrangement
is most convenient for reference Its abundan
portraits maps, and biographies add greatly I
| the value of the record. Whoever has Occasio
to refer to some authority for the precise date
{ and particulars OF recent events, and once trit
this record, will look upon il as one OF his be:
, aids to prompt and accurate work.
l The latest issue in Appeton's Town an
= Country library, "The Lunatic at Large" b
: j. Storer Clouston, is funny enough TO stop
| clock. 4 young man suffering from tempo
rary mental malady is put in private asylul
II and, upon recovering, starts out 10 have ga
time While the asylum keepers think him Sti
= crazy he escapes, goes to London, falls in wit
a German baron OF great wealth who is in tow
to see the sights, volunteers TO act as the baron
: escort, and between getting the baron into a
n kinds Of bother and dodging the detectives VII
"A are trailing him under the impression that
u is dangerously insane the young man supple
- incident fast aud furiously. At the end,
e course everything is Strengthened out, and Il
l. curtain falls to SOFT music and low lights.
= Few publications have been more faithful
their purpose thar George Bird Grinnells 1T
e Indians Of Today" which II. S. Stone Go
10 have issued In sumptuous quarto form, vii
Il numerous striking full page portraits Of hvir
- Indians, reproduced from photographs taken
| tho COnnrpss ~ Indian tribes which formed SUI