The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-07-06
SECRET OF THE FASCINATION
OF A POPULAR BOOK.
(Rev. S. Parkes Cadmon in Ledger
MonthIy)

(Rev. s. Parkes Cadmon in Ledger
MonthIy)
What constitutes the fascination OF
Eben Holden? He is heard with respect
and quoted with approval, and truth
embodied in tale finds here an open
door,
Perhaps Ebens chief charm is his
naturaineSS. He is redOlent of the SOIL.
the woods. the state from which we or
lglnaiiy came. and which persfstently
retains its fascination. though. in many
instances, generations have elapsed
since men titled the farm or hewed
IN the forest. He incarnates the mys-
terlous afhnities with Mother Earth.
which VIII not be denied
The book drives US out of the city
and town; 1t fosters tender memories
IN mens who have long ceased to be
easily IOuched; It evOkes music where
the lost chord is rebound. In brief it
heIps US TO realize the world. The sun
SHINES IN vain until it is seen by as
NO music can be without q human ear
no fragrance without a human nostril
no sweetness apart from taste. The
glory of the universe is revealed in the
sense and thought Of humanity
Again this volume pays a creditabIe
lnstalfnent of the long-standing debt
literature owes to the life God evil
IDENTIFY loves, since he permits it to
be major life-that daily existence
of the millions who deIve and spin and
reap the sheaf
To the unseeing eye, this is a hum
drum sort of being, d dreary drip, with
no attraction and much to repeL But
Eden Holden's quaint philosophy and
brave humOr and shreWd pith are an
e1ectual contradiction of our cOnVen-
uonal opinions. His reverent study
and observation, born of muItiform ex-
perienceS, giOrify the daily round and
the common task Nothing in Mr.. Bach
eller's depicting is mean and false and
bloodless; the book explains the yeo-
man, the farm labOreT, the patient
team they drive afield, and how, behind
II all, there are rural hearths and
homes more sacred than many boosted
shrines, because they are more full OF
heavens light and love and ministry.
Depend upon it. the world will always
rellSh such book as Eben Holden It
speaks brave words and true for the
staple product of this land the men
who farm II and make a bowling will
derness the gTanary of two continents.
They have had scanty Justice The
pale cast of thought has Sicklied over
their real aspects; nOveIists have been
eager TO exploit the apostles of force
and the galleries of fiction are too full
of captains of war, and blOod-letting.
of princes and the pomp of kings. Let
the under mass breathe out their
81 III lldAALEu III silence
So. thanks to Eben Holden, the most
distinctive type OF American life is
here to tie front. and he commands
great attention, for which we. should
be grateful
The writer has evidently known sor-
row-sOrroW which has deepened his
sympathies and bToadened his char
acter, and forced upon him that self
mastery he imparts to others. and
which makes the cultivation of happi-
ness a necessity and a habit There
are deep chords struck ever and anon
in passages of this enhancing book
which teach the familiar but easily for
gotten lesson that the sweetest roses
of life are grown in our Gethsemanes,
in gardens of color, and watered by
tears.
This leads to the mention of the op-
timism of the book Hope never fails,
not even when the thunders of war
shake a nation into schism. and the
great editor in his New York Office. or
the brave lad bleeding in the darkness
OF the night that mercifuliy hid Bull
Run from sight are equally respondent
and full OF foreboGings. The story
marches on, nothing doubling. Doubt
less this seemed foolish at the time.
but, as we read il IN the light of the
after events, hope has been justified.