The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-01-25
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Annie Besant has written a book 0,
 rare merit and ability in her new work
 "Esoteric Christianity" a work writer
 in evident sincerity and reveren
 spirit of enquiry after the truth ant
 notwithstanding the incredulous spirit
 awakened in her evident implicit faith
 in Blavatsky as her, prophet and seer
 and revealer of hidden things, the book
 aWakens admiration for the great re-
 search it manifests, its literary merit
 and most of all it's devout Christ an spirit and earnest conscientiousn ss. Al
 though the Christian world regards the
 teachings of Christ as so plain that the
 wayfaring man, need not err therein, so
 plain that the poor and lowly and un-
 educated may apprehend the way the
 truth and the life, the burden of
 Esoteric Christianity is the theory that
 there is an inner meaning to Christ's 1 teachings hidden from the many and
 comprehended by but few favored ones,
 to whom the revela tion of these occult i mysteries opens the enjoyment of a life of spiritual ecstacy and power to which
 the great majority must remain utter
 strangers Proceeding on this theory
 the author cites a multitude of authors | ties among Pagan writers to show that the Pagan religions were explained &C., 'cording to the power of receptiveness of the disciples and that the absolute truths were imparted only to the few. She cites the secret rites such as the Eleusinian, Bacchic, Orpheun etc. She also cites St Pauls words We speak wisdom among them that are perfect"
 The hidden wisdom Babes in
 Christ, Ye were not able to bear it"
 Stewards of the mysteries of
 God, Knowledge of the Mys-
 tery of Christi Mysteries now
 made manifest to his saints" Mystery
 of Godliness," etc. Miss Besant claims
 moreover that Christ imparted most of
 His mystic teachings to his disciples
 after his death and as before remarked contends that there are inner or hidden meanings in the teachings of Christ at- tainable only by the few and unknown to the ignorant believer. Unfortunately Miss Besant opens her controversy by implicit belief in Blavatsky. She says, We may aid our study of the life story of Jesus by reference to those records of the past which experts can reverify for themselves, and from which certain details regarding the Hebrew Teacher have been given to the world by H. P. Blavatsky and other expert in occult investigation" Her deduction is that there is in effect an intellect ual aristocracy in the ranks of Christs worshippers to whom spiritual mysteries are made plain and magical power is given to know far more of the | Divine world than is attained by the pers. All will agree that there have | been saintly men in all ages, men of | great purity and loveliness of charac- ter Mrs Besants book has many va gares and much that is admirable also and uplifting; much that the devout or thodox Christian will concur in. She is scholarly and reverent and a searcher after truth. Yet the world will st Il hold to the good old doctrine that the truths of holy writ are so plain that he who runs may read and that the intel lectually superior believers are not iu- falliby the best Christians The book Is one to challenge q close and respect full hearing. It does not at all pretend to be a gospel of theosophy or to seek to undermine the faith of any true be- fever in Christ. The author is both honest and sincere and well deserves a nearing. The book is published by John Lane, New York For sale by all the eading booksellers
 Very interesting indeed is the collec- ion of college songs, Songs of the Eastern Colleges" compiled by Robert W, Atkinson and Ernest Carter and published by Hinds X Noble, the New York publishers whose Songs for All he Colleges and Songs for Western have proven so acceptable md popular. The new issue appeals to
 large class of music lovers and will ,e no doubt great success as it cer- ainly deserves to be. All the world oves the college student, and under no is he more amiabe or nore provocative of contagious genial ly than when he sings bis college l ongs. Tn this volume have been gath i red not only the typical songs, but also I he most popular songs of all the East ' Tn Colleges. The collection has been ' lade for two purposes: First to pro- I idle the Eastern College students with { 0ngs which are always sung whenever \ hey gather together: second, to deep- + n the spirit of brotherhood already eX- f ting between college fraternities as q ney learn to sing each others songs a II the old favorites will be found in lis collection, together with many new a ongs that will stir the collage man, and u 9vive those memories which unite him nd his Alma Mater in bonds which can !, ever be broken This book will also be n cceptable to the alumnus, for nothing 6 rings so.strongly before the graduates A ind the glorious days of yore as the c veet strains thai ore time noatod to , is ear in the gloaminss of college fl lys. Not alone for the male students n this book of music the songs are in uded which are of the sisterhoods at P armand Wellesley, Vassar, Smith, q ryn Mawr. Radcliffe, Wells and Sage F he New York Sun in speaking of the A lblication happily remarks: Behold, n
 this year of grace 1902 the college %= udent still sings tJuanita" and There's Music in the Air" and The |. yo Roses" and Ut Was My Last