The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-25
NEWS OF BOOK WORLD
An Aushor D,lIvllneiy Moved to Write Flo
tior'-if the. Elephant Had Been Lord
q Creation Something Fine From
III Tennyson's Suppressed Poems.

II is somewhat startling to hear the
writer OF popular book and work Of
nction at that, say that he regards the
impulse which led tor the, writing of his
book as the work Of God, Just as that
Which led Isaiah to the Sutterance of his
message was. Yet that is in substance
what -ReV. Charles Gordon (Ralph Connor)
said OF his Black Rock before West
minister club Monday evening. In cold
type The sta tement looks daring, but fall
ing from The Tips of Mr. Gordon it seemed
altogether natural. 1t shows the intense
earnestness Of the man and the deep prr-
pose ne had in the preparation of his
DOCKS, especially his first. This appears
the more clearly when the circumstances
OF the writing of the book are known.
Mr.. Gordon was intensely devoted to
mission n work in the Canadian northwest.
but eastern Canadians would not give to
the support OF the work. AT a meeting of
the synod an appeal was made, but the
treasure chest would not open. Deeply
stirred ME-. Gordon went to the office of
the leading paper and there expressed his
feelings. The editor asked him ito pre-
pare statement Of the situation. MIR.
Gordon went home and after much, hard
work completed a statement s5
Fl But this was not his book Black
Rock. To his chagrin, his manuscript
came back with the statement, that it was
nluch 100 long, and the hint, that it be
broken up into several short Il: sketches.
This was at last DONE, and the sketches
We're printed. These sketches put together
were offered to several American pub
fishers and were rejected by all. The COM
panY that originally printed them then is
sued the book and made. the world famil-
lar with the sky pilots-the missionaries
of the northWest--and their work giving a
new impetus to their work.
Mr.. Gordon, was not. therefore. writing
either for gain or personal fame; but for
the good of his fellow men whom the mis-
sionaries were trying with insufficient sup
port to reach. If success in accomplish
ing a good work from purely disinterested
motives IS evidence. Of divine guidance
Mr.. Gordon is secure in his claim as to
his book. s.s.3sss -. N. 81. st
Mr.. NolL the author of From Empire
to Republic, interestingly details the
course; Of Mexico,s history from the Span
ish yiceroyalties and the declaration of in
dependence to the Iturbide irnperium and
thru the continual revolutions after the
overthrow of the unstable empire, to the
triumph CT Diaz and his opening of a new
era of peace and prosperity by the sword.
The history of Mexico after the expulsion
of Spanish ruls.xis chiefly a history of
revolutions under various sWashbucl1lers.
Mexico was kept in chaos until Diaz of
Indian origin had the nerve to. erect what
may properly be called "a military despot-
ism. Mr. Noll takes too much for granted
as to the fealty of Diaz to constitutional
liberty. He excuses Diaz's lapses in con-
stitutionalism by suggesting the lack of
public education and the public's lack of
appreciation of reforms. It is true Diaz
has had to deal with a country of thirteen
millions of inhabitants, most of whom are
Indians, less than s2e per cent being whites,
of whom 100000 are educa ted, and moth
Hr,%f
active, benevolent despotisn. Mr. Noll.s
book embodies a most interesting review
of the facts accomplished by Diaz since
1876 t-.<sys AZ :,s