The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-28

Fenel on so sweetly and truly said ages ago: ''Ah, how. rare it is to find soul still enough to hear God speakp and 1t seems to be the increasing materialistc tenden- cies of today which have inspired the new thought movement. MT. Wood says; lowing to dull materialism, the world has been a stranger to the spiritually sci- entifc and psychological laws of growth and again, With the closing part or the Nineteenth century the time was ripe Tor a marked spiritual reaction. Materlalsm was aggressive and had subtly permeated science, philosophy ethics, sociology and therapeutics and even the church was not exempt from it's penetrative influence Realism pessimism, agnosticism and athe- ism had become pronounced ana new spiritual uplift was due and nothing could hold 1t back. The higher nature or men refused longer to be bound.
 The new thought advocates recognize the dual nature of man as material and spiritual; they have taken step forward l and inward not only in declaring this but in cultivating the thinking and imagng faculty as pertinent to the systematic training of the consciousness. On this point MT. Wood says: By a quiet ana reverent effort one may abstract himsei1 from material things and sunbar the doors and windows of his spiritual nature. ana divinity will Hume every apartment The living Christ is within man. and upon invitation the divine touches the human. Can we have the Holy Spirit upon such easy terms every day? Perhaps we have thought that 1t was sent only upon rare and unexpected occasions. We need free dom, the human family is in slavery to material things. Why should the higher be in subjection to the lower? Our minds are so crowded with objective facts and events that there seems to be no room Tor higher consciousness. We must at times rush Back the clamoring world which presses to monopolize us, and also strive to dispace physical imperfection and sem sation."
 MT. Wood teaches. of course physical healing by this method and gives a num- her of formulas at the close of the vol ume which he terms mental and spirit ual gymnastic exercises" He says that the method of the lessons may be unto Jews stumbling block and unto Gentiles foolshness, but unto them that are call ed' he claims will bring held and inspira- tion in proportion as they are faithfully asslmilated The new thought movement Is a sort of compromise between the old beliefs and Christian science. Just here the author says: Though entirely distinct in doctrine and frame-w work, and with dif- ferences most marked in method and the ory, the new thought has intimate spirit ual agreements and points of contact with Christian Science. Just here the author says: Though entirely distinct in doc- trine and framework, and with differences most marked in method and theory. the new thought has. Intimate spiritual agfee- ments and points of contact with Christ ian Science. The one is but step- Cchristian Science the new thought per mits the use of traditional material meth- ods of healing while progressing in the ,f 4t,f. 11 .f. T spirit"
 Tn the volume MT. Wood touches upon every phase of his subject and in a won- derfully simple and ineligible manner, and while it may not be perfectly clear in its entirety to one who reads of the new thought for the first time, yet 1t Is wonderfully free from confusing express sions; as the author says in his preface: Tt is not easy to set forth a psychologi- cal and idealistic system so that 1t shall be lucid to all"
 'sThe Aristocracy of Health" by Mary
 Foote Henderson. The Cotton Publsh-
 ing Co.,, Washington.
 In the preface Mrs Henderson says: ''This Is quite another world when seen through lenses which are not blurred nor improperly adjusted; when the fine ma chinery of the living organism no longer struggles either in self-defense or for re- pairs. but works easily and smoothly; when blood-corpusces are no longer dsin- tegrated, spiculated and pale, but round, red and rich laden" Then follows fine, full volume treating upon every phase of the subject. This Aristocracy of Health" Is a title well-chosen for the science of physical training which is now command ing such widespread interest and atten- tfon that results are favorably observed in a more universally healthy mind in a healthy body" The author says in her opening lines: "The human race is ill The human race is anaomic: and the world. which Is a paradise but by man converted into a hospital. is seen and judged thorugh the eyes of the invalid. The birds of the air and fishes of the sea, the deer of the forest and lilies of the field, represent life of their kind in the fullness of it's. glory, but not so-man. A sound mana health aristocrat. a model for "a Greek sculptor of old--is rare to see" Human hope runs
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