The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-03-27

novels, read with eagerness DAVID
| Harum' end its limitations, Miss Jonn-
sons books ahd tbs Cabbage Patch
popular Classic" 1 make q selection
from what she says CT some European
writer's, Of D'Annunzlo, so much 10 the
taste of many readers Ill this country,
she writes: I'm spite of their poetry,
THAR incompatible style, their penetrat-
Ing psychology, the really great Thoughts
Iscattered Through them, they are prooa-
big the most repuisive Works OF art ever
achieved by the Incorporating reaHst;
rcluIsiye in their monotonous immortality,
in the mental, spiritual, and bodily dis
case of every character portraye1, III I'M
relieved pessimism, in their nauseous at
tnosphere of decay. Most So
called French literature is Partisan, and
Paris is not Francs. OF Russian litera-
ture almost all has been said. NO one
reed be told the causes OF deeadepce ana
lessimism in that criminal among ma
tons. If the few authors OF note IL mas
j., edueea could have risen above RUSSIA
then they would have been great indeed"
There is greater evangelistie move
Llent among the Presbyterlans WAN
a,rong the other religious bodies whether
Calvinistic or Arminian 1t appears me
total net increase in 1903, in the White
Protestant Churches In this country was
but $50 per cent, small affair, me
Lutherans led with 81 per cent. Tho
Disciples came next with 2.S per cent
The Charlotte presbyterian Standard
says: Presbyterian bodies generally
have gained twice as much as the Metho-
dist bodies, and over three times as
much as the Baptist and Congregational
churches" When tho fact is considered
that such large percentage join now
with churches who are really neither
converted nor regenerated. the 10 per
cent increase OF the whole seems very
small. The Methodists have been for
over 100 years the greatest evangelistic
body of the world. They have somehow
lost their grip upon sinners. 1t ought
to still lead because it puts 10 limitation
uLon the Atonement of the Lord Jesus
Christ, who ''by the grace of God tasted
death for every one"
L saw lately few things that APP
peared in the Presbyterian Journal /
do not know in what section it is pub
lished, but it probably says just that
which fits all around and everywhere. 1t
is about what is called by a stretch OF
language pastoral visitings." I quote
aGG commend to others, because / believe
IL is true, and but few exceptions are to
be found: Pastoral calling is relic.
1t perpetuates q thing that has ceased
to be. There is no relation between the
two save In name. Pastoral calls were
oIcc purely religious; now they are
largely social. Once the topic OF CONVEX
judgment to come; now it is anything
sation was temperance, righteousness and
but that. The minister no longer calls
as d minister, but as friend
| believe in facts and figures for they
instruct. One fact is worth scores OF
speculations or suppostions. 1t is an age
OF great prosperity in many things. There
is vast advance in taste, in manufactures,
IL population, in wealth, in benevolent
institutions, in educational facilities. |
wish to gather some statistics briefly and
they will set some Of my readers to
thinking:
1t is astonishing to see how great the
crowds of students now attending the
leading Northern Universities, numbering
from 1000 to some 10000, if l remember
correctly. l recently saw the statistics,
and intended to copy them, but somehow
lost them.
Gambling is not only on the increase
but it is u. curse and a sin. Al Monte
Carlo, in Europe, last year, the money
lost and won amounted TO more than
1888, 000 Think of the disappoint-
nents and suicides that followed! The
Casinos profits were over s7,000,000 The
devil was there in full flower and eX-
IRENE glory. He was pulled up.
] have received from the author Mr.
James Fl. Cathey, of Sylvia, N. c., a new
edition of his interesting volume, THE
Genesis of Lincoln" 1t is much enlarged
with over 120 pages added-is better
bound and otherwise improved, price
$3.50 1t now contains 307 pages, and
some additional portraits. have re-read
all but some 70 pages, and hope to soon
lead all. The new part is under the head
ing, "Addenda." The parents of Lincoln
are still an open question as are other
things about that strange and yet idolized
man in the North, and by a few isolated
PEOPLE in the South. Mr.. Cathey is
young man of talents and he handles his
material well. In fact he 1nanifests con-
siderable ability as a writer, as painter
OF Cndl HIS Sk2ICu OIL Abraham
Lincoln is exceedingly we'll wrought, but
much exaggerated as l believe. His en-
PERTAINING book, and the small volume
written and published in Richmond. Va.
on the True Lincoln should be read
together. The price of the latter is 60
cents. 1 am no particular admirer of
Lincoln, and am not anxious to have him
born in North Carolina, but Mr.. Cathey
makes a strong case of his being native
to here" but never ''the manner born"
am glad to know he was not born in
the North, at least. It is very singular
that Presidents on the antagonizing
sides in the great war, were both South
ern born, and possibly of the same State
Kentucky. The South also gave the North
their greatest naval commander, Admiral
Fa1ragut, born in Tennessee, and its real
ly greatest soldier, General Thomas, who
deserted his native Virginia and the
South. / would not give fig for the
Whcio tribe. There was not really
great soldier in the North Of native
birth, not one OF course, up there they
make all of the tribe great" but when
the truth of history is established, and
some truly great writer turns on the digit
he iaurplc of