The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-07-16
NEW BOOKS.

One or the most interesting books pub
| lished recently is the volume by DIR
Charles Gilbert Davis. a well-known Chi
cago physician. on The Philosophy OF
Lie, in which the author defines his
views OF the duality of mind and the in
iIuence or thought upon ones individual
ity. Although a practitioner of high
standing and believer in his profession
the doctor argues most convincingly the
cause OF those who believe thought has
everything to do with health, mental and
moral
Taking as the basis of mis- theory the
duality of mind, the immortal and the
mortal ego, he asserts almost without
reservation that thought affects for good
or evil all the physical functions. In a
simple and logical analysis, the effect of
thought In every phase of the individual S
life is set forth with illustrations that
other purpose, its splendid optimism, the
hope 1t offers of regeneration and ad-
Vancement by the constant practice OF
auto-suggestion along high planes would
make it worth while. Moreover, its style
is lucid, its treatment of the subject COM
prehensive without a suggestion of prosi-
ness and bears a message OF good cheer,
of sane self-help, of spiritual uplight that
juStifies a wide circulation.
In some of the doctors conclusions there
is room for difference of opinion to the
point of controversy. If he were not a
physician of long practice one might
doubt, for instance, his declaration that
tine mind can both create and cure dis
ease. In recent years there have been
SO many demonstrations of the influence
of the mind on disease that it is accepted
as a fact that the mental attitude has
great power over disease; but to say the
mind can create pathological condition
outright or that il can absolutely AFFECT
cure where disease is real and not i'm
aginary, requires a good deal of faith TO
insure unqualified acceptance of the die
tum.
The philosophy of the book may be
gathered from one or two quotations. we
know" it says, that the immortal mind
is the real ego, that ii presides over the
health and vitality of the body and sur
wives after the dealth of the physical. We
know also that it is Influenced by sug-
gestiOns received from the mortal mind
and by this means may be either dwarfed
In its development, producing what we
call sickness, despair, misfortune and I'M
happiness, or, on the other hand, il may
be stimulated along the line of material
happiness and the full expression of ter
restriaI well-being. These are the two
roads that are open TO any inhabitant of
the earth Again he says-and this is
the summary of his lesson: Think, think
always uplifting, healthful, hopeful
thought and other things shall be added
unto you"
All together the book is a message of
encouragement help to right living, and
its perusal is profitable and enjoyable.
C'The Philosophy of Life by Charles
Gilbert Davis, NJ. d. The GranerTaylor
Press, Chicago. $l25)
Curiously enough, a Utah woman has
just published a book founded on much
the same idea as The Philosophy of
Life" though its writer has no knowledge
of DR.. Davis work and makes no pre-
tense of his technical knowledge. One of
her chapter headings is Desire and You
Shall VIM and, generally speaking, that
is her text The writer, Olive Durfee, has
had a test of her own theory. She has
had difficulties sore trials, obstacles to
overcome and at times an environment
that would discourage a weaker personal
ity. Yet ner attitude toward life is hope
full. her belief in mental power as an ac-
cessOry of any endeavOr is unlimited. and
her pages offer a tonic TO the diSheart-
ened such as ought to prove a power for
good. Her style has the charm of sim
plicity, a sort of heart-to-heart air that
makes it attractive and her subjects are
of the direct, practical sort to be under
stood by the plain everyday man or
woman. Through the warp of the prac-
teal text is thread of religious thought
funess, an evidence of faith in divine
guidance of the Old-fashioned. sincere
kinda sort of everyday spirituality
without any mawkishness or sermonZing;
and yet in a way the whole book is a SER
mon carrying with it the best of lessons
faith in God. faith in ones self and
faith in the good that rules the world
'Self-Culture," by Olive Durfee. Hoi-
lister Brothers press, Chicago)