Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-07
BOOKS RECEIVED.
AN EFFICIENT CHURCH. By Ca

AN EFFICIENT CHURCH. BY Carl Gregg
Doney, LID, author of The Throne
Room of the Soul" With an Introduce
ton by Earl Cranston, LID, Bishop
in the Methodist Episcopal Church.
New York: Fleming II. Revell Com
pany.
DR. Doney has given evidence OF a mind
at once practical and idealistic in this
series of studies on the mordern church
and Its pastors Recognizing that changes
in the manner of thinking of the modern
world have made It natural that the church
today should occupy a different position
from the one 1t did century ago, he en-
deavors to discover what characteristics
Of both pastor and congregation would
make the church an effective working or
ganism. He has divided the series OF es-
says in which he discusses various phases
of the subject into five parts: Book one,
Religion and Life; book two, THE Com
gregation" book three. THE Minister;
book four, 1.-The Message; book five, THE
Method" Throughout, the volume is char
acterized by sincerity and earnestness; the
diction is at once clear, graphic and dig
nified.
2s35 MAYFAIR. A Novel. BY Frank
Richardson New York: Mitchell Ken
herley.
This latest tale Of Frank Richardson's
has the authors usual characteristics Of
ingenious plot. extravaganza OF situation
and fippant and cynical cleverness. 1t Is
detective story with the further compli-
cation of hypnotism carried to It's ulti-
mate conclusion Of absurdity. The rough
skill of narration and the succession OF
topsy-turvey Incidents will arouse and
hold interest, but the better class OF read
ers will be revolted by the more than
questionable taste of some of the episodes.
m until ha
Of Sir Clifford Oakleigh, a successful Lon
don physician. 1t continues with his reap
pearance and an attempt to explain the
circumstances Of his strange disappearance.
The manner in which he plays hide-and-
seek with the beautiful Miriam Give, who
fascinates his best friend, George Harding.
mystifies and tantalizes both the reader
and the enamored lover. The final revela-
ton Is an amazing one. There can he no
doubt that Mr.. Richardson possesses GER
tain degree of fictional skill. 1t is also
true that the general atmosphere of the
book Is Objectionable.
WHAT IS MANI Anonymous. New York:
Printed at the De Winnie Press
A picturesque and unusual portrayal OF
the determinst side of the world-old dis
pute between determinism and freewill is
contained in this attractivey bound vol
ume. The author-who wishes to remain
unknown-has adopted the Socratian dia-
logue as his vehicle. In the form OF
series of conversations between a young
man and an old man he develops his propo-
sitions: That man is machine controlled
by outside influence; that mans sole i'm
pulse is to secure his own self-approval:
that by training 1t is possible to modify
what is demanded by self-approval so that
good things, instead of bad, may be sought:
that circumstances have no effect in secur-
ing happiness or misery. II Is all matter
n m that there "a iDfpl-
lectual frontier separating man from ami
NAL; that God devised the machine and
keeps II going. The thesis has been fully
worked out, and is presented In so fresh
and convincing a manner that the reader
is tempted to believe il a startlngly m ID
ern thought. The instances recorded in
support of the arguments are, in some
cases, somewhat too obviously capable OF
only one answer. AS a whole, however,
What Is Man?' Is an interesting piece Of
work.