Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-07
Young California Poet Writes
Remarkable Book Which Has
Been Compared to Works of
Homer and Virgil and Is
Destined to Attract Wide
spread Attention

lGEgTG HE Rebellion of Help' by James
Wynkoop has been read with
IL interest. 1t is a book that can
not be glanced through-it must be
carefully read to get it's meaning and
be appreciated. 1t will bear study and
1t is worth studying. It is wonder
full epic poem. The authors diction
! is better than that of many OF the
earlier writer's and his thought is more
cleanly expressed. He travels along
familiar road as far as verse is con-
cerned; but he continually drops Jewels
| by the wayside.
| In earlier days if James Wynkoop
had lived and published 1.-THE Rebellion
| of Hell' he would have been punlShed
| by death. He would have been burned
or exterminated in some other horrible
way. In still another age he would
have been lauded and crowned with
laurel. The present age is not one
given to any great amount OF sentl-
ment; it is rather sordid and filled
with more or less bilious religious
sentiment variously labeled. Mr.. Wyn-
koop's book comes out. in the now"
time and amidst it's people and cond1-
tions He will probably not be burned
and neither will be be crowned with
laurel; but he will set wrangling hu-
manity thinking and undoubtedly in
time find numerous almighty dollars"
coming his way.
The poem is ringing, martial and
thrilling. 1t has action and life, things
usually lacking in these days of de-
generate poetical efforts. An eminent
Baptist divine once made the state
ment that religion is a constant war
fare from the center of humanity to
it's circumference" There is warfare
enough In 1.-The Rebellion of He'll to
satisfy the most blood thirsty religion
ist. The warfare, however, is apparent
ly a Just one; it is the battle of right,
justice, love, spirit against the awful
seeming realities of hades and its min
ions.
In the most startling manner the au-
thor personifies sins, evils, vices and
wickedness, and gives them names.
Mideon (too good for held is COM
mander- -in-chief of hell's forces. Ro-
dolphus, a priest and fearful syco-
phant, seems to be a sort of legal ad-
visor a Richelieu without the force,
wisdom and courage of the great
French cardinal. Festus is a gentle-
man, a politician, a general and a man
of courage. Boncella is woman
beautiful with bad and good comming-
gling-good in the end predominating.
ling-good in the leading characters Of
hell, although scores of others are used
in the story with names that would
author does not give his satanic majes-
ty place-he is left out; but his vices
and those of his followers are many
times named and vividly portrayed in
the awful carnage that follows be-
tween the forces of right and wrong.
In the realms of spirit he also per-
sonifies qualities conditions, virtues
and the like. Clement is the great
commander of the spiritual army.
Bluff, gigantic zuff is his chief of staff.
Cassia, the daughter of Clement, is
portrayed as beautiful in face and
form and pure in mind. Other strong
and forceful characters mark the spir-
it side. Willard plays his part on both
sides without the confidence of either.
He'll declares war against heaven.
The forces under the leadership of
Mideon gather on the desert plain be-
fore the ramparts of heaven. But
Mideon, ever fair and just, with flag of
truce. seeks the camp of Clement. Both
generals meet before the wall and par
ley Mideon and Clement are friends
and respect the valor of each other.
But the conference comes to naught.
When about to return to camp Mideon
says to Clement:
This council. then. sir chief. is at a close
You choose to hght-that also would I
choose:
A man would rather life than honor lose.
/ feel my conscience shall not now rebel;
My duty t'ward the brave is DONE Fare
|
well,
He said, and in the stirrup placed his foot;
Then pointing heavenward spoke. in Lam
guage mute:
"'TiIl You are safe, from carnals clutch
away,
To guard you. here twixt heaven and hell
stay"
Clement returns to heaven and
Mideon goes back to the vast armed
array of hells troops. The battle soon
begins The clash of axes, swords.
laVelins, the flying of arrows, the rush
of chariots, the shouts of men and the
awful din of battle can almost be seen
and heard, so vivid is the authors
picture.
I.egions advance, retreat and reas-
semble States are wiped out of ex-
istence in the conflict and through it
all Mideon is central figure. ON
heavens side Clement and his gem
erals with terrific vigor uphold the
white, unspotted banner of omnipotent
truth and wins the battle. But the end
is not. Error (helD continues to fight
with Right (heaven) and loses in every
engagement.
The story has it's plots and counter
plots. Prior to the second engagement
Cassia is abducted from heaven and
remains a prisoner during the war. In
one of the battles Mideon is slain, and
his body is conveyed in a chariot from
the field TO Errors stronghold. Cassia
sees his dead form and, to repay
debt of gratitude due the valorous
chieftain, resurrects him. He falls in
love with her.
Left without a leader, hells forces
rebel and fight each other to eXtermi-
nation. Error destroys itself. Amidst
exciting scenes, and with many acts
of daring, hIideon and Cassia leave
the stronghold of hell for heaven. They
are met on the way by Clement and
part of his army. The late chief of evil
is gladly welcomed within the do
main of Clement. He'll (error) con-
tinues it's rebellion until every state is
destroyed, including death.
| His book is a metaphysical lesson
vividly told. Assemble Clement, Mide-
on, Rodolphus. Festus, Zuff, Cassia,
Boncella and a few others of his char
acters and they represent types of
mortal humanity The battles, scenes
and pictures of his story represent the
different, differing and conflicting ideas
of good and evil that mark mortal and
immortal thought of the present age.
He has personified it all and produces
his pen pictures with startling reality.
! New York Broadway Publishing
company; by James Wynkoop, THE
| pahalIi0n Of He'll - Price 81 l.50.