The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-25

quotes from the Apostle Paul: Prove all things; hold fast that which Is good. Mr. Hartman is of the opinion expressed that in spite of the wonderful advance ment in knowledge humanity comes as far short of understanding the secret of happiness, eontentment and equality as ever 1t has in the past. That 1t is plain ly evident that neither the rellgionists nor the schoomen are able to give to us that bread. which satisfies the hunger of the human soul.
 That this condition is calculated to GTtYe
 the individual to one of two conclusions; either that the future is uncertain and any attempt to forecast events or ascertain ones own destiny can be only guesswork; that all there Is to do is to drift with the tide and all things will come out right in the end; that the human race has within Itself the elements of strength and good ness which will enable 1t eventually to solve correctly it's problems; or that des
 tiny is the result of individual decision; that the knowledge of truth and the se- cret of understanding God is matter of individual responsibility; and that the in- dividual Is absolutely independent of every other human in his search for God and must find and know Him for himself or fail of attaining to a desirable destiny
 MT Hartman Is further of the opinion expressed that the Bible abounds in rich assurances that we may know what is truth. And that the only condition laid down upon which such knowledge may be obtalned Is that of a sincere purpose, whole-hearted willingness to follow to whatever conclusions truth may lead.
 MT Hartman believes that Christianity is the result of following the course of searching for the truth, and that social ism Is just the opposite. In his book the author contrasts the two-socialsm and Christianity-not with view, as he puts Oa av,far aI,rtv, fgfi ment or of throwing so much as a straw in its progress, but only with the pur- pose of letting in the light upon this great issue, that individuals may the more clearly discern the principles involved, and thus be prepared to make an intelligent decision.
 Socialism vs. Christianity" will interest students of such questions.
 "A Drama In Sunshine" By Horace
 Annesley Vachell (R F. Fenno & Co) We learn. or should learn, If we are up to-snuff. much of the great state of Cali fornia by a reading of this book There are many things told therein that couldn't, wouldn't or shouldn't happen in California, while there are just as many incidents in the book that do ring true to one who knows something of California. California, which state the residents tell you, has 300 miles of coast line, to which you always feel like replying, if you happen to be tied out ther indefinitely: "Oh, well, but you can't put that 900- mile coast line in the bank and get money on 1t with which to buy a railroad ticket back to Gods country"
 But that's neither here nor there, re- garding "A Drama In Sunshine." or the fogs around Los Angeles (so you have to take an umbrella, always an overpoat after p. m., in the summer (mind you) afternoons, after 1t has been during the middle of the day some 999 degrees more or less in the shade) or Frisco, where nothing but macintosh can thrive dur ing 10 months of the 12 in the year. Noth- ing at all
 The facts are that in this book there were boom" times such as the south had in 1SS4-S6, with property in California, values soaring and money being coined therefrom, and listen to this:.
 A deceitful man who was an humble, poor one before the boom struck him
 to make him rich loved and wooed d.
 pretty, little. charming, innocent girl. And again, as this now prosperous | "boomer'' rises in the world, he becomes | thoughtless of the encouragement need
 ed by the little woman and, oh, isn't it
 awful, Mabel, he turns to a woman of
 wealth for fiattery and praise. Are there
 any such men as that in this world?
 Gadzooks. Say not so!
 i Upon the scenes appears an Italian
 prince, who, seeing the neglect of the lit 1 tie faithful woman, seeks to help the 1 slighted wife overcome her sorrow and | thereby, as is usual in all such cases, puts | his foot into 1t. The above Is an outline | of the plot of "A Drama In Sunshine, '
 which volume isn't bad-on the contrary.