The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-07

60. ClOtn. oVa pdSeS. ScNShse~h
- Illustrations.
At the mention of an autobiog-
raphy, faithfully portraytng the iise
of self-made man, the majority OF
readers shrug their shoulders and
relegate the new specimen of an al
ready too well represented class TO
the companionship of dust-covered
volumes, all laid aside TO be read at
a later date. Ii your curiosity over
comes your prejudice and you owe
but a little way into From the BOT
tenn Up, the autobiography of Alex
ander Irvine, events follow eacn otfer
In such rapid succession and with
such startling revelations that your
desire to see what this remarkable
man did next will carry you on TO
the end of the book.
Born into The most AFFECT poverty
and degradation conceivable. In a Mt
tie town OF Ireland, distaste for his
beast-like life and surroundings and
an overwhelming passion for an edu-
cation at an early age grasped his
mind. and with almost fnsuperabie
obstacles to overcome, he rose from
ditch digger and stable boy to a SOL
der in the Queens army, and then
to a sailor in the navy. during whieh
time he saw much of the world ana
its people.
Fired by a love for Christ when a
mere lad, Irvine began to turn his
efforts to helping others, and this
has remained his chief life motive
since.
Coming to America In 1888. he,
after some time, secured positions
driving a milk wagon. with a'"rub-
fishing house and. as a Summing mis-
| sfonary on the Bowery, meeting with
defeats, but wonderful successes in
this latter work, which he left to
accept a pastorate with the view OF
being able Ito touch the whole round
sphere of life"
In his zeal to help the masses he
Joined labor unions, and by his nn-
conventional methods often estranged
the wealthy members of his churches
In his several pasteFates. He lived
| the life of the people he served, often
hungry and in rags but always with
helping hand outstretched to the
poor unfortunates on the bottom. The
chairman of labor union before
which Irvine spoke introduced him
thus: 81 ain't what ye'd call Chris
tian." he said, but know the
genuine article when ! see 1t. III the
! Bible Is true. Jesus went to the poor.
and IL the rich wanted him they'd
ever notice the church ads in the
Sunday papers? They remind me OF
the columns where you look for q
| rent They all advertise their modern
| improvements. This minister Is doing
the Jesus business in the old way.
| That's why we like him and that's
why he's here"
| Irvine gradually adopted socialistic
beliefs until they mastered his entire
a fn "a
the ascendancy in his efforts. AS q
! result of his Socialism he suffered
complete ostracism and apparent de-
1 feat for a while, but his master would
/ not stay down, and after enduring
| dire hardships as miner In the
South and in other forms of labor. he
| became lay minister of the Church OF
the Ascension in New York city. where
! ne is now
Irvine says. Socialists are doing
| for America what the prophets did
for Israel thousands Of years ago;
we are pointing the way to simple and
right living to justice. brotherhood
| and religion. Socialism is not an
ultimate conception Of society. 1t only
| payes the way for a divine. In
| dividualism. When the fear Of hum
! ger is vanished men will have q
chance to be individuals.
\
tremendously preserved In. From the
4 Bottom Up" the authors meaning
often being obscure from scarcity
of essential details while at other
times he Is almost verbose. Aside
from this the book 10 well written and
leaves a deeper sympathy and love
| for the struggling toilers who inspired
| in Irvine the wish ito be OF service
| 10 my fellow men: for that is my
highest conception OF God" He de-
| fines his religion thus: The secret
of Jesus Is to find God In the soul
OF humanity The cause Of Jesus IL
the rightlng OF the world wrongs:
| the religion of Jesus was bending to-
gether of souls in the solidarity. of the
race"
1.-THE IMMORTAL SIX HUNDRED"
BY Major J. Ogden Murray. Pub
fahad nv fha Eddy Press Corporn,