The Detroit times., 1911-02-24
'TWICE-BORN MEN
IS MIGHTY BOOK
Has Powerful Influence in Promoting
Evangelistic Spirit-Rev. A. II.
Bsw Gives Interesting Review.

Among the potent influences which
have helped to bring about tho con-
structive era and the evangeiistic
spirit In Christendom Is book which
its American publishers call Twice
Born Men" II is an English book
written as a clinical experience in
Christian rescue work In London. IL
has won a very wide reading among
the clergy and the laity, and as one
has said, lis a book that came at
providential and psychological time.
The Rev. A. III. Barr. OF the Jener-
son-ave. Presbyterian church, 10 deep
ly interested In this type OF sociolog-
zeal work and his measure OF the DOCK
is very interesting.
1T is one of the most exhilarating
books | have read in years" says
Mr.. Barr. 1T makes the blood fairly
tingle. You begin to pick up hope
about even that poor old bum you
had decided was surely too far gone
for anyone or anything to help.
you see II isn't so much the facts,
as the way this man Bigbie handles
them. Col. Miles, provincial officer OF
the Salvation Army now stationed at
Detroit, said in a letter to me some
time ago that he believed he could
duplicate every one OF the London's
cases right here in Detroit. |
imagine he can. Take The 'Puncher'
for example, know him myself. He
has been In my home more than once,
where | have given him strong coffee,
and then hauled him OF down to the
Oriental to get him Strengthened up.
"One night he came to the house
drunk as lord. Because ! wouldn't
give him any money, he got mad,
drew back that big meat fist of his,
and growled out for cent I'd punch
you through that glass vestibule door,
| couldn't help smiling when thought
OF what would be left of the preacher
when the big ex-prize-fghter was
through with him. My friend, for he
was and Is my friend, saw the humor
of the situation, began to smile, and
SO cooled down. Well, he Is doing
splendid Christian work in western
city. but don't know anyone around
here who could write him up.
But Bigbie can write up these
things SO that you see what you never
thought of before. He Is trained in
scientific methods and has the hang
Of putting things In a convincing way.
His book has made a lot Of men Of
decidedly wabbly faith brace right up
and say: I'll hang on a while longer.
This thing Is true after all.
'Over in England the book goes un-
der. the title Of Broken Earthenware."
1t is in it's seventh edition. A re-
mark made by the bishop OF London,
one of the keenest men out OF Oxford
in many day.. is helping to sell 1t.
The fact is said the bishop, your
sceptical friend has got to answer
this book
"And that is the curious thing about
the book 2 II il not controversial. 1t
does not antagonize the sceptical
mind, but 1t presents its array Of un-
disputable human facts I'm such way
as to make an honest doubter want
to sit down and do some thinking be-
fore he talks.
Remember this, too: These facts
are all taken ut first hand right out
of raw, red, life itself. We do not have
dished up here the sort Of discussions
one hears occasionally in fragrant
haze of tobacco, In library chair,
after a good dinner. II IL the real
thing you are up against in this book.
Can you think of anything more use
less than broken crockery, broken
earthenware? Well, here is o. B. d.
Told Born Drunk, "Puncher" the
Copper Basher," Rags and Bones
and the rest OF them, this unutterably
wretched useless human debris,
smashed up and broken by brutality,
crime, lust. drunkenness and what
not, not simply patched up temporar-
lily, but absolutely recreated, mod
ern miracle in nine editions, standing
out year after year against all the
pressure and strain a hideous environ
ment can bring to bear.
"You ask whether have read The
Regenerate,' by Norman Duncan In
The Century. have, and 1t is great
piece of reporting, and It brings oht
the point l was Just making, that
when these Titans OF London under
world rise up erect, shaking them
selves free from their degenerfcies,
they are not content with ordinary
language. They talk about being
born again when they try tell
about the change that overca<ne them.
And so with this poor New York
down and out that Duncan describes.
The word reform Is totally made.
quate. I got up from my knees he
says, a new man. new creature.
had been horn again II Is not cant
phrase. There are no other words
so accurately to describe the change
which has occurred
II am beginning to think that the
word degenerate has been worked
overtime in our problem plays and
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