Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1912-11-05
THE DRAMA OF THE APOCALYPSE
A New Book Written bY Rev. Thomas
c. Bird.


c. Bird.
A new book, Just published by the
Roxburgh Publishing Company,
Boston, is "The Drama IF the Apo
calypso. an introduction to the Book
of Revelation. by the Rev. Thomas
C. Bird, minister of College Avenue
Baptist Chdrch.
This book fills a long-felt need
No portion of the Bible has been
more perplexing than the Revelation.
But this author has translated the
abstru sc into the comprehensive.
We admire the boldness with which
he handles the mysterious figures
and symbols, and confers the plausi-
bilitv of his explanations. He implic-
ity accepts the traditional view of the
Johannine authorship and unity of the
Revelation; he acknowledges his in
debtedness to many who have wrought
in the same field, and there is much
here held in common by all who have
written on this subject. But in pa SIS
ing through the mold of his brain it
has assumed such shape that we
question whether chey would recog-
nize their contributions.
This by no means implies a lack
of genuine originality in this work,
for it is by far the most predomi-
nant feature. The author has bold
ly hewed out a new path, shows
the object of the Revelation and
the harmony of all its parts. II
- ,,o& N Nor,r,,a.tarv n. Sbss tar.p =
generally, understood. The book is
remarkably free from all technical
and theological terms. His thesis is
that the inspired writer boldly glap-
pies with the problem of evil; ric-
lures its conflict with righteousness
from the beginning of time to the
final issue, and shows the relation of
religious conditions in his own day to
the age-long struggle between good
and evil which ends in the triumph
of good.
After reading this book land it is
eminently readable) one has clear
conception of the message of the
Revelation. The author has a won
derful grasp of his subject and writes
as if he occupied some lofty altitude
and viewed the whole prospect of the
Revelation at his feet. He does not
hurry over the hard places, but
bravely meets each question in turn
and shows its relation to the whole.
In the progress of this study the read
er is never allowed to lose sight of
the ground he has already traversed,
and when he closes the book will in
wardly thank the author for such a
clear presentation of the teaching of
the Revelation.
This is different from everything
else that has ever been written on
this Book of Scripture We wonder
why no one ever saw it this way be-
fore. Even that which is commonly
held by all interpreters takes on a
new significance in this authors
scheme. The perplexing symbols and
figures are so satisfactorily explain
ed that we wonder why it was ever
suggested that their primary purpose
was to obscure rather than reveal
the truth, so as not to give the politi-
cal authorities an occasion for furth-
er persecution thus assuming that the
inspired writer's contemporaries
were conversant with their meaning
and that the very nature of things
we have lost the Key to their inter
probation.
Mr.. Bird shows that the thought
in the mind oflthe Inspired writer was
exactly the opposite, the objects
serving the purpose of pictures as
compared with mere words. One
strongly commehdatory feature of
this work is that it does not leave
the gre eater part of the Revelation
yet to be fulfilled. We have no
hesitancy in saying that it is the
most satisfactory explanation of
this Book fof Scripture that has
ever come under our notice, and we
predict foryit sympathetic recep-
tion at the hands of all who are
desirous ofEknowing what the Rev
elation really teaches. 1t is the
latest word on this confessedly OBJ
scure Book, and unless we are greatly
mistaken, all future efforts to ex-
plain the Revelation must necessarily
run along the lines laid down in this
pioneer work.
1t is a work thatsswill live and will
be extensively read and referred to,
qpoted and highly priced by laYman,
scholar and all who may be interested
in this line lof thought and study.
ItIis bound fin English silk-finished
cloth, and printed on high grade pa
per. It-sells for So and may be or
dered at any book store.