The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-24

IN ''i'o S E1 ., Oh " IlAl NoOlAD
 JESUS DO?')
 By Charles M. Sheldon George H.
 Doran Co, Publishers. New York.
 The story, "In His Steps" was written in 1896 and read one chapter at time 10 my Sunday evening congregation. It was first published in the Advance Chicago, in the fall of that year, and afterward published in book form in 1S97.
 The story, Jesus Is Here," is sup posed to begin IT years after the close |of '1n His Steps" It continues the main characters of Tn His Steps" with the addition of few others. It was first published as a serial in the Christian Herald, beginning 1913.
 It has not been my purpose to, de- scribe what is called the "second com ing of Christ, but to picture another appearance of Jesus. and describe his action in a moder nworld. The world today is far different from the world into which the historical Jesus, was born. It is so different that entirely new problems relating to human con duct face the modern Christian. It has seemed to me that it was a fair and reverent question to ask what would be the attitude of Jesus he faced the complex conditions of modern cety. 1t has also seemed to be fair thing to try to bring back to our
 minds the great fact that Jesus was very real everyday person. The lapse of time since he was here has removed him in thought with very many peo- ple from the everyday life. and very many people have forgotto or at least do not remember that when he was on earth he worked and ate and slept and grew tired just like any human be-
 ing.
 He moved about among people just like any average man. He was not recluse or a solitary. but he loved the multitude, and above all he was perfectly sympathe- tic with all sorts and conditions of men.
 No one ever lived who was more socially democratic than Jesus. and it is reverent to say that no one enjoyed his life more than he did. I have received hundreds of letters from people, some of whom severely condemned this story on the grounds that it is not reverent to bring Jesus into com- mon human relations that it takes away I from his character the Redeemer of the world. Many of these letters declare the story to be blasphemous and have threat ened the author if he ever dare publish
 the story in book form On the other l hand the author wishes to express his 1 depreciation of the hundreds of letters re- 1 ceived from other people who have writ i ten to him to express their thankfulness
 for the help which the story has given
 them in their Christian life. It is impos- l sibe for him to reply to all these letters 1 individually, if any of the writers hap
 pen to this will they kindly take 1t as a repoly on the authors part, thanking
 them for their kindness, and expressing in
 part his appreciation of their understand ing of hispurpose in writing this story :?
 The world needs to know Jesus a s a real
 person. one who walks the earth and is a
 daily lover of men; that Is the main pur- l pose of the story. Jesus is Here:' to bring 1 back to the thought of the modern world l the living personality of the living Christi 1 THE PHILIPPINES. PAST AND PRES
 ENT."
 l Gn two volumes and l2s plates1 By Dean c. Worcester. secretary of the interior | of the Philippine commission, 1901 1913 1 member Of the Philippine commission, | 1900-l913 The Macmillan company pub | fishers. New York.
 "The Philippines. Past and Present" Gin two volumes and 12S plates) by Dean C. Worcester is described by the discerning as the only really valuable up-to-date and authoritative work on the Philippine Islands. It is work that everyone inter- ested in insular possessions and in
 the future of our alton should read
 especially as the new administration just 1 appointed has once more brought up | sharply the whole question of our policy
 with regard to the Philippines.
 l There is greater authority on these l insular possessions than Mr. Worcester 1 who, as early as 1887. and again in 1890, was a prominent member of scientific ex- petitions to the islands; from 1899 to 1901 was member of the United States Philip pine commission: since 1901 has been sec- rotary of ~the interior of the insuar gov l ernment. and who in 1899 published The | Philippine Islands and Their People," record of personal observation and ex- l perience, with short summary of the
 more important facts in the historyq of
 the archipelago, which has ever since
 been the acknowledged standard work of 1 information concerning the Islands. l In MT. Worcesters valuable new work i past and present conditions are minutey
 reviewed with strict regard for the ac- l curacy of statement. The authors posi- | tion giving him free access to all the
 gove rnment records. much of the informa l tion thus made available has never before l been put before the public Very fine and 1 rare photographs emphasize the text. l In these volumes he presents the results | of his wide experiences and mature judg- | meflt. He shows among other things that 1 independence was never promised the Fill I pinos: that they did not cooperate with | the American troops but on the con trary planned from the outset. first to l use them in getting rid of Spain and | | theiI independence. He draws a vivid | picture of conditions under the so-caled Philippine republic and of the reign of l terror then inangurated. He describes the conduct of the war with the Unified l States; the work of the two Philippine commissions; the establishment of law i and order under the American rule; tn, reform of the judiciary;sthe great change. produced in health conditions by the ap plication of the modern education: shaver, and peonage; the work of the Philippine
 legislatures: the commercial possibilities of the islands: their present prosperity its causes. and many other phases O
 Americas greatest political experiment
 He concludes with a discussion of tn,
 question. "Is Philippine independence { present possibility?'
 The result is work of the greates importance as well as of the greatest in tcrest to all concerned as to the futur' possibilities of the Philippines and as ts the course the United States governmen should pursue fin the interest of the sev eral peoples of the islands.
 THE BEDTIME STORY BOOK: THE ADVENTURES OF PETER COTTOs TAIL. AND THE NrsNs s>TERES O. UNC BILLY sPOSSJM'
 By Thornton W. Burgess. With Illustra ltions by Harrison Cady. Little, Brow