The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-14
1.-THE DEVILS GARDEN .

By W. B. Maxwell. The Bobbs- Merrill
 Company, Publishers, Indianapolis
 The wide variance of opinion regard ing "The Devils Garden" the new nov el by William Babington Maxwell, has aroused more intense interest in this story than perhaps any other book pub lished since January 1, 1914. Ministers have taken the story as the subject of sermons. Prominent educators have expressed themselves publicly regard ing it. The novel has aroused one of the greatest epistolary discussions among literary folk the country over that has been witnessed in many days
 Interesting it is to note that the an- tagonism to or support of the novel Is not confined to any particular quarter of the country. Out of the same com munities spring the most vitriolic con- demnation alongside of the most glow ing tributes Men in the same great educational institutions differ widely in their views concerning the story. Clergymen in the same church take ab- solutely antithetical attitudes. Men Tn the same profession who are agreed on practically all of the other propositions of the day question each others view point regarding MT. MaXwell's novel.
 In the east. President John Grier Hibben of Princeton university has been perhaps the most active antago- mist of "rhe Devils Garden" In let ter he stated that he felt if his duty to the publishers and the public to give his estimate of the book. He called it How and degrading," and said that, in his opinion, it was calculated to do an immense amount of harm" With Dr. Hibben stand such men as Bliss Perry, prominent on the faculty of Harvard University. who described the book as "salacious, cheap, crude and coarse; Bishop C. M Rhinelander of Philadel- phia, who condemned it as deficient in lierary style and ability as in moral 1sy." q destroyed the book" he stated.
 On the other hand, however, such men as Prof. William Lyon Phelps of the department of English at Yale, characterized "The Devils Garden" as able, original and powerful. Rt, Rev. Cortlandt Whitehead, bishop of Pitts burg, pronounced the story a master piece in literary accomplishment, and a power as a moral document. Like wise President Charles Alexander Richmond Union college, Schenectady, N. r.. declared the book was "stimu- lating, inevitable and convincing, noting its evident strength and sin cerity.
 Bishop William A. Quale of St. Paul, Minn., took a peculiar position in com menting on the story. '"Fhe conscience passage at the closing of the volume Is singularly strong" he said, but some of the cratic passage seem to be en- tirely without justification" The Rev. Carey s. Morgan, one of the most prom inent Christian ministers in Tennessee, on the other hand stated there Is something immense and infinite in the book that searches mans soul and that confirms tremendously the teach ing of the Holy Book thaN the way of the transgressor is hard, and also it's doctrine concerning vicarious suffering. am sure it is great book, and in the sum total of it's influence, I believe II is a good book"
 Winston Churchill declared 9Th, Devils Garden" not only a good story but still more--a noble and admirable lesson, as did also the Rev. Charles Wood of the Church of the Covenant Washington, D. C.. and a man of ma tional reputation. who said, Tt is a strong book. It is far from being tainted fiction.'"
 Whether "The Devils Garden" will live, time alone will tell At present, according to The Bookman, it ranks as the third among the leading best sell CTS and the most widely circulated nov el of the year.
 The fact that people of such promi- nence have been so frank and out spoken regarding it is evidence that they regard 1t as important and out of the usual run of fiction. That the opinions concerning if should be so varied would indicate that 1t really contains some food for earnest thought For an author who was previously SC