The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-05
Red Blooded Writers
FICTION.

"The Muscles Of the Spirit" by John Laird.
"More chops-bloody Ones with gristle." might well
have been prefixed motto to this book From
the opening chapters. which describe the heros boy
hood in his fathers slaughter house, until the final
episode, narrating the part he played in the attack
upon Fort Douaumont, the book is orgy of blood
shed. Since lola wrote lie Debacle" have not
encountered a realism so unsparing. The descrip-
ton Of the heros two years service as common
hanginan would bring blush If not thrill to the
most blase debutante
Yet in spite of some excuses Mr.. Laird has writ
ten a powerful and convincing work. He has
handled big subjects in big way. He brings us
close to lifeto life raw passionate and papitatng
He is not for the over-sensitive lover Of mealy-
mouthed romance but strong. red blooded men who
admire vrility and prefer literature with teeth in it
will give beefy welcome to this latest work from
Mr. Laird's pen.
BELLIES LETTRES.
Little Essays in Courage and Contentment" by
radiance Hope The authoress of this seasonablc
little volume is already we'll known to a small bnt
u'scernins circle OF readers by her previous work.
Living With Glow" The present essays have all
the charm of those earlier virginia. meditations
There is an elusive quality, an ndefinable somc
Thing, about these simple and stimulating ESSAYS
when It Is easier to appreciate than to describe
ne range of subjects is wide: The Art of Happi.
ness me Beauty of Holiness, Living for Others The
snchantment of Work, Facing the Facts All Of
these Miss Hope touches with wisdom and unmiti-
gated optimism. The book is brimful of pointed
and memorable sayings few of them, carefully
selected at random, will give a taste of her oua,,tv
There are two sorts OF courace-physica1 and
moral True happiness lies within ourselves"
me deepest and most lasting satisfaction is that
which comes from service" THE genuine religion
IS dynamic, not static"
THE WAR
The Christian Doctrine of War" by the Bishop
Oh somerset. Il am not one of those" writes the
author in his introduction who believes that tho
pl'h'ti'e Christianity is the real Christianity
Christianity is a growth. a development ono might
almost say or it is nothing. In every age it has
triumphed through it's power of adapting itself to
lts environment, of modifying itself as it were in
accordance with circumstance. And lust as we
e''rh 10 see the meaning of the seed by looking at
he Hover SO we must learn to interpret the Gospels
IN the light of the present instead of trying to mako
inc present conform to the Gospels. / say this not
IN any spirit OF dogmatism. but simply to indicate
the method which. by Gods grace I have tried to
the best of my poor bowers to apply"
1t may be said at that the learned author has
proved his case up to the hilt On first thoughts
'here would seem to be things in the GOSPELS.
when IL would be hard to reconcile with modern
warfare, but the Bishop makes short work of suc,
ooJectons Thus, of the command to turn the
mberf hat in
all s"ch utterances we dealing with the Oriental
mind and due allowance must be made for tho
hsuratVe and hyperbolic language so dear to the
east And again Love your enemies of course
means love your enemies, but Chrstianity never
'es US that we are to love their sin; must de
TEST ana PUNISH that even to the extent of fighting
It, and If need be of exterminating the sinner Emf
| or course we must keep loving him lust the
| same" OF the saying, "They that take the sword
perish nv no h.
are ample grounds for regarding this as a later in
! terpolaton by some primitive pacifist.'"
The book ends with analysis Of the causes
| leading up to the and denunciati of German
| ambitions
Enough has been said to show the mastery wa,
III when the Bishop about to prove his thesis
that literal Christianity is an effete hypothcsis
| which refuses to function for our modern nro" II,
has written hought-provoling work which no one
interested in Christianity can afford to neplact
| POETRY.
! "Centaurs and Chimeras" by Arthur do I've
Here is another champion of vers Iibrc. We con
| TESS we have little to say. But then Mr. de Tvs
Is IN similar predicament. For example here i.
! a poem entitled "Incompatibty:"
Oil!
Vincgar
| Mix them!
| Can you?
| What fine economy of exprcssion-and !,
| thoughts here! Or, again. take this, The Troll
ley Car"
| You thought this going to be about a trolle,
| car, didn't you?
| Well
| So did
| Until began to try to write something
| And then
| Nothing would happen.
| SO changed my mind
| And you
| Are stung.
| Mr. dc Lys ought to go far. We earnestly hon
| he will
| BOOKS AND THEIR AUTHORS
| GODS Glad Girl" the third in tho scrios