Evening star., 1925-08-23
IDA GILBERT MYERS.
THE SOULS SINCERE DESIRE.
BY Glenn Clark. Boston: The
Ia,

1t comes as no surprise that this
little book has since it's first issuance
10 years ago renewed itself again and
again from its own roots, like some
perennial growth. And no surprise
either that at no point in these 10
years has the book received a warmer
welcome or a larger entertainment
than in this. its latest appearance. 1t
covers a great theme. 1t embodies a
deep personal adventure, at whose
heart lies a vital discovery. An ad-
venture, this, besides, that never be-
fore has commanded so much of gen
eral interest and concern. Prayer is
the theme Of The Souls Sincere De-
sire" Now prayer has been one of
mans chief preoccupations since he
became man, born into a realization
of himself as part of something inf
nitely greater than himself. And to
this greater Something all stages OF
civilization. all diversities of belief,
have paid homage. either in fear and
propitiation, or in love and service. In
the course of time prayers partook of
the growing Journalism that finally set
ties upon all accepted things. And
the spirit Of prayer became quenched
under the press of its forms. 1t is at
this point that Glenn Clark set out
upon this adventure of the spirit A
practical man, he made use of that
which was at hand. reasoning that
il mans body needed exercise his soul
no less would profit thereby. And so
he began with his Is minutes a day of
soul training TO complement an equal
period devoted to the body. There
must be the daily stretching Of the
mind to take in the goodness and the
power of God. There must be the
deep breathing Of the spirit to take in
the good, to expel the bad; there must
he the persistent soul training in these
exercises of spiritual health till out
reachings toward the truth become
automatic and unbroken, even as the
lungs take in subconsciously great
draughts of cleansing air. Fifteen
minutes day like this for a month.
two months, and you will find your
self in a new world. You will find
yourself in a friendly universe. where
religion will no longer be a thing to
be believed or disbelieved, but where
religion will be part of life as blood
is a part of the body. You will find
yourself in a new world, where God
governs every minute of every day of
every year" Following along in the
systematic and persistent course of
the physical trainer. Mr.. Clark de-
Velops a course in spiritual training.
This he bases on the truths of reli-
giQp, on mans spiritual mature, on the
relation of religion to life. on the re-
lation of mans spiritual nature to his
mental capabilities and to his moral
obligations. A man of Learning. this
college professor who draws from
wide sources for illustrations to point
and beautify both the purpose and the
accomplishment of this new outlook,
upon prayer. To ebjectify his belief
the author discusses "the lost art of
Jesus" an art recoverable if only we
see, as Jesus saw. the reality shining
through the daily facts with which He
came in contact. And here Mr.. Clark
gives a new outlook upon the parable
which Jesus used so constantly in His
preaching, setting II forth as the very
essence of the power of Christ. as the
secret of His miraculous gifts.
All that one can do within these
limits is to say that here is new
book. new in a power and a simplicity
hat makes it al home in everybody's
hand. an instrument for everybody's
handling for such spiritual uses as
promise in good faith a new world to
i've in, a new day at every sunrise. \
little book for the taking up at odd
moments for refreshment and the re
determinations that come to all of US.
PAID IN FULL. BY Ian Hay. author
of THE First Hundred Thou
sand etc. Boston: Houghton-
Mifflin Company.
Here is an author who never in
the world would create a villain just
for the sake of showing what a really
complete rascal he could turn out.
He wouldn't work that way. He
couldn't. He'd be saying 10 himself
that everybody is much of mixture
of good and had-just a little more
OF the one TO make a saint, just
yNsr ,1h 81 H. L.
scamp. And all the time the proper
tions are shifting so that often and
often pretty good sort of man
emerges from most unpromising
blends of human nature and circum-
stances. To be sure the odds here
are terribly against Capt. Dale Con-
way, who at once captures you so
completely that you resent the first
faint suggestion that this engaging
fellow may be bit shy on the manli-
ness which no real man can get along
without. And as the evidence grows
YOUR unhappiness grows along with it,
And this, no doubt-this power to en-
list you heart and soul in the matters
AT hands the real gift of Ian Hay.
Not many writer's have it. He has.
He has, besides. a friendliness and a
pity for folks. So. having seen Capt.
Dale Conway bent by birth and in
for natural human means of making
him go right. 1t has been done many
times, why not do it in a story as
we'll? So, by way OF beautiful fam
lily over in England. left negligently
as one would discard out-Worn lug
gage. Ian Hay takes hold of the few
sound spots in ConWay's mind and
heart. Gradually. and by way OF many
interesting incidents, by way of much
a yG Ia nd n IA
tic in the plausible surroundings sup
piled to Capt. Dale, the business of
making man progresses. A truly
beautiful story-so understanding. so
kindly minded so finished and con-
vincing in it's fine subtlety of feeling
and form, so dauntlessly confident of
the good in mana rare blend of in
sight and expression. A story to re
member and to read again.
THE RECTOR OF WICK. BY May
Sinclair. author of "A Cure OF
Souls" etc. New York: The Mac
MILAN Company.
A compensatory act, maybe, this
story. for that other one. THE Cure
of Souls" An apology to the cloth.
so to speak, for presenting that other
cleric in so meager a garb of spiritual
ity. Be this as il may, John Crawford.
the rector of Wyck, is all heart and
soul engaged in the happiness and
we'll being of his people every hour of
the day. An interesting young man
absorbed in a thousand plans, not all
of which live up to the American
schedule OF priestly propriety. How
ever, these are but local differences,
not to be counted, except as they
make a much more live and interest
ing story than could be produced with
out them. While this is a romance
the courtship and marriage and do
r,aoctic lifa Of InIIn Or, II-fnr.d nd the