Evening star., 1926-10-10
IDA GILBERT MYERS.

IDA UAA0EHx LhCs
AN OUTLINE OF CHRISTIANITY:
THE STORY OF OUR CIVIL1ZA-
TIOE. In Ave volumes. New York:
Bethlehem Publishers. Inc. Dodd.
Mead & Co., Distributors.
W G. WELLS, by way Of THE
Outline OF History" ere
ated the fashion Of outline
. writing. So soundly based
is this method OF present
ing any comprehensive theme that It's
worth was Immediately recognized ana
the vogue Of outline writing set IN.
More than either fashion or vogue
will this plan prove to be. since ~
takes hold Of the very foundatlons Q.
ACQUIRING knowledge. Time Was--not
SO long ago. either---when subject.
40 matter how important. was driboieo
out to students in thin blind trickies
of fact, whose content was only half
surmised. whose destination was
wholly unknown. Then. in relation 10
popular writing, Mr.. Wells decided to
Law the whole theme OF history down
on the table. Just it's skeleton. nut
that was enough, since that was the
supporting part of the whole. Every.
body could seize upon that and get
value out Of 1t. AS for its muitltu'
QlOOuS OCIdIiS anu Il6bOA
those were for the specialist, not TOT
the commoner in learning.
One Of the most vital OF these out
lines" ia the one in hand--a spien.
didly organized study Of the greatest
force In our civilization--that OF CHRIS
tianity. The business attitude as
sumed before this enterprise is both
interesting and promising. 1t was or
ganized as any proper business must
be. It's scope and purpose were de.
fined. A board of directors was formed
TOR the carrying out Of the matter.
A board Of editors was created to IN.
sure the quality OF the output ana 20
select various authorities who, should
present one after another Of the parts
Of the subject. Then the work began.
Now It is completed. Five volumes
devoted to the story Of our civiliZa.
ton by way Of Christianity. its most
vital force. The objective set up TO
which all Of this work must point was
a three part objective-what has
Christianity already achieved. what
is it's use today. what can 1t do for US
tomorrow? With these three points
as guide, there was mustered research.
authority. marked ability in discus
sion and analysis. and. besides the arr
Of presenting the matter in clear
and readable form. These volumes
cover "The Birth Of Christianity"
"The Builders Of the Church" THE
Rise Of the Modern Churches"
"Christianity and Modern Thought
and "Christianity OF Today and To
morrow The whole constitutes a
projection Of every vital point in this
grand progression. with such authori.
tntive consideration Of each as the aim
Of the whole requires. very inclu-
sive series, this. since il covers not
only the question OF Christianity but
that OF the whole Christian civiliza'
ton as we'll 1t is not extravagant to
assume that Of all Outlines" this one
stands at the head OF the list by vir-
tue Of its theme and by virtue as
we'll Of the high quality Of it's con-
tributing authors. A library in itself
and most desirable series from every
point Of view.
WHEN JAMES GORDON BENNETT
WAS CALIPH OF BAGDAD. BY
Albert Stevens Crockett. New
York: Funk & Wagnalls Co.
IF anybody could be Caliph of Bag
dad nowadays it would be the
head OF a great modern newspaper.
Here alone lies the magic OF Harun--
the magic that does away with time
and distance, That spreads the world
in A daily panorama for all to see.
Here alone is the adventure. the ro-
nance. the change and the achieve
ments claimed for Al-Raschid Of Bag.
dad. At any rate such is the role in
which Mr.. Crockett chooses to cast one
of the clear potentates Of the Fourth
Estate There Is already something
of the legendary around the name of
James Gordon Bennett. 1t is much
too soon for legend to lay claim to
this efficient and powerful and effec-
tive force in the newspaper world His
place is beside the present, lending
outlook and vision and method still to
the current day. SO it is good that
Mr.. Crockett. out Of a long and close
association with Bennett. projects this
acutely alive "Reminiscences of, the
singular character of his leader and
chief. An intimate and spirited
story--not biography. 1t is too va
ried. too swift in its changes. too
mixed with sketch and narrative and
incident and snapshot to pass for
biogra ply. It does better than that.
1t passes. instead. for the man him.
self, reappearing at this point or that
one where his dramatic personality
scored a triumph. or paid for a de
feat, or projected a new measure over.
topping the old one. Ruthless? Doubt.