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Xtterarv (Butbe

A RATIONALIST REVIEW.

[ESTABLISHED 1885.]

N o . 14 . ( N ew S e r ie s .)

AUGUST 1, 1897.

M o n t h l y ; T w o p e n c e .

mew publications.

IRationalism in fiction.

M r . Joseph M cC a d e , who seceded from the Roman Catholic Church last year, has written a history of Rationalism during the nineteenth century, and it will be published by Messrs. Watts and Co. under the title o f Modern Rationalism . The various sections of the work will deal with Rationalism in Theology; Biblical Criticism • Comparative Religion and Mythology; Rationalism and Philosophy ; Religion and Science ; Rationalism in Ethics : Constructive Rationalism.

MR. Andrew L ang has issued, through Messrs. Longmans his promised work on Modern Mythology.

M e s s r s . S o n n e n s c h e in w ill p u b lish in th e au tum n P r o f e s s o r S id gw ic k ’s b o o k on Practical Ethics.

T h e Rev. John S. Banks has published through Mr C. H. Kelly a volume dealing with The Tendencies o f Modern Theology.

F ichte’s Science o f E th ics will be issued shortly b Messrs. Kegan Paul as the new volume of their “ Philo^ sophical Library.” It has been translated by Mr. A E Kroeger, and edited by Professor the Hon. W. T. Harris

A new scientific series will make its appearance during the course o f the autumn. Mr. Beddard, F.R.S will b'' the editor, and Messrs. Bliss, Sands, & Co. the publishers'2 It will be entitled “ The Progressive Science Series ” p r fessor Cope will write on “ Vertebrate Paleontology ” Air Geikie on “ Earth Structure,” Mr. St. George Mivart on “ The Groundwork of Science,” and Mr. Bonney on “ Volcanoes.” Other volumes are in contemplation on heredity in relat.on to crime, in both its legal and scientific aspects j on the relation between science and religion • upon the animal ovum ; and possibly a volume on marriage and divorce. “

T h e biography o f the late Professor Huxley, on which his son is engaged, is proving a greater undertaking than was anticipated, and it is now doubtful whether the work will be ready until the autumn of next year.

D r . M e l l e n T y l e r is publishing, through Messrs Putnam, a book on religious belief, historic and ideal.

Messrs. A. & C. B l a c k have issued a new edition of S a r t o r Resartus, adapted to school use. The editor Mr J. A. S. Barrett, has supplied the most copious notes and an introduction of nearly fifty pages in length. Sartor R e s a r tu s , he thmks, “ is fitted to be a class-book o f the greatest usefulness to junior students, stimulating to their thought and the formation of their character ”

M e s s r s . G e o r g e B e l l & S on s have issued a volume entitled The Oxford Debate on the Textua l Criticism o f the N ew Testament, with a preface explanatory of the rival systems.

U nder the title of Guesses at Truth, Mr. P. E. Gertrude Girdlestone has compiled a volume of selections from the works of Augustus and Julius Hare.

T h e first series of Professor T id e ’s Edinburgh Gifford Lectures is announced for early publication by Messrs. Blackwood & Sons, under the title, The Science o f Religion i n its H isto rica l Development.

Pulpit Science: Is Immortality a Physical Fact ? By Dennis IIird.

(Clement Wilson.) 15s pp.; is. In Search of a Religion. By Dennis I I ird . (Clement Wilson.)

245 pp.; 3s. 6d. M r . D e n n i s H ir d , the late rector of Eastnor, who was compelled to renounce orders last year for writing A Christian w ith Two Wives, is evidently irrepressible. He reappears before the public with two emphatically anti-orthodox volumes, which we welcome as manifestoes of a notable convert from ecclesiasticism to Rationalism. Within the Church Mr. Hird was an outspoken heretic, who intrepidly contrasted the simplicity and poverty of Jesus with the pomp and opulence of stately ecclesiastics. Outside the Church Mr. Hird has a great opportunity. We predicted in these columns last year that Rationalists would await developments with curiosity, and watch his future career with interest; and the volumes before us justify that anticipation.

P u lp it Science and In Search o f a Religion each combines the human interest of fiction with the profounder aspects of purposeful dialogue and problems. P u lp it Science avowedly assails the science and reasoning of Prebendary J.W.Reynolds, as displayed in The World to Come: Immortality a Physical Fact, dedicated by permission to Dr. Temple while Bishop of London. A mere destructive criticism of this book might have been wearisome. But Mr. Hird introduces on to the intellectual stage a pretty girl of twenty-five, her pious mother, lively brother, and one Rev. John Winson, the curate— known as “ Parson Jack ”— who loves the girl, Eva, but may not declare himself while a mere curate. When the plot opens, Bertie— Eva’s brother— has just finished at Cambridge, and brought home for a few weeks a college friend, a merry youth with a real turn for science, who occasions Parson Jack much jealous misery. This guest injures his knee, and Mrs. Moreton, by way of diverting the invalid— who is guilty of “ awful Agnosticism”— induces Parson Jack to get him to read Prebendary Reynolds’s volume to convince him about the future life. Eva offered to read the book aloud to the interesting invalid. “ Parson Jack turned pale. This would never do. Perish all Christian evidence and all science rather than let Eva read aloud to Tom day after day.” So, day by day, there is a vivacious symposium, composed of Tom, Bertie, Parson Jack, and Eva as interested listener, until her mother promptly prohibits her further attendance. For Tom is merciless in criticism of this fatuous book, Bertie is hopelessly irreverent, and Parson Jack— who thinks a great deal more of Eva than immortality— is dismayed by the Prebendary’s preposterous “ reasoning.” We select an extract to show how “ things are going” :—

“ Mr. Winson, what is the matter? You give me no comfort. You will be as bad as Tom Tate soon. How has the reading gone this morning ?”

“ Not very well. You see, the Prebendary undertook to do the impossible when he tried to prove ‘ immortality a physical fact.’ It is not physical at all.”

“ What do you mean, Mr. Winson ? The body rises— is not that physical ? Our soul lives with God in heaven till it comes to take its body again, does it not ?”

“ I do not know. ” “ For shame ! To think that you are unable to show a youth like Tom the error of his ways. Eva is quite distressed about it all, and I intend to keep her away. It is wicked to talk about the future life as you would about stars or fossils. I think you will find the Prebendary right after all. He would not have been made a Prebendary if he were not right.” The one speaker was Eva’s mother. It will be perceived