First Church Rev. William W. Peck On December 8 the church observed the sixth anniversary of the present ministry. In a revy w of these six years the minister noted the addition of 108 names to the parish list. Fifty-three names have been withdrawn by death and removal. More than half of the increase represents persons never identified previously with a Unitarian church. Тио regular services are beid during six months of the year. The Sunday School numbers nearly one hundred pupils and teachers, faithfully mastering a graded course arranged by the Superintendent, F. de M. Dunn of the Boston Latin School faculty. A strong and active Alliance, a vigorous Men's Club, and a lively Boys' Club have been added to the efficient societies previously existing. Extensive repairs are under way, and, when completed, the Parish House will provide facilities for broadening the service the church renders the community. A strengthening sense of partnership in the national work of Free Religion has resulted in increased contributions to the American Unitarian Association. With the contioned harmony and devotion which has accomplished much in the past, the future promises a church ready to render greater ser vice to the cause of our faith. Ann Arbor, Mich. The rapid growth of Liberalism in this college town has been a notable feature of the last five years. This fall two events have taken place which would have ben inconceivable at quite recently. Од Thanksgiving Day Mr. Foote preached the sermon at the Union Thanksgiving service in the Congregational church. The Baptist, Christian, Congregational Methodist and Presbyterian ministers took part in the service. This is the first time that the Unitarian minis. ter has ever preached in any palpit in this city save his own. Though Mr. Foote last year read the scripture lesson at the Union service in which the Unitarian congregation was then for the first time invited to have a share. Dec, Mr Foote delivered the invocation at the Students' Y. M. C. A. banquet at which Prof. Enger, a trustee of the Unitarian church and son of a former Secretary of the Western Conference, gave one of the principle addresses. This remarkable indicat on of a change of attitude of the part of the Y. M. C. A. was followed by the appearance of Rabbi Franklin of Detroit on Dec. 8th as a speaker at one of its regular meetings, On The Unitarian church has been conducting a series of very successful Sunday evening services at which a number of university professors have dealt with varied topics. On Dec. 15th the 100th anniversary of Whittier's birth was observed with a sermon in the morning by Mr. Foote on "Whittier as a poet of Region" and an address in the evening by Judge Harriman on Whittier and the Man."' A Union Service On Thanksgiving Day, for the first time in the history of New England, Jews and Christians united in worship in a synagogue at the Temple Adath Israel in Boston. The temple was fairly well filled, there being a predominance of Jewish people. Rabbi Fleischer conducted the service, and Rev. Thomas Van Ness of the Second Church in Buston, Congregational Unitarian, the members of which gathered in the temple to worship with the Jews, preached the seruion Several potted palms upon the altar were the only decorations Despite the fact that there were both Hebrews and Christians in the temple, the usual Kadusche prayer was pronounced by Rabbi Fleischer. This is a prayer for the dead, and is always spoken in Hebrew. Other prayers were offered by both Rabbi Fleischer and Mr. Van Ness, at which both Hebrews and Unitarians stood with bowed heads and listened. Mr. Van Ness took for the text of his sermon, "National Reasons for Thanksgiving; or, the Triumph of Democracy" He closed with a short prayer, which ended the service. New Books THE TEMPLE OF VIRTUE. by Paul Revere Frothingham. Boston and New York. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. $1.25 net. We are glad that Mr. Frothingham has put into permanent form these six sermons of quiet inspiration and sturdy common-sense. They are timely in the best sense of the word: albeit with a somewhat old-fashioned restraint of seriousness. Mr Frothingham never plays with his theme, never illustrates with dramatic episodes, rarely approaches his themes from a poetic side, but insistently perseveres in a straight moving urgency for righteousness. His Temple of Virtue has four pillars: suggested by a test from the Wisdom of Solomon, while a sermon on the "Altar of Love" gives noble summation to the group. If there is more of Bostonian serenity than of Pauline fervor in the style of their utterance, there is surely the note of sincerity and moral earnestness behind them all. The virtues considered in turn are Self Control, Courage. Prudence. Magnaminity. The sermon on Self-Control is most characteristic; that on Courage in some regards the best. The sermon on Love, which ought to have been the best, fails a little. We doubt the homiletic excusability of that proclamation in French in the first chapter. A good sermon even when it is printed by a Boston publishing house must have some consideration for the moderns who did not "elect" French in their college courses-yet have souls to be saved! NEW THEOLOGY SERMONS. R H. Campbell. M. A. New York. The Macmillan Co. Net $1.50. This book does not help matters very much. In his widely read volume "The New Theology" Dr Campbell was eager and insistent in the zest of his revolutionary faith. Old Orthodoxy was done with: nearly every word that had played a part in the formulation of ancient symbols was stripped of its old meaning and either smelted over into radically new form or else relegated ruthlessly to the scrap heap. The new theology set up to take place of the old was rationalistic, evolutionary and progressive, with careful safe-guards however lest its progressiveness slip carelessly into tabooed Unitarian ways. On the whole the forth-setting was candid, lucid, and definite if not exactly compelling. This later book is not an extended exposition or defense of "The New Theology", but a group of sermons preached in the spirit of that theology and striving to interpret their "gospel" sound. The attempt is only partially successful. There is not the glow, nor the deep human passion of the best sort of preaching: and the lyric quality which should always atten I the highest attainment of perfect preaching rarely appears. To some extent these discourses illuminate the central elements of the modern doctrine": there is much about the new conception of sin and salvation, and the essential Christship in all of them, but there is lack of robust application and persuasive interpretation. Sermons like those on The Gift of the Son, The Angel of the Soul. The Valley of Baca, and The Son of Perdition, are ingenius rather than transfiouring. That on the Sinlessness of Jesus lacks genuineness. This is not to say that there is not in all these discourses a wholesome advance on the old time flimsiness of gospel preaching: a sturdiness of good sense and freshness of uncompromising optimism. Dr. Campbell's style is always interesting and direct: and one respects his restraint from high-tones in illustrative color. It is all worth while in its wav, but we find nothing here to remove a certain shiftiness in Dr. Campbell's method of liberalism or save him from the mischief of his rash hetrodoxy. As we said in the beginning this book does not help matters the new theology still hangs in indeterminate mid-air. THE LOVES OF PELLEAS AND ETTARE: by Zona Gale. New York. The Macmillan Co $1.50. We are glad there are some folks left to write such books as this-and to enjoy reading them. This is not a bit like the Edith Wharton things, or Sir Gilbert Parker's latest. And to have this sort of thing all the time of course might be distressinølv fatiguing: sometimes we want those other things which this is so unlike. But now and then to have our soft aside of tender sentiment and dainty humor, and graceful dreaminess of social philosophy, all in the golden tint of late afternoon, and fading autumn. if you please, is very pleasant and recuperative. This is a love-story of life's western slope; lover and his mistress are in their mellow-age: rheumatic and-garulous: yet they are still lovers-and the worst sort of matchmakers-which makes up the motive of the book. For it is really a chain of love-stories, some of young folks, some of queer folks, some of not absolutely good folks perbans. (though this is a perfectly proper book, be sure) but the thread on which the chain is strung is the sun-set romance of these lovers with snowclad heads, who play at ProviPence in their concern of those other than themselves in the Paradise of romance. THE CONVERT: by Elizabeth Robins: New York. The Macmillan Co. Price $1 50. Miss Robins can write good fiction beyond all doubt. She is a firm depictor of human character: the first chapter of this book lines out enough of interesting and "different" characters to set up an average novelist's outfit; she is marvelously clever at dialogue, and her analysis of human motives and treatment of dramatic cr ses are exceptionally strong. she has certainly not made a great or interesting work out of The Convert. Its movement is toilsomely slow: its pages of conversation unutterably fatiguing: its problem is uninviting, and its development a thing of offence. Perhaps to the English reader where its theme is actually of the moment and its interest one But Formati JAM-How to Mower L and 4 and Hearb-Chritian Mene. Thes Nd War - The Cal Christ-The Ben Brut apr.- Paul - Ext dare Me asal HealingThe Pod Behed-Treth Pragmatie Considered and Truth I go beyond The Fearing tower Truth-1 of the the Ond The+gs-The Pixth Kense, how to e-Man as Creator-Bw the Hirit ueluts the by-bal Triul suberian and Art Calendar for 1908 for 25e if you state where you saw this advertisement THE NEW THEOLOGY, Box 2392, Boston, Mass a man wens happiness he will somest pet ITE DO ure avoc c and E O ome war of masing time erbs fellowTHET Then he will water some morning and in ramse reponer than be ever met that be cold be-I. π Chacur L The Celestial Life A New Book by FREDERIC W. BURRY - Buy Writes for the fhaughtiu-ir those who seek the realization of the ideal It is usual commingly smert language be has presented in this book his vest and best thoughts. The folowing Imes are from the con Life and more of it is the frs and final desire of every And we want a Celes ta. Life ever an Existence thing sal that a suggested by the word Heaven The race has ever been seeking for this world among the mere externals or placing I be and the Ca somewhere-herdie of the teachings of the great Kasters and Philosophers that sal. W Following are some the chapter headings: Concen tration-Freedom-The Educational Process-Healing -Attitude Versus Pattude socket and solitude- The Manic is Mime-Si core-Courage The Principle of Attracdan-The March of Mar- the Silence-Expres Hot-Memory-Celestial Tummation etc. The book temet on antique land paper from new type with initium nation and contains 144 pages handsomely and durabs bound in fine art cloth, stamped with gtc. Price $. If stand. OFFER EXTRAORDINARY! We will send a copy of Mr. Burry's book, handsomely bound in cloth, and THE BALANCE magesine, or any $1.00 magazine published, for one year, for $1.45 postpaid. Foreign postage 25c to 50c extra. For sale, wholesale and retal by publishers |