The Courage of Christ. By Rev. Henry C. Schuyler, S. T. L. Peter Reilly, Philadel-, phia, Pa.

This is one of a series of three volumes, all of which have met with a hearty welcome by those who appreciate the guidance which a thorough student of life can give them. After reading this book it is easy to understand why Dr. Schuyler is so popular a writer. He knows human nature; he has studied the problems that the average man or woman is called upon to face, and he solves them in a way that the average man or woman can apply in a practical manner to the questions that arise as part of everyday experience. As a sample of the kind of philosophy he preaches, we quote the following:

"Christian fortitude, or courage, is something different from mere physical bravery. Right reason and free will must enter into it. Therefore, neither the madman, who is heedless of his own safety, nor the suicide, who deliberately takes his own life, can be said to possess the virtue of courage. Those only are courageous, in the true sense, who are willing, with a firm, unwavering will, to do what they know is right. They may be afraid to do what their will moves them to do that is, they may feel a natural timidity and may have to struggle with themselves in order to act in the face of this fear; but it is the actual doing or suffering that marks the brave man."

For those who fail he always has a word of encouragement:

"Right here we must remember that success does not increase, nor failure lessen, the moral worth of our fortitude. Provided our will remains firm and we make a prudent and persevering use of all legitimate means at our disposal, God rewards us just as much for a work that fails as for one that succeeds."

has all the features of a propaganda book, or rather of a manual for experienced propagandists. There is much in it that would be repudiated by orthodox Marxists, unless it be agreed that it is primarily for propaganda purposes.

The authors make known what has been repeated so often, yet does not seem to be grasped in some quarters, that the only Socialism worthy of the name is the system of Karl Marx.

"The greatness of Karl Marx is freely admitted by the most implacable opponents of Socialism. The world 'Socialism' and 'Marxism' are practically synonymous in the vast literature of the subject which has been produced during the last thirty or forty years."

Unlike other works on the subject this book does not disregard the criticisms that have been urged against Socialism. The authors meet objections, and if it is proven that Marx's predictions have not been verified in the precise manner outlined, they triumphantly point to some other phenomenon, maintaining that events took a slightly different course from that delineated by Marx but were nevertheless bringing about the predicted results.

However, it is acknowledged that the most damaging criticisms of the Marxian theories of concentration are those directed against its application in agriculture. "The number of farms is not decreasing, but increasing; there is no increase in the average farm acreage to suggest the absorption of smaller farm units by larger ones, but a decrease." Yet while it is acknowledged that an extinction of the small farms has not taken place, it is also maintained that in the matter of the concentration of the ownership of these farms Marx's predictions have not proved altogether false.

The "economic interpretation" of history is the phrase used in preference to that of the "materialistic conception" of history. This former term is adopted because it obviates the alleged confusion in the popular mind of

the word "materialistic" with the doctrines of philosophical materialism. This is but an attempt on the part of the authors to mislead the public concerning the real character of economic determinism, which is a form of historic materialism founded on philosophic materialism. In his work on "Feuerbach," Engels, speaking of his conversion to the philosophic materialism of Feuerbach, declares that now it was a matter of "harmonizing with and of building up upon this materialistic basis the science of society, i. e., the substance of the so-called historical and philosophical sciences."

Mr. Spargo and Dr. Arner thereupon proceed to inform us that the economic interpretation of history is not at all hostile to religious beliefs. "Religion," thus sounds the definition, "is fundamentally man's attempt to put himself into harmonious relation with, and to discover a satisfying interpretation of, the forces of the universe." This definition makes a religion out of atheism.

Socialism is also defended against the charge that it would disrupt the family. Socialists are represented not as attacking marriage as an institution but the practice of marrying not for love but for money. Under Socialism marriage for pecuniary considerations would cease and all would marry for love. The chief point in issue is, however, evaded. No reference is made to the fact that the Socialist conception of marriage is one that makes this institution a matter of private concern; that couples are at liberty to form alliances and continue them as long as it suits the parties; and that love being the only bond of union, a cessation of love means a discontinuation of the alliance.

The Essentials of Socialism. By Ira B. Cross, Ph. D. The Macmillan Co., New York: $1.00 net.

This book is intended as a text book for the study of Socialism in class rooms. The author tries to treat the subject in such a manner as to please both its advocates and opponents. He leaves it to the instructor to amplify any point which in the latter's opinion is deserving of elaboration. Conscious of the impossibility of pleasing everyone with his work, the author at least hopes that he has supplied a handbook in which both the

positive and negative sides of Socialism have been impartially treated.

The author's exposition of Socialism is singularly concise and lucid. First the theories of Socialism are stated. After a doctrine has been stated, the objections urged by critics are enumerated. The book is mainly a compendium of the economic theories of Socialism; its philosophic basis is inadequately presented. The author maintains that Socialism is not incompatible with religion-that the anti-religious statements of some Socialists have created a false impression. He fails to recognize that the materialistic conception of history has as its bedrock philosophic materialism. He further maintains that Marx's theory of value is in no way dependent upon the economic interpretation of history. The fact is that the theory of value is just as much a corrollary of economic determinism as the theory of the concentration of industries; both are the application of economic determinism to the present status of society.

Dr. Cross' book, while it may be of value for its clear exposition of the economic phases of Socialism, can not be regarded as a suitable text book. Disregarding the basic principles of Socialism, he indicates only the superstructure. Unless it is clearly understood that Socialism presents a new philosophy of life as well as an economic system, the true nature of this movement has not been grasped.

Christian Science and Catholic Teaching. By Rev. James Goggin. The Ave Maria, Notre Dame, Ind. Price 10 cents.

Christian Science, suggestion, auto-suggestion and hypnotism-all modern methods by which the mind is called into service for the "cure" of bodily ills-are considered in this extremely interesting and instructive little work. And those who desire to know in what respect the new theories are antagonistic to the principles of orthodox religion can find no better source of information. By facts that appeal strongly to common sense, Father Goggin shows that Christian Science and all similar cults logically tend, "first to the most fatal stagnation; and, in the end, to something which is even worse than stagnation." Parenthetically, this is a good book to place in the hands of one who is threatened with an attack of one of these delusions.