SUMMARY OF THE REVIEWS AND MAGAZINES.

ACROSS the path of commercial enterprise-in the estimate of many students of our social conditions-the trust now looms in its mammoth proportions as a menace to the public thrift. The mercenary spirit and the insatiable greed charged against it are evidently becoming the subjects of increased editorial comment. In the Review of Reviews (New York) for June, Byron W. Holt contributes an article of this nature on "Trusts-The Rush to Industrial Monopoly," whose statistics and assertions are startling. "Few people," he says, "appreciate the extent to which prices and rates are fixed by monopolies and combinations. Outside of grains, vegetables, and fruits in manufactured forms and of live stock, it is difficult to purchase any article upon which there is not an artificial price, fixed either by the producers of the article itself, by the producers of the raw materials used in making the article, by the dealers in it, or by agreements between any or all connected with the manufacture or sale of the article." As to the number of existing trusts and similar organizations Mr. Holt writes: "Besides the incorporated trusts, which probably number more than five hundred in the United States, and are capitalized at $6,000,000,000 to $8,000,000,000, although their actual capital is probably less than $3,000,000,000, there are perhaps five hundred more agreements and pools between competing manufacturers and transporters which, from the standpoint of the consumer, are as effective, injurious, and obnoxious to just the same extent as are the great corporate trusts. These agreements are often, if not usually, kept secret, and the public has little or no knowledge of them until some competitor or former member announces the facts or brings suit against the trust." Of the effect of trusts upon prices and labor the author speaks as follows: "As yet it is a moot question whether any trust has given us lower-priced products than we would have received from independent producers. Perhaps the prices most frequently quoted by trust advocates are those of sugar and refined oil. And yet there is no justification for their claims in either of these cases. Sugar would certainly, and oil probably, have been cheaper had there been no trust in either of these industries. . . . The prices of wire nails have been advanced about one hundred per cent since the trust was formed, and some mills have been closed. The village of Duncansville, Pa., is almost ruined by the action of the wire and cotton tie trusts, which have closed all of the factories in the place. The prices of nearly all manufactured articles have advanced from ten to fifty per cent during the last eight months. Chemical experts tell us that adulterations are on the increase. The recent slight advances in wages are perhaps insufficient to offset the great advance in prices, so that as yet wage-earners, except that more are employed, may not be as well off as they were a year ago." As

to antitrust legislation the writer says: "Besides the antitrust laws now on the statutes of nearly thirty States, many severe laws are certain to be passed during the next year against trusts, department stores, insurance companies, etc. It is probable that most of these laws will be mischievous and harmful to business interests, as is the recent Arkansas law, which is handicapping business in that State by preventing cheap and safe insurance. . . . The better way is to remove all obstructions, such as come from special privileges and natural and legal monopolies, and to open the natural opportunities to production." And, finally, trusts, in the estimate of Mr. Holt, are to, continue. "Their number may decrease from the tendency of big ones to gobble up little ones, as is now being done in the iron and steel industries, where a single billion-dollar trust may soon control all branches of these industries in the entire process of manufacture, from the ore mines to the merchants and consumers. That many of the recently organized trusts will fail is reasonably certain. That their collapse will cause great disturbance in the business and financial world is more than probable. But to suppose that their failure will put us back to the single-mill system of production of even ten years ago is absurd."

THE charm and the importance of Hebrew prophecy are set forth by Bishop E. R. Hendrix in the May-June number of the Methodist Rever (Nashville, Tenn.) of the Church, South. "Moses, Samuel, and Isaiah," he writes, "are God's three great spokesmen, each ushering in a new era. The first gave the law; the second sought the reformation of the morals of the people by the upright administration of justice and the regular organization of the prophetic order; while to Isaiah, who spoke in consolations rather than in lamentations, was given the joy of announcing, 'Unto us the child is born, unto us the Son is given.'” The bishop's article is entitled, "The Prophet as a Spokesman of God." In a contribution devoid of "metaphysical speculations" and "doubtful theories," which contains no "controversial polemic;" and which avoids the use of all "ambiguous and disputed terms," Professor M. S. Terry considers with his usual clearness and force the "Biblical Doctrine of Human Sinfulness." W. E. Edwards, D.D., follows with a paper ertitled "Victor Cousin; and the True, the Beautiful, and the Good,” in which he pays the highest tribute to one whom Sir William Hamilton called "the first philosopher of France." The succeeding papers are "Anglican Articles Omitted from the Methodist Confession," by T. 0. Summers, D.D., LL.D.; “Hawaii," by B. W. Arnold, Jr., Ph.D.; and "Spanish California," by Bishop O. P. Fitzgerald. Each is deserving of particular comment for its subject and manner of treatment. In his article on "Popular Historical Interest and the Revised National Consciousness" Professor H. N. Snyder shows that the "historic sense" which had its early development in the United States has of late had “

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quite noteworthy revival." In a comprehensive review of the volume recently published on the great chancellor of Germany, Dr. W. H. Withrow describes "The Real Bismarck." Metta Folger Townsend follows with a paper which is entitled, "On Reading Martin Chuzzlewit," and the editor concludes the contributed articles with a strong review of Professor Bowne's recent publication, under the title of "An Idealist's Prescription for Modern Materialism." The editorial departments of the publication are, as usual, varied and ably conducted.

WHILE Germany has not of late attracted attention by any quarrel in China or Africa, by participation in the affairs of Crete, or by another Dreyfus scandal, yet her condition is far from that of stagnation. In the May issue of the Yale Review (New Haven, Conn.) appears an article by H. H. Powers, written in Berlin, which discusses "The Political Drift of Germany" and points out some of the important developments that are now taking place within the borders of the Fatherland. One of these is the effort to settle the problem of imperial federation. The alliance of the German States is unlike that of the American. The north of Germany is Protestant, the south is generally Catholic. The States have been at war for centuries, and are very unequal in size, "Prussia being more than a match for all the rest put together." In Germany's union of monarchies "the monarchs, small and great, have no possibility of greatness outside of their own territories. This bottling up of ambition tends strongly to perpetuate the particularism of the German States." The most striking instance of local agitation lately occurring is that at Lippe-Detmold, a principality having "about one third the area and population of Rhode Island," where the children of its present incumbent by order of the emperor have been refused the right of recognition to the succession. The meaning of all the irritation, writes Mr. Powers, "is that a policy of tactless centralization is being opposed by a sentiment of sullen separatism which the genius of Bismarck and his imperial assistant did so much to repress." The parlimamentary situation in Germany, continues the author, is in close connection with this movement. Unlike the House of Commons in England, the German Commons, or Reichstag, is not supreme. Bureaucracy is gaining on parliamentarism. Again, the emperor "is still a power in German politics, and he who omits that factor from his calculations reckons without his host." William II "is not a liberal monarch" -though conscientious, industrious, and perhaps able-and punishment for disrespect shown him still goes on. And, lastly, the recent serious restriction of academic freedom is a significant fact. The prosecution of Professor Delbrück, of Berlin, by the government for his criticism on the expulsion of certain Danes from the empire is an instance to the point. "The sensation is immense. The professor has been greeted every day since the prosecution was announced by a perfect ovation from

his enormous classes, and all Berlin testifies to the esteem of which the government declares him to be unworthy." The first decade of the reign of William II, in short, has not contributed to the rectification of the evils mentioned. The radical party is rapidly growing; and at some future date it or its successor is destined to win a majority, when there will be an instant reapportionment of seats. "The divine right of kings? Well, yes, in a sense, certainly. The nineteenth century has not come to destroy, but to fulfill. No century ever recognized more fully that the powers that be are ordained of God. But the voice of the people is the voice of God."

THE June number of the Missionary Review (New York) contains the following general articles: 1. "The Sudan and the Sudanese (Map and Illustrations)," by Rev. C. T. Wilson; 2. "The Problem of City Evangelization (Illustrated)," by Dr. A. T. Pierson, Editor-in-Chief; 3. "Samoa-Its People and Missions (Map and Illustrations)," by Rev. J. M. Alexander; 4. "The Present Center of the Slave Trade (with Map)," by Rev. S. M. Zwemer, F.R.G.S.; 5. "Reflections After a Winter Tour in India (Illustrated)," by Rev. F. B. Meyer; 6. "The Church Missionary Society Centenary," by Rev. A. R. Buckland. The other departments of the publication are comprehensive, and the magazine is one of the most able of its class.

THE Conference Examiner (Minneapolis, Minn.) for May-June has an editorial on "The Logos;" ;" "The Pastor's Study of Men," by S. C. Bronson, D.D.; "The Preacher and the Times," by Rev. T. W. Stout; "Church Finances," by Rev. W. H. Holmes; "A Review of 'Studies of the Mind in Christ,'" by Rev. W. B. Norton, Ph.D; Clarke's Outline of Christian Theology,'" by De Loss Tompkins, D.D.; "The Training of John Wesley," by Professor J. A. Faulkner; and "Representative Knowledge; a Lesson in Psychology." These articles, with the literary and editorial notes that follow, contain much of importance for the student ministers of our Church.

THE May and June numbers of the the North American Review (New York) appear under the new editorial management of G. B. M. Harvey, with a page of enlarged size and the usual variety of articles discussing social and national questions.

THE Preacher's Magazine (New York) has in its June number: "The Genius of Knowing and Teaching," by Rev. W. B. Pickard; "Modern Biblical Scholarship," by Professor J. A. Beet; "Those Patient and Passionless Statistics," by Rev. W. Harrison; "Extract from a Memorial Oration," by Judge Leo Rassieur; and many suggestive paragraphs in the departments of homiletics, Sunday school teaching, and prayer meeting worship.

BOOK NOTICES.

RELIGION, THEOLOGY, AND BIBLICAL LITERATURE.

Modern Interpretations of the Gospel Life. By ADOLF AUGUSTUS BERLE, Minister of the Brighton Congregational Church, Boston. 8vo, pp. 328. Boston and Chicago: The Pilgrim Press. Price, cloth, $2.

The author dedicates his book to the memory of his father, "whose intellectual courage and abundant human sympathies held under the sway of a steady purpose of will and a resolute love of liberty and truth have been the inspiration" of his life. The effort of his ministry has been "to present a spiritual view of the application of the Christian Gospel to the whole of modern life as we live it in America." As one part of this effort he has "tried to apply the teachings of Christ to the social and political life of our time, an experiment always fruitful of danger and misunderstanding, but none the less necessary." These "interpretations" are not final declarations of opinion of dogma. Mr. Berle's conception of preaching the Gospel is "not the proclamation of the ideas of a creed or a clique, but the announcement of Christ's purpose in the life of the world." Under New Testament Biography the author writes of "St. Paul the Gospel Democrat," "St. Peter the Apostolic Ecclesiastic," "St. Thomas the Believing Rationalist," "St. John the Christian Philosopher," St. Matthew the Publican Apostle," and "Judas One of the Twelve." Under Social and Political he discusses "The Losses of Civilization," "Industry and Morality," "The Wealth of Man," "The Battle Against Greed," "The Many-headed Multitude," and "The Daily Dust of Life." Several educational topics are treated, and then follow, under Literary and Romantic, "The Christian in Novels and New Testament," "The Forerunner of God," "A Memorial of Love," "The Redemption Idyl;" and, under The Spiritual Life, "The Sphere of Influence," "The Family Faith," "Spiritual Exile," "The Conflict of Duties," and "Spiritual Life." The book tempts to extensive quotation. "With all the progress of democracy, the world figure, the national figure, the community idol still survives. Our heroes are still turbulent spirits from battlefields or tireless manipulators of cabinets. Democracy is the continual protest against undue exaltation of the individual at the expense of the whole body. It is for this that Paul peculiarly stands, and there is no finer embodiment of the rule and purpose of his own life than the words he penned to the Romans, 'For none of us liveth to himself.' That was democracy reduced to its absolute and lowest terms; and was at the same time the highest altitude of religious attainment. It was this that made him the apostle to the Gentiles, made him see the strategic importance of the conversion of the Roman army, made him the evangelist of the