550 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
many points current misconceptions prevalent today regarding the teach- ings of Jesus that the phraseology may be accepted. With his statements regarding wealth we think that all fair-minded men will be fully in accord, and approval will be given to the chapter on social life, which expands the principle of real fraternity. In our judgment by far the finest chapters in the book are the last two. His recognition of the faith that the forces of human progress reside within the man himself in his spiritual wants, and that they are capable of satisfaction, is very well developed, and his survey of the process of social regeneration is timely and adequate. We cannot forbear to quote from that paragraph in which he says : " It is clear that the progress of the Christian transfor- mation of society must proceed, precisely as in the method of Jesus, along the line of conversion, or, more exactly, the regeneration of the indi- vidual. For generations churches of all shades of evangelical faith have been endeavoring to lay deep this foundation of a progressive social regeneration. Concerts and kindergartens are very necessary as com- plements of revivals and mission halls, but as saviors of a nation's civili- zation and purity they are as grass before the storm." There is not an idle word in this chapter, and we are especially pleased with what the author has to say regarding the present tendency to substitute a system of ethics for the dynamics of a personal faith in God.
Professor Mathews in these few chapters has made a real contribu- tion to the important subject which is in every man's mind. We con- gratulate the author upon his success, and the reader upon the inspi- ration he will receive from the study of the volume.
WM. M. LAWRENCE. SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH, Chicago.
