NOn-members can obtain this pUbl1cation from the Editor, POlt free, 2/- per annum.

JULY, 1919.

Soutt) plac~ €tbjcal SOCj~tp, South Place, Moorgate Street, E.C.2.

t!lblect of the Society. "The Object of the Society is the cultivation of a rational religious sentiment, the study of ethical principles, and the promotion of human welfare, in harmony with advancing knowledge."

MEMBERSHIF. Any person in sympnthy with the Ohject of the Suciety is cordinlJy invited to beoome

"Member. Pnrticnlnrs of ~fembership may be obtained in the Library before and after the Sunday serviea. or un applicntion to the-Hon. Registrar, Miss F. A. LAw, South Place Institute, Finsbury, E.O. 2.

aSS~el7\TES .

Any person interested in the Society's work, but not wishmg to become" Member, moy join Jl.8 nn Associate. Pnrticulnrs mny be obtained frflm the Hon. Registr.nr as abovo.

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICES. The following DISCOURSES will be delivered on Sunday mornings,

Service beginning at ELEVEN O 'CLOCK.

June 29.-JOHN A. HOBSON, M.A. - The Choice of Paris.

{]. Tho future hides in it ... '" 2. Think truly nnd lhy lhotll:bts ...

f No. "8. ITour, there will come uf Houlless nigbt. No. 7. Great truths aro donrly bOlll:ht.

July 6.-5. K. RATCLIFFE. - The Paradox of England.

{ ~'. Oh I forthc wings of n clove Anthem. ; {(a) Now p,.ay wo for 0"" country

(b) NIKht and rest ... .. . . . .

Hymns {No. 207. Mell I who'e bonst it, is t.llnt, ye. No. ~O. Englnnd, arise I the long, long night is o\'er.

July 13. - JOHN A. HOB30N, M.A. - Money and Morals.

Anthems

Hymns

{ 1. The worldly hopo .. . 2. Happy is the man .. .

{ No. 135. How happy i. he born and tnu~ht. No. 210. Who i. thy neighbour?

JUly 20,- C. DELISLE BURNS, M.A.-Religion and Revolution. Anthems {1. If I stoop .. .

2. A psalm of life .. .

Hymns { No. 67. 0 Earth. thy pnst i. crowned and consecrated. No. 221. Fall, fall ye anciont lItanics and creeds.

July 27.-No Service.

TroUB8t!'lc Hen~cheL

,If elldelB80lm ... Flo,ecr ... lVCllthcw

Lelt mall n Pro"t

De Lacy Ki"ro~8

Visitors are invited to obtai'l information reyardmo the Society in the Library on Sunday mornino~.

A Col/eetion i8 made at each Service, to enable th08e pro8ent to contribute to tho expenBeR 01 tho Society .

Cycli8t8 de8"'iny to attend tllc Service8 arc informed that the Committee havo made arranoement8 for hominu thoir machine8 in tJ/C ba8ement.

The Building is to be let for Meeting;, etc. Forms of Application may be had of the Caretaker, 11. South Place, E.C.; and When lilled up should be sent to Mr. N. Lidstone, 96, Blackstock Road, F1nsbury Pa.rk, N.4.

The Chapel il licensed for Marriages. Arrangements call be made for the conduct of Funeral Servicel oJ!. a.ppJ.100.tloJl

to the Secretary.

Lending Library.

The L~llding Librory is open ff<'<l to Members of the Socidy on Sunday mornings before and ~ft~r thc ServiN's. Associn.ws and Non·Members of the Society may nnder crl·tn.in conditions be grant~'<l the use of the Ubrnry upon payment of a subscription of 28. Gd. pt!r nnnum. Th~~ Cntnlogue. including II supplement for 1005-7, is on sale, price 6d. Subscriptions towards the purchase and repair of books are inviwd.

f "'HLrs ~rA,NSFoR~, Oherry Tme Oourt, 53, Aldcrsgnte Street, E.C.l.

BON LibTaJ";ans 'Mrs. STEVENH, 141 R, Clnpton Oommon, &.5. . ~Ti s n I,A"''':!.A'''', 2(;. ])0111(1,," Hoad. N.!.

O . .T. MOORE, "n. J) (, "!;hty Street .. W,O.1.

Tl'easll1·c'· ... Miss MAlty RAwr.TNGS, 406, Mare Street, Hackney, E.B.

Rambles.

July 5 (Saturday).- Crohamhurst. Sanderstead and Selsdon. Conducted by Mr. r. ;\T. On-m'. Train f"om London Bticll(e (L.B. &- .C.H.), 2.:!F. Tnlce Singlo ~'ioket to SOltl h Croydon.

July 12 (SaturdaY). - Epping Forest. Conclucted by trr. F. A. IlI CFTARl". Train from Liyerpool Street,2.12. Tak,·lletllrn Ti"ket to) LOlll(htnn, 2/· .

July 19 (Saturdayl. - E'arrow alld District. Condlloterl hy M,'. K P. llHRl"'G1'O".

MI·et at. Cloldcnl Grrcn 'l'ul1(' ~tat,i()n (Fil cldcy Uonel Entrnnre) ut:J o'clork.

August 3 (Sundayl. - Stoke Common and District. C,,"dlletc(\ hy Mr. N. 1.1llSTOl<E

'l'ndn fl'(ll11 .1\fnrslchone to Gt.' ITaroH CI'fl'8, 10.:!~1. 'rake HctUI'Il 'fickoL. a/'l~cl,

\V. 'I'. " ' I XCEY, Ilon . Sp.c . 1'3, Groveland:l Hand, PHlmet's Greell , N. 13.

Sunday ,"opu)ar (!oDeerts (ebamber Mu .le).

TilE TllIRTY·FOURTll SEASON will bogin on Sunday Evening, Octobco' 5. TnJ9. with the 791"t Concert.

Further particulaN will he i<;!:!l1ed in September, wit.h report of the :331'<1 Season, Mr. UICflARD H. 'VALTrmw's 'rhr~c Lectures on U The Development of Ohamber Musio ,.

mny b<l hud. price Cod. net complete . Post fre<> , nd. Tlon. 'l'reas. - - FRANK A. HAWKINS, 13, rrhurlow Fork Road, Dulwicu, S.E .21. aon . Scc. - ~\LrnED J. CLIUWlI."TS, 8, Fincl11ey 'Yay, Finchley, N.S.

Uon A.st S 'cs {Mrs. eLEMENTS, 8, Finohley Wny, Fincbley, N.3. . . C . Miss H. M. FA mUALr., 8, Scarborough Road, N .4.

South '"la ce Orc hestra .

Conductor: RICHARD H . WALTHEVI.

F. W. CANNING, IIon. Secretary, 63, Kingsh"n Road, Bcckenlo"m .

TIll' GENIon". COM~Il'mm will m~ot on ~'hursday, July 3. CorrC8pandenoe dealing with mntters for consider.ation should be forwarded to the Act.ing SecrcLrtry , South l'Jflcc Chal"'!' nt, thcearliest [Jossibl" mom\l, t. All mdttcrs relating to finanee should ba addrcssed to th e ']'reasurer.

Scoretaries of sub·committc,"s a rc notifil'd thnt handbills inknded to be ci r culawd with the )IONTlILI LIST should be J<'livel'ed to the Utopia Pre.s, 44, Worship Street, E.O.2. It is hoped that tho •• ~e rotnries who l1RVC addr~".es of persono int rested in their' work (other than Members and .Issocintcs) will cammunie"w tbem, with a view to 6uoh persoDs

r" cch'i ng the Monthly List rce-ulnrly.

3

EDITORIAL. CONWAY ME~!oRIAL LEe'TURE F[1ND.-"Te have received the appended

appeal from the Treasurer of this Fund, and we strongly recommend it to the generous consideration of our readers. The paragraph stating that only II of the original I23 contributors have carried their subscriptions over a term of years, although each one of the latter have received annually a copy of the lecture for the year, caused u s qualms of conscience. We immediately looked into the matter, but will not disclose the result of our investigations. IVe will simply say that wc now feel more at ease on the subject, and we hope that others will pursue a similar course, as in that case the appeal will not have been made in vain.

"The Committee, unfortunately, find _ it necessary to issue a second appeal to its supporters. Until last year these lectures were self-supporting; the interest on the capital sum originally subscribed, together with the monies derived from the collectiogs, sale of lectures, and a few annual subscriptions, having sufficed to Cover expenses. But owing to the enormously increased cost of printing and publishing these funds are no longer adequate .

• < The ommittcc would point out that of the original 123 contributors, three have carried th ei r generous subscriptions over a term of years, but apart from these only IT have subscribed annually. Nevertheless, all who have at any time contributed, ha\'e received a cnp' of each of the 10 lectures, the expenditure being, therefore, on the averaO"'. 10S. per subscrIber, to date_

"A much larger number of annual subscriptions is needed if this series of lectures is to be carried on at its present high standard, and friends are, therefore, urged to forward their contributions to the Hon. Treasurer. Don<ltions are welcome, but annual subscriptions are specially solicited.-Hon. Treasurer, ~Irs. F. M. CockburD, < Peradeniya,' Ashburton Road, Croydon."

HONORARI' ECRF:TARI" .-IVe were \'ery sorry to hear of the resignation of 11r. W. T. IIarvey. Ile has filled the post of joint hon. secretary during a very trying period, and has now resigned only from considerations of health and from pressure of uusiness malter. The General Committee have expressed their warm gratitude to 11r. Harvey for his services., and we are sure that the members generally will heartily concur in this ex­pression of feeling. But obviously ::-lr. Han7"ey's re ignation leaves a vacancy which has to be filled, and we are requested to ask for volunteers. The Committee will be very grateful for the names of applicants, and will any member who is willing to undertake the post kindly address his communication to the Acting Secretary, South Place Chapel-all corre­spondence for the General Committee is also to be addressed in the sam<, way until a new secretary is appointed.

RAMuLES.-l'articulars of the Saturday Afternoon Rambles in July will be found on page 2, and the Committee wi h us to convey their special invita­tion to all members of the Society and friends to join the Ramblers; tJeey will be cordially welcomed. lbmbles are being arranged for the. undays in August, details of which will be published in d~e courSe. ,

I!-- - ~ -

4

TION. LlnRART.INs.-'Ve are very sorry to learn that Miss Mary Raw­I ings is obliged to resign her post a~ one of the Honorary Ljbrarian~ of the Society . But with Miss Hawlings, as with other worker, the time eventually comes when other calls necessitate the relinquishment of duties performed on behalf of the Society. In ber case twenty years' service has been given, and we know it is a wrench to her even now to resign . The members can only express their deep gratitude to her for all she has done while filling this office, not the least feature of which service is the at­tendance in the Library every Sunday morning-a rest is certainly well deserved. We welcome the advent of two ·new Libra.rians, Mi s IT. Lange­laan and Mr. C. J. Moore.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. MAY 25, 1919.

Tmmediately preceding the Annual General Meeting a Special General l\leeting of members was helrl and eight new Trustees were elected to fill the existing vacancie~, viz.: 1[essrs. E. Cunningham, "T. T. Harvey, F. If. Mansford, F. M. Overy, C. J. l'ollartl, E . Pollarrl, Miss 1l. Rawlings, and Mr. D. Christie Tait. .

Mr. John Alc1red, who was appointed Chairman of the Annual General :\Ieeting, ill his opening remarks, reau the following letter from Mr. Ilerbert Burrow. :

" T o the Members and Friends of South Plac? "])~;.\R FIUENDS,-I am more than sorry again to have to stay a:;vay

from the Annual Meeting, but T am still helpless and cannot yet wnte or walk. Next year I hope to be with you. I am very glad indeed that the Annual Report is able to strike a more cheerful note. May our borders grow with the year's end, and, above all, may our Ethical hearts glow with an ever increasing fervency and fire . More and more do I see that collectively we have a great mission in the coming years. '''ith that mission will come an ever increasing jndividual responsibility. The old motto, which is ever new, may be taken to heart by all of us: 'In things essential, Unity; in things doubtful, Liberty; in all things, Charity. '

"I send my best wishes to everyone of you ,old \nd young. rvly sincerest aspirations for the continued good of the South Place Society. -Your sincere friend, FIF.ROETIT BURROWS."

The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the R epor t, spoke of the world's deep feeling of relief at the passing of the war, and of the bright prospects which the approach of Peace unfolded. He looked forward to our Society reinforcing its vitality and undertaking new work. In this connection he referred to the question of the sale of the site. He thought this problem should now receive serious consideration. The war in this direction has brought fresh difficulties. The cost of construction is nearly doubled and tbe value of land in districts suitable for re-building is also very much h igher . Tbe original idea of selling the present site and erecting a Hall in the 'Vest Central Dist;ict is now therefore open to new objections . He advised the ociety to consider the possibility of a working arrangement with some kindred Society or Soc:ieties. Such co­operation might achieve an end, which neitber body could compass alone. The Chairman then read extracts from a letter he had received from Mr. D. Christie Tait. The writer believed drastic measures were necessary if the Society is to occnpy the position in the religious, or educational, life of London that its members are entitled to expect; he advocated re­moval to a more convenient site, and combination with other Associations of similar aims; he recommended in place of the Sunday morning services

5 week evening lectures, followed by di cussion; also the revival of more definitely educational work. The Chairman, after commenting upon this letter, congratulated the Society upon the state of its finances and ex­pressed his sati faction at the great success of the Weekly Discussions organised by Mr. G. 'V. Goodall. I n conclusion, he expressed the sorrow we all feel at the loss of the members who have pas ed away during the year, referring particularly to the blow to the Society in the decease of that old and vallled worker, Mr. John Hallam.

Miss II. M. Fairhall seconded· the adoption of the Report, which was also supported by Mr. 'Vallis lIansford, -who suggested holding a Special Service in memory of the fallen and in celebration of peace. The Treasurer, Mr. F. W. Read, commented upon the chief items in the accounts, explaining the principal reasons for the improvement in our financial. position, and also spoke in favour of the suggestion of coming to a working arrangement with other Societies. He mentioned one in particular wbom be thought we might approach on the subject.

Mr. F . M. Overy was in favour of an arrangement with other bodies and supported the Chairman's disagreement with Mr. Tait's proposal to discontinue the Sunday Services.

Mr. E. Pollard said it was important to know whether the contem­plated possible arrangement with another Society was, on the financial side, that of mortgage, or if not, what alternative was suggested. 1[r. F. W. Read, in replying to this inquiry, said that the whole idea was at present at too early a stage to formulate, or even indicate, a defin ite scheme.

The recent series of Discll. sions on Problems of Democracy was then commented upon by Mrs. Goodall .. 1fr. C. J. Pollard, Miss F . A. Law, Mr. F. M. Overy, 1fr. Goodall, and 1fr. E .• F. Errington. Various opi nions were expressed. Some speakers suggested that the series was more calculated to attract political than ethical audiences, and that their political character accounted for an alleged sparse attendance of mem­bers of Ethical Societies . But both these contentions were controverted by other speakers and no general agreement on the subject was arrived at.

The Report was adopted. The eleven vacancies on the General Committee were then filled, the

following being elected: Miss A. Bentley, Mes rs. A. J. elements, E. Cunningham, E . F. Errington, Miss H. Fairhall, Mr. "T. T. Harvey, Miss M. RawJings, Miss M. L. Simes, Miss F. J. Simons, Mrs. A. Un­than k, and IT.]. 1\1. Whyte.

The present five Lecturers of the Society-C. Delisle Burns, M.A., TIerbert Burrows, John A. Hobson, 1\I.A., Joseph tI(cCabe, and S. K. Ratcliffe -wel ere-elected.

Sub-Committees for the year !<)t<)-20 have been appointed as follows: Buildill/!.-Messrs. Errington, !Tan-ey, Lidstone, Wallis Mansford,

Over)', Snelling, and F. II. Mansford (Secretary) . COllcert.-1I1iss R. Abraham , Miss I'. Arnold, lIIiss F. Recham, 1[iss

A . Bentley, Miss L. llurke, Miss A. Carpenter, ~Irs. D. Clements, Mi s H. M. Fairhall, Miss G. IIalsted, Miss H. Hochfeld, Miss 1.. Simes, Miss E . . imons, tlfiss F. Simons, Miss P . Snelling, Mi s 1. Sworn, Messrs. A. E. Anderson, F. ''V. Canning, E. unningham, A. E. Fenton, F. A. Hawkins, F . James, 'V. Maidstone, D. C. Tait, ''V . \'arian, J. M. vVbyte, S. 1-1. Woolhouse, and A. J. Clements (Secretary).

Discussi01Z.-1Iiss Fairhall, Miss F. A. Law, Mrs. Goodall, and Messrs. Goodall, Overy, and C. J. Pollard.

Lelldillg Library.-~Iiss F. A. Law, Miss Ro~e Halls! Mr. N. I:idstone, Miss Grace Gowing, MISS Burke, Mrs. " ' ade, M !SS Wellll1gton, MISS ~1ary Rawlings (Hon. 7reasurer); Mrs. Stevens, MISS n. LangeJaan, c. J. Moore, Wallis 1Ilansford (HOllorary Ubrar;OllS).

lIfelJlbcrs.-Miss Bentley, Miss Fairhall, Mrs. Goodall, Miss F. A. Law, Miss F. J. Simons, Messrs. Clements, ]ame-, Overy, C'. J. Pollard, and 1Ess E. 11. Mear (Secretary).

11Ius;c.-),Ir. and Mrs. Clements, Miss (~. Gowing, and 1\fr. TT. B. Cowing (Secret01·Y) .

rr Ii

Ij

6

PlIblicatiol1s .-Mrs. (',oocl::tll, M~ss ITalls, l\Jrs. Holyoake Marsh, Mrs. Stevens, Mrs. 1.1nthank, and Messrs. Goodall, Unthank, and E. Snelling (Secretary).

Rambles.-Miss F. A. Arnold, Miss Fairhall, Miss G. Gowing, Mrs. Richards, Messrs . . Errington, Lidstone, Overy, H. E. Pollard, Ricbards, Wool house, and W. T. Wixcey (Secretary).

Soiree.-Mrs. Fenton, Mrs. Lidstone, Mrs. Overy, Mrs. E. pollard, Miss Raftery, Miss M. Rawlings, Messrs. Gowing, Overy, and C. J. Pollard; Miss G. Gowing (Secretary).

Sunday Sc"oot.-Miss F. A. Law, Mrs. Lidstone, Mr. Overy. Ex-Officio.-The Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Secretaries of the Society are

members of all these sub-committees.

MY TRInUTE TO THE SENIOR WORKERS OF SOUTH PLA E. . One member has told us how he derives the strength for his best

athlevements from the Sunday Morning Discourses. If ever it should be my lot to attain grace it will be from the con­

templahon of the older workers, those who are working for the Society to-day, and who were working for it twenty, thirty, even forty years ago.

The Ethical Movement must be sound at the core, or it never cou ld have commanded the services, through long years, of so many devoted men and women.

Let me assure them that, by their presence and by their labours, they become radiators of ethical stren~th to others . ALIcE LAW.

TOLSTOI AND CHRISTiANITY. SUMMARY OF DISCOURSE BY C. DF.LISLE BURNS, M.A., MARCH 23RD , l<)Ig.

Tolstoi was a great revolutionary who hated revolution, a great artist who reviled art, a great Christian who repudiated the beliefs and customs of most of those who call themselves Christians. The treatises of Tolstoi deal with fundamental issues which will have to be faced sooner or later. He does not preach dogma; he inspires. He found in hristianity, not a mystic religion, but a new theory of life, in commandments of which the chief were: "Resist not evil," and "Love thy neighbour as thyself."

His value to us is that he 'casts doubt on all those customs and habits which make up the structure of modern society. ' Vhat is on trial is not simpl y the distribution of wealth, but the pursuit of wealth and the value of wealth; not this or that government, but whether the State itself is what it ought to be; not European War or a League of Nations, but whether the whole of the relations existing between the peoples of the world are what they Sh01lld be, and whether there cannot be a fundamental change.

Tolstoi says, in effect, that the (,hristianity which he accepts is a life and not a doctrine, and that it is based primarily upon the service of other men and not the pursuit of private happiness. He seems to say. th a t there is a world movemf'nt from anthropoid apes to a stage in which men will be men indeed, and we are somewhere between these sta(!es, but the majority of men are closer to the apes than to what men may be. What Tolstoi would cal! the leal Chri tians, are not themselves very consistent, becau e they have only moments of that life which all men will eventually have, as in the early stages of civil isation the majority of men may have been cannibals, and only a few had acquired a taste for other forms of food . They are the forerunners. Their difficulty is that normal life is such that unless they do something to gain their livelihood they die out and disappear, and yet as soon as they come into contact with ordinary life they seem to be contaminated. Civilisation will depend upon the power of the e men to mould the whole of society into the form which their best moments seem to imply. The contact between these men and the re t of the world is the point of growth, and it can only be secured for them if life is simplified.

What are we to say as to the principles on which this new civilisation will be based? Tolstoi says, "Non-resistance "-justice as opposed to force governing the relations between individuals and groups . The real question is: How is society to be organised on a principle that is not the

7

rule of force? The great platitude of those who stand for the accepted customs is that human nature does not allow of a reconstruction of society so fundamental that force may be removed out of the lives of men. Tolstoi points out that very few men have any conception at all of the way in which human nature (as we so glibly call it) is covered up and obscured by the customs and the thoughts which have been accepted without valuation. In "\iVhat I Be!i.eve," he says that, "thanks to our complicated machinery, only that cruelty is exercised which can be so divided among a number tbat none shall bear the responsibility or recognise how unnatural cruelty is. Some make laws; others apply them . It is not human nature for man to do half the things he does. " Te are aware of som~ other standard than the one accepted for trying the customs of the society into which we have been born. We have such phrases as that profits ought to be reasonable, or that wages ought to be living wages, or that a certain amount of leisure ought to be given to this or that class of person. The standards adopted in such aspirations are not economic or politIcal, but religious.

Tolstoi follows reason wherever i.t, leads, and it has not hitherto been accepted as Christian that you should follow reason. Of all the methods of Tolstoi this was the most platonic and the mos~ in line with the greatest thought of the race. III the past, men of goodwill, fearing to be contaminated, have removed themselves f.rom the difficulties of organisation. The return to nature and the simple life does not fundamentally change the situation for the majority of men. The solution, therefore, is rather by an added labour of an intellectual kind put upon the men of goodwill, so that at last there shall be people to whom the world can look, not simply for high sentiment, but, for adequate administration. Everybody accepts the right of a man as man to a certain kind of life, but those principles are not acted upon. In spite of theological elem(;nts in Tolstoi's doctrine, in the main Tolstoi was right. The new religion will be in the first place a religion of service, and in the next place a religion of inner quality and insight, rather than a religion of forms and ceremonies. I do not think there is much hope in superior persons. The hope of the world is in the common man. Some common man will find words so clean and clear that they .will pierce the armour put up against the insolence of the superior person. That seems to me to be the kind of change which took place in the early days of Christianity.

MY DEBT TO I MAGINATIVE LITERATURE. CONTINUATlON 01' PAPER HEAD BY '. J. POLLAllO AT TIlE APRIL SOIREE.

In taking a retrospective view of 'the pleasure and enlightenment literature affords, my mind naturally reverts to youthful days when enthusiasm and excitement were easily aroused. 1Io t people of mature years would like to experience again the thrill that stirs a youth when he first awakens to the beauty of some great writer's work. During the earlier years of life the spirits are high and sensibility lceen, and the man who, in his youth, meets inspiring books, has much to be thanldul for. More than thirty years a€l.0. I read helley~s" Queen Mab," for the first time, and I remember ,VlVldly now my JOYous sensations as I, a youthful enthusiast, came under the spell of its beauty and fascination. I bought my copy at a second-hand bookshop, opposite the London Hospital. It contains the prosecuted "Kotes," and was published by James \\1atson, who repeatedly suffered imprisonment in his fight for free speech and freedom of the Press . I began reading it immediately, walking the broad pavement of the Wbitechapel Road and repeating snatches of it to myself :

" How wonderJul is Death, Death and his brother Sleep; One pale as yonder waning moon, The other, rosy as the morn, vVhen throned on ocean's wave, Tt blushes o'er the world: Yet both 50 passing wonderful!"

I still find great delight in its high, quixotic spirit, its imagery and beauty.

8 Another 01 my earliest and dearest loves in literature is Hawthorne's

"Scarlet Letter," that revelation pure

Of sin redeemed 'by penitence and grace. The sad, yet noble figure of Hcster l'rynne made the greatest impression upon me. The scarlet letter, the symbol of her wrong-doing, was a revelation of the disgrace and unhappiness which man can bring upon woman. My impressions may have been somewhat crude and immature, but her fate certainly tends to make the youth who is stepping out from life's threshold determine that he will cause no woman to suffer as Rester Prynne suffered. \\Then this romance is read again in later years, other beauties, other qualities, appear. The nobility of Rester Prynne's character is still the most striking feature, but it is more fully realised that her good actions are natural to ber, are not adornments placed arbitra,rily upon her by the author to force a moral, and the grandeur of Rawthorne's conception becomes clearer. Even an insensitive reader must feel elevated by this picture of a woman, sinful in the eyes of her fellows, and sadly erring even in her own judgment, standing aside from her wrong-doing and pursuing a sweet and noble life. Rer daughter, little Pearl, also appeals particularly to the novice in the problems of existence. Rawthorne's remarkable portraiture of this love-cbild provides a comment on the deeper mysteries of human relationship, and in a subtle way helps to satisfy the desire of youth to take life seriously. A young man cannot but be touched by the vision of little Pearl and ber Motber, as they wend their way through the forest to meet Arthur Dimmesdale, the weaker partner in this tragedy of parentage. It is, however, true that Hawthorne may justly .be considered as unduly austere. Ilis allegories, enforcing belief in the ineffaceableness and inevocability of wrongs once committed, are mo t gloomy. But in view of the not uncommon tendency in modern fiction and the drama to fly to the other extreme, to palliate transgressions as the natural ebullience of human nature, a writer who, in reaction from this doctrine of irresponsibility scourged us as Hawthorne does, might be pardoned for his severity. vVe must not, however, be obsessed by the stern moralist. Thoreau has wisely said, "The conscience does not, and ought not to monopolise the whole of our lives, any more than the heart or the bead. It is liable to disease as any other part." Fortunately for the human race, children and young people keep the world fresb-I like a phrase in H . G. vVells' "Joan and Peter," "'a child is an exquisite thing "-and we must not allow their elders, even if they are gifted writers, to cast shadows upon the healthy vitality of existence . The joy of living is in itself a natural instinct, to encourage and not repress. Some novels and plays emphasise, not the joys, but tbe misery, of living. I have recently read a number of short stories by the Russian writer, Tchehov . The characters depicted are almost without exception degenerate, morallY, physically and intellectually. They give the impression that human nature is rotten at the core. Tolstoi, Dostoievsky, Turganiev, expose human weakness, cruelty and injustice as realistically as Tchehov, but they al~o strengthen belief in the fundamental soundness and nobility of mankind. ~Iy objections are not to tragic literature, but only to works which exhibit morbidity and pessimism to the exclusion of healthy and hopeful sentiment. lbsen's tragedy "Ghosts," draws a terrible and very painful picture of moral and physical degeneracy, but it depicts also a sane and determined struggle against the domination of vice and debauchery. The havoc caused by vicious relations between man and woman is relentlessly displayed, but the deepest sympathy and pity are roused for both the wronged and the wrong-doer. The tremendous earnestness ~nd. sincerity of t~e. play ennoble the mind b~ casting ~ut al.1 le;,ity~ mdlfference and tnvlal thoughts, and the classlc mould m whlch lt is cast, its simplicity and strength, appeal to the sense of beauty.

When depressed by reading gloomy literature, the optimism and enthusiasm of George Meredith act as a splendid tonic. I have recently re-read his romance "The Amazing Marriage," and can thoroughly recommend the opening chapters, for their restorative qualities. We share the youthful joy of Carinthia K~rby and ber brother, ChilloD, as tbey descend a mountam of the Austnan Alps at dawn, and are rejuvenated

9

when we recall the game these young people played in their mountain home, that of getting up early" to call the morning."

There' are many marvellous pictures of nature in Meredith's tales and poems. The inspiring effect of mountain air and scenery is, especially, a congenial theme in his hands. A view from the mountains is thus described in "The Amazing ~1a:rriage": .. Each step to the ridge of the pass was an advance i~ splendour. Peaks of ashen hue and pale dry red and pale sulphur pushed up, straight, forked, twisted, naked. A depression of the pass gave sight of the points of black fir forest below, round the girths of the barren shafts. Mountain blocks appeared pushing up in front, and a mountain wall and \voods on it, and mountains in the distance, and cliffs riven with falls of water that were silver skeins, down lower to the meadows, villages and spires, and lower finally to the whole valley of the foaming river, field and river seeming in imagination rolled out from the hand of the heading mountain." Most of us must have often thought that there exists a close connection between the psyschology of a writer and the characte.r of the pictures he draws from nature. Amiel's epigram is very much to the point: c, Every land cape is a condition of the soul," and it will be remembered that Sir Austin, in "The Ordeal of Richard Feverel," said that "without belief in the ultimate victory of goOd within us, nature has neither music nor meaning, but is rock stone tree, and nothing more." , ,

'(1'0 be Con/illued.)

W. E. CHAMPION. We have heard with great regret of the death of Mr. ,V. E. Champion on

May 14. He was suffering great pain while auditing the Society's accounts last year, and shortly afterwards underwent an operation. ne wrote to the Treasurer in January of the present year that he was too unwell to undertake the audi t again, but he evidently did not consider that he was seriously in.

Mr. 'hampion was one of the older members of our Society, having joined during Dr. Conway's ministry. IIe had acted as one of the auditors for more than twenty years.

Mrs. LOUISA ANDREWS. The older members will well remember Mrs. Louisa Andrews, and will

be very sorry to hear of her death on June 3 in her ninetieth year. Mrs. C. Fletcher.Smith "rites: "Mrs. Andrews was a most charming personality, a very regular attendant at the Chapel with her daughter in 'onway's time and during Dr. Andrew VVilson's tenure of office. Miss Andrews was a charming woman, too, and a valuable worker on committee, and especially did excellent work on the Soiree ommittee. Mrs. Andrews was broad­minded, without a trace of dogmatism or aggressiveness, and her dea[!1 is a grief to me, as was the death of her daughter a few years ago. I cannot remember when I first knew the Andrews family as members, but I well remember viewing the procession, I think in 1883, of the agricultural labourers in connection with the extension of the franchi~e, from the windows of their house in the Haymarket, a business and dwelling.house then, now altered and unrecognisable."

Mrs. EVELINE PRAILL. G. J. Holyoake's eldest daughter, Mrs. Eveline Praill, passed away

un the 21st June, in her 78th year, in Hampstead. She was always in sympathy with her father's work and maintained progressive views all her life. In 1866 she was married! at South Place; it was th~ first wedding Dr. Moncure Conway performed there. He wrote a special marriage service in which, by request, he eliminated the words" to obey." When he first came to England Miss Holyoake accompanied him to lectures and acted as his guide, in the place of her father. She afterwards became an intimate friend of Mrs. onway and her family.

Mr. TIolyoake joined. South Place in 1847, and his two daughters ha\'e kept up the connection until the present time, a period of 72 years.

10

Treasurer , .. . .. F. W. READ. 65. Rarley Road. Rnrl".den. N.W.lO.

{

Mrs. O. ~'I.>;,.crrEn S.\llTll, 3:;. Station Way. Let.cbwortb Secretaries ... Garden City.

Re(/i3trar Of Members alld} . /lBBociatcB .. , MISS F. A. L.w. 59. Montpelier Road. Peckcam. S.E.1S.

Editor of MOlltllly LiBt O. J. POLLARD. "Sho.nklin." Tbe Avenue. Obingford.

{

WALLIS MANSFOltD. Oherry Tree Court, 53, Aldersgo.tc St .• E.O.I. Libra1'ianl Mr •. ST&V1ON8, 14ia. Clnpton Oommon. E.S.

... Missn. LU<GET.AAN 26. Douglas Hoad. N.!. C. J. MaORE. /)0. Doughty Street, W.C.!.

TreaBUre,.. and T"uBteeB { JOTLN AWUED. 53. Berners Street, Oxfor,l street. W.1. of the RcbuildinO FUlld E. CUNNINGn .... 52. Bow Lane, Oheapside. E.O.4.

Members of General eommlttee.

JOR,. A I.DRED F. M. OYERY

O .. 1. POLLARD MI~S F. A. AnNOLD MISS F. BaCRAM MISS A. B ,NTr.El' A. J. OL'E)fEN'I'S E. OUNNINGHA.l\{

MISS n. M. F AIRTIALL G. W. GOOD.,.L Mns. GOOD.LL W. T. nAR\'EY 111188 F. A. L.w MRS. LIDSTONE

MI~S MARY HAWLl"GS MISS ~L L. S,\lES MISS }'. J . Snl(lNS l\lJlS A UNTUANK

E. F. ERRINGTON N. LIDSTOKil J. M. WnYTE

Secretaries of sub.(!ommlttee ••

F. REROERT M.NBFORD. Wnlden. King~end. Rui.lip. Bul.lcUng Ooncel·t _~I.F1lf!D J. CLRM>lN'l'S, B. Finchley Way, Brent Garden Villnge.

Church End. Finebley. N.S.

Discussions Members ... Music Publications Ra.mbles .. . Soiree

'Mlss E. M. MEAR, 23. nawkslade Hoan, Waverley Park, S.E.15.

R. B. GOWTNG. 5S. Sta.mford Hill. N .16. E. SNELLING. 8. Amoorley Rood, Leyton. E.I0. W. T. WIXCEY. 6a, Grovelauds Road, Palmers Green, N. 13. Miss GR.CE GOWING. 902. Do.lstcn Lane. Ra<lkney. E.B.

Sunday SChool ... Organist H. SMITll WeDsTER. 53. Larnino Road, llolloway. N.7.

New Members: Mis. E. E. J{",,'rE, 191. Ameshury Avenuo, S. W. 2. Mr. C. LIGIlTON. H. Londige8 Hoad. E. n.

Death: Mr. W. E. CHAMPION. Mr •. LOUISA ANnm:ws. M .... EVF.T.TNE PRAILJ ..

DUlRY FeR .JULY.

JULY JULY

3 General Committee meets 5 Ramble. Crohamhurst,

Sanderstead &; SeJsdon, Train L'om Lon. Bridge

6 Service ... 12 Ramble. Epping Forest.

Train from L'p~)01 St.

6p.m. 13 19

2.38 p.m. ]ra.m.

20

2042 p.m. 27

Service ... Ramble. Harrow & Dis-trid, meet at Golders Green Tube Station ...

Service ... No Service.

II a.m.

3 p,m. u a.m.

Aug. 3. Ramble-Stoke Common & District. Train, Marylebone at 10.25 a.m . •

N.B.-All coml1tUllication. for 1110 Monthly Li.t should b. forUJarded NOT LAfill than t.} ..

15th of the 'PreviolL' man Lh to C 1 l'oU&IID," Sbanklin." TIf. A "ODue Cbinglord E.4