2 AUGUST 1902, Page 26

My Search for Truth and What I Found. By J.

Horton. Part I. " (Williams and Norgate. 2s. 6d.)—We must own that we do not quit. realise what it was that Mr. Horton found or thinks that he found. We see that he started with a belief in "Conditional Immortality." What he reached is not so easy to say ; perhaps it might be expressed thus, that he came to think very little of Christian doctrine and very much of Christ. Christ is to him the "Human Ideal," but it is not the Christ of the Gospels. We are to "stand clear of Christianity, Judaism, and every other system which has ever borne the name of truth and humbly learn of him." But surely Christ is inconceivable if you reject all His surroundings. It is illogical in the last degree to make a figure out of certain histories, and, having made it, to say that the histories are naught. And then the world has never been really and permanently bettered by an example, however perfect. It wants a living, permanent influence. This is the only gospel that can really touch the multitude. We have great respect for Mr. Horton's evident earnestness, and the story of how he was moved to seek for truth has our warmest sympathy. We hope that he will reconsider his purpose of writing a second part about the Bible, which will be "a fearless attempt to scatter to the winds some of the folly man has throughout time written and recorded in God's name." He will do far more harm than good. If he could succeed beyond his wildest hopes, would he better the millions who see in this book all that they value and hope for ? Has he got anything to put in its place ?