Christianity and the Social Order. By R. J. Campbell, M.A.
(Chapman and Hall. 62.)—Mr. Campbell begins with giving his readers his reading of the Gospel story. The Jesus whom he pictures for us is not the Christ of the Creeds, or, as Mr. Campbell is not bound by Creeds, let us say the Christ of Christendom. Has it ever occurred to him what an amazing thing it is for one man—even though hundreds or thousands of people go to hear him preach—to reconstruct Christianity? He is not the first of these adventurers, and he will not be the last. One thing may be observed,—he is not thoroughgoing. "We may reject at once," he says on p. 63, "as unhistoric any Gospel references to portents which declared the supernatural dignity of Jesus at His birth, or even at His baptism." But he frankly owns—and we are glad to see it—that there was something " supernormal " in the post-Resurrection appearances. But the most interesting part of Mr. Campbell's volume is his profession of Socialism,— " Socialism in the best sense of the term," he writes. Here he gives utterance to a common delusion. There is only one kind of Socialism. Whatever it may begin with, it must end with an absolute community. To tho true Socialist home is as illogical as capital. It is not worth while to examine Mr. Camp- bell's argument chapter by chapter. He has nothing that is particularly striking or novel to say. It may be put to his credit that he is not for abrupt proceedings. On the other hand, it may be argued that the compromises which he is ready to accept for the time really put his ideal further off. We are not going to take your property just now, he says to the propertied classes, but you must feed our children, relieve us from the necessity of thrift, put the sluggard and loafer on an equality with the industrious worker. Is this the way to create the vigorous, self-respecting community which is to manage to the best advantage the nationalised wealth of the country ?
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