Books, Etc., of Interest to Friends

BOOKS, ETC., OF INTEREST TO FRIENDS113 BOOKS, ETC., OF INTEREST TO FRIENDS. The Swarthmore Lecture, IQ18. The New Social Outlook. By Lucy Fryer Morland, B.A. London, Headley Brothers, Publishers, Ltd., 1918. 5x7?2. inches, pp. 59. is. 6d. This, the eleventh of the series of Swarthmore Lectures, is the shortest and the most unconventional. It is distinctly modern in its view, some would say radical; but no one can read this lecture without being impressed by its plea for a thorough change from the old-fashioned attitude of Friends and other Christian bodies, which the lecturer states to be, " acceptance of existing conditions from a religious point of view. Providence had ordained for each his place and his circumstances, and had provided spiritual comfort and the hope of another and better world." In other words, there was little or no effort to bring about what the lecturer terms "Self-determination, the freedom for each man to work out his own destiny, to develop to his full manhood"; and "Co-operation—the voluntary merging of some personal and private liberty into that of the organized group, in order to achieve a wider freedom." (Pages 15, 32.) How far Friends are recognizing the importance of some such lines as these is indicated by the report made to the London Yearly Meeting of 1918 by its " War and Social Order Committee," and the discussion thereon as printed in The Friend (London) for Fifth month 31, Sixth month 7, 1918 ; and by the report of its " Social Order Committee to the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of 1918." (See Extracts from Minutes, 1918, pages 78-84.) Without in the slightest degree questioning the need or the duty of the church to take an active part in forwarding movements for the betterment of social conditions, the church should continue to see to it that the spiritual is not minimized. Where external needs are intensely great there is always a danger of overlooking, for the time at least, the needs of the soul, and this tends to become a habit. An Admiral's Son, and How He Founded Pennsylvania. By E. F. O'Brien ("K. K. K."). Illustrated by Arthur Twidle. London, Headley Brothers, Publishers, Ltd. [1918]. 5x75^ inches, pp. 176. 2s. 6d. $1.10. This small book is a praiseworthy effort to present some of the main features of William Penn's life and character in a manner attractive to young persons. How successfully the work has been done can only be known by trial with young readers. The narrative is based on the various biographies of Penn, and appears to be correct on all essential points. Some slight errors in matters of detail might be noted. Pennsbury is spoken of as "not far off" from Philadelphia (page 97), but this is a relative term, and most per- 114 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL SOQETY. sons would, in the connection where it is used, hardly consider twenty-five miles "not far off." Penn's daughter is called "Letty" (page 137), but Penn himself always speaks of her as " Tishé." Whether the " rock " mentioned on page 142 is on the right or left hand side of the road as one rides from Philadelphia is not certainly known. David Lloyd is named as one who " did much harm to his [Penn's] cause" (page 161). There is another side to the question, as readers of Isaac Sharpless's paper on David Lloyd in The Bulletin (Vol. V, 36, 74) will remember. The question being rather an intricate political one, is hardly suitable to be taken up in an elementary work as this. In speaking of the "Walking Purchase" (pages 169, 173), John and Thomas Penn are both charged with that iniquitous transaction. Thomas Penn was the responsible party. John Penn was in England at the time. It is not enough to say that " The Friends all left the Assembly (1755)," because " They would not agree to offer money for the scalps of the Indian men and women, as the other members wished to do." The reason was far more extended than that—it involved, what would now be called, the whole question of militarism. Friends' Quarterly Examiner for Fourth...