BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2752, 22 April 1916, Page 9

BOOKS OF THE DAY

JN SLUMS AND SOCIETY,

. Canon Adderley, the author of "In Uums and Society" (London, T. Fisher Unwin), was for many years a prominent figure in the East,' End of Londpn, where he was a very active member of tho Oxford House Settlement in Sethnal Green, the splendid work, (ihilanthropic and educational, as Fell as spiritual, done by himself and! lis. associates being well known far beyond its environments. Since 1911 the author has,been an honorary';canon of: Birmingham, and is now, I read, somewhero on tho Western front-. • He has always been a man of strong and original, views, and some; at least; of my readers may remember that famous story of his, "Stephen Reinarx," although rejected, so the author .'tells us,'' by no fewer than twenty- publisher.?, eventually achioved. ; the honour of reaching its twelfth edition. A High man <unl a. Christian Socialist, Adderley has often been m, close touch with men more or loss famous as-La-bour leaders, concerning some of whom he has much to say in these reminiscences of his. '; John Burns, he seeing to have liked best before ho'became a Cabinet Minister. .' ' .

He lias a good word to say for Blatchford,. of "'Clarion" fame, and was - a icarm. admiror of, the lato Keir Hawiie, although, it. is clear, being far from igreeing with tho latter s viows on-tne war. He refers to ! Keir Hardie as "tho grandest figuro in the Labour movement," and specially admired the religious side of his character.

But it is of hie religion that I want to ffrite. His Traa a rugged, straightforward religion, expressed in his noble,' lion-like countenance. He admired all . goodness when he. saw it. . . . He knew—and no ono better than he—that Christianity was the only force that could really work a. revolution. It was that. conviction that made him chaff, at. the clergy who,, as" he said, talked "Socialism," but seldom "mar terielised" an election. He really, meant it .when he said in Canning Town Hall some twenty-five years ago/- "Send me to Parliament to work for tho souls of those for whom Christ died." He really meant it when he wandered about tho parish of St. Agatha's, Landport, just after - Bob Dolling's death,- to find .out the working men : whom this wonderful . priest' had brought to Christ; his heart went out to, one; who had really -touched the heart'of Labour, which he himself had found so hard to do. ■; • , , '

It. has often been said that Adderley was .the original of. "Johii Storm" inHall Caine's pretentious and aifly -story,. ■''The.Christian." .The author says " When-1 was a-'sort of monk,-Hall Caine turned up one day to tea, and/inspected us.. -He was writing 'The. Christian,' and allowed me to revise the proofs where they concerned . 'The Religious life.' . He has often been asked who John Storm is, and his, answers seem -to have' suggested that he is a mixture 'of -me and Father Jay. I only.v hope-'that -all-.the nanghtiness ie Father oncd sent a cutting from an'Americani nowspaper, in which I appeared ,as-''the-..original John Storm.' It amused nje;-immensely." .- .

In his, time. the-. number l - of- curious; figures', in-' London, society. • - He befriended .the., unhappy Oscar Wilde.. in, the".hourof Ms • disgrace, and .'was; with .:him...the day boFore : lie left ; Reading-Gaol. . ' The quickest Wilde" ever made Jis said by'Canon-Adderley to have , been his boast that.-;tbore>,.wasno subjeot on which he could .not ' speak- at- once. Someone - immediately ' suggested "The Queen.V . ,Wilde was equal to the oocasion "She's ■ ho. subject," ho said. At..the: .close of the"iiiterview in' Reading ' Gaol,", Wilde said to the author: "Have you ever visited a' prison before?" ".'l'was obliged to""confess,-that I had not. 'Then, bad as I am,' said VVilde, -'I have done'; one good thing. ! have made' you obey your -Master.' " The author deals at.. ; some'. length irith the Socialist.'movement,'.and'.'with' What he considers tlib best methods ol dealing with the; problems ivh'ich confront tho social reformer in - London. To many, however,■ his book-will make strongest appeal ..bythe innumerable good stories:told by ,the author;. His filial chapter'; "Cliestnuts," but although ■ some of 'the stories may be old friends, -it -is pleasant renew acquaintance'- .with, th'em., Thus" wo' are told_ of .a country.:'sexton','"'-who,the Squire being. Jate in arriving at, the church, interrupted' tho . .parson, Who was beginning: "When the wicked man turnetli ,away from his .'.wickedness, 1 ! etc., by calling out'in a stage whisper, "Please, sir, 'e ain't oome yet." . The story,' too, is told of a curate who, while his vicar was actually in the pulpit, gave out a'church notice'to-.the effeet that. "the .collection to-day will he to get rid of the dry rot in , the -phl•pit." : . ' Two more extracts from the."Chestnuts" chapter, and I must close:

At Bethnal Green we had <i practice of pving out the .'page-of-thei Prayer Book before beginning to- sing! the -Canticles. There was a, tradition at"the Oxford House that the children; had pot hold of tho and- when the vicar (aid.. Page 310 >tor whatever it'was), they kegan singing, instead .of the psalm,' "A Man may not marry -.his: Grandmother." which reminds me of a-."ratch" which often ppzzles people: ",Cvi.n o, 111 n n marry his widows niece?" It' gradually dawns on you that,\of course, ho can't, becauee he would he dead. ;

A. young parson complained that there ° f .'h®- deacons'- in the Benedicite. but only of, priests. "Yon ire wrong, , said his'friend; "it eayß, '0 ie Ihl fZT- B .W n , 'he earth, bless ■ IrnrfT ' ..tT J s 13 a'most.as good as molS 11 is, a mistake commonly -to-Suppose that the-British race is not mentioned in the Bible. ; There, is a which refers to them, 'Blessed tarth?" they shall inherit the

It is not often a book of clerical reminiscences is so readable as is Canon Adderley s..' Whether he is writing of life in the East Und slums or-of society in the .fl est End, he is unfailingly en-, tertammg. (N Z. price 7s. fid.;.