Works by
Gaius Glenn Atkins
Modern Religious Cults and Movements
Dr. Atkins has written a noteworthy and valuable book dealing with thenew cults some of which have been much to the fore for a couple ofdecades past, such as: Faith Healing; Christian Science; New Thought;Theosophy and Spiritualism, etc. $2.50
The Undiscovered Country
Dr. Atkins' work, throughout, is marked by clarity of presentation,polished diction and forceful phrasing. A firm grasp of the elementaltruths of Christian belief together with an unusual ability to interpretmundane experiences in terms of spiritual reality. $1.50
Jerusalem: Past and Present
"One of the books that will help to relieve us of the restless cravingfor excitement, and to make clear that we can read history truly only aswe read it as 'His Story'—and that we attain our best only as the hopeof the soul is realized by citizenship in 'the City of God.'"—BaptistWorld. $1.25
Pilgrims of the Lonely Road
"A very unusual group of studies of the great mystics, and shows realinsight into the deeper experience of the religious life."—ChristianWork. $2.00
A Rendezvous with Life
"Life is represented as a journey, with various 'inns' along the waysuch as Day's End, Week's End, Month's End, Year's End—all suggestiveof certain experiences and duties." Paper, 25 cts.
Minister of the First Congregational Church, Detroit, Mich.
Author of "Pilgrims of the Lonely Road," "The Undiscovered Country,"etc.
New York Chicago
Fleming H. Revell Company
London and Edinburgh
Copyright, 1923, by FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY
New York: 158 Fifth Avenue
Chicago: 17 North Wabash Ave.
London: 21Paternoster Square
Edinburgh: 75 Princes Street
To E.M.C.
Whose constant friendship through changing years has been like the fireupon his hearthstone, a glowing gift and a grateful memory
The last thirty years, though as dates go this is only an approximation,have witnessed a marked development of religious cults and movementslargely outside the lines of historic Catholicism and Protestantism. Oneof these cults is strongly organized and has for twenty years grown morerapidly in proportion than most of the Christian communions. Theinfluence of others, more loosely organized, is far reaching. Some ofthem attempt to give a religious content to the present trend of scienceand philosophy, and, generally, they represent the free movement of whatone may call the creative religious consciousness of our time.
There is, of course, a great and constantly growing literature dealingwith particular cults, but there has been as yet apparently no attemptto inquire whether there may not be a few unexpectedly simple centersaround which, in spite of their superficial differences, they reallyorganize themselves.
What follows is an endeavour in these directions. It is really a verygreat task and can at the best be only tentatively done. Whoeverundertakes it may well begin by confessing his own limitations.Contemporaneous appraisals of movements upon whose tides we ourselvesare borne are subject to constant revision. One's own prejudices, nomatter how strongly one may deal with them, colour one's conclusions,particularly in the region of religion. The really vast subject matter