press on the road accorded "The Third Degree," by Charles Klein, that this striking arraignment against municipal corruption is destined to live. It deals with the corrupt and brutal methods of the police, and is scathing in its denunciation.

A Sicilian

A sensation of the hour is the extraordinary Sicilian tragedienne, Mimi Aguglia. She is appearing on Broadway with a band Actress of compatriots, presenting Italian and Spanish tragedy in the Sicilian dialect. In Europe vehement denunciation and enthusiastic praise mingled to make her one of the most widely discussed actresses in the world. She portrays intensely tragic elemental rôles with unreserved realism. "Malia," by Luigi Capuana, with which she made her debut, is a revolting study in epilepsy. Other plays in her répertoire are no less unpleasant. Though Mme. Aguglia is a technically well-schooled player, the Gallic abandon of her style is shocking to the northern mind. It is safe to predict that It is safe to predict that very shortly the work of the Sicilians will pass from us to the realm of forgotten hor

rors, unless the actress, like many another foreigner, is seized with the ambition to play in so-called English.

Splendid and most musicianly performances of grand opera are being given nightly by the MetropoliGrand Opera tan and Manhattan Grand Opera companies. Competition is the life of music, as of business. The director of the Manhattan company boasts of Tetrazzini, of Mary Garden, of Odette Valery, of Constantino, in such superb vehicles as Massenet's "Le Jongleur de Notre Dame"; Chautrier's "La Chair," a lyric tragedy in pantomime; "Thais," "Lucia" and "Traviata." The director of the Metropolitan company presents Caruso, Emma Eames, Scotti, a new lyric soprano, Frances Alda, Maria Gay, Mme. Fremstad, Mme. Sembrich and a score of other leading singers. There is a leaning toward established rôles, such as "Carmen," "Tosca" and "Aïda." Maria Gay's "Carmen," a triumph in Europe, has not wholly pleased Americans. Even Eames as "Tosca" has also disappointed. Geraldine Farrar has made a deep impression by consistently

entire session of the Federation was marked by the new interest in the social service of the church. The council represents thirty denominations. Some of the debates were marked by frankly expressed differences of opinion, but the general effect of the sessions must be toward the furtherance of church coöperation within. the different evangelical denominations. As we have previously said in these columns, it seems a mistake not to include Unitarians, and, in fact, all other denominations who wish to unite with the council. The problems set the Church by modern civilization are too complicated and too pressing not to need the coöperation of every man and every group of men interested in their solution.

In particular one is struck, in the discussions, with the absence of sectarianism. This is quite another The Growing matter from denomina Christian Unity tionalism, and should not be confused with it. A man can be loyal to his denomination while heartily favoring coöperation with other denominations. The body of belief which is common to various churches is essentially the same, and it is this common faith that really will prove the basis of all attempts at socializing Christian principles. The fact that all denominations are coming to see that salvation must be social as well as individual is one of the most hopeful and remarkable characteristics of modern Christianity. It is noteworthy also that the men who are identified with the Federal Council are among the most earnest workers in all denominations. In fact the entire spirit of the organization is a testimony to the awakening through which the Church is now passing.

Pope, and emphasized the nation's need of God in the lives of the people and the necessity of sound morality. The colonization of immigrants in the country instead of allowing them to congregate in the cities, church extension and the negro problem were the topics of leading addresses. The value of impressing Protestants with the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith was emphasized and the church was defended against the charge of lack of patriotism. Bourke Cochran was one of the eloquent orators of the occasion.

A Really Modern

Church

It is not often we notice the dedication of individual churches in these columns, but the completion of the Second Baptist Church in St. Louis is significant, not only for the architecture of its magnificent new building, but also for its conception of what the church can do and ought to do. The main auditorium of its building is a beautiful illustration of what a church ought to be. It is unique in that it is really a combination of two buildings, one for public services, the other for the educational work of the church. In this it is probably not surpassed by any church on the continent. And the architecture is really an expression of the ideals which its pastor, Dr. W. C. Bitting, is putting into operation. He has gathered about him some of the brightest men of St. Louis, who are organizing a series of study classes supplementary to the ordinary work of the Sunday-school-itself admirably arranged-and intended for thinking men and women. The modern world can not be brought into active coöperation with the church except on its own terms. But these terms are not those of negation, but of rational method and intelligent recognition of modern world views. the church has a message to the defective, dependent and delinquent classes, it has just as truly a message to the well-to-do and educated. Unless we mistake, this latter is a more difficult message, for it is more essentially a call to self-sacrifice. A wealthy church can become a mere culture club or it can become, like this splendid St. Louis church, a center of influence looking toward the evangelization of some of the formative men and women of the community.

If