FLASHES ALONG THE BURMA ROAD,

byHarry I. Marshall '00. Island Press, NewYork, 1946, 123 pages, $1.00 paper, $1.50cloth.

Harry Marshall, known on both sides of the Pacific for his interest in the people he meets and for straightforward discussion of personal religion, here presents about a dozen casestudies of the influence of Christianity upon the Karens, an important Burmese tribe. The Marshalls were living among them, 175 miles up the Burma Road from Rangoon, as late as the autumn of 1941 when the appearance of the planes of General Chennault's Flying Tigers foreshadowed the approach of the global war. An introduction by E. Stanley Jones calls this collection "Christianity virgin and vital—it has the authentic marks of the New Testament upon it."

The author writes under the conviction that the persons he loved and names changed their lives through the influence of the Holy Spirit. He develops a series of reminiscences about humble men, women, and children, often practically .illiterate, interspersed with occasional scholars, officials, and men of wealth. Christians build paths and repair roads without fear of demons or regard for cost and effort to themselves. A young woman leaves domestic indolence to render community service as a cook and present a play demonstrating the value of education. A business man becomes a translator of books dealing with religion and world events. A gambling embezzler confesses his theft to the missionary who becomes an intermediary between the culprit and the government official, arranging for repayment and a successful second chance. Most intriguing of all, when a buffalo has been stolen a group of Christian villagers break precedent by venturing to the village of the suspect, calling upon him, and discussing other subjects until the host spontaneously announces that he has taken the animal and wishes to make restitution, a larger sum than the owner asks. Even such readers as may not share the author's confidence that the events chronicled reveal the hand of God will yet envy Harry Marshall his years with these unsophisticated and rewarding friends, and will respect him for his ability to see them always at their best.