Walter Dew's section on JtR in his book

[Natalie Severn]

Chris,
A reading of the doctors reports describes the room in simple, clear, factual language.This objectivity is absent in both Dew"s and Anderson"s lurid descriptions where the imagery is flooded with blood and gore.

[Chris]

A reading of the doctors reports describes the room in simple, clear, factual language.This objectivity is absent in both Dew"s and Anderson"s lurid descriptions where the imagery is flooded with blood and gore.

It's hardly surprising that Anderson's emphasis is on blood. He's discussing the atonement - a blood sacrifice. That's what the whole chapter is about.

The point I'm making is that you are wide of the mark with your suggestion that Anderson's book was a "policeman's autobiography" and that he was trying to spice it up to make it more attractive to a publisher.

It wasn't a "policeman's autobiography" at all. It was a theological work, originally published in 1870, and had already gone through five editions when this passage was inserted. Of course this isn't meant to be an objective, clinical description of a crime scene, but Anderson's intention is clearly theological, not sensationalistic.

[Natalie Severn]

It's hardly surprising that Anderson's emphasis is on blood. He's discussing the atonement - a blood sacrifice. That's what the whole chapter is about.

The point I'm making is that you are wide of the mark with your suggestion that Anderson's book was a "policeman's autobiography" and that he was trying to spice it up to make it more attractive to a publisher.

It wasn't a "policeman's autobiography" at all. It was a theological work, originally published in 1870, and had already gone through five editions when this passage was inserted. Of course this isn't meant to be an objective, clinical description of a crime scene, but Anderson's intention is clearly theological, not sensationalistic.

Chris,
We seem to be chopping about here.I was talking about Dew's autobiography which IS the context of the thread.
But fine.Anderson is talking about Christianity and blood sacrifice or planet x!
Point taken,
Best Wishes
Norma

[Chris]

I was talking about Dew's autobiography which IS the context of the thread.

No, Natalie, you wrote:
I mean how would it have looked to a publisher preparing to sell these ex-policemen"s autobiography if,in the case of Anderson he had said ...

That was what I was responding to. I quoted it in my post to make that clear.

But you are quite right that all of this stuff about Anderson is off-topic.

[Natalie Severn]

Chris ,I do see the point you are making.
I would be interested in what you know about Anderson"s theological activities-on a suitable thread ofcourse.
It seems to me that Anderson may have had a touch of " religious mania".He certainly has a religious fanaticism , writing all those religious tracts and his strict interpretation of biblical matters,blood sacrifices etc.Its like once he has fixed his beam on something,he becomes very inflexible and a scary.It gives me the spooks that stuff about devils and blood and the room and sacrifice and so on.