FOR LENTEN READING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22830, 14 March 1936, Page 4

FOR LENTEN READING

" Itcllgloii In 'Life," edited by the Bishop of London, ss; " Successful Living," by the Kev. E. N. Porter Goff, ss; "0 Men of God, by Canon Iddlngs Bell, 4s; " This Our Pilgrimage," by Canon Peter Green, 4s; " Tho Problem of Right Conduct," By Canon Peter Green, os. London: Longmans Green.

" Religion in Life " " It lias been thought," says the Bishop of London in a foreword to "Religion in Life," "that the readers of the Lenten Books, now numbering nearly 30, might like to have some reminder of what they have read, and so this little volume.has been compiled." There is no definite indication as to the method used in the selection of the chapters, but one gladly admits that these extracts seem to have been wisely selected. The writers represented include Evelyn Underbill, btuddart Kennedy, Bishop Woodward, Archbishop Temple, Dean Inge—to name only the better known of the nine _ whose Lenten books have yielded material tor this one. r , n , , ~ . „ Mr Peter Goff's "Successful Living has been written in the rather scanty leisure afforded the minister of a parish in a big city, but he is right in putting upon paper Jiis thoughts upon a matter of unusual importance. There are, it is true to say, many people who are trying to live successfully—to make the best of their lives in the highest sense—but feel a sense of frustration. Mr bolts thesis is that applied Christianity is the onlv way to really successful living. Failure must always follow any neglect of the spiritual world from' which our life in this world derives its real meaning. Just as the ship's captain sets his course after taking into account all the available facts concerning currents and prevailing winds and then, at regular intervals, takes his bearings so as J be sure that he is proceeding in the light direction, so those who arc in the midst of the world's temptations and distractions must, at regular intervals, take a reckoning with others, with themselves, with the future, and with God. Unistianity. Mr Goff urges, is not merely a set of beliefs. It is a Way of Life, and if men would but view it as such they would not find chaos and sense essLss in living. It may be said hat thee is little that is new in this book but important truths are stressed and lacts which have been over aid by the dust of argument are brought to the suriace again: For this reason alone the book was worth writing. Canon hidings Bell is a wcl -known nrencher in the United States. His argument in " 0 Men of God " is that the world U asking for a sufficient creative moral drive. This can come only from Jesus, Who was crucified on Calvary—"the medicine of the world is a crow. His cross and ours.", This Lenten Book reiterates Augustine's celebrated word "Thou hast made us for ihyself. It we hold that true, then there can be o change in the essentia problems or men-no war. Great .or othewise; no strange feartulness oi insane obsession of men and women can change then The problems which press upon o-dav are as old as the world. The various answers to "the question o what constitutes the good life change om generation to generation. I ""> come, said Jesus, "that men may have lite, and have it more abundantly. llieit is Canon Bell's point-in Christ, alone is there ground for successful living. Canon Green's New Books

Canon Peter Green wr s ;. ell ancl is always worth reading. this Our 1 ilci'innEe" is, lie says, really a number of detached paragraphs which he hopes can be profitably used, one at u tune, as staring points for meditation and raycr His aim is to get his. readers .understand that "what God says o you is always of more help and value than what you get from another man. For this reason he tries to enable his readers to set out on the path of mediation and to give themselves to this act in such a way as will enable them to

hear Cod speak. For guidance to meditation and help in the religious life this little book should be of assistance. " The Problem of Conduct" is a textbook of Christian ethics. In it Canon Green has set his hand to a worth-while task, though there will be varying opinions concerning the success which has resulted from his efforts. The Christian view of conduct, he declares, must _be based on the specifically Christian view of man and the universe. The ideas contained in such expressions- as Incarnation, Atonement, Regeneration, Sanctification, must affect ethical theory very profoundly —indeed, must alter its whole character. The whole edifice of Christian ethics must be Christian from its foundation. No theory of ethics built without reference to Christian presuppositions and then by some means- given a Christian flavour can be considered satisfactory. The book is certainly worth attention, though many of its conclusions will rouse the mind to opposition. G. 11. J.