16 NOVEMBER 1929, Page 31

The Coming Age and The Catholic Church. By Canon Barry,

D.D. (Cassell, 7s. 6d.)—Increasing years take nothing from the vivacity of Dr. Barry's pen. With cheerful optimism he once more maintains that the Roman Church has always been right, and that it is the one hope of a decent civilization. He compares Pius X. with Lincoln. The one saved the Creed as the other " these United States." He is all for democracy ; but the spectacle of Mussolini, Primo de Rivera, and Mustapha Kemal rouses hopes for the future of the Pope. The War, we learn, gave a great impetus to the conversion of England to Rome, because the soldiers saw crucifixes everywhere in France. The celibacy of the clergy is an admirable form of birth-control. The Soviet Government has made the con- version of Russia to Rome inevitable. And so on and so on. This is a robust faith, very encouraging to those who believe already, but likely to arouse a violent fit of s2epticisin in

those who do not. * * * *