SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Under this heading we notice such Books of the week as have not been reserved for review in other forms.] My Kingdom of Heaven. By Peter Rosegger. (Hodder and Stoughton. 6s.)—In this highly interesting book everything is treated from a more or less unfamiliar standpoint. The author is not concerned to champion this or that Communion, this or that system of doctrine. He owns frankly enough that the Roman Church has great attractions for him. But he cannot accept its latest developments. The dogma of Papal infallibility does not approve itself to him. He cannot accept the theory of the temporal power. But he sees a meaning in practices to which Protestantism objects. There is an admirable passage, for instance, on the Intercession of Saints. He tells us how in his youth he had owned to his spiritual adviser that he had asked the
prayers of a number of saints. "What were they to obtain fqr you ? " He owned that this was success in life. Then said the priest :—" If you ask the saints for earthly things they will scarcely be able to help you. For they despised material property and will not understand how things that they considered prejudiciel to the soul's salvation can be of advantage to you. But if yeti pray for the happiness that they themselves sought and found, for courage, humility, contentment, patience, for preservation of innocence and a clear conscience, for love towards God, they will certainly be ready to ask God to bestow such gifts and favours on you. And, if the saints do not ask it for you, you will obtain the gifts yourself through your own fervent praying for them." But all saints are not to his liking,—self-torturers, bigots ; St. Simeon Stylites, for instance, and perhaps St. Dominic. Elsewhere the reader will find a quite admirable summary of the Beatitudes. Generally, this is a most thoughtful and spiritually minded book. To a preacher it should be especially valuable.
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