Pastor in Ecclesia. By the Rev. Gilbert Monks. (Elliot Stock.
5s.)—Mr. Monks describes his book as "a practical study in the art of money-raising." The Dean of Durham explains in the preface which he has furnished that this rosily means a stody in the art of getting your people to work with ycm. 'It is AA danger of an Established Church that it offers its wares for nothing," he says with great troth. And the frequent weal tls of its ministers increases the danger. One hears it said : "Oh, the Rector is rich enough to pay for this or that " ; and people ahi?.p their pockets while they avail themselves without a scruple of free sittings and all that goes with them. One of the hardest things to bring home to the average Churchman is that his duty to give is absolutely independent of the poverty or wealth of the parish priest. Mr. Monks escapes this difficulty by taking for his protagonist the curate-in-charge of a poor district. He tells us how he worked it, using as his method, first and foremost, the co-operation of his people. All this is abundantly illustrated by anecdote and apposite quotation. The formation of a Church council, the working of a Sunday-school, a rummage sale, a harvest festival, asid other occasions furnish the opportunity of much judicious counsel. One thing we would emphasise. *nem as it is now managed is often a great hinclrence devotion. Surely it is more than a little strange that, for the sake of s musical effect, the people should say the Lord's Prayer without "Our Father" and the Creed without "I believe."
Previous page
