Page:HalfHoursWithTheSaints.djvu/15

 In spite  of  their  goodwill,  there  are  persons  whose  lives are so  occupied,  that  they  can  give  but  little  time  to  serious reading, and  even  those  few  moments,  have  to  be  snatched at uncertain  times. For such  as  these,  it  is  important  to have  a  book  which  can  bear  to  be  so  read. The editor  of "  Half-Hours  with  the  Saints  and  Servants  of  God,"  has effected this,  by  arranging  in  short  sections,  extracts  from various writers,  all  bearing  on  some  one  great  truth  or mystery  of  our  holy  religion. It would  be  well,  indeed,  to spend  a  half-hour  in  such  good  company,  but  the  sections are so  short,  that  one  who  has  only  ten  minutes  at  his disposal would  be  able  to  read  slowly  and  " pausingly"  as S.  Philip  tells  us  such  books  should  be  read,  words  that would go  far  to  sanctify  the  day.

The extracts  are  made  from  writers  of  every  age,  from St. Augustine,  down  to  our  own  Father  Faber,  and  many  of the  quotations,  are  from  books,  quite  out  of  the  reach  of ordinary  readers. Moreover, the  editor  has  wisely  added a short  account  of  the  life  of  the  Saint,  or  servant  of  God, whose work  he  quotes,  and  this  not  only  adds  much  to  the interest of  the  work,  but  may  lead  those  who  have  time at their  disposal,  to  cultivate  a  taste  for  solid  reading. They will  learn  the  beautiful  thoughts  of  men  whom  they have hitherto  known  only  by  name,  and  they  will  become anxious to  know  more  of  the  history  of  their  times,  and of the  circumstances  in  which  they  wrote. Thus, ecclesiastical history  and  the  biographies  of  the  great  Christian writers, will  acquire  a  new  interest  in  their  minds,  and  who can say,  how  great  a  blessing  a  taste  for  such  reading  may prove? Many, whose  lives  are  now  full  of  activity,  may have before  them,  through  ill  health  or  old  age,  long  years