SCREWTAPE CHAPTERS 13-16 TWO WEEKS

[Kevin Young]

Well it's time to move on again. This time, we'll leave this thread up for two weeks before we move on to the next chapters so can we spend some extra time talking about it.

So Chapters 13-16 will be for Mon Dec 13 - Sun Dec 26.

Post your comments here. Love you guys

[Kevin Young]

Chapter 13

As I was reading Chapter 13 I was reminded of an old relationship of mine. During this fairly long relationship I completely lost myself. I completely became a different person. I started trying to be someone that I was not. I became a shadow.

After the relationship ended very badly.... I was determined to discover myself again. You know, one of those "Today is the first day of the rest of my life" moments. I woke up one morning and I asked myself, "Who am I? What do I like? Where do I like to eat? Who are my friends? How do I want to spend my time? What do I want to do with my life? What activity or hobby makes me really happy? What does God want me to do with my life?" I lost myself to the point that I literally did not know the answers. So I started a search for the answers to these questions.

I won't make a big long story of it, but what I will say is that I was happiest when I was "me." Not when I was trying to be something I wasn't. Now part of my personality is to try new things and discover new things. But the difference was, I was discovering new things for myself to see if "I" liked them, and still was able to enjoy things that I had always liked. And then after I became confident and happy with who I was, people liked me better. Isn't that weird? People liked me better when I wasn't trying to be like them, but when I was simply being myself. And subsequently I was able to minster to people better, because I wasn't trying to be something I wasn't. I was just being me.

If our enemy can separate us from who we really are..... then we get confused about our purpose, our life, and our destiny. God wants to separate us from our self-will, not separate us from ourselves. As Screwtape says, "When He (God) talks of their losing their selves, He means only abandoning the clamour of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His (God's) they will be more themselves than ever."

[L]

i loved that quote too. i think that it is very difficult to be real with others. i'm reading a book called "a whack on the head" anyway its about creativity. the author states that artists are more sucessful when they are childlike in the exploration of ideas. that an artist's creativity sometimes is impeded by what he or she stands to lose by its expression. we are all taught that there is only 1 right answer to any problem from pre-school and up. Jesus thought outside the box and truely was who He was. with out falsity. and He changed the world.. even if He had not died on the cross (which of course He did) He would have been a memorable figure in history because of the radical way He lived. "the acceptable answer" culturally, was certainly not always the right answer as Jesus proved. i wonder how the world would be different if christians lived as God intended them to be.... not fitting into any cultural boxes as a means of being accepted, but freely expresing who they are as a child of God with His attributes, creativity, curiosity and joy. wouldn't everybody want to be a part of that Church?

i hope you all have a very merry Christmas! and may He bless you with the riches of His amazing grace during this holiday season an in the year to come.

L

[Kevin Young]

Chapter 14

Ahhh the age old sin of pride. Screwtape's advice to Wormwood, "Catch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, 'By jove! I'm being humble,' and almost immediately pride - pride at his own humility - will appear."

This makes me laugh just thinking about it. If you look at yourself and think, "wow I'm really being humble today" you are the furthest thing from humble at that moment. Does anyone else think that's hilarious? I certainly do.

What I really took away from this chapter is that we can do nothing apart from Christ (John 15). He gives us amazing abilities and talents, but apart from Christ those amazing talents become worthless. There is nothing wrong with looking at our abilities and talents and thinking that they are great, special, and have a divine purpose. Screwtape actually tries to get Wormwood to convince his patient to think that being humble means you have to look your talents and think less of them than what they really are. But Screwtape gives us some powerful insight on what God thinks about it.....

"The Enemy (God) wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in the fact, without being any more (or less) or otherwise glad at having done it than he would be if it had been done by another. The Enemy (God) wants him (us), in the end, to be so free from any bias in his own favour that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as in his neighbor's talents - or in a sunrise, an elephant, or a waterfall."

This is a great reminder for us in Disciple. It is easy to get competitive with other bands, and try to be better than them. But when I was a teenager, I didn't just listen to one Christian Rock band. I listened to Petra, Whitecross, Stryper, Bride, Guardian, Holy Soldier, and many others. I needed all of those bands to be great. It wasn't a matter of one band being better than the other. When I put their CD in...... I needed it to be good, period! It wasn't a competition. It was ministers..... speaking the word of God through their music. And they ministered to me, and helped shape me into the man I am today. So I remind myself all the time... Disciple needs to be a good band, and I believe we are a good band. But I also need Skillet to be a good band, and Kutless, and P.OD., and Blindside, and Spoken, and Demon Hunter, and Thousand Foot Krutch, and Red, and Brian "Head" Welch. I need these guys to be good, and they are good. And the gifts and talents God has given to all of us are beautiful. We are all ministering the Word of God to the same generation, and we need our music to be good so people will hear our message. Talents and gifts and even forgiveness are just evidence of God's grace to us. Our talents are not about "us." They are about Him. Our music is not about us, it is about Him. Our lives are not about us, they are about Him.

"It's not about me, for by grace I was saved by God" - Disciple

[annchen]

woah, quoting yourself must be sooo cool!


well, honestly - this is a pretty tough topic for me. it often is hard to give god all the glory. not to take pride in a good devotion i did in my church. in how clean i sang the worship songs and how i managed my exams although "i did not spend THAT much time for learning..."

i mean being proud feels good sometimes. it feels good to get compliments.
but it also feels good to know that god gave me these gifts i have.

This makes me laugh just thinking about it. If you look at yourself and think, "wow I'm really being humble today" you are the furthest thing from humble at that moment. Does anyone else think that's hilarious? I certainly do.

yeah thats funny - but, I have to admit - very true. sad but true (sings the metallica intro - baaam bam bam bam...)
there are days in which i have to remind me to be humble and - if i success - think exactly that. "yesss, another victorious fight against your pride. well done."

it's the human inside me that tells me i'm not satisfied by being gods "tool" (I hope you get what I mean with this, I don't know how to say it...)
although it actually is such an honor to be gods hands/tools, to live and work for him and to be perfect for this job. becaus he made me exactly as he wanted me to be and I can be part of his kingdom.
A part of me still wants to build my own kingdom with MY gifts and with the knowledge I have gained.


I often think about the composers Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel who used to initial their works with S.D.G. (soli deo gloria - glory to god alone). often they only used this letters instead of their names. i think that's very inspiring, that these big composers disclaimed to get all the fame but gave god the glory.

btw: SDG would be a great tattoo. on the wrist so that I remind myself that my body is gods work, so as everything i create with my hands...

[*Elena]

Chapter 13

"When He (God) talks of their losing their selves, He means only abandoning the clamour of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His (God's) they will be more themselves than ever."

I love that quote too!

And I also love the quote:
'It remains to consider how we can retrieve this disaster. The great thing is to prevent his doing anything. As long as he does not convert it into action, it does not matter how much he thinks about this new repentance.'
It's all about bringing forth the good fruit. Luke 6:43 For there is no good tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit; nor again a corrupt tree that bringeth forth good fruit.

[*Elena]

Chapter 14:

'The Enemy wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in the fact, without being any more (or less) or otherwise glad at having done it than he would be if it had been done by another. The Enemy wants him, in the end, to be so free from any bias in his own favour that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as in his neighbour's talents - or in a sunrise, an elephant, or a waterfall.'
This is my favourite part of this chapter.
And I love it that it says: The Enemy wants him to be so free from any bias..
I want to be that free that I can rejoice in my own talents as frankly and gratefully as in my neighbour's talents.

This Christmas season I sang at different places and I was thinking whether I was singing for the glory of God or for the compliments I would get afterwards.
I realized sometimes I just want to hear: Oh, that was beautiful!
So I said to God: Ok, I find this hard to deal with..
And after I did receive compliments, I gave those compliments to God.
But I really would like to be completely free and rejoice in my talents just as gratefully as in my neighbour's talents.

I often think about the composers Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel who used to initial their works with S.D.G. (soli deo gloria - glory to god alone). often they only used this letters instead of their names. i think that's very inspiring, that these big composers disclaimed to get all the fame but gave god the glory.

That is beautiful and very inspiring indeed!

btw: SDG would be a great tattoo. on the wrist so that I remind myself that my body is gods work, so as everything i create with my hands...

And yes, I agree that would be a great tattoo!

[Kevin Young]

btw: SDG would be a great tattoo. on the wrist so that I remind myself that my body is gods work, so as everything i create with my hands...

Ok. I haven't gotten a tattoo in years, because I haven't been able to think of anything cool to get. You may have just inspired my next tattoo! Thanks Annchen. I told my wife about it, and she said I should get it on my forehead and write it backwards. That way I will see it every morning when I look in the mirror. She is quite the comedian. But I am seriously considering getting it........ just not on my forehead or written backwards.


Chapter 15
This chapter deals with living in the Present. I have seen first-hand how someone's goals for the future have robbed them of the joys of the present. This is a great chapter.

Favorite quote of this chapter
"If, on the other hand, he is aware that horrors may be in store for him and is praying for the virtues wherewith to meet them, and meanwhile concerning himself with the Present because there, and there alone, all duty, all grace, all knowledge, and all pleasure dwell, his state is very undesirable and should be attacked at once."

This seems to be a state of mind that is only slightly concerned with the Future, and majorly focused on the Present. I love this quote because instead of being anxious about the horrors to come, the godly man or woman is preparing their character to meet those horrors with the virtues of God. Wow. That's so awesome. Why worry about the possible horrors of the Future. If God is for us, who can be against us.

Oh, and here is another quote for Annchen

"If you are for me, who can be against me. I will not fear the one who will take my life with his hands" - Disciple (from the song "Fear")

[annchen]

Ok. I haven't gotten a tattoo in years, because I haven't been able to think of anything cool to get. You may have just inspired my next tattoo! Thanks Annchen.

oh, you are very welcome! well if it's done someday - i would love to see it.
i like the idea with the forehead. always a chance to talk about christ because people will ask you about it. that's for sure.
backwards on the chest would be an idea, too.
oh, and thanks for the quote - disciple songs are always good for a fitting quote...


so. Chapter 16. Great chapter - but there's so much.

I think I will need two posts.

A few thoughts. I know a woman who once visited our church. I knew she was in several churches before but after some time I thought she may have found a "home". But then she left. With her family. I heard that she attended two others afterwards.
That's so sad. She is so uncontent and always lurks for things she does not like and she thinks are wrong. I wish she could just find peace and engage with one church and find blessing. My dad uses to say God loves to use bad preachers. It's a little mean but you know what he wants to say

I think it's so important to say: I'll go to the service and will see what blessings god has to offer me this sunday.

Some time ago I had a hard time going to the church I grew up in. It wasn't MY church, it was the church of my parents and I felt like I had to go, too. I couldn't just leave, right? I always thought: "Well, this sunday won't be THAT meaningful for me...". I did not like the songs, they were too old, and the youth club consisted of 4 people and I felt like the sermons where useless for me - they gave me nothing. Well, I was a teenager.

Today I'm 22 and I LOOOVE my church! A lot has changed, the youth group has grown, I am involved -I sing and do "Jungschar", thats the kids-group - I love the other members and so on. But most importantly my attitude has changed.

A few years ago someone who did the sermon gave everybody a pin with a smiley on it and the sentence "I am thankful for my church". I never wore that and I honestly don't even know where it is. I wasn't thankful for my church. Today I am.

[Disciple Stac]

Chapter 14 "The patient is making none of those confident resolutions which marked his original conversion....but only a hope for the daily and hourly pittance to meet the daily and hourly temptation".
That is so true, I can't think that for a whole day I am not going to have a thought or feeling that is not of God...I need help hourly to make it and try and be the best creature He created...not a lot of confident resolutions showing my pride and getting me nowhere.

Chapter 16 "Surely you know that if a man can't be cured of Churchgoing, the next best thing is to send him all over the neighborhood looking the Church that 'suits' him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of Churches. The search for a suitable Church makes him a critic where the enemy wants him to be a pupil."

Okay, I live in a small town and there are people who Church-hop...because it's such a small community of Churches most everyone knows everyone else and at first I found it odd and didn't get it....then I realized if they didn't like one thing- they'd move on to another Church....but Church's are just buildings and people are the same everywhere as far as we are just human...there are going to be things you don't like....everyone has flaws that are going to rub someone the wrong way. But it's not supposed to be about US....we are to be a pupil...I really liked that comment...I want to pay attention to what I'm there for to LEARN...and learn to love each other...flaws and all. I'm not perfect, I can't expect anyone else to be either.

Annchen- that really is a good tattoo idea! You should get it on your wrist for sure.

[annchen]

At the first of these the Vicar is a man who has been so long engaged in watering down the faith to make it easier for supposedly incredulous and hard-headed congregation that it is now he who shocks his parishioners with his unbelief, not vice versa.

This is a good part, too, I think.
I see a real danger in what he describes. And it's not just a church-thing. Christians sometimes tend to let some things drop or maybe don't dare to talk about it. especially when speaking with non-christians.
for excample: let's talk about the loving god, the father and sheperd. the thing with the righteous, judging and holy god who makes no exceptions - well maybe we can talk about that later.
but it's one god. it's one bible. we can't pick the parts which are nice and easy to talk about and let the rest drop.
it's a challange...


one thing i realised at the end of chapter 15:

And anyway, why should the creature be happy?

that's cool now that I thought about it. The enemy does not care if we are happy or not. He sometimes makes us think we are to achieve his aims, or to distract us or whatever. he wants us to be as far away from god as possible. and of course he wants us to imagine we're safe there. but he does all that for his plans. actually he does not care if we are happy he does not want us to be happy just for the sake of happyness.
(that reminds me of chapter 9 where it says: He made the pleasures: all our research so far has not enabled us to produce one. )

God wants us to be happy. He can make us happy and joy is one of the big things he wants to give to us. that's awesome.


oh, wow, big support in the tattoo thing.

[*Elena]

Chapter 16

I really love reading your comments.
Here is my favourite quote:

'What He wants of the layman in church is an attitude which may, indeed, be critical in the sense of rejecting what is false or unhelpful, but which is wholly uncritical in the sense that it does not appraise - does not waste time in thinking about what it rejects, but lays itself open in uncommenting, humble receptivity to any nourishment that is going.'

This chapter is written in a funny way.
But it's serious stuff, when Screwtape is saying that thanks to their ceaseless labour, the Church of England is not a positive hotbed of charity and humility.

[Kevin Young]

Chapter 16

Two things I related to in this chapter

1. Screwtape tries to get his patient to go from church to church to become a connoisseur of churches. The attitude of someone who goes from church to church (normally) is that they are looking for a church that they like. A lot of times, they are not pursuing a church who has sound doctrine, or reaches out to the community in some form of charity, or has genuine desire to point people to Jesus. Instead they are pursuing a church that is more stylized for them. Their kind of music. Their kind of speaking. Their kind of time schedule. Their kind of clothes...... you know the things that don't matter at all. There is nothing wrong with going from church to church in pursuit of a church that loves Jesus. But it is usually the other thing that we judge a church by.

2. The other thing I related to was how Screwtape wants churches or denominations to "hate" other churches, and not even have an intelligent reason for doing so.

The real fun is working up hatred between those who say "mass" and those who say "holy communion" when neither party could possibly state the difference between, say, Hooker's doctrine and Thomas Aquinas', in any form which would hold water for five minutes.

I think this is what Satan tries to do to us. Most of us evangelical Christians will say hurtful things about Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, Jews but not really have an understanding about the difference between what we believe and what they believe. But where the "hatred" really gets stirred up is among the denominations who essentially have the same basic foundations of doctrine. The free-will churches hate the predestination churches. The non speaking-in-tongues churches hate the speaking-in-tongues churches. The modern & contemporary musical churches hate the traditional music churches. The casual dressing church hates the church that dresses up. The dunking baptism supporters hate the sprinkling baptism supporters. We speak evil of each other without even knowing the history behind how we got to where we are today. We demolish each other's doctrines without even knowing our own, or more importantly..... without even knowing what the Bible says about our doctrines and other people's doctrines. IT IS TIME TO STUDY WITH AN OPEN MIND AND A CLOSED MOUTH.

One more for Annchen
"I just know Jesus is the way" - Disciple

[annchen]

I think this is what Satan tries to do to us. Most of us evangelical Christians will say hurtful things about Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, Jews but not really have an understanding about the difference between what we believe and what they believe. But where the "hatred" really gets stirred up is among the denominations who essentially have the same basic foundations of doctrine. The free-will churches hate the predestination churches. The non speaking-in-tongues churches hate the speaking-in-tongues churches. The modern & contemporary musical churches hate the traditional music churches. The casual dressing church hates the church that dresses up. The dunking baptism supporters hate the sprinkling baptism supporters. We speak evil of each other without even knowing the history behind how we got to where we are today. We demolish each other's doctrines without even knowing our own, or more importantly..... without even knowing what the Bible says about our doctrines and other people's doctrines. IT IS TIME TO STUDY WITH AN OPEN MIND AND A CLOSED MOUTH.

oh yes, that's true. I have to admit this happens quite often to me...most of the time it's not serious and my brother and i like to make fun of other christians from other churches from time to time. in a loving way. we have many christian friends out of many different churches and we make fun of each other actually. :-D

but sometimes it's more serious, i have to say. there is this church in our town we just call "old church". it's a very traditional and (i don't find another word right now) "oldfashioned". do you have this kinds in the US, too? I guess so... it's this "women are not allowed to wear pants or short hair. and no television or 'worldly' partys" kind of church.
and it happens that i start judging about them. I think that they don't really get it, that they missed, that jesus made them free. I cannot believe that they are happy. but i have to be true to myself, they sure are. (well, i think there are some, that are not, but that's another topic and it's their choice, not mine)
I should actually see that these people are my brothers and sisters and I have to admit: people from this churches have a huuuuge knowledge about the bible. they LOVE jesus! that's awesome. I should see that and not think about how they may not know the freedom god has to offer.

oh, concerning the freedom thing - I've got a quote coming to my mind...
Now it’s been so long
Since my freedom is me bound to You

this song means a lot to me! it was a tough and a breathtaking moment that made me realise that I am only really free when I'm bound to god! it's ironic... I can go wherever I want and search for freedom as far away from god as I possibly can. and I'll find that I'm free when I tie myself to him. wow...

ok, that was a little bit off topic but I think that everybody has to decide how much "freedom" is good for him. some churches seem to be unfree for me, but who am I to judge? this is their way to "tie them to jesus". I am not in the position to judge.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strengt.

One more for Annchen
"I just know Jesus is the way" - Disciple

oh, I'm...uh...flattered.

[S_arah]

I really loved reading your posts!

Chapter 13 is full of amazing insights!

"When He (God) talks of their losing their selves, He means only abandoning the clamour of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His (God's) they will be more themselves than ever."

I also loved this quote and the part about God's will and plan for each person..The soul that is uniquely crafted by God. I could quote the entire paragraph, or just hit points, so here are the points:
- God really likes everybody's individual uniqueness
- God wants us to abandon "the clamour of self-will", not our own uniqueness
- After giving up our will and taking on His will for our life, God "gives us back all our personality...and makes us more ourself than ever."
God's desire for us is to be free from sin and be pure by taking on His will for us (which frees us from sin) and then to be purely ourself in our worship of Him (because sin takes us away from who we really are).

I also loved this one.

The great thing is to prevent his doing anything. As long as he does not convert it into action, it does not matter how much he thinks about this new repentance.'

'let him do anything but act.. The more often he feels without acting, the less he will be able ever to act, and in the long run, the less he will be able to feel' This is a lesson for all of us i think. We have to bare fruits, not only use words, but really act.

[S_arah]

Ch 14.

The patient’s attention has been turned from himself to God. The last thing Satan wants us to do is to love our God with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. He wants us to take pride in our achievements rather than give God the glory. The lesson here: Humlity is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.

The worst part of the whole thing for them is that the patient no longer carries misguided ideas of what to expect in following God. He knows now that being a Christian is no piece of cake, and knows also not to have so much pride and believe that he will always be spiritual. Instead, he only hopes for (and this really hit me) "the daily and hourly pittance to meet the daily and hourly temptation." Because he isn't under false illusions, he will be more and more steady with his walk with God. i really love this part, it's kind of encouraging for me to just take it one day at a time, knowing and hoping that God wants to help me through the day and gives me strenght to face the daily temptation.

I also really loved this quote: 'He (God) really loves the hairless bipeds He created and always gives back to them with His right hand what He has taken away with His left'
When He takes, He always gives something back.
This made me think of one of my favourite Bible verses: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him Romans 8:28.

I often think about the composers Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel who used to initial their works with S.D.G. (soli deo gloria - glory to god alone). often they only used this letters instead of their names. i think that's very inspiring, that these big composers disclaimed to get all the fame but gave god the glory.

I play al lot of Bach's music, but I never knew this. Thanks for sharing, Its very inspiring!
And i agree, It is a very cool tattoo idea!

[*Elena]

The lesson here: Humlity is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.

I Love That

[Sparkz4Christ]

Chapter 13:
"Of course I know that the Enemy also wants to detach men from themselves, but in a different way. Remember always, that He really likes the little vermin, and sets and absurd value on the distinctness of every one of them. When He talks of their losing their selves, He only means abandoning the clamour of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His they will be more themselves than ever."

This part really stood out to me because it reminded me of a best friend that I once had. He was such an important best friend to me that when "the world crashed down" and God proved to me that he was not someone I was supposed to be that close to, that I ended up confused about myself. And the only way I was able to find myself again was to find the scripture that describes who I am to God and how He views me and feels about me.

Chapter 14:
"Catch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, 'By jove! I'm being humble', and almost immediately pride-pride t his own humility-will appear. If he awakes to the danger and tries to smother this new form of pride, make him proud of his attempt-and so on, through as many stages as you please."

"The Enemy wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best"

~I've heard it a ton of times that when we accept Christ into our lives and our hearts, He lives in us and with us. This is now the second time this week that I've thought of that in a completely different way. I've always understood that He lives in us, but for some reason never pictured it as Him actually making our heart His home to live in. And when he first moves in it's like He's bought a brand new house and wants to start fixing it up immediately and making it the "best house ever". (Thanks to Liz for that note on Facebook =) ) It's still a pretty new thought to me, and I'll admit, it does kinda make me uneasy and think, "Why would God want to live with me like this?" but I'm really starting to accept the fact that no matter how many times I mess up, He won't leave. ...still blows my mind lol~

"He wants each man, in the long run, to be able to recognize all creatures (even himself) as glorious and excellent things."

~Out of curiosity (I don't know if this question has been asked yet), but does anyone else find themselves to become....sort of numb to the scenery, the animals, and the...awesomeness around you because you live in it every day?

Ugh, I don't have enough time to write down all my thoughts about this chapter; it was really eye-opening. =) If I could have written down more pieces from this chapter to talk about I would...but I might as well have written the whole chapter down xD lol

Chapter 15:
"he humans live in time but our Enemy destines them to eternity. He therefore, I believe, wants them to attend chiefly to two things, to eternity itself, and to that point of time which they call the Present. For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity."

"It is far better to make them live in the Future. Biological necessity makes all their passions point in that direction already, so that thought about the Future inflames hope and fear. Also, it is unknown to them, so that in making them think about it we make them think of unrealities."

"To be sure, the Enemy wants men to think of the Future too-just so much as is necessary for now planning the acts of justice or charity which will probably be their duty tomorrow. The duty of planning the morrow's work is today's duty; though its material is borrowed from the future, the duty, like all duties, is in the Present."

Chapter 16:
"In order to spare laity all 'difficulties' he has deserted both the lectionary and the appointed psalms and now, without noticing it, revolves endlessly round the little treadmill of his fifteen favorite psalms and twenty favorite lessons."

"The real fun is working up hatred between those who say 'mass' and those who say 'holy communion' when neither party could possibly state the difference between, say, Hooker's doctrine and Thomas Aquinas', in any form which would hold water for five minutes."