FIFTY-SIX SHORT SERMONS For the use of Lay Readers BY THE RIGHT REV. GILBERT WHITE BISHOP OF WILLOCHRA WITH A PREFACE BY THE BISHOP OF SALISBURY LONDON SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING NEW YORK AND TORONTO: THE MACMILLAN CO. TH PREFACE HESE sermons are short, but, as they claim to be thoughtful, they should be read slowly, occupying just under a quarter of an hour each in delivery. The author is conscious that in the course of a long ministry he assimilated the thoughts of many other people, and he expresses his gratitude, but, as far as he knows, he has only borrowed directly from others in the case of James Hinton's classic essay on Pain, and of some thoughts from a valuable essay by the Rev. H. M. Relton, D.D., on the Omnipotence of God. He prays that these sermons may be of some service to the Church. G. Bp. of W. 1922. THE PREFACE BY THE BISHOP OF SALISBURY HE Ministry of laymen in Church ought to be more highly valued than it is. We have not enough priests in Australia, and in very many places the question whether God shall be honoured on His own Day by the corporate worship of His people depends upon the piety and good will of faithful laymen. They deserve the support of the Church. This book is at once a recognition of the debt we owe to them, and an attempt to equip them for their task. I rejoice in being allowed thus to commend it, because during twenty years of close friendship I have learned to value all that the Bishop of Willochra says and does; and my hope is that others will profit, as I have, by the influence of his spirit and wisdom. ST. CLAIR SARUM. August, 1922, |