The Four Mysteries of the Faith

My way would have been made very much easier at that time if somebody could have put into my hands a volume on the four Mysteries. As it was, I hobbled

up the slopes" on three of them, and did not get explicit insight into the fourth (or rather the third) until I was well on into my theological course. While writing the book called "Up the Slopes of Mount Sion" Isaw more and more clearly that it was a personal preliminary to a higher theoretical work. That is why when the present volume appeared serially in South Africa it was linked with the previous one by the title "On the Heights of Mount Sion." It has now been thought better to make the sub-title the principal one, viz., “The Four Mysteries of the Faith." I make this explanation to prevent my South African friends from thinking that it is a different book.

It is always a pleasing duty to express gratitude, so I wish to thank the Jesuit Fathers of South Africa and Rome, and especially Father de La Taille, S. J., Professor of Theology in the Gregorian University, my Alma Mater. He turned the searchlight of his intense theological learning on to my manuscript, and the book owes much to his corrections and suggestions. Moreover, he allows me to add a paragraph of his to this Preface. Humility scruples at the seemliness of my publishing it, but the temptation is irresistible. He writes:

"This is an interesting, and even fascinating book. There is a freshness about it, which makes old truths look quite new, and of the daily bread broken to the Christian people in the Catechism makes a feast for

the cultured mind. The general trend of the doctrine is not only orthodox, but strikingly true to the inner sense of Catholic dogma. One wonders at times from where the author has gathered certain views, which, while far from current in modern text-books, are, however, known to the professional theologian to be in direct continuity with the teaching of the Old School and of the Fathers."

To revert for a moment to the import of the title I should like to add that when I speak of the "Four Mysteries," people often ask me, "Which are the four?" That very question shows the need of the book.

St. Mary's, Cape Town. 8th January, 1926.

F.C.K.

CONTENTS

I. EXPLANATIONS

Fundamental analogies-St. Paul's use of them-

The adjective Incarnational-Why the book was at
first named " On the Heights "Why the change of
title?—The book is addressed to Catholics, but
other readers are not beyond its scope-The meanings
of "Mystery "-Both used by us-The definition
intended here-A proviso.

Partial meanings-An apparent exception--Com-

pressions-Amplifications-The order chosen here-
It is the Church's order-Subject of book stated.

III. HOW MYSTERIES CAN BE REVEALED

The necessity of metaphor-An objection met—

Comparison of our two worlds.

IV. HOW TO BEGIN

Our starting-point-The four kinds of reality—

My own soul first-Then the external world-Then
God-Christ the Centre of the Universe-Therefore,
the Revealer-The Reality of His Story-The
futility of objections-Subject of the book restated.