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 Fundamental analogies-St. Paul's use of them- The adjective Incarnational-Why the book was at Partial meanings-An apparent exception--Com- pressions-Amplifications-The order chosen here- Our starting-point-The four kinds of reality— My own soul first-Then the external world-Then VI. WHY SYMBOLS RATHER THAN SPEECH ? Developing revelation appropriate to developing people-Cultivation of the mental soil-Even PAGE VIII. THE MEANING OF THE PARABLE The Stream of Creation--The Stream of Time- The Stream of Humanity-The Stream of Thought. Good versus Evil-Insoluble problems put aside- The principles of the conflict-The conflict itself- The Redeemer fights and conquers as Man-Divine chivalry-Christ and the demons-The taint of The taint on matter-Original Sin-Redemption of the soul-Redemption of the body-The Immacu- XI. THE FIRST MYSTERY-THE BLESSED TRINITY Method-Some plurality in the One Godhead- Divine manifestations-Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus- XII. THE SECOND MYSTERY-THE INCARNATION The primeval promise-The Patriarchs-Moses Variety of aspect-Mystery or Metaphor ?—The Woman and her Seed-The Chosen People-The XIV. THE THIRD MYSTERY AS DIVINE SONSHIP - Fatherhood-As both Metaphor and Mystery-The fullest assertion of it-The mode of the New Birth— Analogy and Mystery-The process of revelation -St. Paul-Summary of St. Paul's teaching— Parallel and Parable-Science and Faith-Evolu- tion produced to infinity-The plan-The unique Motherhood-The test of value-The only salvation —The single cell versus the organism-Metaphor and Reality again-The uniting substance-The whole sacramental system-What the Early Church used The measure of reality is Faith--Is the bond of union continuous ?-Faith has its confirmations- All salvation inluded in the Incarnational scheme- The Communion of Saints-The foolishness of the XIX. THE TEACHING OF THE THIRD MYSTERY - Early days-Modern methods-A certain lack of The two Worlds, a parallel-The idea of Force- Natural forces reducible to Light-Supernatural The analogy of blood-The special position of |