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Show Imitation of Christ. .' After the holy scriptures, there is no book that has been more universally ;! t ''"ad and from which greater spiritual : consolation has been derived than the ' ' "Imitation of Christ." Not only Cath olics, but many Protestants read a part of it daily. Its frequent appeal to and quotations from the . scriptures show- the attitude of the church at the time the authjr wrote fifteonlli centurytowards cen-turytowards the Bible. ; In the supplement of Ikmohoe's Ma- ' gazine for June, Rev. John F. Mullany says of this book: "One of the greatest books ever writ- , ten is the 'Imitation of Christ,' by . , Thomas a K?vnpis, published about the I 3ear 1425- "-ve nd In its Inimitable pages the best evidence of the attitude I ud Practice of the church in regard to Bible reading, in these . much maligned ma-ligned ages';of faith. This holy monk of the archdiocese of Cologne made for himself a manuscript copy of the Bible. Like Bede,, he found great pleasure in reading and teaching and writing and transcribing what he found best in sacred sa-cred and profane literature. In. the first book of the 'Imitation,' he gives some useful directions for the reading of the holy scriptures in his. day. He says: "AU holy .scri pture should be read in the spirit in which it was written. Our suriosity is often a hindrance to us in reading the scriptures when we wish to understand and discuss, where we ought to pass on in simplicity If thou wilt derive profit, read with humility, hu-mility, with simplicity, with faith, and never wish to have a name for learning.' learn-ing.' . "In the llth chapter' of the fourth book, he says: 'I shall have for my consolation, a mirror of life the holy Bible,' 'and, above all, thy most holy body, my especial remedy and refuge. Whilst detained in the prison of this body, 1 acknowledge that I need two things, food and light. Thou hast therefore given to me, weak as I am, thy sacred body lor the nourishment of my soul and body, and thou hast set thy word as a light to my feet. Without these two I. could v not live for the word of God is the light of the soul and thy sacrament is the bread of life. These also may be called the two tables set on either side of the store-house of Ihy holy church.' " |