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NOVEMBER 27, 1948 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA rivE BOOK REVIEWS EDITED BY EILEEN HALL WITH OTHER EDITORS HUMAN DESTINY: By Lecomlc du Noiiy, 289 pages. New York: Longmans Green and Company, $3.50. Great books, like great men, are few and far between. Dr. Locomte du Nouy is a great man, and in Human Destiny, he has written a great book. This work will probably be read a hundred years from now. Man is likely to say in the years to come, here is the book that returned man's mind from the muddled and specious thinking of the pseudo-scientific age, to clear thinking and an understanding of the funda mentals of God and man's relation to him. This book gives one a greater sense and a deeper under standing of the value of human dignity. If one ever doubted one’s absolute dependence on the Chris tian religion for higher attain ments and development of self, there can hardly be any doubt after reading this magnificent book. In his brilliant discussion of the evolution of man, Dr. du Nouy, takes science apart and looks at it, as it were, and tags it for what it is worth or is not worth. Like wise, he points out the progress man’s spiritual being has made, some of its errors, and the great possibilities the future holds for our spiritual development. “Evolu tion continues in our time,” he says, ‘‘no longer on the physiologi cal or anatomical plane, but on the spiritual and moral plane.” However, Dr. du Nouy says to the timid and warns those who are prejudiced against what we call science, that, “any man who be lieves in God must realize that no scientific fact, as long as it is true, can contradict God. Other wise, it would not be true. There fore any man who is afraid of science does not possess a strong faith. Although a scientist of world renown, Dr. du Nouy was an out standing philosopher and a deeply religious man. Rev. Gerald G. Walsh, editor of “Thought”, Ford- ham University, says “The book seems to me the most remarkable esr,ay in natural theology attempt ed by any scientist of our age.” Taking the position that the strictly, materlialistic theory of the Universe, and of man, is no longer tenable, Dr. du Nouy says, is not on this earth by chance alone; neither are other forms of life here by chance. He brings great learning and deep insight in sup port of his contention that man is a creature of God, as is all forms of life; and drives home the un- escapable truth that man is begin ning a great moral and spiritual evolution. And this is another way of saying man has and is evolving spiritually and morally; and he is traveling this highway toward the Kingdom of God today In a way he has never traveled it before. Learning and living the truths of Christianity, which is spiritual and moral development, is not easy, for as Dr. du Nouy points out, "every man must wage his own fight without which he can not progress. There is no short cut to truth. ... by laboring to perfect himself, by building an inner temple, by judging himself without complacency, man un consciously shapes a soul which overflows and extends all around him, ...xious to diffuse into that of others. By seeking himself he finds his brother. To progress he must fight himself; to fight him self he must know himself; if he really knows himself he learns in dulgence, and the barriers whicii separate him- from his neighbors crumble little by little. There is no other way toward human solidarity but the search and re spect for individual dignity.” Man has turned to his paterns of economics, and to his world of science, also various political structures in his hunt for peace and happiness: always with the hurning hope o r possessing an a’ ndance of this world’s goods, . ach time these things failed him and left him in despair and con fusion. The basis of thaj. which he is seeking is spiritual and moral development without it, man ’ is no more than the beasts of the fields. Man’s hope, is as Dr. du Nouy says: “The only salvation of mankind will be found in religion. How ever, it must be a sound Christian religion: vitalized by his own primitive ideals; aware of the progress of science, rid of prej udices against fair speculative in telligence, and soaring high above frontiers. Never in her two tiou- sand years has the Church had a more urgent call and a nobler op portunity to fulfil her obligation as to the comforter and guide of humanity.” But the author reminds us that in the final analysis it is individ ual development and responsibil ity, if man is to receive the bless ings of Christianity, for he points Convert An ex-minister and former na tional chaplain of the Ku Klux Klan, Dr. Alton M. Young, 61, has formally embraced the Cath olic faith. Baptized four months ago, the ex-Klan Kleagte received the Sacrament of Confirmation from Auxiliary Bishop James A. McNulty of Newark, in St. Aed- an’s Church, Jersey City, Oct. 17. INP Photo. (NC Photos.) out that “the gestures of faith, assiduous attendance at church, outward piety, signify nothing if man does not conform his acts and his life to the Christian ideal.” And with ihs character of life, will come the basis of peace which “must be established by trans forming man from the interior, and and not by erecting external structures . . . the source of all wars, the source of all evil, lies in us. No outside protection will be efficient if the enemy cowering at the bottom of our hearts is authorized to live.” Human Destiny is destined to become one of the most powerful and relentless foes of Communism and all other forms of regimenta tion, ever written. The crux of this brilliant presentation of man’s place in the universe and his mis sion, depends on man’s individual effort to develop his spiritual and moral being; but not at the ex pense of his fellowman, but at the expense of the evil in himself. For convenience, we call human nature evil, “for it was human nature, and not religion, which bred in tolerance and fanaticism in the ancient days.” And the same old human nature, is still working over-time breeding intolerance and fanaticism. If man is to overcome this curse he must wage a double fight constantly, using his brain as both of his weapons: “intelligence which protects his body, and moral ambition which guarantees evolution.” However, Dr. du Nouy reminds us, that while man must use his reason in cur rent life in dealing with his fel low man, “he will perpetrate fewer errors if he listens to his heart.” And again he drives his point home forcefully against Com munism when he stresses that “the unanimity of individuals can only emerge from the identity of moral, spiritual, and intellectual instruc tion, and can alone furnish the concrete base on which to build a stable and permanent society. The state should be the servant of Man, protect him in his free individual expansion and be worthy of him. It should not dominate him. The value of a country is the sum of the values of its children. Any government which seeks to sub- s ute its interests to the pursuit of individual development is re gressive and threatens human dig nity. “In the near future the world will suffer above all from dis trust,” Dr. du Nouy says. “We all realize this, but what is done to dissipate or to prevent this state of things, from being perpet uated? Few people worry about it. Governments think only of maintaining armies, alas neces sary, and all kinds of barriers which merely intensify suspicion. Can we not find, among those whose voice is heard, a few men capable of looking beyond the term of their activity, beyond the miserable duration of human life, and anxious to shape the future by preparing clear-sighted coming generations, imbued with self- respect and free from the super stitions which impede the flight of integral progress? Can we not find leaders of sufficient visoin to conceive an international plan of moral development spreading over several generations, instead of economic plans for five yeares?” SILVER JUBILEE The congratulations and best wishes for many more years of activity go forth from the com munity today to the Rev. Father Thomas A. Brennan on the oc casion of the twenty-fifth anniver sary of his ordination to the Catho lic priesthood. The pastor of the Church of the Most Blessed Sacra ment is observing his silver jubilee with the celebration of a solemn high mass and later in the day with receptions at which his many friends among the clergy and laity will greet him. This is a splendid summation of present day affairs and certainly is indicative of things to come, for the near future, at least. In dealing with the greatest drama of all time—the drama of creation. Dr. du Nouy concludes his profund and readable book on a note of high hope and admoni tion to all humanity, saying in fine: "Let every man remember that the destiny of mankind is incom- narable and that it depends great ly on his will to collaborate in the transcendent task. Let him remem ber that the law is, and always has been, to struggle and that the fight has lost nothing of its vio lence by being transported from the material onto the spiritual plane; let him remember that his own dignity, his nobility as a hu man being, must emerge from his efforts to liberate himself from his bondage and to obey his deep est aspirations. And let him above all ne-cr forget that the divine spark is in him, in him alone, and that he is free to disregard it, to kill it, or to come closer to God by showing his egarncss to work with Him, and for Him. ’ Need one be urged to read this great book?—W. A. Lufburrow. “JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD,” by Archbishop Alben Qood- ier. S. J., (Grail $1.25. (Reviewed by Betty Jordan) ) True Man. Jesus Christ was. as historians,i scientists, • critics, and unbeliever all agree. That He was and is also True God, Archbishop Goodier proves in this book, one of a number of his excellent spir itual works which just recently have been printed and made avail able in America. As is the case with most spirit ual books, this divided into parts, the first dealing with Belief in Christ, based on His Person, in its utter truthfulness and transcend ency, at once humon and divjne! His claim of being Very God, for which He was put ot death; His teaching of the fellowship of Him self as the secret of Man’s true progress; and the reward of peace in this life and eternal happiness in the next which he promised to all who follow Him. Part II, entitled "The Historic Christ,” shows the vital part the promise of a redeemer played in the faith, tradition, events and prophecies of the Jewish race, the circumstances, and surroundings into which Christ came, and the fulfillment of the prophecies, not only by the events of His life and death, but also by the kind of Man he was. Notable is the chap ter, “The Character of Christ.” Here, in words that all can un derstand, that all will remember, is a description of the Perfect Man in His Sacred Humanity, the model we must follow, the ideal we must strive to become. The various judges of Christ are presented in the last part of the book in character studies that display human nature, then as how, ,and its reasons for reject ing Christ. Annas is the ma terialist, Caiphas, a product of Compromise, Herod is the lover of vice, Pilate represents the re fusal to accept truth, and the study of the traitor, Judas, is a por trayal. of sin, striking in its stark expose of what mortal sin, strip ped of all its excuses and pro tests, really means and is. Archbishop Goodier writes with depths of knowledge, understand ing and love. His style is force ful in its calm appeal to reason, beautiful with the quiet dignity of simplicity, reverent in the ten der treatment of a sublime sub ject. As he says—language— is incapable of expressing human ideas—how much less can human words express the idea of God.” Nevertheless, Archbishop Goodier has given us a whole picture of Christ and Ilis place in our lives that should bring us nearer to the realization of that love for Christ which, in the closing words of the book, is“that great, noble, self-sacrificing. all embracing thing that makes a man close akin to the loving God Himself.” A native of Savannah, Father Brennan comes of a family long identified with activities here. Those who know him, both within and without his faith, admire him for his devotion to the duties to which he has dedicated his life and hold him in affectionate regard for his geniality and pleasantness. The church which Father Bren nan now serves as pastor is one of the outstanding new develop- men' : in the diocese. Father Bren nan, his associates and predeces sors. have accomplished much, spiritually and materially, in the parish, and in his work, on this, his silver jubilee. Father Bren nan’s friends wish him continued success and happiness.—(The Sa vannah Evening Press). CHURCHMEN’S GATHERING Brunswick, we are glad to note, has just come in for some gen erous and interesting editorial comment in the pages of The Bul letin, official paper of the Cath olic Laymen’s Association of Geor gia. A major part of the current issue is devoted to the Associa tion’s thirty-third annual conven tion scheduled here next Sunday. As the paper points out, the coming meeting will mark the first time in the Association’s his tory that the churhmmen have met in souheast Georgia. But, The Bulletin assures its readers, “As sociation members are enthusiastic over the prospects of going to Brunswick, which has so many and varied attractions. . . The community is of course de lighted to be so honored. And there is every good wish from Brunswick! ans that the convention will indeed be, as The Bulletin hopes, “one of the most important” in the Association's efforts. Of particular interes to stu dents of local history is The Bulletin’s discourse on the work of Spanish missionaries and other developments in this area. The News is happy to pass along a few excerpts, as follows: “Years before the English sel lers came to Jamesown, years be fore the Pilgrims landed at Ply- mouh, Spanish missions were es tablished and flourished along the Georgia coastline, from Florida to St. Helena in South Carolina. Priests of the Society of Jesus were the first missionaries shortly after St. Augustine was founded in 1565. In 1573, the Franciscans took the place of the Jesuits on the missions in Geor gia- . * “Missions were built. The mis sions of Santa Catalina on St. Catherine's Island; San Jose, on Sapelo Island, San Buenaventura, on St. Simons Island; Santo Do mingo Mission on the mainland in Glynn County; Santa Maria, near St. Mary's, and others. "The Spanish missions passed from the Georgia scene a*er the Battle of Bloody March on St. Simon's Island, 1742, when the Spaniards were defeated by the forces of General Oglethorpe. “There does not appear to be any record of Catholic activity in the Brunswick area from that time until 1791 when Jekyll Island was purchased by a member of tne du- Bignon family from France, and visiting priests came to the island to celebrate Mass. Priests con tinued to visit Brunswick at inter vals until Father Francis X. Mc Cabe csablished a parish in Bruns wick in 1875. For twenty-five years it was served by priests of the Diocese of Savannah. In 1897 the parish became a charge of the Marist Fathers, who are still serving in Brunswick and its mission territory. “In Brunswick, the Catholic Laymen of Georgia will be remind ed of a day when all of the Chris tians of Georgia were Catholics. Catholics in Georgia should be proud of that remarkable era of ltheir state’s history, a period when Cahoiic faith and Chrisian cul ture flourished here hundreds of years ago.”—The Brunswick News. BENEDICTINE SCHOOL AUXILIARY SPONSORS DANCE IN SAVANNAH SAVANNAH, Ga.—A dance for commissioned officers of the cadet corps of Benedictine Military School Auxiliary. Serving as chaperons .were Mrs. E. It. lleise and Mrs. J. M. Keat ing, officers of the auxiliary. The Auxiliary also sponsored its annual bazaar, on November 3, Iho committee in charge, headed by Mrs. A1 Remler, including Mrs. Charles Klene, Mrs. W. L. Moody, Mrs. Herbert Johnson, Mrs. E. R. lleise, Mrs. J. J. Owens, Mrs. Joseph Frewer, Mrs. ’J. E. Sykes, Mrs. R. W. Logue, Mrs. Peter Ricks and Mrs. F. X. Bey- tagh. You trust its quality torncD otioifl authof r*** coca-coca ocmpamy w Coitatssbsss Coca-Cola Bottling Co. COLUMBtUS,