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"Fourteen excellent conferences he addresses to the secular clergy. When treating of such topics as the priest's spiritual exercises and his recreations, the author is particularly good. There are other chapters on poverty, chastity and obedience, and the sacerdotal state's dignity and on pastoral works." -America "We recommend to the clergy this excellent retreat manual....While addressed directly to the English clergy, it presents the ideals of the priesthood common to all times and countries. The Bishop writes very sensibly and piously of the priest's pastoral work, his recreations, his religious exercises, his annual retreat, and his practice of the evangelical counsels. Most of our spiritual books are written and most of our retreats are given by Regulars, who at times do not understand the special needs of the secular clergy. Bishop Ward knows them thoroughly, both as bishop and in the many years spent in training seminarians. Like Cardinal Manning, he upholds strongly the great dignity of the priestly vocation, and urges secular priests to counteract by their lives and works the old traditional prejudice in favor of the Regulars." -Catholic World "To the clergy and to seminarians who frequently ask for good reading on the priestly life, we heartily recommend this addition tot he already favorably known Westminster Library. Its author is the Roman Catholic bishop of Brentwood, England, and its general scope and purpose similar to Cardinal Manning's 'Eternal Priesthood.' There is little i the book to which the most stalwart Anglican could object, and very much from which he might profit. Bishop Ward points out that as many books on the priesthood have been written by Religious, much of the treatment is not applicable to the life and ideals of the secular priest. 'From the nature of the case it happens that the great number of our spiritual books are written by the Regular Clergy. Yet in some of its phases the religious life differs essentially from that of a secular priest.' Hence, the bishop takes up the actual life of the secular priest, under concrete conditions, in vocation, ideals, devotions, work, recreation, etc. For meditations and "Lent reading,' we hope this volume will find many users." -Anglican Theological Review "There is no chapter of the fourteen from which the priest in the different circumstances of the English Church will not gain something; there are several from which he may gain much, as those on past oral work, preaching and recreation." -The Church Times CONTENTS PREFACE CONFERENCE I. THE PRIESTLY VOCATION II. THE PRIESTLY VOCATION (continued) III. POVERTY IV. CHASTITY V. OBEDIENCE APPENDIX ON OBEDIENCE AT THE SEMINARY VI. THE RELIGIOUS EXERCISES OF THE PRIEST VII. THE PRIEST'S PASTORAL WORK VIII. THE PRIEST'S PASTORAL WORK (continued)--THE LITURGY IX. THE PRIEST'S PASTORAL WORK (continued)--PREACHING X. THE RECREATIONS OF A PRIEST XI. THE RECREATIONS OF A PRIEST (continued) XII. THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY XIII. THE PERIODICAL RETREAT XIV. THE PRIEST IN SICKNESS--AND IN DEATH