GOD AND THESE TIMES,

by Howard J.Chidley '06. Fleming J. Revell Company,1943. 128 pp. $1.50.

This volume of fifteen war-time sermons is explanation enough of . Howard Chidley's eminence as a religious leader in the Boston area. A Canadian by birth and a recipient of an honorary doctorate from his own college, he has labored so effectively for over twentyf ive years in Winchester that his has become one of the largest and most influential Congregational churches in the state.

Every page is evidence of Dr. Chidley's breadth o£ experience, of his varied reading and sound learning, of his deep understanding of human nature, and of his quiet but vibrant faith. No inhabitant of the "ivory tower," he faces squarely the terror, the agony and the confusion of "these times," and always with calm confidence. He reveals poise and exuberance, bringing bold courage to those overwhelmed by fears and light to those whose path seems dark.

The range of interest is broad and the appeal reaches all sorts of people. Personal difficulties, social problems and world issues are all handled with a sense of the divine perspective. Two sermons, beyond others, deal specifically with the war (the first and the thirteenth), and two are addressed to youth (the ninth and the fifteenth). Many an unfamiliar Bible passage is illuminated by searching and colorful comment. Graphic illustrations are drawn from the great books of antiquity and from yesterday's newspaper. Pungency in phrasing is striking: for example, "Man's periods are God's commas" (p. 41); "Those who eat alone do not have great appetites" (p. 116). The style is simple, direct and vigorous. The book is the work of a skilled writer, of a teacher of ethics, of a wise commentator on contemporary life, but above all of a genuine preacher. For the supreme function of preaching is to lead men and women into a knowledge of and devotion to God.