Letters SHINING SPIRITUALITY

Russian Letters of Direction. By Macarius of Optino. Translated by Inlia de Beausobre. (The Deere Press. 5s.)
Reviewed be DONALD ATTWATER
MAY be you are fed up with., the " Russian Church, or at any rate with talk about schisms and subschisms and disputed patriarchal elections and political hanky-panky; but still you would like to know something about Russian religion. Then buy this little book. It consists of short extracts (splendidly translated) from the numerous extant letters to lay people of Father Macarius Ivanov, a monk of the Optino monastery, who died in 1860. Macarius was a starets. and what a stares is lulls de Beausobre explains in her preface. in which she tells us more about Marius and other start Sy.
Simplicity, forthrightness. commonseam, sympathy, gentle respect for our free will and personal responsibility: and an irradiation of shining spirituality all the time—these characterise the letters of Macarille. It seems impossible that any Christian of any " denomination " or none could read this book without personal profit therefrom: it is most emphatically not just " a pious little book ": it is something really valuable. And there are lighter moments in it too. What about this, about 1840:
"I cannot approve of this passion for smoking cigars. Just think, until recently you could call yourself a free woman, but now you are a slave, in bondage to a silly fad. Think, too, how much money you squander on it. Mind you, I do not forbid this indulgence; you must do us you choose. But my advice is. leave off . . ."
Fr. F. H. Drinkwater's popular pamphlet. Going to Mass (the Eucharist Drama and how to take part in it) is obtainable at one penny from Catholic Worker, 104, Unnston Lane, Stretford, Manchester.