Preface to the Twenty-fifth Edition

It is now more than twenty years since this book has been published.

Its reception by the public for whom it was written has been very gratifying. It had a large sale in the beginning, and it still continues, so that more than twenty thousand copies have been sold.

Scarcely any effort has been made to make it known, but I have received many letters of warm approval from those who have read it. One of our most prominent Bishops told me that he had preached it from cover to cover in conferences to his Young Women’s Sodality.

It has also been translated and published in German in Europe. These tokens of approval have encouraged me to revise it carefully, to correct some portions, and add others to make it more widely useful. If those who read it find edification and pleasure in the perusal I hope they will not forget to pray for me.