In this revised edition of his earlier biography; Paul Simon provides an inspiring account of the life and work of Elijah Lovejoy; an avid abolitionist in the 1830s and the first martyr to freedom of the press in the United States.Lovejoy was a native New Englander; the son of a Congregational minister. He came to the Midwest in 1827 in pursuit of a teaching career and succeeded in running his own school for two years in St. Louis. Teaching failed to challenge Lovejoy; however; so he bought a half interest in the St. Louis Times and became its editor. In 1832; after experiencing a religious conversion; he returned east to study for the ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary. After his graduation; Lovejoy was called back to St. Louis by a group of Christian businessmen to serve as the editor of a new religious newspaper; the Observer; promoting religion; morality; and education. It was through this forum that Lovejoy took an ever stronger stance against slavery.In the slave state of Missouri; such a view was not only unpopular; but in the eyes of many; criminal. As a result; Lovejoy and his family suffered repeated persecution and acts of violence from angry mobs. In July 1836; in hopes of finding a more tolerant community in a "free" state; he moved both his printing press and his family across the Mississippi River to Alton; Illinois.The move to Alton was a fateful one. Lovejoy’s press was dismantled and thrown into the river by a mob on the night of its arrival. Lovejoy ordered a new printing press; and it; too; was destroyed eleven months later. A determined and dedicated man; Lovejoy ordered a third press; and city officials took special precautions to ensure its safety after delivery. Nevertheless; an organized and angry mob rolled this third press; still in its crate; into the river exactly one month after Lovejoy’s second press had been destroyed. A fourth press; housed in a large stone warehouse and guarded by Lovejoy and his supporters; met the same fate but only after a drunken mob had killed Lovejoy himself. He was buried two days later; 9 November 1837; on his thirty-fifth birthday. No one was ever convicted of his murder.Rather than suppressing the abolitionist movement; Lovejoy’s death caused an eruption of antislavery activity throughout the nation. At a protest meeting in Ohio; John Brown dedicated his life to fighting slavery; and Wendell Phillips emerged from a Lovejoy protest meeting in Boston to become a leader in the antislavery fight.Simon defines Lovejoy’s fight as a struggle for human dignity and the oppressed. He distinguishes Lovejoy as a courageous and admirable individual and his story as an important and enduring one for both the cause of freedom for the slaves and the cause of freedom of the press.
#246289 in Books Catherine 1980-04Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:ItalianPDF # 1 9.02 x 1.14 x 6.03l; 1.24 #File Name: 0809122332398 pagesCatherine of Siena The Dialogue
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Learn and Grow Spiritually from Someone Who has Been ThereBy Book GluttonSaint Catherine of Siena was a third order Dominican in fourteenth-century Tuscany. As a young adult; she devoted herself to prayer; fasting; and mortifications. After this period of solitude; with its accompanying ecstatic visions; she went out into the world to care for the sick and the poor. Catherine also worked to bring peace and unity in the Church and among Christians. She was canonized by Pope Pius II and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI. St. Catherine gives us one of the great literary treasures of the Church; called “The Dialogue.†It was for this work and her letters; Saint Catherine was named Doctor.Saint Catherine’s insights are pertinent to today’s Church; especially in the Spiritual Life. For instance; she instructs us on:—specific stages in the Spiritual Life.—the notion of “mystical marriage†and what it means.—how our journey in the Spiritual Life reflects Jesus on the Cross.—how to overcome “selfish sensuality†by hatred of sin and growth in virtue.—that trials; temptations; and sufferings can be transformed into positive things.—how “filial love†and love of God eventually leads to “spousal love.â€â€”and; much more; even the four distinct punishments experienced by those in Hell!These are all found in The Dialogue; which takes the form of actual conversations between God and Saint Catherine; and comes to us in four separate exchanges. Briefly; there is a “Treatise on Divine Providence†in which is explained the connection between love and suffering; emphasizing that God wants only our love and the service we give to our neighbors. The “Treatise on Discretion†introduces the metaphor of “The Bridge†between our fallen world and heaven; which is Jesus—similar to seeing Jesus as “The Way!†The “Treatise on Prayer†gives instructions for the progress from vocal to mental prayer; and describes the higher degrees of prayer. The “Treatise on Obedience†covers the necessity and rewards of obedience.As with the writing of other Doctors and spiritual writers in this series; this is a message that comprises: taking our own steps towards spiritual perfection; whereby God wants to bring us to sanctity and salvation. This is a message completely true to Sacred Scripture. This profound teaching is a gift to guide the reader to apply these extraordinary ideas and teachings to his or her own life that they might arrive at the same benefit and spiritual growth envisioned by the Saint.Highly recommended!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. St. Catherine of Siena’s The Dialogue Can Be a Tough SlogBy M. L. AsselinSt. Catherine of Siena’s (1347-80) The Dialogue was composed as a continuous narrative (later divided up into chapters) with “the regular pattern of petition; response; thanksgiving that characterizes the flow of the work†(Introduction; p. 15). This is a difficult read (even in this very accessible translation); one not meant to be plowed through in the manner I read it; but to be ruminated over slowly in the manner of lectio divina.The Dialogue includes passages on the importance of prayer and the image of Christ as a bridge. At the very outset of the book; St. Catherine; following St. Paul (1 Thess 5:17); advocates for continual; humble prayer (p. 25). She gives additional attention to this idea of humility in prayer later in the book; where God says; “Then she receives my visitation humbly; saying; ‘Behold your servant: Let your will be done in me.’ Then she emerges from the course of prayer and my spiritual visitation with spiritual gladness and joy; in humility considering herself unworthy…†(pp. 133-4). St. Catherine gives special importance to mental prayer; not that “one should abandon vocal prayer; since it seems not everyone is drawn to mental prayer…†(p. 124). Rather; one should; even in vocal prayer; endeavor “to concentrate on my love; pondering at the same time her own sins and the blood of my only-begotten Son†(p. 124). The target of this love is; of course; Jesus; whom St. Catherine gives various appellations; including Bridge (p. 59ff.); Vine (p. 61); Boat (p. 70); and Servant (p. 76). The Bridge image is one that she returns to many times. Christ is the bridge between our humanity and the Godhead. This is another way of referring to the Incarnation; but St. Catherine also uses the image to indicate a path to unity with God: the three steps of (1) desire without selfish love; (2) enlightenment of the mind; and (3) peace and quiet (pp. 65; 108).On of the ideas that really struck me was St. Catherine’s exhortation to focus on your neighbors’ needs and on your sins; but not on your neighbors’ sins (p. 300). How often do we look to find fault in others rather than; in all humility; examine our own sinfulness! “But I gave you your ears to listen to my word and pay heed to your neighbor’s needs†(p. 300). We perversely gravitate towards condemning others instead of reaching out to help our brothers and sisters in charity and humility. This is contrary to the Gospel; and yet so many of us who identify ourselves as Christians find judgment easier than love.This long; often meandering; book occasionally felt like a penance to read! St. Catherine’s exaltation of the spiritual over the physical (soul good; body bad) seemed a little too much like Gnosticism at times. And her exhortations not to engage civil law in matters involving wrongdoing by church ministers (p. 229) doesn’t resonate today in a post-scandal Church. But St. Catherine otherwise gives us much food for contemplation in lectio divina; including the importance of personal humility; the need to pray constantly; and the call to service.11 of 12 people found the following review helpful. Worldclass ClassicBy Jim CurryThis is a very thoughtful and careful translation of the primary teaching of one of the world's greatest mystic saints. It purports to be a dialogue with God the Father; obtained by the mystic ecstacy of St. Catherine; although probably not in the sort of very short and very dramatic fashion that a movie maker might cast it. These insights did come to her through her inner life. The wordings she received were important to her; and at the key sections; she herself felt that the wording could not be changed without doing irreparable and unnecessary harm. Still; she herself spent a lot of time editing these for clarity; in passages that were available to her to edit.Of course; we have the writings of many great mystic saints; and none of them should be neglected. St. Theresa of Avila wrote voluminously. St. John of the Cross wrote extensively. St. Theresa of Lisieux deserves top mention. None of these is somehow less or worthless. Still; it is entirely necessary to be in a right frame of mind to ascertain what the great athletic saints like Theresa of Avila or John of the Cross are really saying. They wrote from a frame of mind that is hard for ordinary people to match. Theresa of Lisieux is more accessible much of the time; and she cannot be neglected.Still; the Dialogues of St. Catherine are wonderful because they are more accessible to ordinary people. They don't have the repulsive saccharin veneer (which turns out to be necessary and endearing when properly assimilated) of Theresa of Lisieux. They don't have the athletic difficulty of Theresa of Avila or John of the Cross. They are accessible. We can read them. We can see what they mean. We can; in fact; move our lives in practical ways toward the direction and state of mind that St. Catherine indicates. It is a very comforting book in that way.In the end; what do we want? What does everybody want? We all want to make our lives into something that matters; and not just have our lives amount to nothing at the end. Most of us have few strategies to make their own lives the beautiful work of art it can be. We have so many people who say that this or that is "larger than life." Such people are foolish. They make their lives too small. St. Catherine offers a wonderful doorway. We can all walk through and make our lives much better; much richer; much more pleasing---not just to God---more pleasing to ourselves; too. Is there someone in the world who doesn't want his/her life to be wholesomely beautiful; to be an experience of growth and freedom---to be liberating? Is there; anywhere in the world; a person who would not like his/her life to touch the celestial realm---to realize the image of God in which we are created? I think there is not one person.
