Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY. MAY 22. 1923. AN ATHEIST'S RECANTATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2583, 22 May 1923, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY. MAY 22. 1923. AN ATHEIST'S RECANTATION.

•PAPINTS “Storia di Christo” is the subject of an interesting 1 article in the Guardian. The writer states that Papini’s hook was issued in the summer of 1921. Over 100,000 copies have been printed in Italy, and the press cannot compete with the public demand. An excellent French translation lias appeared in Paris, and 27,000 volumes have been sold. Giovanni Papini was horn in Florence 12 years ago, the son of poor parents. 1 .caving; school at 1.5 years, he is self-taught, and makes no pretension to scholarship. A prodigious writer, he has been the inspiration of Italian atheists, antiChristians, anarchists and nihilists. Ilis “Memoirs of God” was blasphemous beyond expression, and he writes of himself that “he has offended Jesus as few others have done." Tie rejoiced in the horrors of the world war as in accordance with his teaching. Pul at length a Power greater than his own compelled him to recognise that “the only hope of the world was to chance the spirit of mankind hv the religion and Person of Jesus Christ. Like SI. Paul, he preaches the faith which he once destroyed, Tn the

“Storia di Christo” he writes as an ordinary layman to laymen, and c.-poeially to those who have no faith, lie is not a theologian nor a ,chelar. Hi> one endeavour is to make the Christ of the Gospels a living Figure in the midst of men. He accepts the Gospels with pathetic faith and simplicity. His style is graphic, artistic, and polished. Our Lord appears before us with a charm and vivacity which is revelation even to those who walk with Him day by day. We follow Him with eager and glowing hearts as Tie appears in these living sketches from the “Stable” to the “Cloud of Ascension.'' This marvellous “Storia di Christo” is now being read more eagerly than a novel in sceptical Italy and France by multitudes who know the Lord only by name.