A Book of the Love of Jesus

Msgr. Benson informs us of his plan in the Preface: “This book is an attempt to present some devotions of our forefathers in a form which it would be possible for modern Christian to use. The difficulty, of course, has been in deciding how far the archaic words and phrases were to be retained, and how far rendered by modern equivalents: and I fully expect to be criticised from either side; on the one hand by those who say that it is perhaps a profanity, and certainly an error of taste, to tamper at all with the old vocabulary; and on the other hand by those who say that an archaic flavour, however slight, hinders the free reality and the natural flow of their devotion.” Let us consider this from the book: An Intercession to Jesus LORD God of might withouten end, Into thy hand to-day commend My soul and my body, And all my friends especially; To quick and dead grant thou a share, Lord God, of this thy bedesman's prayer j And keep us that on earth are here, (For the prayer of thy mother dear And all thy saints that are in heaven), From the deadly offences seven, And from snare of the evil wight, From sudden death by day or night: Shield us from the pains of hell That bitter are to bear, and fell; And with thy grace fulfill us .all, That we be ready to thy call: And let us never part from thee As thou for us has died on tree; Grant us, Lord, that so it be Amen, Amen, for charity