Book excerpt: This little book is as valuable as lengthy treatises,as much for the sovereign importance of thesubject that it discusses (a subject, sadly, very littleknown by most Christians) as for the abundance ofdoctrines and the interest of its practical applications."The Great Means of Salvation," such is thetitle that St. Alphonsus de' Liguori gave to a tract onprayer published with many other works from hispen. And so great was his confidence in the efficacyand the power of prayer to assure the salvation ofsouls, that he would have wished, said he, to see hislittle book in the hands of everyone. About the exerciseof the love of God and of perfect contrition,we can say, with just as much truth, that they are "thegreat means of salvation," because between an act ofcharity or perfect contrition and the acquisition ofeternal life, the connection is more intimate and evencloser than between prayer and salvation.Consequently, I would like to see this little work,like St. Alphonsus' own, in the hands of everyone,convinced as I am that the careful reading of it andputting into practice its teachings would open thegates of heaven to a multitude of souls in danger ofeternal damnation without it, and it would increase,in a marvelous way, the grace of God in those whohave been faithful since their baptism.Every Christian ought to be soundly instructedabout the capital importance of the act of perfectcontrition and of charity on account of the inestimableservices that such knowledge can render usat the hour of our death and allow us to render atthe deathbed of a dying person, to whom Providencemight lead us. No one, even in good heath, shouldforget this truth. But it is desirable overall that everyonecherish it deeply engraved in his heart for thehours of infirmity and the perils of death.May it please God that this pamphlet be distributedas far and wide as possible. There is no doubt thatits reading will be accompanied by abundant blessings.--Father Augustine Lehmkuhl, S.J.