Scottish orphan Francis Chisholm never intended to be a priest. Nevertheless, brimming with youthful vigour, he does his best to make life easier for the working poor. His superiors however view the boxing clubs and dances as disturbing proof that he is a maverick and when the mission in China needs a new recruit he is requested to apply. Pai-Tan 1902. The mission is deserted and the local Chinese do not respond to him with gratitude but rather bemusement tinged with disdain. But Chisholm decides to stay and find a way to ...
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Scottish orphan Francis Chisholm never intended to be a priest. Nevertheless, brimming with youthful vigour, he does his best to make life easier for the working poor. His superiors however view the boxing clubs and dances as disturbing proof that he is a maverick and when the mission in China needs a new recruit he is requested to apply. Pai-Tan 1902. The mission is deserted and the local Chinese do not respond to him with gratitude but rather bemusement tinged with disdain. But Chisholm decides to stay and find a way to connect and build a life with a people and in a land so different from his own. Then civil war looms and his faith and courage are put violently to the test.
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Add this copy of The Keys of the Kingdom to cart. $9.64, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Hodder & Stoughton.
Add this copy of The Keys of the Kingdom (Hodder Great Reads) to cart. $39.41, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1945 by Little, Brown.
«The Keys of the Kingdom», written by Scottish writer A.J. Cronin in 1941, is about a Scottish Roman Catholic missionary priest in rural China in the first four decades of the twentieth century. Cronin?s theme, shown through Fr. Francis Chisholm?s life, is that tolerance and humility are the preeminent Christian virtues and that success is not always visible. This book reminds me, though it is a more inspiring and optimistic novel, of «The Power and the Glory» by Graham Greene and «The Samurai» by Shusako Endo. Each novel deals with the spiritual struggles of a Roman Catholic priests in China, Mexico, or Japan.
His bishop tells him: ?You are the stray cat, Francis, who comes stalking up the aisle when everyone is yawning their head off at a dull sermon. That?s not bad metaphor ? for you are in the church even if you don?t match up with those who find it all by the well know rule?You?ve got inquisitiveness and tenderness. You?re sensible of the distinction between thinking and doubting. You?re not one of our ecclesiastical milliners who must have everything stitched up in neat little packets ? convenient for handing out. And quite the nicest thing about you, my dear boy, is this ? you haven?t got that bumptious security which springs from dogma rather than from faith.?
The book deals with the inner spiritual struggles of maintaining faith, tolerance, and humility. His humility, tolerance, respect, and love slowly bear fruit in his life and those around him. A beautiful book, full of wisdom, «The Keys of the Kingdom» shows the truth that God calls us not to be successful but to be faithful.
