These essays on self-deceit come from the volume that Faber named Spiritual Conferences, because they have neither the formality of a lecture nor the dignity of the sermon. The editor chose these essays in the conviction that the failure of our world is the failure of worship; and all worship, be it Quaker, Episcopalian, Muslim, or what not, must have within it some place for self-examination. Here we are at a loss and Faber speaks to that loss. Without self-examination and confession to God, common morality, acts of charity and worship itself will turn sour within us and we shall be 10 times worse than if we had never heard of religion.

Frederick William Faber (1814-1863), best known as the author of "Faith of Our Fathers" and other hymns, was an Anglican vicar who converted to Catholicism and entered the priesthood. Through the medium of his Christian faith, Faber offers a timeless philosophy on the difficulty of self-knowledge and the search for truth. The subtitle, "A Comedy of Lies," is appropriate. Faber repeatedly makes his point with a hint of tongue-in-cheek. "An honest humorous sense of ridicule is a great help to holiness," he writes. "Perhaps nature does not contribute a greater help to grace than this."

"We must also remember that this cure of self-deceit is not a thing which can be done once for all, and then be over. It is a lifelong work," he warns. And cautions that we must "show extreme patience and good-humored contentment with little victories and modest successes." ( )

This is likely one of the earliest religious tracts that comes from a place of psychological insight, surprisingly modern. Faber begins by listing and describing seven types of self-deceit. Somewhat more than half of the text is devoted to what lying dogs of human beings we are. Just at the point where I was ready to abandon what was beginnning to read like hell-fire-and-brimstone, Faber backs off and begins to offer solutions to our human condition of self-deceit. He only wanted us to know how really bad it can get, he explains, and urges us to be patient with ourselves as we negotiate the traps that await our efforts to reach Truth, both within and without. Faber's essay is a worthwhile addition to the literature of self-examination. To read more about it, go to
http://www.pendlehill.org/resources/files/free%20downloads%20pages/php050.php