The Wisdom of the Desert

During the 4th and 5th centuries, thousands of Christian men and women withdrew to the deserts of Egypt and Palestine. In these remote locations, they led lives of rigorous discipline and solitude. Their techniques of prayer, spiritual direction, discipleship and stories have provided inspiration for many Christians to this day.The Wisdom of the Desert explores the religious spirit of these first Christian monks. It is a collection of stories and sayings compiled from the literature of the desert life, organized and interwoven into an overview on the thoughts, lives and doctrines of the early desert Christians.This edition, from Scriptoria Books, is an authentic reproduction of the original 1904 text. It has been transcribed word for word, set in a contemporary typeface, and formatted for size and readability.Rev. James Owen Hannay (1865-1950) was born in Belfast, Ireland, educated at Haileybury and Trinity College, and wrote many critically acclaimed and popular works.