HOW MANY MILES TO BABYLON

Not intended to resolve anything or reform anyone, these short pieces are inferentially, informally, helpful to those who face commonly troubling problems or predicaments, whether it is loneliness (""our universal human condition"") or the ""fear of significance"" or pain, hospitalizations, death, divorce. Pastor-counselor Rodenmayer, without the insistent Norman Vincent ap-Peale, writes for that audience in comfortable terms, uses everyday situations--the old woman who only has a dog and a city relief check of $13.75 every two weeks, the boy failing in school, etc. etc. There is very little overt talk about faith but its presence is implicit.