<!--StartFragment--><p><span>Thomas Merton presented numerous sets ofconferences during his decade (1955-1965) as novice master at the CistercianAbbey of Gethsemani. The two courses included in this volume - a thoroughexamination of the book of Genesis that began in mid-1956 and concluded on theFeast of Pentecost in 1957, and a series of classes on the book of Exodus from1957 and 1958 - are here presented for the first time in a critical editionaccompanied by extensive annotation and a comprehensive introduction. <o></o:p></span></p><p><span>These coursescomprise the only major surviving tea