Bøger af Brother Hermenegild Tosf

Father Fancisosi tell us this book is: "The thoughts, feelings, words, and actions of the Founder of the Society, collected and arrange." The chapters included are: On Faith On Hope On the Love of God On the Love of Neighbor On Humility On Poverty On Chastity On Obedience On Prudence On Justice On Strength On Temperance On the Religious State On Prayer On Penance On Crosses On Persecutions On Temptations On Sin On Virtue On Diligence and Fervor On Divine Graces On the Eucharist On Speaking On Government On Books On the End of Man On Gratitude Let us consider this: "Obedience is the noblest and most beautiful of virtues, it is more excellent than all victims and sacrifices, it is the daughter of humility, the nurse of charity, the companion of justice, the guide and mistress of all the religious virtues, the mother of concord and of brotherly kindness, a safe and calm harbour, a perpetual and delicious banquet for the soul."

The Roman Ceremonial is a book of ceremonies for use in Rome by the Pope. It includes the canonization of saints and the many ceremonies for the feast days throughout the year. This edition is in Latin from 1516, although the ceremonies would have remained unchanged until after Vatican II. The Papal Election decrees of Pope Saint Pius X and Pope Pius XII make direct reference to this very work for the ceremonies involved in the ordination, consecration and coronation of the Pope. Those wishing to study the Roman Liturgy, this is a very useful tool. Note well that the type face is older and that the characters are somewhat different from books of today.

Let us consider this from Dame Gertrude More: "And there is one thing in this virtue of obedience principally to be observed and practised, in order to make it pleasing to God and an advancement to the soul, and that is that the thing commanded and done be according to the justice of God. But to this may or will be answered that all that is not sin, if it be commanded us by our Superiors, is according to the justice of God. But if this were so, so many more would come to perfection than do, and it would be far more easy to come to it than it is. But perfection and sanctity must be obtained by other means than by persuading ourselves that we shall come to it by simply doing from time to time what our Superior willeth or biddeth us. If, withal, we do not in our interior regard God in His justice, as well as the exterior bidding of Superiors, and do it more out of the regard of that than the other, we are-yea, as much as is possible (if we will do it well)-to do it with a simple pure regard of God and His call. For though the interior call never contradicteth the exterior (for if it do, it is to be shrewdly suspected), and, for the most part of things to be done in religion, God calleth a soul by exterior obedience, yet it is His will that in all those things, as well as in those merely internal, the soul should simply regard Him and that as absolutely as if He by Himself had given or commanded her. Neither doth such a soul regard who, or what, or in what manner, God requireth it at her hands, but it sufficeth her that it is He Whom she in simplicity of spirit endeavoureth to regard in all things, without any mean of creatures that exacteth it from her. This maketh the soul indifferent whether she were commanded by an Angel or a worm, if it were God's will rather to command her and signify His will to her by the worm-not that she esteem not the Angel in a far higher degree, but because she would not make anything her object, or do anything out of any other respect, than to conform herself to the Divine justice in all things, and regard Him alone in all she did or omitted. And certainly let a soul be persuaded or persuade herself what she will, as a means to arrive to perfection, she shall never find true peace (if she be of a contemplative spirit, and be not defective in her natural judgment) but by following the Divine call, and regarding that in all she doth or omitteth. And though she do all that Superiors command, yet she should do it with as little regard of them, and as much of God, as if He had immediately commanded her by Himself. And so much as God, concurring by His grace, with her care and diligence, shall enable her to work in this observation of the Divine call, so much the more light shall she have for the observing of it, so much the more profit and peace will she find in her own soul, and so much the more shall she walk according to the justice of God. And by how much the more our works do partake of this, by so much are they worth, and no more; for, as Tauler saith, "God rewardeth no works but His own.""

The present work took its rise, and is largely drawn, from the very learned Father Passaglia's "Commentary on the Prerogatives of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, as proved by the authority of Holy Writ," which was published in Latin, in 1850. The eighth and ninth chapters are, indeed, translations, respectively, of the twenty seventh of his first book, and the first of his second book And as to the rest, my obligations are more than I can specify. I owe, on the other hand, many excuses to Father Passaglia, for while I have only partially observed his order in treating the subject, I have considered his whole work as a treasure-house of learning, whence I might draw at my pleasure "things old and new," adapting them, as I thought good, to the needs of the Protestant mind, as familiar to me in England. Thus I have not scrupled to translate, to omit, or to insert matter of my own, according to my judgment. It seemed to me of paramount importance to present to the English reader the whole chain of scriptural evidence for the Primacy and prerogatives of St. Peter. This chain of evidence is so strong, that, when I first saw it completely drawn out, it struck my own mind, brought up in the prejudices of Protestantism, with the force of a new revelation. I put to myself the question; is it possible that they who specially profess to draw their faith from the written Word of God, would refuse to acknowledge a doctrine set forth in Holy Scripture with at least as strong evidence as the Godhead of Our Lord itself, if they could sec it not broken up into morsels, like hits of glass reflecting a distorted and imperfect image, according to the fashion of citing separate texts without regard to the proportion of the faith, but presented in a complete picture on the mirror of God's Word? This picture is thus complete and perfect in Father Passaglia's work. Yet the form of that work, no less than its bulk, the scrupulous minuteness with which every opposite interpretation of so many adversaries in modern times is answered, as well as the fulness with which every part of the suhject is treated, made me feel that a simple translation would not be tolerated by the impatience of a population, which has little time and less mind for studies of this character. I have pursued, therefore, the humble task of popularising, so far as I could, Father Passaglia's work, omitting, as I trust, no essential part of the argument, and grouping it under different combinations, each of which might he in turn presented to the eye, and so more readily embraced.

This is an excellent examination of conscience, focusing on a different virtue each month of the year. January is Faith February is Hope March is Charity or the Love of God April is proper Reverence for God May covers the positive aspects of Love of Neighbor June covers the negative aspects of Love of Neighbor July is on Justince August discusses Chastity September covers Temperance October covers Obedience November covers Meekness and finally December covers Humility After each instruction is a prayer to be said each day of the month. This is followed by an examination of conscience, where the mortal and venial sins against he virtue are considered. This section is followed by a practical lists of suggestions to help in the practice of virtue. This book sis excellent for the Catholic who is serious about becoming a saint.

THE life of St. Thomas of Canterbury is exceptionally well known. More than seven hundred years have elapsed since he died, and yet his history stands out before us with a distinctness and minuteness that is extremely rare among the records of great men. The witnesses to the facts are both numerous and trustworthy. They wrote of matters of which they had personal knowledge, and their writings were in the hands of those who were the most capable of judging of their truthfulness. The universal and vehement interest taken in all that concerned St. Thomas, while later on it may have caused an embroidery of legends to be attached to his name, would ensure attention to the minutest details while the story was yet fresh, and this is a guarantee for accuracy and care. The substantial agreement of several writers, evidently independent of one another, is a further assurance of fidelity. The personal character of the writers is above suspicion, and their ability manifest; and lastly, all that skilful editing can do for them has happily been done, and that too at the public expense. Benedict, a Inonk of Christ Church, Canterbury, is said by the editor of the Quadrilogue (about 1220) to have been on the day of the martyrdom among the Saint's more intimate friends, and to have recorded those things of which he was an ear or eye witness. He wrote only of the martyrdom and of the subsequent miracles. No copy of his narrative of the martyrdom exists, but considerable fragments have been preserved in the Quadrilogue. The miracles are now in six books. Of these the last two art: by another hand, as events are there related which happened after Benedict's death. He died in 1193 or 1194 at Peterborough, of which house he was made abbot in 1177. The fourth book of miracles is of about the date of Benedict's election as Abbot of Peterborough, for it mentions the great fire at Rochester, which occurred in the April of that year. But the work is not in strict chronological order, for after the passage relating to the fire, a letter is inserted addressed to Odo as Prior of Canterbury; but Odo was made Abbot of Battle, and Benedict himself became Prior of Canterbury in 1175. The first three books of miracles, according to Mr. Magnusson, formed the original volume, and all that is related in them happened during the seventeen months that fol1owed the martyrdom. In July, 1172, William was charged to record the miracles in addition to Benedict, who had fulfilled that office from the beginning. By this fact Mr. Magnusson ingeniously dates not Benedict only but Fitzstcphcn. For Fitzstephen says that there was a Codex which was read in the Chapter at Canterbury, which related the miracles wrought in England, and he adds that those in France, Ireland, and elsewhere had as yet no historian. This Codex was Benedict's volume, ending then with the third book; and Mr. Magnusson concludes that Benedict's three books were written before Fitzstephen's Life of St. Thomas; and further that Fitzstephen wrote before William of Canterbury began, that is within the first seventeen months. The argument is pressed perhaps a little too closely, as there would be but one Codex until William had made some progress with his work. Afterwards Gervase speaks of two volumes of miracles, Benedict's and Williams and the mention of one by Fitzstephen may fairly be taken to mean that there then was but one.

This work begins: "Contemporary philosophy is interested in the theory of knowledge more than in any other branch of speculative thought. Before we philosophize we are asked to demonstrate the possibility of knowledge, and in order to do this, we must determine the nature of knowledge. But to define knowledge apart from the process by which it is acquired, is impossible. Hence we must go back one more step and investigate the origin of knowledge." Later on we read: "Scholasticism is sometimes pictured as a closed, static system of thought, based in a large measure on authority, human and divine, with no development or evolution. There may be some ground for this accusation in the decadent Scholasticism of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. But herein Scholasticism is no exception. History attests the sad fact that all great intellectual geniuses have been unfortunate in so far that their ideas were not developed, sometimes not even fully understood, by their immediate successors; the pupil contented himself with restating the words of the master instead of extending their application. Scholasticism in the period of its development before St. Thomas, presents another picture. The theory of the species sensibilis, for instance, in the eleventh century is so different from this same theory in the thirteenth century, that we should hesitate to apply to the former the name of species-theory, were it not suggested by the natural historical development. In fact, as we find three general views regarding sensation itself, the psychical, the materialistic, and the psycho-physical view; so, too, we find in the history of Scholasticism three aspects of the species sensibilis, the psychical, the materialistic, and the psycho-physical." In discussing the relation of scholasticism to Saint Augustine we read: "St. Augustine is usually classed with the patristic philosophers. But the early Scholastics are so generally dependent upon him as their guide and their authority, that, in order to understand any Scholastic doctrine in its earliest phase, it is helpful, if not indeed necessary, to examine first St. Augustine's view of this doctrine." And we can summarize: "The history of the theory of the species sensibilis from St. Augustine to St. Thomas is indicative of the development of Scholasticism during its formative period. Based on the idealism and subjectivism of St. Augustine, the Scholastics before the twelfth centuri developed dialectics and pure metaphysics. Thereupon, realizing the fruitlessness of their speculations, they welcomed the new learning of the Arabians, which was based on observation rather than on speculation, and which, consequently, favored materialism rather than idealism. But as in the history of all human thought extremes beget their opposites, so in this case. In the twelfth century the natural sciences and the human art were fostered to the neglect of what is today called philosophy. In consequence thereof, scientific knowledge outdistanced metaphysics; facts and phenomena of nature were observed, but metaphysics could not explain them. Thus the stage was set for the entrance of a philosophy which would account for the ultimate causes of things of sense. At this psychological moment the works of Aristotle were introduced into the Western world. Thenceforward the development of Scholasticism consisted in the more and more perfect adjustment of all knowledge according to Aristotelian principles. This, of course, provoked the opposition of conservative minds, but the struggle resulted, as snch a struggle could only result, in the final acceptance of Aristotle, modified in part by the traditional philosophy of Plato to and by the individual thought of the great Scholastics of the thirteenth century."

The spiritual or supernatural life is the true life of man. His soul or spirit is the principal and ruling part of his being, as it is the more noble part. By the spirit man knows God; by it he is capable of being united to God and, as it were, transformed into Him; whilst, on the other hand, the animal and sensitive part is only the instrument which the soul uses in order to know and rule the material world which is so much inferior to itself. The ascetical life shows that man is not of this world, but of heaven; that he is not for this world, but for Him Who is the Author of man and of the world. The supernatural man as an eagle leaves the earth and soars towards heaven; he desires nothing of this world, he seeks nothing of it, because he feels that he is better than it, and is destined for better things. Before a man reaches the perfection of the spiritual or supernatural life, it behoves him to labour much, to fight hard, because the sensitive part is entirely inclined to creatures, and it does not freely and easily follow the spirit ascending to God, but does so only by force and pressure. For as every material body naturally tends towards the earth, and is raised up from it only by a superior force, so man's senses attracted to creatures, are only by force of God's grace withdrawn from them and elevated unto God. All men are called to perfection according to the moral law, and no one can be saved who is not-at least, at the moment of death in a state of grace. This is the first grade of perfection to which all men are bound, but this does not imply that all men are bound to perfection according to asceticism. The first perfection is of precept, the second of counsel. ASCETICAL theology may be defined A science which from truths divinely revealed explains the doctrine by which souls are directed in the acquisition and perfection of the supernatural life, according to the ordinary providence of God. It is a branch of moral theology, and must of necessity have the ordinary science of theology as its foundation. Although with mystical theology it forms a subdivision of moral theology, it is distinct from both of these sciences. While moral theology prescribes the rules of action, ascetical theology teaches the means by which sanctity of life may be acquired, increased, and perfected. On the other hand, mystical theology seems to indicate a higher and sublimer degree of asceticism. This science does not teach the ordinary and wellbeaten paths of perfection, but shows a more excellent way and deals with a more hidden intercourse between man and God, always aspiring as it does to the higher and the better things, according to the words Whether the impulse of the spirit was to go, thither they went, and they turned not when they went. The distinction of ascetical from moral and mystical is clearly defined and explained by John Bapt. Scaramelli, S.J., in his work entitled 'Directorium Mysticum, ' from which in substance the following explanatory remarks are taken. According to this author, after the soul, assisted by Divine grace, has overcome the sensitive part of our being, and withdrawn it from unlawful indulgence in the use and fruition of creatures, and after it has been established in justice according to the rules of moral theology, then, strengthened and attracted by God, it begins to ascend higher in the scale of perfection, and causes the inferior part of our nature to ascend with it, and thus to become more spiritual. This, he says, is Christian asceticism.

THE translation into English of Frassinetti's Catechism is highly opportune. The Council of the Vatican most wisely decreed that a Lesser Catechism should be prepared for the use of the FaithfuL What the Council of Trent provided in the "Catechismus ad Parochos" for the "Ecclesia Docens," the Council of the Vatican is providing for the "Ecclesia Discens." But, in decreeing that one authoritative text, in the form of a Catechism, should be prepared, the Council in no way limits, either the liberty of Bishops to frame Catechisms of a fuller and more explicit kind for the use of their dioceses, or that of Catechists to deliver such oral explanations as are suited to the capacities and needs of their people. The Bishops of England, in a united Pastoral Letter, have enjoined the Clergy to renewed diligence and punctuality in their office as Catechists. No one who knows the condition of this country can fail to see the need we have of expository Catechisms, rising from the simple text of the penny Catechism to such extensive works as Gaume's "Catechisme of Pereverance." The rapid development of intelligence in all classes renders the office of the Catechist both more necessary, and more difficult. It must never be forgotten that a good Catechist is a preacher of a very high order. The "traditio Symboli" is not a mere repetition of question and answer, but an elucidation of the doctrines of faith, which affords full scope for the intelligence of a theologian, and for the charity of a pastor. The Catechism of Frassinetti is a good example of what a Catechist may do. It is singularly well adapted to the needs of our middle class, for whom, as yet, a sufficient provision has hardly been made. I therefore very heartily recommend the use of this Catechism to the Clergy and Faithful. Henry Edward Cardinal Manning

But you may ask me, Is there not an abundance of the spiritual bread of the word of God scattered all over the country? There is hardly a city or village throughout the land which does not open, every Sunday, three, four, or five different churches at the least to accommodate its inhabitants; and are there not hundreds of different religions to suit the most fastidious worshippers. Have we not Bible and Tract Societies, supported chiefly by the rich, which circulate annually millions of copies of the written word of God and religious instruction all over the States of this glorious Union? All! if these church edifices were to contain, not altal- against altar and teacher against teacher, but one and tho same altar of which the Apostle speaks when he says, "You have an altar of which those have no power to eat who serve the tabernacle"; and were our numerons teachers preaching the same doctrine of the one true faith originally handed down to the saints, speaking all the self-same thing, like the primitive Christians, who, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, had all tho same faith and the same baptism-not a different faith and a different or 110 baptism; were they all one, as Ohrist and the Father are one-not different churches, but all belonging to the one only true Church, established by Jesus Christ and His Apostles, one flock under one shepherd; had no one revolted, but all remained firm in the faith of Christ; were there no divisions, no schisms, no human opinion advanced as the substitute for truth; were the American people all living members of the one body of Jesus Christ, which is His visible Church, His visible Spouse, with a supreme visible head of her own, animated and guided by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth; if these numerous churches were not so many mutilated bodies without a head, so many scattered limbs without a trunk or soul; were they all united in offering to the eternal and undivided Trinity that "clean oblation" spoken of by the prophet Malachi-then would the sight of those edifices fill our hearts with holy joy and exultation; then would we hail them as scats of light and not of darkness, as sources of heavenly truth and not of pernicious errors, as tabernacles of God with men, and not as strongholds of the spirit of darkness, who falsifies the word of God and suggests his own inventions in its stead. o America! how much thou dost resemble in this respect pagan Rome, which thought, as St. Leo tells us, "it had adopted the greatest religion because it rejected no sort of falsehood." There was not an idol or a superstition in the whole empire which had not its temples and votaries in Rome. It was only when the Son of God made man sent His faithful Apostles to that city, to transform it from the chief sent of error into the chief seat of divine, heavenly truth, that hell rebelled, and, for the space of three hundred years, waged the most cruel persecution to uproot and destroy, if possible, the dawning light of the Gospel. But its efforts were fruitless; it was conquered, and this proud mistress of error became the bumble disciple of truth.

The state of affairs of Franciscan literature at the present day is such as to cause some . hesitation in the mind of any lover of St. Francis who may feel moved to add to Its already enormous bulk. Both the saint himself and the far reaching movement to which he gave rise have been treated from so many and so different Standpoints, and with so vast an expenditure of erudition and enthusiasm, that at first sight the field of research would seem to have been exhausted. And so far as actual biography-the consideration of the events of St. Francis' life and the general character that they evidence-is concerned, it is clear that the three great biographies of M. Sabatier, M. Joergensen, and Father Cuthbert have left unnoticed nothing of importance to our understanding of St. Francis and his times. They are authoritative in the best sense, in that they combine a sympathy for the personality of their subject with a precise and profound knowledge of the yet discovered facts concerning him. To have attempted another biography, therefore, would have been both impertinent and superfluous, and in preparing this Study of St. Francis' mysticism I have not attempted to cover again the well-explored ground. This being so, it may be well to prepare the reader for what I have attempted to do. It has long seemed to me that the literature which concerns St. Francis has been deficient in one respect, and that a respect which touches most deeply the reality of any presentation of him and therefore its value for the present day. At the side of the detailed biographies there have been offered to the reading public studies which show him from a countless number of Standpoints: he has been considered as an impassioned and far-sighted social reformer, as a great Statesman, as an obedient son of the Church, as a semi-rebel whose mission was to reform its more salient abuses, as a tender-hearted lover of animals and of all things that live, as an inspired poet, as a man deeply imbued with the knightly tradition, as a rather weak-minded if amiable enthusiast who did no great harm but certainly no great good, as a fanatic, as a mentally deranged neurasthenic; but, except for passing references, I have not been able to discover that he has been treated as a mystic. And yet, if mysticism Stand for the most real aspect of the individual, if it represent the relation between him and the Absolute, it is in this supremely that lies the key to his character and so to his actions. It will provide the clue to the main direction of his life as well as to its details, if it be once conceded that mysticism was a real and living force for him. It is in the belief that this was eminently the case with St. Francis that I have, with much diffidence, approached the subject. For those who are unable to believe that mysticism is a vital and fundamental thing, I shall seem to have added but one more to the many one-sided and partial Studies of St. Francis: to those for whom mysticism is, or is becoming, an indispensable part of life I would offer this consideration of one of the greatest: of those who have realized that all things are within.. For one of the peculiarities of man's search for God is that though the details of its method may vary, its essentials remain- unchanged throughout the centuries. The principles which guided St. Francis are as true for us now and as applicable to our needs as they were for him, and it is his amazing success in the sempiternal quest which constitutes his chief claim to value in the present. He has always been-perhaps vaguely at times-an inspiration: he may also be guide.

WHAT I here offer to my readers is neither a completely new Life, nor is it a mere translation. It has followed the old biography too closely to have claim to the title of an original work. But a completely new form has been given to so many portions of it, that it cannot be called a translation. However, it matters little under which head it is classed, if you will please to accept what I have undertaken for the benefit of devout persons, and especially for my brethren in religion, and if this slight effort of my pen turns to the good of souls." This modest notice, which Father Frizon, S.J., put at the head of his Life of Blessed Berchmans, is much more applicable to the present volume. The labours of Father Vanderspeeten have left nothing to be done in the way of original research. The perusal of his Life of Blessed John gives no idea of the profound and wide-spreading study which he brought to bear on his labour of love. I t would be difficult to express the amount of help that learned author has given to the writer. The difference of treatment of sacred biographies, owing to national tastes, has suggested certain additions, especially of biographical notices, not to be found in the original work. These details are due to the kind cooperation of so many, that it is almost invidious to single out any name from the number, but mention must be made of Father Waldack, Father Boero, Father van Lommel, Father Ryan, and Father Morris, while to the Rev. Dr. van Cauwenberge is due the translation from the original Flemish of the letters of the saint. The whole Life is founded on Father Virgilius Cepari's exquisite memoir, and the original Italian has been all through closely followed, the only natural additions to the text being the insertion of the proper names, partly by the help of Father Vanderspeeten, partly from the Acta et Decreta of the process of beatification. The list of students at the English College, Rome, during the time of Berchmans' stay in that city is owing to the kindness of the Rev. Joseph Stevenson, M.A.

The work was intended primarily for those who assisted at the Retreats given by Father Porter, and who welcomed the attempt to have the lessons contained in them recalled to their memory: it has, however, been equally welcomed by many who have never made retreats, but who have found in the Notes helps to meditation and rules for practical guidance in the difficulties of their spiritual life in the world. Consider this instruction on self-love: WHAT I have called self-love has a variety of names: self-preoccupation, self-consciousness, self-introspection, etc. Whatever we call it, it is a fact of spiritual life and of daily life that many persons are liable to this fault. It is not a healthy frame of mind: it shuts one out from good things. One is not a little puzzled how to make a person see that she has self-love. You may know it is there, but it is not easy to lay your hand upon it. You must get to it by a roundabout way. Such people are always examining self-never being satisfied with their introspection, worrying over it. One of the most common forms is that of those who are always noticing what they feel, not what they til ink. God has given us reason for our guide. So long as we are reasoning we are in a good and healthy state; but if, instead of judging, weighing, reflecting, etc., we go by feeling, it is wrong. "I feel no devotion; I feel very wooden," and so on. Doubt your feelings. Don't regulate your conduct by them. There are persons who say, "I don't feel to pray; I don't feel to believe, to have a soul to have anything spiritual at all". This, if carried out in action, makes them leave out their prayers and Communions. and is unwise and foolish in the extreme. Yet those especially who are under the influence of self-love are guided by feelings. What would reason tell you about missing morning prayers? One has made a rule to go to confession and Communion once a week. Then comes a period of blank in which no devotion is experienced. She gives up the Sacraments one week, then another week, and gradually she only receives them once or twice a year. One meets people who have gone back in this way-through self-love. When you get to the region of reason you don't feel. To trust to feeling is a mistake. Feeling is in the lower part of the soul. Our religious life really belongs to reason and free-will, and is above the senses. Silence, recollection, will clear the way and allow us to have the feeling of devotion, but it is dangerous to he guided by feeling, and when you find yourselves noticing that you feel or don't feel, suspect it. Another instance. One has been trying to meditate, and one makes a bad hand of it, and then one declares there is no use trying. Or one has a hasty temper, makes resolutions against giving way to it, breaks them, and gives up trying. Another form is vanity, speaking about myself, about my infirmities and weaknesses if I have nothing else to speak of. I hear a sermon, perhaps, against vanity, and resolve to fight against it; but I don't carry out my resolution, and give it up. I have sinned; there is no use trying; I won't try again. This seems to these people humility, but It IS really conceit and pride. Perhaps you will understand better how it comes from self-love if I put before you an example. I have made my resolution at Holy Communion, and at the end of breakfast I break it. The true thing to say is: "It's not to be wondered at, but it is a thing to be ashamed of; I am sorry, and I will try again. I won't give up trying." There is an instance of self-love, and the absence of it. Of ourselves, big resolutions and small performance.

Father Muller states: "The great roots of all the evils that press upon society, and make man unhappy, are THE IGNORANCE OF THE MIND, AND THE DEPRAVITY OF THE WILL. Hence he who wishes to civilize the world, and thus assist in executing the plans of God's providence, must remove these two great roots of evil by imparting to the mind infallibly the light of truth, and by laying down for the will authoritatively the unchangeable principles of morality. If the hierarchy of the Catholic Church has accomplished in society this twofold task, then has it rendered itself worthy of the praises of all men, and deserves to be called the greatest, the most astonishing, the most divine fact in the history of the world - then the hierarchy of the Catholic Church is truly the light of the world, and the salt of the earth." And he continues elsewhere: "IF it is the Popes, the bishops and priests who have drawn forth the civilized nations of the world from barbarism, it is also the Popes, the bishops and priests who keep them from falling back into their former degradation. It is for this reason that our Divine Saviour calls them also "the salt of the earth." Almighty God, Who incessantly, vatches over the welfare of His Church, has, in every century, provided chosen vessels holy Popes, bishops and priests - to defend and uphold her holy doctrine. Against Arianism, God raised up an Athanasius and a Hilary of Poirtiers; to oppose the Nestorians, God sent St. Cyril. He sent St. Augustine to beat down the Pelagians; St. John Damascene, to fight the Iconoclasts. When the world became Christian, and Catholics grew rich, and forgot the poverty of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Franciscan monks were called to teach the love of Christian poverty to voluptuous Catholics." Father Muller extols the powers of the Catholic priest: "Every priest can say, in some measure, with Jesus Christ who sent him: "All power is given to me in heaven and on earth." The influence of this power is felt in heaven, in giving the elect; it is felt in hell, in snatching from it victims; it is felt in purgatory, ill consoling efficaciously the Church Suffering. The influence of the priest's power is felt all over the world in sustaining the Church Militant." Fathom this privilege of the priest: "GOD has given to the priest the keys of heaven. He has given the priest power over the faithful, over His mystic body; but He has given the priest even a more extraordinary power, -a power so stupendous, so unutterably great, that, had we not the grace of faith, we could never believe it. He has given to the priest power over His own Sacred Body, power over Himself!"

The Catholic Church is the great incubus which is perpetually haunting and troubling the dreams of the world. Men try to ignore it; but it obtrudes itself upon their up willing notice. They would fain remand it to a place among the effete superstitions of the past but when they think the spectre is laid, it returns unbidden, and casts its vast shadow over the present. In that shadow the world lies uneasily; and, consciously or unconsciously, it betrays its dissatisfaction. In every great political and social movement, in the literature of the day, nay, in every magazine and newspaper which drops from the teeming press, the influence may be more or less distinctly discerned of the mysterious presence of this great spiritual organization. The world has always been puzzled to account for this influence. Protestantism it can understand perfectly there is nothing unearthly or mysterious about that. but in the life and progress of the Catholic Church there is something which defies every attempt at rational and systematic explanation. To be sure, men have their theories; but, if the truth be told, they are by no means so satisfactory as might be wished. Such expressions as (the consummate policy of Rome, and (the marvellous machinery of the Catholic Church, are after all but stock phrases, with which men dispose of phenomena which must have at least a nominal resolution. What is there behind the policy? What puts life into the machinery, and guides the great engine in its noiseless, frictionless activity?" Will discipline explain the devotion of the Catholic Priesthood? Men do not turn hypocrites in order to spend their years in prayer and fasting; neither do they voluntarily elect to become the passive tools of a sordid despotism, to be rewarded only by a life of sacrifice and toil. Indeed, the world does not believe its own slanders. And now and then, when some periodic gust of persecution assails the Church, and not a martyr flinches; or when pestilence goes through the land, and faithful seekers of souls follow quickly in the trail of the destroyer, and the places of those who fall are instantly and noiselessly filled; or when tidings come that a score or so of missionaries and a few thousand converts have been massacred in some hitherto unheard-of province of China; the world, conscience-smitten, holds its peace, and pays to the Kingdom which is 'not of this world' the tribute of a sullen, if not a respectful silence.

Marie Lataste, the subject of this biography, appears to be comparatively little known in England, although her Life and Writings, published fifteen years ago in France, have excited a lively interest among Catholics in the land of her birth, and have, we are assured on all hands, produced abundant fruits of edification in that country. They have already gone through four editions, a practical proof of the estimation in which they are held. Nor can this be matter of surprise; for that an uneducated peasant girl, engaged in field occupations from her very infancy in an obscure hamlet, situated in a most isolated district, should, while so employed, pen a work on theological subjects which would have reflected credit on the most devout and learned ecclesiastic, is in itself a marvel; and the explanation of that marvel which will be found ill her Life and Letters only introduces a prodigy of another and a higher order. For there we learn that in all she wrote she was simply retailing knowledge which .she had supernaturally received. Mmarie had visions of Jesus and Mary in her life: "The Saviour Jesus," she writes, "had often spoken to me about Himself, but never had He as yet spoken about Mary. 'My daughter, ' He said to me one day, do you desire to see My Mother?' 'Lord, ' I replied, C I have no de ir.e of my own; my will shall be Thy will. I desire to have no other will but Thine.' Then Jesus raised His eyes to heaven and cried; 'My Mother, appear to Thy daughter; I desire it, and, to conform her will to Mine, she also desires it. Do you desire it, My daughter' 'Yes, Lord.' Then immediately I saw Mary, with the eyes of my soul, in front of the altar, for I was in the church; it was a Sunday morning before Mass had begun. I observed her attentively. Her countenance was brilliant as the sun; her hands shone like rays of the sun; her robe was wbite, sprinkled with stars; a wide mantle of flame-colour enveloped her shoulders, it was also sown with stars. Her hair flowed loose behind her, and over her head was a veil of lace of most exquisite workmanship, while a crown of diamonds, of a purer and brighter lustre than any of the heavenly luminaries, encircled her brow. This light with which Mary was invested could be compared to no other light save that with which Jesus shone. The light of the sun would have paled before it nevertheless, although my eyes cannot gaze on the sun, I could fix them on Mary, whose splendour did not dazzle me to such a degree as to prevent my contemplating her. I gazed, then, on Mary, and could not help gazing. The sight of her filled my soul with bliss. When I had thus considered her for some time, Mary took my two hands in hers; I rose without knowing whither I was going; but I had no fear, for my hands were in those of Mary, my eyes were fixed on her eyes. I regarded myself as a child in its mother's arms, where no danger can reach it. We arrived at a magnificent temple paved with gold, the columns whereof were very lofty, and the whole interior was illuminated by thousands of lamps, all lighted in honour of the Blessed Virgin

The title Father of the Church, which has its origin in the name of .. Father" given to bishops 1 as early as the second century, was commonly used in the fifth century to designate the old ecclesiastical writers - ordinarily bishops - who died in the faith and in communion with the Church. According to modern theologians, the title applies only to those writers who have the four following qualifications: orthodoxy of doctrine, holiness of life, ecclesiastical satlctiotJ, and antiquity. Practically, however, it is given to many others who do not possess the first three requisites. Nobody, indeed, would dream of eliminating from the list of the "Fathers" such men as Tertullian, Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea, Faustus of Riez, etc. Errors have been laid to their charge, but these mar their works without making them more dangerous than useful; whilst they are wrong on a few points, there is in them much that is good. At all events, they eminently deserve the title of Ecclesiastical Writers. However comprehensive may be the name "Fathers of the Church," Patrology is the study of the life and works of the men designated by that name. As a science, then, it is part of the History of Ancient Christian Literature, since it excludes from the field of its labors both the canonical writings of the New Testament and all writings that are strictly and entirely heretical. On this latter point, however, most authors exercise a certain tolerance. As a knowledge of heretical works is very often useful, nay even necessary, for understanding the refutations written by the Fathers, most Patrologies do not hesitate to mention and describe at least the principal ones. We will follow this method: not mentioning the New Testament writings, but describing, in part at least, and very briefly, the heterodox writings best known in the early centuries. The question may be raised here: Is Patrology to comprise not only the history of the life and works of the Fathers, but also a summary of their doctrine: that is, must Patrolo supply the elements of a Patristic Theology? TheoretIcally, yes; but in practice nothing could be more difficult. A Patrology which would attempt to give even a very condensed summary of the teaching of each and every Father would have to be very lengthy and full of repetitions. If, on the other hand, such a work simply pointed out teachings not original and instead limited itsel f to what is proper and personal in each, it would give a false - because incomplete - impression of each author's doctrine. For this reason we think it better to draw a line of strict demarcation between Patrology and Patristic Science and leave the teaching of the Fathers to the History of Dogma. The two sciences cannot but gain by being studied separately. The most Patrology can do is to indicate, in the case of some of the Fathers, the points of doctrine they have best illustrated.

"The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to the Revelations of Blessed Anna Catherine Emmerich" is a book that may justly be called a world's book. I t is destined for all Christian people, and deserves to be translated into every language. With a clearness that fills the soul with overwhelming emotion, the magnitude and intensity of the sufferings of Jesus Christ and the compassion of His Blessed Mother are placed before our eyes. No human heart can be so hardened as not to be deeply moved to compassion in reading this book and meditating on its contents. These revelations of the Passion of Christ were made to a saintly person, who received the impressions of the five holy wounds in her own body, who suffered inexpressibly with Christ, to such a degree, indeed, that when Our Lord showed her His agony, He placed His hand compassionately on her breast and said: "No one has yet seen all this, and terror would cleave thy heart asunder, did I not hold it together." In translating this book into English, we have adhered closely to the oldest text of the German original, and have eliminated everything that might not be interesting to the reader, or that might have an annoying effect. We wish to remark, that private revelations, according to the decrees of Pope Urban VIII. in the years 1634 and 1641, in so far as the Church has not decided upon them, claim only human credence. Go forth, then, devout and holy book, go forth into the Catholic world. Enter into Christian homes and effect untold good for the salvation of many. It is said this book inspired Mel Gibson in making the movie, The Passion of the Christ.

This small volume contains papers written each month for The Messenger of the Sacred Heart. The popularity of the series and the solicitation of many indulgent friends have again induced me to put them into permanent shape. They are intended for those who wish to form the habit of daily meditation and spiritual reading. Possibly devout souls may be aided by their use before and after Holy Communion. At times also they may serve as a companion in visits to the Blessed Sacrament. It is hoped that the clergy may continue to obtain from these simple papers suggestions suitable for the ever-spreading devotion of the Holy Hour. Again it is a pleasure to acknowledge my indebtedness to my unselfish confrere, Father Joseph H. Smith, S.J., whose revision has made this little book possible.

THESE talks art being, published because so many insisted that they would be benefited spiritually by possessing them. The sermons are here presented as they were delivered, no attempt being made to remould them according to the canons of written rhetoric. If these sermons have merit, it is not the merit of originality but rather of arrangement, for many passages have been borrowed, incorporated as I found them in my notes taken over a period of several years. I myself am ignorant of the authorship of many passages except where the author is indicated by footnotes in the text. By this note I attempt partial acknowledgment to the unknown authors. Just as these sermons were first delivered under the patronage of St. Therese, so. In their printed form, may St. Therese deign to supplement their weakness with her power. The Little Flower has been declared to be God's messenger to the twentieth century, and it has been asserted that her message is the message of purity. This beautiful girl, the charm of whose life has won all hearts in every nation, is the embodiment of all that is 'pure and modest. She is a shining example in our day of the beauty of holy purity. No one requires to be told that nowadays every possible influence is being exerted to destroy the purity of our young people. The stage, the press, the movies, the novel, are all delivering messages which contradict flatly everything that the Church teaches concerning the sex instinct. Moreover, we know that an alarmingly large and ever increasing number of our Catholic young men and women succumb to these influences annually. The question for parents and for priests is what to do about it. Certainly, silence in this matter is criminal. The subject is dealt with exhaustively in Catholic retreats, but how few have an opportunity of making retreats. 'Ibis Novena, therefore, will take on itself the nature of a Retreat and I shall treat this subject as it would be treated in a Retreat. In fact, for nine successive days all of the sermons will deal with the holy virtue of purity, to ttach which the Little Flower was exalted by God in this our own day

Let us consider this: "WHICH of the two is the more striking-the thought how far God is away, or the thought how near He is? God's invisibility, or His undeniable and unmistakable presence? His unapproachable hiddenness, or His fatherly Providence and His untiring love? We call only say that under both of these aspects He is worthyof praise, and glorious, and exalted above all for ever and ever. Everyone of His attributes is a great deep; and it is the roar of these mighty abysses, calling to each other and answering to each other in the obscure night of human life, that fills the listening heart with awe, and at last gives the mind to understand how great a universe there is outside of this world and beyond the bounds of time and space. But this much at least is true-that it is this very invisibility, spirituality, hiddenness, and inaccessibility of God that have given occasion to the most astounding triumphf of His power and providence. God cannot, of course, cease to be the Absolute and the Infinite. He cannot cease to dwell in light unapproachable. Man, on his part, cannot, during this period of probation, have any access to God except such as is afforded by inference, by analogy, by effort; we do not yet see Him "as He is," or " face to face". Thus there is a great chasm between the Creator and the faculties of the creature. Yet what has been the history of God's dealings with man except the constant effort on the part of God, Who has created all things, to reach us, to touch us, and to draw us near to Himself 1 It is not merely that He has given to Himself, in this visible universe as seen by the light of man's Godlike reason, a witness and a mighty preacher. What He has done is far beyond this. He has brought into the very frame of nature herself that august and startling element which is called the supernatural. He began-not in the order of time, but in the counsels of His wisdom-by the Incarnation. He" took up" our nature, as the Fathers say, and united it to His own so closely that, without ceasing to be God, He was called, and He really was, and is, .Man. He decreed, next, that He would dwell in every man (unless man rejected Him) by means of gifts and qualities so Divine that when they came into the human soul it could truly be said that He Himself had come. And He so lifted up human destiny that we were to inherit, not any ordinary happiness or union with Him, such as our nature would seem to challenge, but that Vision of Him face to face which no created intelligence could even look upon without being specially strengthened and elevated, and which is the Beatific Vision and Bliss supernatural. It is neither of the Incarnation nor of Life Everlasting that we are now to speak, but of this present life, with its effort and its vicissitude, and of the part which is played therein by the supernatural. For Faith, Hope and Charity are the supernatural element in human life. It should be well understood that the word supernatural is here used in a very adequate, strong, and complete sense. The Supernatural, as understood by those who treat of the dealings of God with man, is that which is above and beyond human nature, or human faculties, if left to themselves. Human nature would not be human nature at all without certain constituents, powers, and endowments. These things human nature has of itself, without any further action on the part of God than is implied in His creation and His general providence. But the being of man, though it cannot demand to be lifted above its sphere, is perfectly capable of opening itself to whatever the beneficence of its heavenly Father may send it. Thus, although it is natural to us to suffer dissolution or temporal death, yet if immortality were conferred upon our bodies, there is nothing to prevent our becoming immortal.

The Caeremoniale Episcoporum is the official ceremonial of Bishops for the Catholic Church. It is published in Latin and gives explanation of the proper manner for discharging these sacred ceremonies from confirmation to ordination to consecration of a Bishop. Other ceremonies of Bishops are also discussed in detail.

The Sacrifice of the Mass is the Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, really present on the altar under the appearances of bread and wine, and offered to God for the living and the dead. It is one and the same sacrifice as that of the Cross, as in it the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ are offered to God, to give Him supreme honour and glory, to thank Him for all His benefits, to obtain pardon for our sins, and to obtain all other graces and blessings. There are many ways of hearing Mass given by spiritual writers and contained in our manuals of devotion; of these, one may be singled out as the most instructive, the most devotional, and the most profitable, and that is to follow the Ordinary of the Mass, to say the prayers with the priest, and to meditate on the mysteries signified by the ceremonies and rites prescribed for the celebration of Mass. To do this well it is necessary to be instructed in these prayers and ceremonies, and for this purpose the explanations contained in this book have been undertaken, and are now published. The object of the work may therefore be said to be to promote and renew the faith in and the devotion of the faithful to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by the explanation of its prayers and ceremonies. The plan adopted for the work is simple and clear: (1) The text of the Ordinary of the Mass is given in Latin and English. (2) Explanatory notes are subjoined, divided into historical, liturgical, and exegetical; and no one need suppose that these terms imply that the work is either learned or critical, and this the reader will soon perceive. The term exegetical was selected for the purpose of including under oneheading both the literal and mystical sense of the prayers and ceremonies., (3) After treating of the Ordinary of the Mass, four sections are devoted to the explanation of the prayers and the principal ceremonies peculiar to Solemn High Mass. (4) A final chapter is given in explanation of the ceremonies prescribed for Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The Church speaks to her children not only by her authoritative decrees and dogmatical definitions, but and by her rites and ceremonies, in which the wisdom and piety of the early Fathers are embodied with the teachings of faith. These may be said to be the voice and language of the Church in every age from the foundation of Christianity. Because the prayers and ceremonies of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are the source of much useful instruction, both theoretical and practical, all priests regard it as a duty of love and of their pastoral office to interest their flocks in the Sacred Liturgy, and to make them esteem its doctrine and its moral lessons. The symbolism of the sacred rites and the doctrine of the holy formulas are calculated to nourish spiritually the souls of the faithful with the hidden manna contained in their language and in the mysteries which they signify. "Then these are well understood attendance at the Holy Sacrifice can never be without good practical results, faith will be more lively, prayer more fervent, and the supernatural life revived and increased in the souls of the faithful. No one can say what a loss it is to many holy souls who hear Mass daily to be left in ignorance of the meaning of the liturgical rites and unacquainted with the beautiful prayers of the Ordinary of the Mass.

SINCE the spirit of devotion that has urged me to write this book, animates you to read it and makes us the happy children of the same loving Father, should you ever hear any person say I might have spared myself the labor, there being already so many learned and celebrated works which treat of this subject, I beg you to answer that our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Adorable Sacrament, is such an abundant fountain that the more it flows the fuller it becomes, and the fuller it is the more it flows, which signifies that the most Holy Eucharist is so great and so sublime a Mystery that the more we say of it the more remains to be said. If St. Alphonsus could say with all truth of the Passion of our Lord, " that eternity will not suffice to meditate adequately upon it," we may affirm the same of Jesus Christ hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, and with a thousand times more justice apply to our subject what St. Augustine says in praise of the Blessed Virgin, VlZ: that all the tongues of men, even if all their members were changed into tongues, would not be sufiicient to praise her as she deserves.

This work consists of the lives of Saint Robert of Newminster and Saint Robert of Knaresborough with an account of the foundation of Fountains Abbey The historical part of this work is taken from ancient authentic documents; the mystical portions are principally from Gorres' "Mystik." The history of S. Robert of Knaresborough is appended to that of S. Robert of Newminster, because many authors have supposed these two saints to be one and the same person, which is found to be a mistake. "S. Robert was born at Gargrave, near Skipton, in Craven, in the diocese of York, towards the end of the eleventh century. He was, therefore, it would seem, about contemporary with the great S. Bernard. The exact date of his birth has not been handed down; but the circumstances of his life will hardly admit of any other time being fixed for it than the above. Neither the name nor the rank of his parents have been told us by the historians of his life. It is evident, however, from the education he received, and from what is said of his childhood, that they were persons of good station, and in easy circumstances as regards the things of this world." Of Saint Robert of Knaresborough we read: "About the year of our Blessed Lord, 1159, this Saint was born in the ancient City of York, when Roger, surnamed the good, who built the famous choir of the Cathedral, was Archbishop of the See, whilst Savaric presided, as fourth Abbot, over the Monastery dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God. His father's name is by some authors given as Tockless or Took Floure, who was Lord Mayor of York, in the year 1195; and also a second time later on in the reign of Richard Coeur de Lion. By others, however, the surname of S. Robert is said to have been Coke, or de Cokcliff. Thus is there an apparent difficulty as to what his real family was. It must be remembered, however, that in those days, surnames were not of the fixed nature, which they have acquired in our own times. Many persons even took for a surname the town or village from whence they came. In the life of William of Wickham, we find that the dissimilar names of Perrot and Long are given by different authors of his life, as the surname of his parents; whilst for himself he had none but that of his village."

Consider the preparations that are necessary prior to the convocation of a General Council of the Catholic Church. The Assembly of the General Council of the Vatican is the greatest and most pregnant event of the last three hundred years. It is naturally, therefore, filling men's minds whether they will it or no. The Church of God is a perfect kingdom, not of the world, but in it. It is a kingdom of souls, and has a divine mission to gather into itself the whole human race. It has a divine right to whatever is necessary for its perfect organization, and for the fulfilment of its divine mission. As there is no limit in point of time or place to its mission, so there is no exemption to the obedience due to its authority when once recognized. The General Council is the reunion in one place of the Apostolate dispersed throughout the world, under the authority and direction of its divinely appointed head, whose office is It to confirm his brethren," and whose " faith shall not fail" Human society cannot but be affected by the decisions of the Council. Gainsay it as scoffers and unbelievers may, mankind will be influenced by its decision. Individuals may have eyes and see not, and ears and hear not: but God Himself will solemnly speak to the world through the infallible decisions of the Council of His Church, and the Spirit of the Lord will fill the face of the earth as the waters cover the sea. There is much misconception as to the nature of a General Council. Subjects directly connected with it are ordinarily studied only by Theologians and Canonists. In the midst top of a Babel of tongues and newspapers in which we live circumstances attendant upon the Convocation of the Vatican Council have been continually reported inaccurately. The following pages, therefore, may be useful to all who desire correct and trustworthy information. They are reprinted chiefly from the Supplements on the Council which have appeared in THE TABLET newspaper during the past year. The theological and legal part of the work is due almost entirely to the pen of Mr. DAVID LEWIS, whose learning and accuracy are too well known to need commendation while the narrative of current events has been prepared by other trustworthy and competent hands. In order to make this volume on the Preparation for the General Council as useful and complete as possible, the originals and translations of the Encyclical and Syllabus (which may be considered as the remote preparation for the Council), as well as of the Apostolical Letters directed respectively by the Sovereign Pontiff, the Bishops of the Church, to the Schismatics of the East, and to the Protestants, have been here brought together into one place. The Letter of the Holy See to the Archbishop or Westminster has also been appended, as clearly connected with the same matter, and as completing the official documents published by Rome in preparation for the General Council. And now I will end by repeating, and adopting in my own name and in the name of those who are in any way responsible with me for the contents of this volume, the words of Thomas Bradwardine, an Archbishop of Canterbury, who died in 1349: " I know what I will do; I will commit myself to that ship which can never perish, the ship of Peter. For in it our only Head and Master Christ in safety sat and taught; to teach us mystically that in the boat of Peter, the Church of Rome, the authority and teaching of all Christian doctrine should abidc. To the judgment, therefore, of so authentic and so great a teachcr I submit, and subject fully and altogether myself and my writings, now and hereafter."

THE following Discourses or Meditations are intended to furnish matter for a Retreat of eight or ten days. Each of them consists of devout considerations, followed by points for mental prayer. The considerations are to be read over slowly and with devotional attention; and the points are to be wrought out with as much fervour of affective acts as may be possible. Each discourse, with its affections, is calculated to afford matter for about an hour's exercise. The Retreat is intended for priests, religious, and persons in the world. Here and there will be found remarks addressed more especially to one or other of these classes; but the point of view taken is, on the whole, one which concerns the human soul in its relations with its Creator and Redeemer, and which does not depend on any obligation arising from vows or state of life. Even in such meditations as "The Religious Promise," "Obedience," and "poverty," principles are treated which lie at the root of all Christian practice, and aspirations are proposed which will be found natural and useful by every heart which seriously desires to give itself to God.

Cardinal Manning summarizes the purpose of this book: "These pages are intended to complete, in outline, the subject of the Lectures on the Four Great Evils of the Day. In speaking of those evils, I was often aware that the positive truths ought to have been stated first, and that the Sovereignty of God must be understood before the Revolt of Man can be measured, These Lectures, like the last, are printed as they were taken down at the time. Believing the truths and principles contained in them to be of vital moment always, and more than ever in these days, I let them go with all their faults, in the hope that some one with more ability and greater leisure will fill up the out1ine I have tried to draw." This work consists of six lectures: The Sovereignty of God over the Intellect of Man The Sovereignty of God over the Will of Man The Sovereignty of God over Society The Sovereignty of the Divine Head of the Church The Sovereignty of the Church Derived From Its Divine Head The Sovereignty of God over the Course of the World

Before finally quitting the earth Our Lord founded His Church, a hierarchical society of men, to continue the work which He had begun for the sanctification and salvation of the whole human race. His last solemn commission to His apostles was a command to teach men to observe all that He had commanded; certain truths had been revealed to them concerning God, as well as moral rules for their guidance, but even the truths concerning God were not merely speculative; they, too, were revealed for the sanctificat, ion and salvation of men. A duty of submission of the intellect, under pain of eternal damnation, was laid on all who heard the Gospel preached. The basis of Christian morality thus rests firmly established on the word of God, requiring unwavering faith, not on the uncertain and shifting sands of human opinion. That Gospel contained not only moral precepts which are obligatory on all, but counsels also of great perfection which those who had the moral strength were encouraged to adopt as rules for the conduct of their lives. The perfect holiness of God Himself was held up as the model which they were to imitate and the lofty ideal at which they were ever to aim.

In the modern world, progress in the art and science of living has not kept pace with progress in the other arts and sciences. Man does not lead a better and a happier life than he used to do. There are many indications that human conduct is getting worse, and that men are more discontented, more miserable than they used to be. One means of moral progress would be to provide a sound and universally accepted code of ethics. The world would then have, at least, a moral standard by which human actions could be judged. It would go a long way toward forming a healthy public opinion on all moral questions. The Christian religion furnishes the highest moral standard ever manifested to the world. Unfortunately, there are two fundamentally different conceptions of Christian morality the Catholic and the Protestant conception. Perhaps if we put them side by side the truth will appear. This book begins: "Is man a moral or a merely physical agent? Are all man's thoughts, words, and actions determined by merely physical and necessary laws like those of electricity or steam? If man is a merely physical agent, then morality is only a department of physics, and, without doubt, it will be an important department of physics. It is important for us to know the laws which govern the action of gravitation, or of electricity, or of steam, but it is still more important for us to know the laws which govern the action of men. If man is nothing but matter and force, by patient study we shall be able to predict his every thought, word, and action with as much certainty as we can predict the action of a steam-engine or of a motor-car. Such knowledge would be invaluable for governments, employers, and parents. It would not be less valuable for the private citizen, the employed, and for children still under parental sway. "But is man a merely physical agent, a mere natural machine? Is man's action determined solely by the antecedents and conditions of action, so that if we knew them all we could predict infallibly what that action would be? Or is there something in man which clearly distinguishes his action from that of merely physical causes?"