Bøger af Brother Hermenegild Tosf

THIS little book, as its title indicates, is designed to give Catholics some definite rules for the external practice of their holy religion. It is ardently hoped that it will find its way into Catholic families, there to be perused regularly, to be consulted especially when there is doubt about the obligation or manner of performing Some duty imposed upon Catholics by the Church. By keeping this little book on hand in some appointed place in the house, and by referring to it on special occasions, such as on feast and fast days, on occasions of a sick-call, baptism, funeral, or other function of religion not so frequent in the family, the faithful will avoid many mistakes, many annoying inconveniences and misunderstandings liable to occur at such times. We trust the Reverend Clergy will find in these pages the very rules and directions they endeavor so often to impress upon the minds of their parishioners. They may often find it convenient to refer parishioners to this book as containing the written regulations of the parish. Some things here recommended may not harmonize with local custom. Such things may be modified or eliminated according to the exigencies of parish or place. On the other hand there may be important points omitted in this little work through oversight or through an endeavor to make it short and practical.

The Author has had a double end in view in the composition of them; first, to furnish some simple and original hymns for singing; secondly, to provide English Catholics with a hymn-book for reading, in the simplest and least involved metres: and both these objects have not unfrequently required considerable sacrifice in a literary point of view. When God raised up our dear and blessed Father St. Philip, St. Ignatius, and St. Theresa, and gave them to His Church, just as the heresy of Protestantism was beginning to devastate the world, those three Saints seem to have had distinct departments assigned to them. All of them, each in a different way, met the subjectivity, the self-introverted habit of mind, which was then coming uppermost, and thus rendered modern Catholicism the great object of our study and the model for our imitation, as being primarily fashioned, and that by the hands of Saints, for the welfare of these latter ages. St. Theresa represents the common sense, the discreet enthusiasm, of devotion and the interior life, which distinguishes Catholic asceticism and the mysticism of the Saints from the fanatical vagaries of the heretics. St. Ignatius, without debarring his children from any field of labour, took in a special way the education of Europe and the evangelization of distant lands for his department, and represented in the Church the principle of faith. St. Philip devised a changeful variety of spiritual exercises and recreations, which gathered round him the art and literature, as well as the piety of Rome, and was eminently qualified to meet the increased appetite for the Word of God, for services in the vernacular, for hymn-singing and prayer-meetings. Sanctity in the world, perfection at home, high attainments in common earthly callings-such was the principal end of his apostolate. He met the gloom and sourness and ungainly stiffness of the puritan element of Protestantism by cheerfulness and playful manners, which he ensured, not in any human way, but by leaving to his children the frequentation of the Sacraments as the chief subject of their preaching and their chief counsel in the spiritual direction of others; and he represented in the Church the principle of love. St. Ignatius was the St. Dominic, St. Philip the St. Francis of his age. What was mediaeval and suited to the mediaeval state of things passed away, and there appeared at the Chiesa Nuova and the Gesu the less poetical, but thoroughly practical element of modern times, the common sense which works and wears so well in this prosaic world of ours. It was natural then that an English son of St. Philip should feel the want of a collection of English Catholic hymns fitted for singing. The few in the Garden of the Soul were all that were at hand, and of course they were not numerous enough to furnish the requisite variety. As to translations, they do not express Saxon thoughts and feelings, and consequently the poor do not seem to take to them. The domestic wants of the Oratory, too, kept alive the feeling that something of the sort was needed; though at the same time the Author's ignorance of music appeared in some measure to disqualify him for the work of supplying the defect. Eleven, however, of the hymns were written, most of them, for particular tunes and on particular occasions, and became very popular with a country congregation. They were afterwards printed for the schools at St. Wilfrid's, and the very numerous applications to the printer for them seemed to show that, in spite of very glaring literary defects, such as careless grammar and slipshod metre, people were anxious to have Catholic. hymns of any sort. The MS. of the present volume was submitted to a musical friend, who replied that certain verses of all or nearly all the hymns would do for singing: and this encouragement has led to the publication of the volume.

This is a simple basic Catechism for Catholics, which begins Why are we in this world? We are in this world, that we might know God, love Him, serve Him and thereby gain Heaven. Can we do this by our own power? No; we need the assistance of Divine Grace What must we do that we might know God, love Him, serve Him and be saved? We must: 1) Believe whatsoever God has revealed; 2) Keep all the commandments we are Commanded by God to observe; 3) Make use of the means of grace which God has given to us for our salvation. How shall we learn to know these three things thoroughly ? By studying the Christian Doctrine.

Solid virtue is the state of a soul confirmed in virtue by along practice of good works. The object of this work is to establish us in that happy state in which our will is, as it were, naturally inclined to elicit supernatural acts on all occasions with promptitude, fervour, purity of intention, and perseverance. In the First Part, we will endeavour to remove the obstacles which stand in the way of the practice of solid virtue; in the Second, we will point out the means of acquiring this virtue; and in the Third, we will explain the motives which urge us to perfect ourselves daily in it. The First Part relates to the Purgative Way, the Second to the Illuminative Way, and the Third to the Unitive Way: we will explain and demonstrate the truth of these relations at the conclusion of each of the three Parts. We may reckon six principal obstacles to solid virtue: -venial sin, tepidity, abuse of grace, the predominant passion, human respect, and sloth in rising in the morning. To these six obstacles we win oppose six means of fortifying ourselves in the ways of sanctity: -the perfection of our ordinary actions, meditation, interior recollection, Holy Communion, the particular examen, and a retreat of three days twice a year. Finally, we will also propose six important motives for tending to perfection: -what faith teaches of the excellence of solid virtue, the fear of the evils which befall those who do not practise it, the hope of the blessings of which it is the source, the love of God which demands and merits that we be solidly virtuous, the happiness enjoyed by the perfect, and finally the crown granted to perseverance

Let us consider this: "It need hardly be said that the life of St. Francis was a revelation of that ideal poverty which he so fondly styled his Lady Poverty. She it was who made a hero of him, and gave him his place in the religious history of the world. One may say, perhaps, that St. Francis threw a halo of poetry around poverty; but poverty could never have shone with beauty even beside St. Francis if it had not the secret of beauty within itself. The special grace of the Saint's life was, in fact, just this-that he was enabled to understand the moral and spiritual value of poverty; to see a great soul-liberty where others could detect only privation and loss. "For St. Francis did not tolerate poverty as something in spite of which a man may be noble and spiritual; he loved and reverenced poverty as a sacramental means of attaining to the higher and larger life. Poverty was to him the Life Beautiful, the mother of virtue, the entrance to eternal joy. One must grasp this fact if one is to have any right comprehension of the life and mission of St. Francis. Dante, Sassetta, and the author of the medieval allegory I have referred to, did grasp this fact, and they expressed it each in his own way. And if, in the controversies which arose after St. Francis's death concerning the Rule of poverty, the discussions seem frequently to turn on legalistic forms, and to reveal little of the inspiring idealism of the Saint, yetthese controversies had their origin, on one side at least, in the desire to maintain the new life which St. Francis had found."

This work begins with the dignity of the family and proceeds to the dignity of man and woman. This is followed by the dignity of the Christian child and then proceeds to discuss the holy sacrament of Marriage. This work is a must read fro anyone entering the holy state of Matrimony, as it details the rights and responsibilities of Christian parents. Consider this on the dignity of the Christian child: "A foreigner, who has come to the United States and wishes to enjoy the rights and privileges of an American citizen, has to appear in open court and declare his intention of becoming a citizen of the United States. If he then continues to reside, for five years, within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the grand llepublic, and conducts himself, during that time, as a man of good moral character, is attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the same, he receives his naturalization papers as a citizen of the Union, after having declared on oath, in open court, that he will support the Constitution of the United States, and that he does absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, or state sovereignty whatsoever, and particularly to the government of the country to which he was formerly subject. "Christian parents! your children, too, have become, on similar conditions, citizens of the kingdom of God on earth and in heaven. There are two great kingdoms in this world-the kingdom of Jesus Christ and of Satan. The kingdom of Jesus Christ is the Roman Catholic Church. In his kingdom alone are found true peace and happiness, the forgiveness of sins, the means to obtain the grace of God and to lead a virtuous life. To remain a faithful citizen and subject of this kingdom, is to be forever a citizen of God's kingdom in heaven. The kingdom of Satan in this world is that corrupt body composed of three foul and abominable members: "The concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes, and of the pride of life." One day our dear Saviour permitted Satan "to tako him up into a high mountain, and to show him his kingdom of this world and the glory of it,"-that is, the riches, the honors, and the sinful pleasures of the flesh; and Satan said to him: "All this I will give thee, if, falling down, thou wilt adore me." What Satan here promised to our Saviour, he promises to every one who wishes to follow him. To remain a faithful subject of Satan's kingdom, is to be forever his subject in the torments of hell. Now, Christian parents! Your children were born into this world as citizens and subjects of Satan. You knew this, and therefore you felt that something was wanting to fill up the measure of your happiness at their birth. It was not the subject of Satan, but the subject of Jesus Christ, that you wished to press to your heart. Your children were therefore taken from the cradle, and in the midst of the rejoicings of the whole family, in the arms of a godfather and of a godmother who were to lend to them their heart and tongue; they were taken, as it were, to the open court of Christ's kingdom on earth, that is, to the en trance of the house of God, humbly begging the Church to admit them to become her children, subjects of Jesus Christ, and citizens of his kingdom.

The Council of Trent is the greatest council in Catholic Church history, but yet how many know much of the day to day happenings at this great council? It should be noted that this work is written from an anti-Catholic bias, although it will prove useful to historians.

A church without missions is like a tree without offshoots - it is doomed to die! The world looks upon the Church in America as a vigorous member of the whole Catholic body, functioning within its own territory in a healthy and prolific manner; but now the time has come for her to branch out and share her strength, her resources, her blood, if needs be, to scatter and nurture the seeds of the Faith among the redeemed but unenlightened peoples of the Orient. And will not the fruits of this tree be all the more bountiful because of the care given to it by the faithful husbandman interested in its expansion and development? When God wished to reveal to men truths of a supernatural order or to impose new obligations upon them or prescribe new means for salvation, He gave an extraordinary mission to certain persons who were to carry out His designs. Thus He sent Moses and the Prophets of the Old Testament; likewise He sent Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to found the New Law and the Apostles to preach it. 'Vithout this mission, well tried and proven by miracles, no one would have been obliged to believe. Our Lord Himself has founded His own authority to teach upon the mission which He received from the Father. For he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God ( John iii. 34). To His Apostles He says, As the Father hath sent me, I also send you (John xx. 21). This work considers the burning question: "We now come to a question that has occupied some of the greatest minds in the Church. What is the teaching of the Church about the future of the millions and millions of souls who have been redeemed by the Blood of Jesus Christ, and yet do not know the Truth and never will know it? will they all be lost?" The answer begins: "We are here confronted with a mystery which Our Lord has not been pleased to reveal very clearly. There are some persons of weak faith or poorly instructed who admit too easily that those outside of the Christian religion will be saved merely through good faith; others, basing their opinion upon the axiom, "Outside of the Church there is no salvation," dispose of the question very quickly by consigning them all to Hell. The Protestants, who for a long time followed this rigorous opinion, now believe in the possibility of an evangelization of the dead and say that the lot of pagans, who in life have had no knowledge of Christianity, will be decided in the other world." Then follows a scholarly discussion of the Catholic teaching on this subject. In this day, when there are those, following the teaching of Father Leonard Feeney, who will readily consign all unbaptized to people to hell, it is necessary to study what the Catholic Church actually teaches on this important subject. '

My object in publishing these "Skeleton Sermons" is to help my brother-priests in emergencies. We, most of us, occasionally find that we haven't much time for preparing our sermons, and our ideas sometimes seem to run short, especially when we have to preach on the same subject over and over again. At such times it is a great convenience to have a plan of a sermon drawn up ready to one's hand. Such a plan is likely, at any rate, to suggest a new line of though t, which we can carry ou t in our own way. These Sermons are made pretty full, suggesting, perhaps, more subjects than it is expedient to introduce into one discourse. They are put in this way in order that anyone using the Sketches may take the points that suit him best, and develop them according to his own lights. Of course, neither these nor any other Sketches can be of much use to a preacher unless he makes the points his own, so that they may have the impress of his own mind upon them. I have quoted a good many texts of Scripture -generally well - known and obvious ones-because I think it most expedient, when we can, to enforce our teaching by the very words of the inspired writers. St. Peter says "If any man speak, let him speak as the words of God," and all preachers ought to have the Word of God in their minds and on their lips whilst addressing their flocks. These Sermons, may, perhaps, also be useful to some people in making their Meditations. The Sermons are, generally, on the Gospels, and so can hardly fail to afford a good many points of consideration for those who like to have their Meditations put concisely. Most of these Sketches have already appeared in our excellent clerical periodical, Pastoralia. That form, however, is not particularly convenient, and the periodical is not intended for the general public. I have, therefore, added a few Sermons to make the Sundays and Feasts of the year complete, and I hope they may be useful in this form.

THE Devotion once called "The Psalter of Mary," probably becaus"e it consists of 150 Aves, even as the Psalter of David is composed of 150 Psalms, is now known throughout the Catholic world as "The Rosary." According to some authors it takes its name from the Latin word Ros, which means dew. This may be accounted for by the words traditionally ascribed to Our Lady when making known the Devotion to her liegeman S. Dominic: "Until now thou hast spent thy labours on a barren soil, not yet watered with the dew of Divine Grace. When God willed to renew the face of the earth, He began by sending down the fertilising rain of the angelic salutation. Therefore preach my Psalter and thou wilt obtain an abundant harvest." Other writers trace the adoption of the word to the days when the beads were called" The Roses of Mary." The Devotion then began to be called "The Rosary," i.e. a bed, or collection of roses. The German Rosenkranz, or Crown of Roses, the French ChajJelet and Rosaire, and the Italian corona and Rosario, all bear the same interpretation and point to the same origin. Pope Leo XIII. in his Encyclical of September 20, 1896, writes: "The form of prayer we refer to has obtained the special name of 'The Rosary, ' as though it represented, by its arrangement, the sweetness of roses and the charm of a garland. This is most fitting for a method of venerating the Virgin, who is rightly styled the Mystical Rose of Paradise, and who, as Queen of the Universe, shines therein with a crown of stars. So that by its very name, it appears to foreshadow and be an augury of the joys and garlands of heaven, offered by her to those who are devoted to her." Whatever the origin of the word, it is now consecrated to the Devotion which is inseparably associated with S. Dominic's name. Without special leave of the Holy See it may be applied to no other devotion or form of prayer in the Church. Beads may be used in counting the prescribed prayers of other pious exercises, but they are neither rosaries nor rosary-beads. They are" Chapelets," "bead strings," "counting beads," or what you will, but they are not "The Rosary." This was decided by Pope Benedict XIII. in his Constitution Pretiosus, nay by Pope Alexander VII. in the Constitution In supremo of May 28, 1664. Quoting this latter decision and another of Clement XI. Benedict XIV. Writes: "Lest this Devotion (of the Rosary) languish, at the prayer of the actual Procurator-General of the Order of Preachers, we renew and confirm the decisions which were given respecting a rosary commonly called 'the seraphic rosary, ' and another rosary 'in honour of the Most Holy Trinity'; and we extend (the prohibition) to all rosaries newly invented, or which may be invented, without the special and previous permission of the Holy See, whereby the aforesaid authenlic rosary, sacred to God and the Blessed Virgin Mary, may, to the prejudice of the faithful, be set aside." Originally published in 19

IMPORTANT as was for centuries the part played by the interdict in the history of both church and state, no book has hitherto been devoted to it. Late in the sixteenth century the French jurist Pierre Pithou attempted a survey of its history in his essay De l'ongine et du progres des Interdicts ecclesiastiques; but this, though able, is only a sketch. In 1869 the German canonist Franz Kober published in three successive issues of the Archiv fur katholisches Kirchenrecht a careful study entitled "Das Interdict." While rich in information regarding the history and use of the interdict, this deals mainly with its place in ecclesiastical law. In 1897 a young American scholar, Arthur C. Howland, submitted for the doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania a thesis on "The Interdict, its Rise and Development to the Pontificate of Alexander III ", i. e., to 1159. This thesis has never been printed; but in 1899 Dr. Howland read before the American Historical Association a paper based upon it-', The Origin of the Local Interdict - which was published in the Association's report for that year. It narrates the story of the interdict to 1031. Excepting pamphlets purely polemic, like those called forth by the Venetian interdict of 1606, and narratives devoted to single episodes, these few studies form the entire monographic literature of the subject. The present essay, while aspiring to serve as a convenient introduction to a knowledge of the interdict, attempts no exhaustive treatment. To the history of the interdict its fresh contribution is only a sifting and use of the materials for the time of Pope Innocent III. Nor is it meant to be a study of the canonical law relating to the discipline-a theme adequately treated by the canonists. Its aim is to show the actual use and effects of the interdict; and by" the interdict" it for the most part means only what has been currently known in history by that name-the comprehensive territorial measure known to canonists as the" local general interdict ", and not unhappily defined by an American newspaper, in a recent case of its employment, as " a general ecclesiastical strike ".

Studying the Catholic Faith is essential to salvation. Saint John Vianney, the holy Cure of Ars, says that most Catholics that are damned are damned, because they don't know their own religion. Pope Saint Pius X devoted a whole Encyclical to the duty of pastors to teach religion to their whole flock of all ages. He laid down the law that pastors should teach thir flocks every Sunday from the catechism. As Catholics, of whatever age, we should continue our study of the holy Faith at least once a week. Dearly beloved Christian, impress well on your mind the mysteries of your holy faith, and the things that are necessary for making your confessions and Communions with fruit. And after having learned them well, repeat them at home and teach them to others. You will thus give great pleasure to Jesus Christ; and with a little trouble you shall share in and gain all the good which, through your instructions, others shall afterwards do. In order to save your soul, it is not enough for you to be made a Christian by the sacrament of Baptism, which you have received; it is, moreover, necessary for you to know the mysteries of faith, to observe the commandments of God and the Church, and to receive the holy Sacraments with the requisite dispositions. First, you must believe that there is one only God, and that He is omnipotent; that is, that He has created the heavens, the earth, the angels, men, yourself, and all things. God is immense; that is, He is in heaven, on earth, and in all places. God is just; He punishes sinners, and rewards the good; He sends to hell all who die in mortal sin, and gives the glory of heaven to them who die in His grace. You must believe in the most holy Trinity; that is, that in this infinite, eternal, omnipotent, immense, and just God, there are three divine persons, who are called Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; three persons, and only one God. You must believe that the Son of God, that is, the second person of the most holy Trinity, was made man in the most chaste womb of the Virgin Mary by the operation of the Holy Ghost; that He was born an infant, in a stable, and that He died on a cross in order to save our souls; and that He is called Jesus Christ, true God and true man; that, after death, He arose again the third day from the dead, that He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; that, on the day of the general judgment, He will come to judge the whole world; that He will send to hell the souls and bodies of all who have died in mortal sin, and that He will bring with Him into heaven the souls and bodies of them who have died in His grace.

Saint Alphonsus gives wonderful instructions to priests. THE present little work is entitled "A Collection of Materials," and not Discourses or Spiritual Exercises, because although I have endeavored. to collect the material belonging to each subject, I have not observed the order necessary for a regular discourse, nor have I extended the thoughts. They are given without order, and expressed briefly, that the reader may select the authorities, subjects, and thoughts that are most pleasing to him, and may afterwards arrange and extend them as he pleases, and thus make the discourse his own. For experience shows, that a preacher will scarcely deliver sentiments with fervor and zeal unless he has first made them his own, at least by selecting them from among others, and arranging and extending them, in composing the discourse. Hence, I have taken from different authors several passages that have the same signification, so that the preacher may select those that please him most. I have said so much to explain the aim of the work. Let him who gives the spiritual exercises to priests be careful, first of all, to propose to himself a good end in his instructions: I. This end must be not to gain the character of a man of learning, of talent, and of eloquence, but only to give glory to God by the sanctification of his hearers. his sermons ideas foreign to the subject, nor new and lofty thoughts that serve only to fix the mind on the beauty of the conceptions, but leave the will dry and without fruit; let him be careful to say what he considers best edculated to move his hearers to make some good resolution. III. In order to attain that end, let him in his sermons frequently remind the hearers of the truths of eternity, by the consideration of which perseverance is obtained, according to the words of the Holy Ghost: In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin. It is true, indeed, that certain priests dislike sermons on the last things, and are offended at seeing themselves treated like seculars, as if they were not, as well as seculars, to die and be judged. Let him, then, who gives the spiritual exercises not omit at least to remind the audience several times of death, of judgment, and of eternity. These are the truths best calculated to effect a change of life in all that meditate upon them. IV. Let the preacher be careful to inculcate as much as possible what is practical. For example, the method of making mental prayer, thanksgiving after Mass, the correction of sinners, and above all the mode of hearing confessions, particularly the confessions of relapsing sinners, or of those that are in the proximate occasion of sin. In hearing the confessions of these two classes of penitents, many confessors err, either by an excess of rigor, or by too great a facility of giving absolution (the latter is more frequent), and thus they are the cause of the damnation of so many souls. Latin passages are soon forgotten; only what is practical remains in the mind. V. Let the preacher be careful to treat with respect and sweetness the priests who listen to him. With respect; showing a veneration for them, often calling them men of learning and of sanctity, and when he inveighs against any vice, let him always speak in general terms, protesting that he speaks not of those that are present. Let him guard, in a special manner, against censuring any defect of any particular person, as also against speaking in a tone of authority; but let him endeavor to preach in a familiar style, which is the best calculated to persuade and move. With respect and with sweetness; let him, then, never appear angry, nor ever break out into injurious words, which tend more to irritate the mind than to excite piety. ...

The Father of the Church Victorinus has written a commentary on the Apocalypse, which has some interesting things to add on many of the verses of the Apocalypse. This work when taken along side 'The Book of Destiny' by Kramer, 'The Apocalypse of Saint John' by Berry, 'The Apocalypse of St. John by Ratton, who also wrote 'Essays on the Apocalypse.' Victorinus says: "Two great wings" are the two prophets- Elias, and the prophet who shall be with him. "And the serpent cast our of his mouth after the woman water as a flood, that he might carry her away with the flood." He signifies by the water which the serpent cast out of his mouth, the people who at his command would persecute her. "And the earth helped the woman, and opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth." That the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the waters, sets forth the vengeance for present troubles. Although, therefore, It may signify this woman bringing forth, it shows her afterwards flying when her offspring is brought forth, because both things did not happen at one time; for we know that Christ was born, but that the time should arrive that she should flee from the face of the serpent: (we do not know) that this has happened as yet."

This manual embraces not only those questions which in our Latin compendia usually are treated of under the heading Theologia Naturalis, but also those which commonly are discussed as a part of Cosmologia. This was done in order to give the necessary completeness to the treatment of my subject. Our English volumes are in the first place intended to help those who do not intend to study in detail Catholic Theology to a sound understanding of the most important questions of Philosophy, and particularly to show them the way to judge intelligently and to solve clearly modern difficulties against those natural truths which form the basis of Christianity. In the celebrated Catholic controversy about the manner of Divine foreknowledge of and concurrence in human actions, it has been my endeavour to give a good account of the opposite opinions and of my own position. I have purposely avoided quotations, as often as I could conveniently without doing harm to the cause of truth, In order to eliminate any element of prejudice or party strife.

The Manual is for the use of Masters of Ceremonies and for all others that assist at Pontifical Functions. In its compilation I have followed Martinucci's "Manuale Sacrarum Caeremoniarum", except where Decrees of the Sacred Congregation of Rites decreed differently. This book is a must have for anyone wishing to understand the cermonies of Bishops pre-Vatican II.

This work begins: "I HAVE received a letter from you, In which you set before me the difficulties in matters of religion that perplex you, and ask my advice in the doubts that harass your soul. I accept with pleasure the confidence you are pleased to repose in me, and I trust you will never have any reason to regret that you have done so. You may rest assured that my best advice is always and at all times at your service, and that any question you think fit to raise shall receive my most serious consideration." "You have, you say, the Apostolic Succession, the Priesthood, the Real Presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament; and what more can anyone desire?" "I am far from agreeing with you that the question of the validity of your Orders occupies a place of such primary importance as you seem to suppose. It is, of course, true that valid orders must necessarily be found in the true Church of Christ, for they are necessary to her supernatural life, and, in fact, to her very existence; still, it does not by any means follow, that valid orders are a note of the true Church, and that those who possess them are necessarily within the One Fold of the One Shepherd. Nothing could be further from the truth. Any such inference is a logical fallacy." And this is interesting: "The following is an extract from a letter from the Rev. Basil E. Popove, Chaplain of the Russian Embassy, also in. possession of the writer: --" The limits of a letter allow me only to state that by the law and practice of the Holy Eastern Church (RussoGreek) an Anglican priest could only he admitted into her fold as a layman."" And there is considered a question of Baptism amongst the Anglicans: "An Anglican Bishop, long resident in Scotland, speaks as follows: - "In arriving at any conclusion regarding the nature of the administration of Baptism in the Scotch Establishment and other Presbyterian sects, it should be remembered that its ministers one and all look upon it merely as a rite-a rite which is a sign-and have no theological belief of its importance. This being so, they would naturally administer it with no particular care or exactness. And this is what I have always found. I have seen several instances of Baptism by Presbyterian ministers, of only one of which could I positively take upon myself to declare that it was certainly valid. The others were all doubtful and uncertain. Our invariable rule in dealing with converts is to baptize them sub conditione."" And more to the point: "It is beyond dispute that the founders of the Anglican Church held Episcopacy to be a lawful and praiseworthy form of Church government, but they were very resolute against the idea that it was of divine institution, or was able to confer grace, or was a sacrament. This is abundantly proved both by the words and the acts of the Reformers. Tyndale pronounces on the question of the ministry as follows: "Ye choose temporal officers and read their duty to them, and they promise to be faithful ministers, and then are admitted. Neither is there any other manner of ceremony at all required in making of our spiritual officers than to choose an able person, and then to rehearse him his duty and give him his charge, and so put him in his room.""

It seems likely that a work of this kind, devoted to both medieval and modern scholastic philosophy, will interest not merely those who are already acquainted with scholastic doctrines, but even all who are trying to follow the march of contemporary thought. Whatever may be its extent and duration, the scholastic revival represents at the present time, and will represent in the annals of the Twentieth Century, an intellectual movement that may not be ignored. We still encounter quite a crowd of prejudices regarding modern scholasticism, and many talk about it without understanding it. On the other hand, much that is exact and even suggestive, in its regard, has gained currency at different times and places of late; and it is not altogether easy to collect and compare these later views and to weigh their respective merits. The object of the present work is to meet and combat false conceptions, to co-ordinate true notions, and so to furnish the reader with some general information on the new scholasticism. The author has adopted quite a summary method. He has merely traced the outlines, raised and stated the problems, but he does not claim to have noticed all the points of view which the subject-matter admits of. Introduction to Scholastic Philosophy being here synonymous with presentation, preparation, the developments of the different questions treated or simply referred to, must be sought in special treatises. He earnestly hopes that the present volume may prove an efficacious invitation to its readers to undertake a personal and deeper study of modern scholastic philosophy. To form an idea of what the new scholastic philosophy is, one must evidently know what the scholasticism of the Middle Ages was, for the former .is only a revival and adaptation of the latter. The two parts of the present work are therefore called for by the very nature of the subject. The first part, strictly historical, will "introduce" the reader to this old scholastic monument-to the discredit of which so much has been spoken and written, but which, resembling in so many ways the majestic cathedrals of the Middle Ages, decidedly gains by being visited and seen in detail. The second part will point out the meaning of the attempted restoration and adaptation of this edifice to our own time. In 1899 we published a brochure entitled: What is Scholastic Philosophy? which we have been requested on many sides to reprint. Most of the ideas in that little work will be found here completely recast and developed. -We also reproduce, in different places, the theories expressed in an article in the Revue Philosophique of June, 1902, entitled: Notion de la scolastique. At the same time we have taken occasion to reply to various criticisms," and to give an appreciation of recent works that have put forth general views on the Middle Ages. The reader will accordingly find a fair number of additional ideas on medieval philosophy, supplementing our previous publications. The two parts of this work correspond like diptychs: the author has tried to compare, point by point, the ideas of the past with those of the present. The new scholasticism is more extensive than the old, being a development and growth of its doctrine: Vetera novis augere. But, on the other hand, though the new scholasticism is already constructed in its main outlines it has yet to be perfected in numerous details. For those two reasons the second part of the work contains a larger number of separate sketches than the first.

Father Doyle strives to encourage priests to take up their most important task as confessors, that of spiritual direction. Unfortunately confession have come to be a routine laundry list of sins, a penance of three Hail Marys and dismissal after absolution. Spiritual direction is a necessary part of the pastoral office to launch souls on the road to heaven and to keep them on the straight and narrow. All need spiritual direction from the Pope to the humblest little child. Father Doyle gives practical advice, which is useful not only to priests, but also to the faithful as well. St. Vincent Ferrer, the great Dominican saint, says the following about spiritual direction: "A person who has a director by whom he allows himself to be guided, whom he obeys in all his actions, great and small, will more easily and quickly arrive at perfection than he ever could by himself, even were he gifted with an enraordinary degree of intelligence and supplied with books explaining the nature of all the virtues and the means of acquiring them. "I should go still further and say that our Lord, without whom we can do nothing, will never bestow His grace on one, who having at his disposal a man capable of instructing and directing him, neglects this powerful means of sanctification, believing himself to be self-sufficient and that, by his own powers, he is capable of seeking and discovering the things necessary for salvation. "This way of obedience is the royal road leading men securely to the summit of that mysterious ladder over which the Lord seems to be leaning. It is the way trodden by all the holy Fathers of the desert. And, in general, all those who have tended toward perfection have followed this path." According to St. Gregory the Great, the fact that in some exceptional cases the Holy- Ghost Himself teaches the soul without human help in no way abrogates the general law. Should one find oneself without a spiritual director this book will provide much assistance to the soul wishing to come closer to Almighty God. In this book Father Doyle laments the fact that he was some times remiss in his priestly duty of spiritual direction in the confessional. We pray that all, confessors and penitents alike will find this book an aid to sanctification.

How do we raise a girl to be virtuous in this day of evil? This book will help answer that question. Although this book is from 1890, virtue is timeless and remains the same today as it was over a hundred years or even a thousand years ago. In the "Twelve 'Virtues of a Good Teacher" we offer to all charged with the education of young girls, either in Their own families or in schools, the best manual of instruction in regard to their duties that we believe exists. This little book is really an adaptation of the "Twelve Virtues of a Good Teacher," written by Blessed de la Salle, the founder of the Christian Schools. From it many teachers have derived rules of conduct which have assisted them greatly in their difficult functions, but the greater number, by far, have not had recourse to it, because it was not written for the instruction of girls. That this valuable work may be put in universal use, we have modified it, having due regard for the difference of temperament, character early education, etc., which is usually found in children of both sexes, and also in the persons charged with their education. This modification in no way changes the nature of the original work, and derogates nothing from its merits, but only renders its usage more wide-spread and, consequently, more useful. Blessed are those children whose teachers practise the "Twelve Virtues of a Good Teacher," and more blessed still are those teachers themselves. Let us consider this: "Piety is a virtue that causes us to acquit ourselves properly of our duties towards God. This requires that we fulfil them with fervor and respect, and that we render Him the respectful homage that is due to His infinite greatness, and that we should endeavor to serve Him perfectly. A teacher should possess this virtue in an eminent degree, and it should be earnest and sincere. She should be a shining example, exhibiting exteriorly the interior sentiments with which she is filled. What is, in reality, the Christian teacher? She is one into whose hands oj esus Christ has placed a certain number of children purchased with His blood, for whom He has given His life and in whom He dwells as in His own temple, whom He regards as His members, His sisters. His co-heirs, who will reign with Him, and with Him glorify God for all eternity. And for what end have they been confided to her? Is it solely that she may make of them perfect writers, good arithmeticians, learned women? Who would dare assert this or even think it? No! He has confided them to her precisely that she may preserve in them the precious and inestimable virtue of innocence, which has been conferred upon their souls by Baptism. This, then, is the final end of the education of children; all the rest is but the means to this end. It follows, therefore, that the teacher should be most solicitous to form theln aCcording to the teachings of religion, and that for that end she should apply herself, as we have already said, to instruct them solidly in the mysteries of their holy faith, laying great stress on those which are the most essential, such as an implicit belief in the creed; the laws of God contained in the Ten Commandments; the Commandments of the Church, and the necessary dispositions for receiving the sacraments worthily. She should remind them of the promises made for them in Baptism and also the renunciations made in their name, the esteem they should have for the graces they then received, as well as for the grace of perseverance. She should explain to them

Is this a book of biography, or is it romance? The author himself scarcely knows. If an honest attempt to give the facts makes biography, then he hopes it may deserve that title. If an effort to interpret some of those facts and give them life makes romance, then must his work be called romantic. In either case he hopes that the picture in each case is true; and that the whole is a proof of a deeper truth which it is needful for us all to remember. It is, that "God is wonderful in His saints"; that He "chooses whom He will Himself"; that in His house "there are many mansions"; and that there is no condition of life to which His grace does not reach, none so low but He can make it worthy of Himself. We have called this book "Saints for Sinners," and in doing so we would take the word "Sinners" in a broad sense. For beside the actual consciousness of sin, and the sense of weakness that comes of it, there is also a kindred consciousness of failure, and ineffectualness, and other hard things in the spiritual life which makes us realize our utter nothingness, and compels us sometimes to wonder whether we are not ourselves their cause. When these hard things oppress us, and tempt us to despair or resent, it is well to bear in mind that they were the lot of all the saints, that "virtue is made perfect in infirmity," and that the life of the Cross is an ideal above every other, however human nature may stumble or be scandalized. For this reason, in these chapters, the human element has been more considered than the sanctity that has been built upon it; the latter rises in proportion to the depth of the foundation.

This is a basic presentation of the Catholic Faith, considering the beliefs and thinking of a Protestant. It is an excellent little book.

The author commences: "I am a Catholic. I accept the divine authority of the Catholic Church to interpret the meaning of human life, and in this interpretation I have gradually found a Catholic Ideal. I was not born into this system, I deliberately adopted it. I was born into that variegated and shifting mass of opinion, external to the Church, which leans more or less on individual private judgment as an habitual court of appeal in matters of faith and morals." And consider this later on: "If God be the Author and Sustainer of the material universe and civil society, and if man, sensible of his own frailty, ambitious for his own perfection, and anxious as to a future state, wills to communicate with his Creator, what hope has he of any possible intercourse between God and man? To deny the religious aspirations of the human race would be to deny ourselves; but it will be objected that man's hunger for righteousness is no guarantee of its supreme embodiment in a personal God. United with this aspiration, however, stands the conviction of the intellect that some intelligent First Cause must be predicated for the universe, and the judgment of the moral sense which claims divine beneficence for a final restitution of all things. To deny a First Cause is to dethrone the only Sovereign Good able to fill the human heart, the only tribunal before which man can arraign his secret soul, setting up instead the fool's fetish of cosmic anarchy, which gives no rational explanation of the universal testimony of the human race in favour of an intelligent and moral Creator." And then this: "But let us look at the great religious phenomena of the world, the ancient religions of Egypt, Assyria, Greece, Rome, India, and Western Europe. The old surviving religions, Hindu, Buddhist, Mohammedan, Confucian, or the fetish and ancestral worships of primitive tribes; do they not form a spectacle similar to the varied geology and zoology of the material world? Detached on the surface, they are united below in certain broad features. They recognise supernatural powers acting on the world, and possess traditional sacred teachings preserved by priests or sages. Such similarities point to a common origin, differentiated by the reflex action of racial and local tradition, and demonstrate the universal desire of man's heart for some form of faith and holiness."

THIS series of Handbooks is designed to meet a need, which, the Editors believe, has been widely felt, and which results in great measure from the predominant importance attached to Dogmatic and Moral Theology in the studies preliminary to the Priesthood. That the first place must of necessity be given to these subjects will not be disputed. But there remains a large outlying field of professional knowledge which is always in danger of being crowded out in the years before ordination, and the practical utility of which may not be fully realised until some experience of the ministry has been gained. It will be the aim of the present series to offer the sort of help which is dictated by such experience, and its developments will be largely guided by the suggestions, past and future, of the Clergy themselves. To provide Textbooks for Dogmatic Treatises is not contemplated-at any rate not at the outset. On the other hand, the pastoral work of the missionary priest will be kept constantly in view, and the series will also deal with those historical and liturgical aspects of Catholic belief and practice which are every day being brought more into prominence. That the needs of English-speaking countries are, in these respects, exceptional, must be manifest to all. In point of treatment il seems desirable tha.t the volumes should be popular rather than scholastic, but the Editors hope that by the selection of writers, fully competent in their special subjects, the information given may always be accurate and abreast of nlodern research. The kind approval of this scheme by His Grace the Archbishop of Westminster, in whose Diocese these Inanuals arc edited. has suggested that the series should be introduced to the public under the general title of Westminster Library. It is hoped, however, that contributors ma.y also be found among the distinguished Clergy of I rc1and and America, and that the Westminster Library will be representative of Catholic scholarship in English speaking countries.

"I AM persuaded," said Claude Bernard, "that the day will come, when the man of science, the philosopher and the poet will all understand each other." Whatever we may think of this prophecy, we most of us feel that the one-sided absolutism of the past, whether religious or scientific, is no longer possible. The inevitable vehemence of the reaction against bigotry and superstition has, in a measure, spent itself, and the best minds of the present, influenced by the spirit of Socrates' claim to wisdom, are cautiously and tentatively feeling their way to a nicer adjustment of the scales of thought. That these should ever be poised in perfect equilibrium is no doubt impossible in this world of clashing categories; but the undoubted truths to be found in extremes are beginning to be recognised as partial and relative, as only fragmentary elements in the ultimate synthesis. From the conviction that the whole truth is not to be found in any partial utterance of humanity, the passage is easy to the opinion, that for a really philosophical appreciation of our nature, an impartial examination of all the sides, of man is necessary. The philosopher, the scientist, the artist, the saint must all contribute. Contemporary non-religious thought, like its predecessor of an earlier day, is becoming persuaded that some good. thing may come even out of Nazareth. The thin, dry optimism of sectarian Christianity and of official materialism we see now to be not so much erroneous as unthinkable. We have done, it may be hoped for ever, with If the proofs which proved, and the explanations which explained nothing." A hundred years ago truth seemed a simpler matter to our fathers. They stood on the threshold of the modem industrial world, to them a coming golden age tipped with the brightness of rising science. Exact knowledge and universal education were to make men happy and wise and good. Kings and priests were gone, or, at least, the back of their despotism was broken; these incubi, the causes of all his misery, removed, man, a well-meaning creature, and more than capable of taking care of himself, would begin at last to live, and, in the normal exercise of his natural functions, hitherto artificially strapped down by theological and political tyrants, would find true satisfaction and, consequently, the perfect happiness of his being. But they counted without machine-looms or the law of heredity, of which they derided the theological expression in the doctrine of original sin. The true value of the Revolution did not lie in the supposed sagacity of its political wisdom, and even less in its social results, which we have with us today, but in the indomitable hope and faith which animated some of its greatest illustrations. It is impossible to read the best French moralists of the Revolutionary period-say, Vauvenargues and Condorcet-without being struck by the deep spiritual earnestness which underlay much in them that was flimsy as argument, mistaken as fact, frothy and unreal as sentiment.

Henry Edward Cardinal Manning gave these lectures to show the grounds of the Catholic Faith versus that of the Protestant Religion. My purpose is to speak of the grounds of Faith; I do not mean of the special doctrines of the Catholic theology, but of the grounds or foundation upon which all Faith rests. This is a subject difficult to treat: partly, because it is of a dry and preliminary nature; and partly; because it is not easy to touch upon a matter so long controverted, without treating it likewise in a controversial tone. But I should think it a dishonour to the sacredness of truth itself, if I could treat a matter so sacred and so necessary in a tone of mere argument. I desire to speak, then, for the honour of our Lord, and, if God so will, for the help of those who seek the truth. This is a photographic reproduction of the original to insure accuracy.

THE Christian's rule of life is contained in the Gospels. They are the Book on which he should meditate, and the teaching of which he should endeavour to put into practice all the days of his life. Yet, it is to be feared that, in reading this Book, he might not have the necessary light from above, and perhaps might attach to the sacred words a meaning that was not intended by the Divine Teacher, nor by His disciples. To prevent such possibility, many learned men, well versed in Holy Writ, have carefully explained the meaning of the Gospels, and have thus imparted to Christians a greater taste and love for the reading of the Word of God. Hence we have their commentaries, meditations, lives of Jesus Christ, and divers essays on the Holy Scriptures, the titles of which alone would form a large volume. Many of these works are thoroughly well written, and the reader can be but greatly edified and instructed by them. However, it is strange, that from the beginning it never occurred to anyone to go up to the very source. Among spiritual books the oldest are the best and the surest. It seems, therefore, that the works of the holy Fathers should have obtained the preference, for they are nearly as old as the Church, and in them the tradition is preserved in all its strength and purity. Indeed, when we follow these wise teachers in their writings from century to century, we are astonished that Christian Faith, enlightening us now, should be always one and the same, and that the doctrine of faith, taught by the Church, and the doctrine of morals, preached in the world, have never undergone any change in the succession of centuries. We see that the true Church, our glory and the foundation of our hope, has always remained calm in the midst of storms, victorious in the fiercest struggles, unhurt amidst the most powerful attacks, and always preserved from the arrows of her enemies. We see that the Bride of Jesus has always been holy and infallible in her precepts and commands, always wise and enlightened in her teaching, always prudent and reasonable in her discipline, and always pure in her religious practices. We recognise that the Church, built upon the Rock, has been, and will be to the end of the world, holy and immaculate, because she is protected by the infinitely powerful and eternal God, and guided by the Holy Ghost. It is, therefore, a subject of astonishment that, what the holy Fathers have written and preached about the Gospels, has not more often been translated and published in modern times. Was it not quite natural to think of this pious duty, especially as they are often quoted in sermons and instructions, and consulted, when difficult passages of Holy Scripture have to be explained? Are not they our teachers, under whose guidance we cannot fall into error? There are no better sources from which to draw with greater safety. What eloquence and diversity in their works! Who would not admire the grace and strength of a St. John Chrysostom, the fecundity and sublimity of a St. Augustine, the clear penetration and depth of a St. Ambrose, the vast learning of a St. Jerome, or the penetrating knowledge of a St. Gregory? What dignity and authority in St. Leo, and what beauty in the writings of the Venerable Bede! The works of the Fathers of the Church form a rich library. Yet this field, so fertile in an abundance of delicious fruits, remains sterile for the greater number of the Catholic people, who perhaps know not what to choose, or are ignorant of the language of these holy writers. It seems to me that a collection of Homilies from different Fathers, arranged according to the Sundays and principal festivals of the ecclesiastical year, would be a great spiritual help to all Christians. This is the reason why I undertook this collection, and I have carefully endeavoured that it should be useful to all.

Arranged from Chapters 28 and 29 of her Way of Perfection for the use of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Darlington, by JAMES, BISHOP OF HEXHAM & NEWCASTLE This book begins: It is called the Prayer of Recollection because in it the soul collects, or gathers together, all her powers, and enters into her own interior with God. I wish I knew how to describe to you this holy intercourse which, without disturbing in the least her perfect solitude, is carried on between the soul and her Divine Spouse and Companion, the Holy of Holies, and which takes place as often as ever she pleases to enter into this interior paradise in company with her God, and to shut the gate to all the world besides. I say, as often as she pleases; for you must understand that this is not altogether a supernatural thing, but is quite within our own power, and we can do it whenever we chose; I mean, of course, with God's help, for without this we can do nothing at all, not so much as have a single good thought. For you must observe that this recollection is not a suspension of the powers of the soul, but only a shutting them up, as it were, within ourselves.

This book is divided into thirty-seven lessons, four hundred twenty-one questions, numbered and ordered according to the lessons and questions of the Baltimore Catechism. It is an attempt to put in a comprehensive yet concise form the Scriptural proofs of Catholic doctrine, and is the result of much painstaking research. Through the kind permission of the Bishop of Peoria, the text of the Catechism is introduced without abridgment. The questions and answers of the Catechism appear in bold-face type as headings. The passages of Sacred Scripture that confirm the doctrine of the Catechism, or in some way bear upon the question, are placed underneath and are printed in a pleasing "old style" type. For the references Arabic figures of "modern style," made prominent enough to arrest the attention, have been selected. The references are printed in the guise of fractions, and, if read as such, will be easily memorized. The Bible text used in this compilation is that of Potter's Approved Standard Douay Edition. In itself this book is a thesis proving how ample is the Scriptural basis of Catholic belief. The work is given to the public with the hope that it may be of very great value, not only to Catechumens and Converts and those outside of the fold who desire to see the Scriptural support of the old Faith, but also to all students and teachers of Catholic doctrine-especially to Priests, Seminarians and Catechists, who have taken to heart the words of st. Paul: "Carefully study to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." Let us consider question 7: "Of which must we take more care, our soul or our body' "We must take more care of our soul than of our body. (See 412.) What doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Matt. 16/26; Mark 8/36; Luke 9/25. Be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. Luke 12/4. He that will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it. Matt. 16/25; Luke 17/33; John 12/25. It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. John 6/64. For the corruptible body is a load upon the soul, and the earthly habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things. Wis. 9/15. o that they would be wise, and would understand, and would provide for their last end. Deut. 32/29."

Pope Leo XIII was more than usually pleased with your" PICTORIAL LIVES OF THE SAINTS." He greatly admired both BINDING and ILLUSTRATIONS, and requested me to express to you his satisfaction. He sends you a special blessing, hoping that you will ever continue in your good u;1dertaking and that your work may be crowned with deserving success. The work commences with a brief explanation of the Liturgical year. Then commence the saints with at least one per day. Let us consider this one: MACARIUS when a youth left his fruit stall at Alexandria to join the great St. Antony. The Patriarch, warned by a miracle of his disciple's sanctity, named him the heir of his virtues. His life was one long conflict with self. "I am tormenting my tormentor," replied he to one who met him bent double with a basket of sand in the heat of the day. "Whenever. I am slothful and idle, I am pestered by desires for distant travel." When he was quite worn out he returned to his cell. Since sleep at times overpowered him, he kept watch for twenty days and nights; be-ing about to faint, he entered his cell and slept, but henceforth slept only at will. A gnat stung him, he killed it. In revenge for this softness he remained naked in a marsh till his body was covered with noxious bites, and he was recognized only by his voice. Once when thirsty he received a present of grapes, but passed them untouched to a hermit who was toiling in the heat. This one gave them to a third, who handed them to a fourth j thus the grapes went the round of the desert, and returned to Macarius, who thanked God for his brethren's abstinence. Macarius saw demons assailing the hermits at prayer. They put their fingers into the mouths of some, and made them yawn. They closed the eyes of others, and walked upon them when asleep. They placer vain and sensual images before many of the brethren, and then mocked those who were captivated by them. None vanquished the devils effectually save those who by constant vigilance repelled them at once. Macarius visited one hermit daily for four months, but never could speak to him, as he was always in prayer; so he called him an angel on earth." After being many years Superior, Macarius fled in disguise to St. Pachomius, to begin again as his novice; but St. Pachomius, instructed by a vision, bade him return to his brethren, who loved him as their father. In his old age, thinking nature tamed, he determined to spend five days alone in prayer. On the third day the cell seemed on fire, and Macarius came forth. God permitted this delusion, he said, lest he be ensnared by pride. At the age of seventy-three he was driven into exile, and brutally outraged by the Arian heretics. He died A.D. 394. REFLECTION.-Prayer is the breath of the soul. But St. Macarius teaches us that mind and body must be brought to subjection before the soul is free to pray. Let us consider this reflection for February 29th: REFLECTION.-A soul without discipline is like a ship without a helm; she must inevitably strike unawares upon the rocks, founder on the shoals, or float unknowingly into the harbor of the enemy.