child during the last years has been one dollar a week. Last year thirty-five, this year twenty pupils were kept free of charge. It is Father Gerend's proud record never to have refused admission to a child because of its poverty. It is to supply the necessary funds that we are engaged nearly every Sunday of the year assisting priests, filling vacancies, thus gaining new friends for the institution at every turn. The genuine interest of the pastors is evidenced by the numerous voluntary church collections received in return for our service.

The presence of our Most Rev. Archbishop, a Bishop of the province, a prothonotary apostolic, two monsignori, and more than sixty priests at our dedication service last June is further proof of the favorable position we enjoy. An address to the 250 seminarians on the deaf-mute question has not failed to awaken a lively interest in the cause. By continually appearing before the public, people become acquainted with our school and its work. and many a Catholic child is thus gained for the school.

Another important and far-reaching factor employed in our work is the press, local and extraneous, Catholic and secular, German and English. This is in accordance with the resolution passed by this conference last year in which we pledged ourselves to do all in our power to make the sad condition of the deaf better known. Last winter no less than twelve Catholic papers reprinted a circular at our request. Last September at least five Catholic papers announced the opening of our school with an article on the necessity of Catholic education for the deaf.

As early as 1896 Father Gerend began to publish a series of books, known since 1898 as the Deaf-Mute's Friend Family Library, for the benefit of the institute. This soon developed into a quarterly and comprises a library of fifty books. In 1907 we secured control of that excellent monthly, "Our Young People." As now conducted it is one of the most popular family magazines of the country. We have at present more than 11,000 subscribers. The people upon whom we depend are not so much the deaf-mutes themselves, as rather the speaking public. It is because of their lack of information and interest in our deafmutes that these have been so much neglected. These we must arouse, and we at the institute do so by means of "Our Young

People." In the section devoted to the deaf-mute cause we inform the readers of interesting things regarding deaf-mute education and keep them interested in the institute by news items of St. John's and of the deaf-mute world. These items prove interesting to the hearing, and still more so to the deaf.

We have also a stereopticon lantern with a large number of slides, seventy of which present St. John's and its happy people. These slides serve as the basis of a lecture on our work and are a means of interesting the people in our cause as well as a source of income. Further activity may be demonstrated by reference to resolutions on deaf-mute education, and the recommendation of our school in particular by the conventions of the German Catholic Societies of Iowa and Wisconsin.

You have now had a glimpse into the inner life of St. John's Institute. You have learned the principles upon which we act. Come and see for yourselves the results of our methods. As St. John's has been successful since our Archbishop has permitted a priest to devote his entire time and energy to the cause and allowed him to act as his good judgment and experience have taught him best, left him unhampered in this most specific department of education, so may other Bishops be encouraged to allow a priest of their dioceses also to do likewise. Then may we hope to find more schools for the deaf, then only will every deaf-mute of our Church receive a Catholic education.

SEMINARY DEPARTMENT

PROCEEDINGS

FIRST MEETING

The first meeting of this Department was held Tuesday afternoon, beginning at 2:45 p. m., the Very Rev. Francis P. Havey, S. S., D. D., Rector of the Boston Seminary, presiding. There were in attendance thirty priests, of whom seventeen were seminary professors, representing eleven institutions. The Secretary, the Rev. George V. Leahy, S. T. L., of Boston, referred to the printed report of the Association for the minutes of the meetings held at Boston last year. He asked permission to rehearse at a subsequent session the resolutions then adopted. The President was able to announce but little progress in his efforts to secure unity of action among the seminaries respecting entrance examinations and requirements.

The feature of the afternoon was the reading of two excellent p-pers on "The Teaching of Moral Theology," by the Rev. Timothy B. Barrett, S. J., of Woodstock, and the Rev. John W. Melody, D. D., of the Catholic University.

After tendering a vote of thanks to both essayists, the assembly entered upon an interesting and animated discussion of the topics suggested. Father Havey approved the idea that a close relation should be established between the three related branches of moral, ascetic, and pastoral theology. Father Command, of Detroit, thought that time could be saved by centering the student's attention on the tracts de Actibus Humanis, de Legibus, and one or two others. A representative of the Polish Seminary newly established at Detroit, favored two classes of moral theology, one dealing with its speculative side, the other with practical applications, according to the custom in vogue in some parts of Germany.

The essayists responded to questions and difficulties, adhering to their original contention that the teaching of moral is very important, both to equip the confessor and to meet the speculative ethical errors of the day. It was acknowledged that the adjustment of an ideal course involved difficulties, but the ideal, it was maintained, must not be lower or forgotten.

At the close of the session it was voted that Father Barrett and Dr. Melody frame resolutions embodying some of the more important practical suggestions contained in their excellent papers. The meeting then adjourned.

SECOND MEETING

The second meeting of the Seminary Department began at 9:30 a. m., Wednesday morning. The attendance was slightly in excess of that of the day preceding, three additional seminaries sending representatives. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and accepted. The Secretary also read for the information of those present the resolutions adopted last year, bearing upon the two topics of Entrance Conditions and Science Teaching in our Seminaries.

The assembly then listened to two instructive and inspiring papers on "The Teaching of Homiletics," the first by the Very Rev. John P. Chidwick, D. D., Rector of St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie, N. Y., and the second by the Rev. Thomas F. Burke, of the Paulist Congregation.

The first writer proved convincingly that good preparation, both remote and proximate, is needed to make pulpit oratory effective. While preaching should be natural, the defects of nature have to be obviated, as far as may be, by a careful seminary training. In this training. logical power, excellence of delivery, and a large acquaintance with the Scriptures, the preacher's richest mine. must all be cultivated. The essayist then outlined a six years' course of progressive homiletic instruction. Two or three classes a week, and three sermons a year from each student, were recommended. In the last division of his paper, the writer urged that all keep in mind and inculcate in their students the immense opportunities for good awaiting the well prepared preacher. every Sunday discourse there is the possibility of reaching the

hearts of young and old, confirming their faith, and inspiring in them the purpose of imitating more closely our Blessed Lord. The Department extended a willing vote of thanks to Dr. Chidwick for his excellent paper.

The reading of the second paper had progressed but a few minutes when the assembly was honored by a visit from His Excellency, the Apostolic Delegate, attended by Bishop Hartley, Father Howard and some others. The Papal Delegate spoke words of kindly encouragement and admonition to the assembled delegates, and graciously bestowed his blessing. Bishop Hartley also favored the audience with a short address, expressing his appreciation of the work being done by the seminary teachers of the country.

After this welcome visit Father Burke continued his thoughtful paper on the needs of the Catholic preacher of the present day. To this author it seemed highly important that the individual qualifications of prespective preachers should be heeded by the teacher of homiletics. Originality must not be deadened by the vain and foolish endeavor to cast all preachers in a common mould. Training in the technique of public speaking remained, however, a necessity for all. To the student the labor and drill incident to this technical preparation will appear irksome. But he may be encouraged to persevere by the considerations that he will thus acquire self-command, that he will enhance the usefulness of his later homiletic efforts, and that, by making himself an efficient preacher, he will become an influence for good on human life in all its aspects, individual, social and political. To prepare priests well for the thirteen thousand sermons delivered every Sunday from Catholic pulpits in the United States, the seminary professors of homiletics should be men of many qualifications, discerners of individual talents, spiritual, themselves. good preachers, cultured, experienced and devoted to their tasks. The able essay of Father Burke evoked a hearty vote of thanks and commendation from the assembled delegates.

In the discussion that followed, a half dozen or more took part, including Dr. Walsh, of Niagara, Fr. Stehle, O. S. B., Dr. Melody, Fr. Barrett, S. J., Fr. Doyle, C. S. P. and Dr. Ryan, of Rochester. Each of these emphasized some one or other ele