whom I accounted my enemies, are now in my defence; my sons, those whom I looked on as my adversaries. O my God! who but Thee, Lord Jesus, has wrought these wonders! Therefore, to Thee, O Christ, be thanksgiving; for it was no angel, but Thou Thyself, O Lord; Thou hast turned for me my mourning into joy: Thou hast cut my sack-cloth, and hast compassed me with gladness."

This union of unflinching courage and Christian moderation, without which no one can worthily defend the cause of justice, has never, perhaps, been more brilliantly conspicuous than in the life of our Holy Father Pope Pius IX. That life is bright with the glory which the dogmatic definition of the Immaculate Conception, the canonization of so many saints, and the celebration of the Vatican Council, have caused to shine upon the Church; and it is clouded with the afflictions which have come upon her at the sight of her usurped and desecrated sanctuaries, her dispersed religious, her imprisoned clergy, and the murder done upon the souls of her little ones by an education framed but to corrupt. And as it is the expression of the Church's glory and of the Church's sorrow, so also does it represent with singular fidelity, the Church's courage in defending the rights of her Heavenly Spouse. In the face of a renegade world, our Holy Father fearlessly asserts her divine prerogatives; threats he meets with counsel; acts of violence with patience; and usurpation with calm and persevering protest. While we imitate the example of firmness and patience he sets us, let us join him, dearly beloved, in his protests against the wrongs inflicted on the Church. Once again, therefore, we protest in the name of this Catholic nation against the usurpation of the States of the Church, by which the temporal Sovereignty of the Holy See was wrested from it, to the detriment of the Church's liberty and to the loss of the Catholic World. We protest against the violence which has compelled the Head of the Church to remain shut up in his palace for so many years, as a mark for the insults and the threats of his enemies. We protest against the expulsion of the religious communities, the confiscation of their property, and the seizure of so many churches, colleges, and hospitals. We protest especially against the infamous law by which, for the first time in the annals of Christian nations, ecclesiastics, ministers of the God of Peace, may be dragged from the sanctuary and condemned to serve as soldiers. And we resolve by our increased obedience and love to make some amends to the outraged majesty of the Holy Apostolic See!

In conclusion, dearly beloved brethren, we implore of you with the apostle: Let your conversation be worthy of the Gospel

VOL. XII.

1 Psalm xxix, 12.

2

of Christ: that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, labouring together for the faith of the Gospel, and in nothing be ye terrified by the adversaries; which to them is a cause of perdition, but to you of salvation, and this from God. For unto you

it is given for Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for him. If there be, therefore, any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of charity, if any society of the spirit, if any bowels of commiseration; fulfil ye our joy, that you be of one mind, having the same charity, being of one accord, agreeing in sentiment. . with fear and trembling work out your salvation; that you may be blameless and sincere children of God, without reproof in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation: among whom you shine as lights in the world.1

...

20th September, 1875.

PAUL CARD. CULLEN, Archbishop of Dublin, Primate of Ireland, Delegate Apostolic.

DANIEL M'GETTIGAN, Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland.

JOHN M'HALE, Archbishop of Tuam.

THOMAS W. CROKE, Archbishop of Cashel, &c.
WILLIAM DELANY, Bishop of Cork.

FRANCIS KELLY, Bishop of Derry.
DAVID MORIARTY, Bishop of Kerry.
JOHN P. LEAHY, Bishop of Dromore.
LAURENCE GILLOOLY, Bishop of Elphin.
THOMAS FURLONG, Bishop of Ferns.
JOHN MACEVILLY, Bishop of Galway.
MICHAEL O'HEA, Bishop of Ross.

PATRICK DORRIAN, Bishop of Down and Connor.

GEORGE BUTLER, Bishop of Limerick.

NICHOLAS CONATY, Bishop of Kilmore.

THOMAS NULTY, Bishop of Meath.

JAMES DONNELLY, Bishop of Clogher.

GEORGE CONROY, Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise.

JAMES M'DEVITT, Bishop of Raphoe.

PATRICK DUGGAN, Bishop of Clonfert.

HUGH CONWAY, Bishop of Killala.

FRANCIS J. M'CORMACK, Bishop of Achonry.

PATRICK F. MORAN, Bishop of Ossory.

JOHN POWER, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.

JOHN M'CARTHY, Bishop of Cloyne.

JAMES LYNCH, Bishop of Arcadiopolis, Procurator of the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin.

JAMES RYAN, Bishop of Echinus, Procurator of the Bishop of Killaloe.

F. BRUNO, Ord. Cist. Abbot of Mount Melleray.

1 Philipp. i. 27, 29; ii. 1-15.

P.S.-Writing from this College, we should be ungrateful to an institution which has deserved well of successive generations of the Clergy and people of Ireland, were we to overlook an important and pious work which has just been undertaken by its Trustees the erection of a Church adapted to its requirements, and worthy of the National College of the Irish Clergy. The plan for this College Church has been completed; the contract for its execution has been entered into; and Sunday, 10th October, the Feast of the Dedication of the Churches of Ireland, has, with much appropriateness, been fixed for laying the foundations. The work will, of necessity, be very costly, but it is one in which every Irish Catholic has an interest, almost directly personal. We earnestly commend it to your pious generosity. We have authorized the President to communicate with the Clergy of our several dioceses with the view of organizing, in concert with each, and according to his convenience, parochial collections in aid of the Building Fund. The time in each parish may be regulated by local circumstances; but March 17th, 1876, the Feast of St. Patrick, the Patron of the College and of the Church, is proposed as the most fitting occasion for the General Collection.

THE DUTIES OF CHRISTIAN SUBJECTS.
(Continued from page 540, vol. xi.)

THE writer of the Essay we have alluded to feels also ex

tremely indignant at the spirit of prose ytism which prevails amongst Catholics; the most perturbed spirit, he says, that ever spread hatred and dissension amongst the sons of men; and observes in the next following page, that it is not the doctrine of the Catholic religion, but of its hierarchy; and exhorts the Catholic laity to distinguish between their God and their priest, between their religion and their priesthood, between their articles of faith and other doctrines of a very different nature, which priestcraft has almost in all sects contrived to graft upon religious faith, to increase the temporal power, and the emoluments of the priesthood.

Do not be shocked, dearest brethren, at these groundless and foul imputations. They have been repeated a thousand times by infidel writers and scoffers of revealed religion, when endeavouring to destroy it, under the pretence of reform

: Vide "Essay" p. 129.

ing abuses which exist only in their imaginations. We have too favourable an opinion of Mr. Sheridan's information and respect for Christianity,to rank him amongst these philosophers, though he has been surprised into assertions not warranted by the principles of either Protestants or Catholics, or of any other denomination of Christians.

The genuine spirit of proselytism is coeval with the Gospel, and congenial to its maxims. The Apostles were inspired with it on receiving a commission from their Divine Master to teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, when he also promised to be with them in this work of proselytism to the end of time; and, of course, with their successors in the apostolical ministry, as the Apostles were not to live for ever.1

Encouraged by this animating promise, they and their disciples preached Christ crucified, that one Lord, that one bap tism which he had ordained, and that one faith, without which, as we are assured by St. Paul, it is impossible to please Goda The Lord daily added to their Society such as should be saved; in conformity to His promise, when comparing His Church to a flock, he said: Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. The Apostles, their disciples, and successors in every age, have thought it their precise duty to gain proselytes to this one faith, to this one society, to this one fold; and uniformly taught that salvation cannot be otherwise obtained. This doctrine is clearly established in the recited and other passages of the scriptures. It is presumption in any one who acknowledges their divine authority to inquire, why our Redeemer has so ordered it? His ways are unsearchable: His judgments inscrutable.

For this one Faith the martyrs bled. Their blood invigorated the plans of Christianity. Nations and individuals of every description: the barbarous, the civilized, the powerful; emperors, warriors, philosophers, orators: all become proselytes to the gospel, and bend under its self-denying, but salutary, yoke. We ourselves are indebted to this evangelical spirit of proselytism. Without it, our apostle St. Patrick would not have exercised his ministry in Ireland; and we might have remained in the darkness of paganism as long as the more northern nations of Europe.

That the zeal for proselytizing has been sometimes indiscreet, and not always regulated by the gospel, cannot be denied ; no more than that religion has too often been made the pretext for Philipp. ii. 8; 1 Cor. i. 23. ' Eph. iv. 5. 4 Heb. 6 John, x. 16.

Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. 5 Act. ii. 47.

xi. 6.

accomplishing the most flagitious designs. To conclude from thence in general, unqualified terms, that the spirit of prosclytism is the most perturbed that ever spread hatred and dissensions amongst the sons of men, is illogical. Were we to argue always in this manner, we might as reasonably conclude, that every government, every establishment, every institution, however perfect in themselves, are all equally condemnable; because they have been, and from the frailty of man, must be, frequently abused. It is absurd to condemn a principle which may be abused, unless the abuse follows from it as a necessary consequence; which is not the case with respect to the evangelical spirit of proselytism.

The gospel teaches peace and good will to all mankind. It inculcates forgiveness of injuries, patience and resignation under the dispensations of Providence. Apostolical missionaries are meek and humble of heart, and all things to all men to save all?

The Christian religion was not, as the impiety of Mahomet, propagated by the sword; nor was the introduction of it into any state or kingdom generally marked by bloodshed, treason, or sedition.

The Spaniards are said to have exercised great cruelties in Mexico, Peru, and other parts of America. From some recent publications on this subject, and particularly from the authentic letters of Cortez, published by Flavigny, it appears, that the disgusting narratives of cruelties exercised against Montezuma, Atapaliba, Guatimosin, &c., are forged. A late historian of Mexico, and others, contend on very good grounds, that bishop Las Casas has misrepresented facts, and highly exaggerated some cruelties committed by the Spaniards, in his different reports to the emperor Charles V. However that may be, it is certain, that the missionaries loudly condemned every instance of cruelty, as contrary to the spirit and precepts of religion."

If the preachers of reform in Europe during the sixteenth century had been influenced in like manner by gospel principles, their progress would not have been generally disgraced, as it was, by tumult, insurrection, and warfare. We shall draw a veil over these excesses, originating from human perversity, and not from the tenets of Christianity, which condemn them.

When Mr. Sheridan pronounced his invective against a proselyting spirit, he did not recollect that it is not confined to

1 Matt. xi. 29. 21 Cor. ix. 22. Robertson, "Hist. Amer." et alii. "Journal Hist." et Lit. 1779. 5 Clavigero," Hist. Mex." French Encyclopedists Verb. Las Casas Feller. "Dictionnaire Hist." Liege, 1790. 7 Robertson ibid. Bossuet," Hist. Var." et alii passim.