On the second of February, the month of Our Blessed Lady's Dolors, is celebrated the feast of the Purification, or Candlemas. The lessons of this great feast are obedience and humility-lessons especially needful in our day.

On the foreheads of the faithful shall be traced in ashes the sign of the cross on Ash Wednesday, the 13th of this month. The ceremony is a vivid reminder of man's last end, of his return to dust, and is deeply impressive of the vanity and shortness of human life and the awful significance of eternity. The blessed Lenten season should be to us a period of genuine penitence, a real preparation for Judgment and Eternity. At the outset of Lent we are wont to make generous resolutions for the amendment and betterment of our lives; but how seldom, comparatively speaking, do we carry out our resolutions in the letter and in the spirit? Too frequently we undertake too much, we vainly strive for the heroic and practically unattainable and fail signally in the performance of ordinary and possible duties. Among our good Lenten resolutions for 1907 let us include that of greater kindliness in thought and speech and action. We can easily refrain from carping criticism and fault-finding of those about us; and if we can say nothing good of our neighbor we can at least give him the charity of our silence.

We have had occasion frequently to call attention to the shameful disloyalty that many Catholics manifest toward the Catholic press. We have indicated also the danger to Catholic faith and morals that often lurks within the pages of secular periodicals. A flagrant case in point is that of a certain well-known and prominent American magazine that has

recently opened its pages to a scoundrel, signing himself "A Catholic Priest," for the villification of the Holy Father, Pius X. Whoever the writer may be, he is a poltroon, and we are therefore not surprised that he is capable of perpetrating the malicious screed that he has. foisted upon an intelligent reading public. But we are unable to understand why a presumably respectable and dignified periodical should lend itself to the base purposes of a character such as this anonymous or pseudonymous writer, and wantonly insult the millions who owe loving allegiance to the great Pontiff now gloriously reigning. The attitude of the publishers of this offending magazine is the more inexplicable in face of the fate which befell their corporate predecessors, as a result largely of a policy bigoted and anti-Catholic. For years this defunct publishing house issued books and periodicals inimical to Catholicity, but they finally discovered to their sorrow that this course was not profitable and that they had made a fatal mistake. Are the Catholics of our day less loyal than their forefathers? If not, then let them not put weapons into the hands of their enemies, let them not subscribe for magazines that travesty those things which they hold most sacred.

The recent speech of Senator Beveridge on Child Labor has created a profound sensation, as well it might. He brought to the notice of the Senate the startling and shameful fact that more than two millions of children of tender age are in a state of virtual servitude in this free land of ours at the behest of conscienceless and avaricious and brutal taskmasters who lay claim to respectability and pose as philanthropists and public spirited citizens. The Senator recited a state of facts that should bring

the blush of shame to every American— to every person who has in him a vestige of humanity. Salutary and helpful remedial measures may be devised and the strong arm of the law may be invoked in behalf of the helpless infants who are being daily sacrificed to Mammon; but until there is a real awakening of the public conscience, until the lessons of the Divine Lover of little children are

findings of the "experts" would doubtless be instructive and highly interesting. The underlying cause of the crying evils of the day is well understood even by the veriest tyros in social philosophy. The disease that afflicts the body politic and commercial has long since been correctly diagnosed, and thinking men well know the remedy. But neither nations nor individuals can be

Some recent utterances of Mr. Sereno S. Platt, editor of the "Wall Street Journal," are eliciting much comment and have caused not a little surprise, considering their source. Discussing the decline of the belief in a future life in its effect on commercial life and conduct, and as a cause for the widespread social unrest of our time, he says:

"The question of practical, immediate, and tremendous importance to Wall Street quite as much as any other part of the world, is, has there been a decline in the faith in the future life? and if so, to what extent is this responsible for the special phenomena of our time-the eager pursuit of sudden wealth, the shameless luxury and display, the gross and corrupting extravagance, 'the misuse of swollen fortunes,' the indifference to law, the growth of graft, the abuses of great corporate power, the social unrest, the spread of demagogy, the advances of Socialism, the appeals to bitter class hatred? To find out what connection exists between a decadence in religious faith and the social unrest of our time, due, on one side, to oppressive use of financial power, and, on the other, to class agitation, might well be worth. an investigation by a commission of government experts, if it were possible for the Government to enter into such an undertaking."

Government investigation of this important question might be possible. But what good would come of it? The

tive need of the hour is religion-a return to the faith of Christ and the practice of His divine doctrines.

In response to an urgent demand on the part of thousands of members of the Holy Name Society throughout the country, the Dominican Fathers of the Province of St. Joseph have decided to publish an official organ for the Society. The paper will be issued monthly from the Rosary Press and will be devoted to matters of special interest to Holy Name members and Catholics in general. The initial number will appear this month.

The Archdiocese of San Francisco and the Catholic Church have sustained a severe loss in the death of Archbishop Montgomery. He was a man of rare and surpassing qualities of mind and heart and was beloved by all who came within the sphere of his influence. His resources were severely taxed during the trying time of the earthquake, but he rose to the occasion and proved himself a hero. His untimely death was doubtless hastened by work and worry incident to the catastrophe. May he rest in peace.

The Kingston earthquake has furnished the world with another terrible reminder of the uncertainty of life and the littleness and impotence of man, and the power and sovereignty of God. Surely in the midst of life we are in death.

THE SINS OF SOCIETY. Words spoken by Father Bernard Vaughan, of the Society of Jesus, in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Mayfair, London, in 1906. B. Herder, St. Louis. 12mo. pp. 270.

We all remember what a wave of astonishment swept through England and America, too, when less than a year ago the Jesuit Father Bernard Vaughan flayed the smart set of London from the pulpit of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street, London. The newspaper accounts, while fragmentary, were full enough to let the world know that society was being arraigned for her sins by one who had the courage of an apostle and a burning zeal for souls, and whose own soul was kindled with a holy indignation as was that of Christ when He drove the money changers with a knotted scourge from the Temple of the Most High. The sermons are tremendously strong-they are all aflame from the opening word to the closing Amenfull of an earnestness and vehemence

which must have impressed profoundly those to whom they were addressed. They reveal the fact that Father Vaughan is thoroughly familiar with the manner of life led by those whom he arraigned, that he has decidedly more than a bowing acquaintance with the second footman of the West End. But the sermons are not sensational. Father Vaughan chooses a Gospel narrative as the subject of his sermon. The outline furnished by this narrative he fills in with rapid and telling strokes and adds just enough and the kind of color to make the picture impressive and unforgettable. His work is marvellously done and is charged with so much character and life that for once we have a volume

of sermons which will not fail to interest lay readers. Among the Gospel narratives chosen we find that of "The Prod

igal Son," "The Pharisee and the Publican," "Dives and Lazarus," "The Tetrarch and the Baptist," and "The Saviour and the Sinner." A chapter is added in which private and public criticisms made upon the sermons are given. In his preface, Father Vaughan explains how he came to publish the sermons. He says:

"These sermons, preached at Farm Street, Mayfair, during the past season, were not originally intended for publication. If they are now being printed, it is not because I have come to think that they are worth reading, but because the public has expressed the wish to read them. This being the case, the responsibility of their publication rests not so much with me as with my many correspondents, who, if after having perused this little volume they regret the request they made, will have themselves chiefly to blame.

"Here I may venture to state for the sake of those who were not present when I preached the course, that as it was delivered without manuscript or note, I cannot now pretend to reproduce with accuracy all that I then said, though I do think I have given, if not the detail, at any rate the substance of it.

"And now, if I am to answer the question that has so often been put to me, as to why I chose the particular series of pictures which makes up the set to be found in this volume, I may say, after having given the matter careful thought, it seemed to me that, taking into consideration the season of the year, the conditions of my hearers, and the atmosphere of their lives, there was nothing better or so good for me to do. In the first place I wanted, in a most distracting and disquieting hour of my

THE LIFE AND LETTERS OF FATHER BERTRAND WILBERFORCE, OF THE ORDER OF PREACHERS. Compiled by H. M. Capes, O. S. D.; edited with an introduction by Fr. Vincent McNabb, O. P. B. Herder, St. Louis. 8vo. pp. 406. $3.00 net. Father Bertrand Wilberforce was known in America principally as the author of a work which, unfortunately, is out of print, the "Life of Saint Louis Bertrand." In England he is known well by reason of his enthusiastic and fruitful labors as an apostle. In both of these countries, where his memory still lives, the volume under present consid

eration will be gladly welcomed. Every Catholic, every religious, but above all every Dominican will find in it much, very much, that will be helpful in working out the salvation of his immortal soul.

Biography is one of the most interesting branches of literature, for to each of us is a life given and the conduct of that life in such a manner as to bring it to a successful issue, is or ought to be the principal concern of every one imbued with life, therefore the average reader peruses with interest, if not with profit, the story of any life, be it secular or religious, which had that in it to make it stand apart from the multitude. The life of Father Wilberforce, though lacking in stirring events, moved on such a high plane and was governed by such noble and lofty impulses that it cannot fail to be an inspiration and a comfort to every pilgrim through this vale of tears who is making for higher and better things. The introduction, contributed by Father McNabb, is masterly and reveals a conscientious and thorough psychological study of his saintly and gifted fellow religious. We append the closing paragraph of this introduction, for it successfully epitomizes the story of the life contained in the volume thus introduced:

"It may be said by some who read the following pages that they contain. scarcely one event of public interest. Perhaps on the whole we are not concerned to deny the fact. Biographies full of events of public interest not uncommonly hold up the model of men whom few of us would or could follow. As the world is, the greatest part of mankind will live lives hidden from all but a narrow field of vision. On the other hand the life we are now introducing to the reader, with its outward simplicity and its inward drama of vocation, suffering and priestly zeal, raised to the heavens by divine love, has something

in it fitted to do more than while away a dull hour. If it did nothing else, it would go far towards revealing to nonCatholics the secret force of the Catholic Church. We have a further hope that the picture of this whole-hearted priest of God, this suffering follower of the Crucified, may lift up downcast hearts, and lead souls in death, as he led them in life to the feet of the Master."

In closing we wish but to say that the letters found in this volume are in themselves a thorough, exhaustive and practical treatise on the religious life.

JESUS CRUCIFIED. Readings and Meditations on the Passion and Death of Our Redeemer. By Rev. Walter Elliott, Paulist. The Columbus Press, 120 W. 60th Street, New York City. 12mo. pp. 368. $1.00; postage extra.

Father Elliott has given us an excellent work on the Passion of Our Blessed Lord. It is not so much a story of the Passion as it is a series of meditations on this ever-fruitful subject. chief value as a book of meditations lies in this that the meditations are made

And its

for the reader. Many persons complain that they cannot meditate. A subject is presented to them for meditation and there they stop, for they say, "I cannot meditate; my mind refuses to evolve anything from the subject-matter presented." For such as these, and they are not a few, Father Elliott's book will prove invaluable, for he unfolds devoutly and beautifully the subject-matter of the Passion, presents a train of thoughts to the reader that are uplifting, moving, and then makes the proper application and suggests resolutions that may easily be put into practice by all serious minded readers. We earnestly commend the work both to the laity and to

religious. religious. The readings and meditations are truly beautiful and full of an unction that could only be instilled by one who has thought and read much on the Passion and has brought to his task a keen mind and a heart full of love and sympathy for Jesus Crucified. It will make an excellent companion for the devout layman during the approaching holy season of Lent.

TRYING A FALL WITH OBESITY. By P. Ed. O. Meter (Arthur Barry O'Neil, C. S. C.) Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, Indiana. Pamphlet. 16mo. Pp. 16.

Legion is the name of those who sigh daily with the melancholy Prince of Denmark, "Oh, that this, too, too solid flesh would melt and thaw and resolve itself into a dew." And to all of these we commend the little brochure entitled "Obesity." They will find therein, delightfully told Father O'Neil's experience while reducing the excess adipose tissue with which like many others he found himself burdened. The booklet is written for the fat-it contains messages of cheer and hope and, best of all, soberly and sanely points out a way available to all back to gentility of weight and grace of proportions. He concludes his earnest advocacy of walking with the following smart verse:

"There are multifarious methods of annihilating space,

Each evolved from out the think-work of the restless human race;

You may drive in cart or carriage, you may mount a wheel or steed,

You may ride in train or trolley, or in motor-car at need.

But by far the best of vehicles, 'as sure as eggs is eggs,'

Is the primal automobile just one's

Own

Two

Legs.