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so in the purity of the baptismal state, the senses must needs bring their offerings to God's service, as it were a re-consecration of them, in the state of restored innocence; for as the cloud which gave light to the Israelites, brought darkness and gloom to the sons of Egypt, so we rescue from sin all things of beauty and worth, and by consecrating these creatures to God, worship Him in the beauty of holiness.

Thus we see that a holier and more healthy philosophy has taken place of a degraded and material scepticism-that the light of Faith has taken place of the abortions of unrevealed religion-that a Christian not a pagan spirit has sprung up among men a longing after what is devotional, in the stead of intellectual-of a catholic and believing principle, instead of one which from its very quality is essentially sceptical and infidel. England has felt the influence at last, but on the continent this spirit is not new. Germany was its cradle, and it would gratify, we are sure, many hearts in England to see what goodly fruits it has produced, and is still producing there. The wondrous creations of Christian art, that in every variety adorn the kingdom of Bavaria, for instance, must delight every Catholic-for there the wonders of the ages of faith are enacting daily. And as in those venerable creations of human genius, enlightened by faith, new creations rise up before us, like those of old to minister to the devotion of countless sons of the faithful yet unborn. In France, too, this devotional feeling has long been at work, and from the ashes of wild scepticisms, like a dark pine forest that has been scattered by fire, has arisen a beautiful and fresh herbage, where the sheep of the good Shepherd may quietly feed. Unconnected, in both instances, has this effect been with external politics. The whirlwind past by, but God was not in the whirlwind; but a still small voice was heard, and the spirit of God that breatheth where he will, entered into the hearts of men, and they heard his voice; and the truth, like the waters of old, prevailed, and cover the face of the earth. The breath of devotion came noiselessly, and while worldly men were idly raging like a mighty whirlwind, the devout and unobtrusive hierarchy of France, implanted in the hearts of their faithful the good seed, which we are rejoiced to say is still spreading wider and more wide.

The same spirit that moved over the face of the troubled waters abroad, reached us at a later period; but when we look at the singular fruitfulness that has in so short a time marked the day of its visitation, we have indeed cause to be overjoyed, and to look forward to a farther increase. We have often alluded to this as the ground of

our hope, but where the heart is full the mouth speaketh, and when we see certain causes following certain effects, we cannot but look and long to combine the examples of France and Bavaria, not through the weakness of human reason, but in the simplicity of faith. Our clergy and hierarchy have much of the spirit of our Gallican neighbours,-long may it continue and long may it increase for doubtless the fruits shall be commensurate with the ratio of their imitation; and if they have the great œuvre of the Propagation as a standing miracle of grace, may not we look forward, in humble hope, to see as wonderful things done in our day and place, if we follow in their track, and live, like them, in holy discipline and unshaken faith?

The devotion of the ages of faith is revived among us, but the devotional longing is not confined, thank God, to the Catholic alone ;— only let the pure flame grow more intense in us, and we shall soon see that the wall of separation, that divides so wide a body of the Anglican divines and laity, shall be thrown down; and in a body not one by one, shall they straggle to Rome-shall they come confessing their sins to the chair of Peter, and while they enter the Church, they shall pass through its gates in devout wonders singing “verè Dominus fuit in loco isto, et ego nesciebam," and with two-fold energy endeavour to repair the loss they will feel at so long having halted between two opinions, and, like one awaking from a dream of wonder, beat their breasts, exclaiming-"O beauty ever new, and known and loved too late."

With this view, we cannot be too fervent in our zeal, to 66 prepare the way of the Lord's advent." The season of penance may be prolonged, but still we must labour and look up in hope, albeit in tears; like one who prepares for the solemn feast of the nativity, in his penitential exercises still looks forward to the joyful morn when at early dawn he rises to welcome the blessed Babe of Bethlehem, so we may yet have to dwell awhile in the sackcloth, but while we improve individually this solemn period, though our hopes be deferred-yet still the day of salvation shall surely come, for if we ask aright "Give back O Lord, the faith to England," our prayers shall assuredly be heard, and the faith shall be restored to its old place, in the parochial churches and minsters which owe their origin to it.

But nevertheless it will be all in vain, if we do not now come forward hand in hand, to second the zealous endeavours of our venerable prelates. It is but lately that the Catholics of England were overjoyed at the increase of our vicars-apostolic ;-- with more manageable districts,

with renewed and fresh zeal, they have shown that they are not blameworthy if the faith increase not amongst us. But their efforts must fall in vain, if we the laity come not forward with increased and zealous cooperation, to advance the means which they have pointed out as absolutely necessary for our guidance. If they have zeal, we should be equally zealous; and of this we are sure, that the more zealous we are, the more shall their endeavours be directed to our good, with unwearied and continual vigilance.

In their poverty,-for in such they address us in the true dignity of apostolic succession-the first and heaviest call which is made to us is for means to enable them to build churches, in situations where no mission has already existed, or where the accommodation is far inferior to the wants of the increasing faithful. It must be indeed painful to them, as it should be to us, to look around and see so many sheep without a shepherd,—so many places where the few faithful pine in a state if not openly faithless, at least most dangerous, where yet there are so many, to whom the tidings of salvation have never come, who, in the simplicity of ignorance, are feign to eat of the husks of swine; or of others who long for bread, but there is none to break it unto them. Well may we be humbled, when we look over broad England, and see in her populous and thriving towns and rich fields, so many places in which the holy sacrifice has not been offered up these three hundred years; and this not the less when we see in so many towns, with a large population, it may be a poor and mean house of worship, where the necessaries for God's service are barely and scantily furnished, or where, to an overflowing congregation, one or two small chapels are hardly large enough to accommodate but a tithe of those who, by the laws of the Church, are bound to attend to their religious obligations, but which is physically impossible. It is indeed a lamentable fact; but if we continue supine and indifferent to the calls of our spiritual superiors, the desolation shall still continue, but the guilt will be ours. How can we glory in the Catholic name, if we are indifferent to the increase of Catholicity around us; if we look with carelessness on the desolate void, that stretches we may say to the horizon, around every little knot of Catholics; or what shall we say of that leaven of selfishness, which, content with enjoying the exercise of our own obligations in our individual chapel, overlooks the vast crowd that know not the faith, or that, knowing it, have not the means of fulfilling their first and highest of duties. We all know that wherever a mission is established and a church or chapel built, there a congregation most rapidly

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is formed the people, who at first were but a handful, are shortly too many for the temple which prudence in the first instance established small and suitable to the wants of the time. The fervour of the faithful keeps pace with the supplies of grace; and fresh converts pour in to fill with still more glowing zeal, the general warmth of Catholicity restored.

Such has been the effects; such our venerable prelates know and tell us have been the happy fruits of their persevering endeavours in planting the faith in especial points; but what shall we say, who listen not to their appeals, or, if we listen, give so feeble and niggardly a reply?

Feast of the Purification of the B. V. M. 1842.

THE LIFE OF BERNARD OVERBERG.
(Continued from p. 111.)

CHAPTER X.-EXTRACTS FROM OVERBERG'S JOURnal. To the numerous admirers of the late M. Overberg, it will certainly be agreeable that we should here give a considerable number of literal extracts from his journal: these effusions of the heart lay open to those to whom the subject is interesting, a view of the interior of the man, such as no description could present to them. Confessions, when they are entirely unstudied, and are written down without any thought of their publication, as is the case with those now before us, have always a peculiar interest. And the every-day life of a man, whose efforts were so purely directed to being right in little as well as in great things, is a rich mine of instruction.

It has been thought well to premise these remarks, for the sake of those to whom the following extracts might appear in part unworthy of publication.

Oct. 17th, 1789. I have been afraid, O my God, that thou shouldst choose, in this life, to give me my reward for the little good which perhaps I may have done, and this as a punishment for having, alas ! so often done my actions without a pure intention. This fear has arisen from thy permitting me to prosper beyond my expectations; I have prayed to thee, that thou wouldst yet reserve for me my reward

in eternity; wherefore I thank thee with my whole heart when thou sendest me suffering, and withdrawest from me from time to time my temporal prosperity, in order to reward me not here but in eternity. Only give me also the grace, that thy will may be fulfilled by me. Oct. 19. Although a day may pass without any observable progress having been made in anything, yet it has been well employed if, during it, thou hast zealously striven to do the will of God. God wants not thy assistance, in order to produce effects. It is only for thy sake that he wills thou shouldest exert thyself zealously for his sake. If the looked-for result does not take place, remain thou contented. Besides, it must be for the best, if it does not take place; very probably it would have been of evil consequence, if it had taken place. Even if thou hast called up from the stones sons to Abraham, what good is it for thee, if the will of God did not call thee to do it? O God! give me, therefore, the grace to do thy will in all things, and gladly to be contented with thy will.

Oct. 23. I thank thee, O God, for the devotion which thou didst give me this morning at the time of mass, and for assisting me in the instruction. Poor signs have I given of my gratitude. Twice I have given an alms with some repugnance, once I departed knowingly from the order which I had appointed for my affairs, though this order still appeared to me good. I have kept very badly the resolution of yesterday (namely, that I would put before me the will of God before entering on every affair, and pray for success in it from him); I have not even once thought of having made it. O God, what might I be, and what am I in fact? Every day more plainly thou shewest me, that thou desirest to employ me as an instrument for advancing thy honour, since thou causest me to enjoy to so great a degree the confidence of men. But what do I do towards being a worthy instrument? It seems that thou makest me observe, that thou hast put in my soul a great deal of good, that there it is, but that it is crushed and kept down by my uncontrolled desires. O God, teach me, I beseech thee, to mortify myself; draw to thyself my rebellious will, in the way which pleaseth thee best, through poverty, through sickness, contempt, love, or fear. Behold, Lord, I am thine, ready, by thy grace, for all things. This readiness of the will comes from thee; it is a grace from thee; O let it not be thrown away. They are pearls of great price, those graces of thine, why should they be thrown away?

Feb. 25, 1799. How true it is, that he who is faithful in a few things, will be placed over many things. So often as I conquer my

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