are funds sufficient to procure a suitable residence wherein the Sister of Mercy may begin the functions of their angelic vocation. This want, or we are much mistaken, will not be long before it is supplied, if the Catholic public only take into consideration the blessings that are sure to follow wherever a convent of mercy has been established-for who can tell how much good they do, far less how much fruit their pious labour, with God's blessing, is sure to bring forth on the rising generation, aye, and on others yet unborn. Perhaps, in the whole circle of good works, there is none of such paramount importance as that of training up the young to an early life of piety and devotion. Though hidden from the world, yet when female virtue and religion go hand in hand together, the blessings that flow on society from their devout influence, and that in every rank of life, is far greater than what many, from not thinking of it, seem to be aware of. When the female sex are devout and exemplary, we may rest assured that the succeeding generation will be better than the present, to say nothing of the good odour of example, which will restrain, if not convert, the irreligious of these days; a consoling thought, a proof of the divine character of God's Church, whose wisdom while it improves the present, is yet prospective in widening its sphere of good, out of sight and beyond the limits of our finite vision. Hence it is, that notwithstanding the bold infidelity that prevails so widely in France, while we see the faith still clung to by so large a proportion of the female population, we need not despair, although the root of faith seems only to flourish in the hearts of the weak; for God's purposes have ever been fulfilled on earth by humble instruments, and by such as human reason would have regarded as unfitted to the task. Hence, too, in this overgrown metropolis of vice, when we see convents and conventual schools rising up on every side, we may take good heart, and predicate well of the wholesome progress of religion amongst us. Moreover, the Sisters of Mercy have means of doing good, where often the priest could have neither influence nor access. They gather in the sheep that have strayed, and bring them to the shepherd; they cherish the lambs that would thoughtlessly wander away, and keep them within the safe precincts of the fold. When we consider how needful is such a control, in the crowded districts where the good sisters design to exercise their vocatiou, we are confident that their appeal for assistance will be cheerfully and universally responded to, by all into whose hands the following address may come. For our part, we must say that it has given us sincere pleasure, and braced us up like cheerful news; for, till we have many such establishments, our religion may, by God's blessing, go on progressing, but it will be slowly, and far less securely, than where a solid foundation is laid in the hearts of the young, through the devoted ministration of a pious sisterhood, whose example runs parallel with their precept. "In the name of the thousands of the poor who crowd our parishes, we most humbly, but earnestly, entreat your kind consideration of the following project: "In the work of our ministry, three evils have constantly risen up before us, in common with our fellow-labourers on the mission, to which, from the multiplicity of our occupations, we have hitherto been unable to apply an effective remedy. "1st. The difficulty of giving sufficient instruction and consolation to the sick and dying. "2nd. The condition of our charitable institutions for the instruction of the children of the poor. We feel that a hireling is seldom a good teacher; and never can exercise over the subsequent conduct of youth, that control which, from experience, we find to result from the parental kindness of religious instructors. "3rd. The impracticability of imparting adequate religious instruction to adults, converts, servants, and other Catholics, who, destitute of religious knowledge, can give but desultory attendance to our instructions; and particularly grown-up young women, who cannot attend schools, but whose salvation is fearfully perilled amidst the contagion of this metropolis. "To meet those difficulties, we have, with the Divine blessing, and with the sanction of our bishop, taken a step which we hope will meet with your charitable approval and sympathy. "We have secured the co-operation of some young ladies, who are now entering on the duties of their noviciate, in the mother house of the Order of Sisters of Mercy, Bagot-street, Dublin; and who, after their religious profession, will return to found a house of their order in London, to operate principally in the districts of Lincoln's-inn-fields and Warwick-street. "The maintenance of those ladies is already secured; our only difficulty is to provide for them a house, however humble, where they may begin to exercise the functions of their angelic vocation, and for this we are obliged to appeal to the liberality of the good and charitable. 66 May the God of the poor and of the fatherless induce you to co-operate with us in this arduous, but most useful undertaking! The path of the Sister of Mercy is to the homes of the distressed, the sinful, the sick, the dying. She is the wisest and most thrifty dispenser of charity. She is truly the mother of the children whom she instructs: and the erring child, in after life ever returns to her in the hour of distress or penitence,-the only friend which this world presents to the child of indigence or crime. "We most conscientiously believe that charity can give no greater blessing to the poor, than the institution of such an establishment; and we again most humbly and respectfully solicit your charitable co-operation, promising you the prayers of the future community, and such blessing as our own humility can invoke, in offering the Holy sacrifice. "We beg to subscribe ourselves, your most humble servants in, &c. "J. A. HEARN, Sardinian House, Lincoln's Inn-fields. "E. HEARN, Warwick-street Chapel." It may, perhaps, be considered as a waste of words for us to add anything to the above simple and touching appeal; but there is so much evil to be repaired, in the populous district where the holy sisters are to exercise their heavenly vocation, so much evil to be averted-so much good to be sought out, cherished, and maintained,—that we could not well be content with silently recommending this charity to the notice of the metropolitan faithful, without, even at the risk of being thought presumptuous, adding a few words, were it only to show our good will by thanking the reverend gentlemen with whom the scheme originated, and our good bishop, for his warm approval and countenance of the desirable object. Thank God! the means for the maintenance of the convent is already provided. The vineyard too is ready-in riotous waste; the labourers are now in their noviciate; and nothing is now wanting, but funds sufficient to promise a suitable convent for the pious sisterhood. With the blessing of God, and the donation of the faithful, this can easily be obtained. And we beg to impress on all, that the smallest favour will be most thankfully received; that all who wish to labour in collecting for this good work, need not despair because their means are small, or their assistance of trifling amount: in other words, the gift of one penny will be as thankfully received, as a more lavish subscription from those that are endowed with wealth of gold. Above all, let each one remember that the widow's nite had more value in the sight of God, than the rich offering of those who cast in gold and silver into the treasury of the temple; for if the rich gave in proportion to their means, or thought a little about it, so as to square their offerings by the rule of the fifth book of Euclid, it has struck us that we should have less ostentation and self-complacency to deplore, and perhaps more dealings where the left hand knew not what the right was doing. "Therèse et un écu," said St. Theresa, when about to found a new convent, "ce n'est rien; mais DIEU. Un ecu et Therese-voilà tout." So may we say of any one who undertakes to collect for this charitable and praise-worthy object. The sum collected may be individually small, but, with the blessing of God, there will be many such; and we sincerely hope, that by the time the good sisters are ready to enter on their arduous offices, a suitable dwelling and schools will be, by the exertion of the faithful, ready to receive them. As in all cases where real good is looked for, our hopes must be in "the devout sex." Let the ladies, then, of the London district bestir themselves in this good work; careless whether the object of their exertions be for a particular district, but mindful rather that in such measures, by their persevering means, great and lasting good, both here and hereafter, shall be accomplished, and that although they may not have the sensible satisfaction of perceiving the actual effects, should it be out of their own immediate district or vicinity. Rather let them think of this: Take care of the young, impart into their tender minds, the seeds of devotion and true religion; give them a knowledge of the faith, and early experience of its blessed effects; and then, in after life, should some fall unhappily into the whirl of vice, which abounds like a torrent in this overgrown metropolis, yet even then,-when the hand of sickness or death is upon such outcasts, the recollection of early grace and innocence will return; and you, pious ladies, who now furnish the good sisters with means of building a convent, shall be the remote but happy instruments of recalling to penitence and reconciliation with God, some who, otherwise, had died, like the beasts that perish, or recovered, to live on-and make the angels weep! In Fest. Oct. Ascen., 1842. HYMN FROM THE GERMAN. FOR SPRING. KEINE Schöneit hat die Welt Wenn die Morgenröth entsteht, Ja, oft denk ich an sein Licht, Seh ich dann den mondenschein, Schau ich in dem frühling an Wenn ich zu dem Quellbrun geh, Lieblich singt die nachtigall, Ist der wort;-Marien Sohn! Anmuth giebt es in der luft, Wie des Liebsten wiederhall. Ei nun, Schönster, Komm herfür; Komm und zeige selbst dich mir, Lass mich sehn dein eigen Licht, Und dein blosses Angersicht. O! das deiner Gottheit glanz, Ach, mein Jesu, nim doch hin, |