position to the Cross of Christ and all it implies; while the followers of Calvin aimed to overthrow the Church of God, imagining themselves called upon to regenerate the work of fifteen centuries by presenting to mankind the servitude of the interior self, inutility of prayer, negation of human freedom and divine goodness. Both parties succeeded only too well in their nefarious undertakings, and overwhelmed France with a demoralization almost beyond belief. The Court of the Valois, the friend of the Renaissance, was the very sink of iniquity; the Court of Navarre, the friend of Protestantism, was no better. The high-bred manners, the dainty refinements, the overestimated culture and overextolled intellectualism of both courts cloaked the most profound depravity. voluptuousness and cruelty. "The Christianity which the lords and ladies there professed themselves adepts bore no resem blance great or small to that of the Gospels:" pride, hatred, luxury and lust were rampant among them, they unscrupulously transformed association into an act of faith, and unblushingly glorified social infamies as if they were virtues. that How France withstood this flood of evil, and how and why the people remained Catholics in the Sixteenth Century, is graphically told by Prof. Baudrillart. It would seem "whereas the masses of the people everywhere else in Europe let themselves be conquered, and, through indifference, stratagem or force, accepted the Reformation from the rapacious and brutal hands of their rulers, the mass of the French people allowed themselves to be neither seduced nor coerced. They defended their faith against all its enemies by every means in their power, and even imposed it upon their king"-so that "under Henry IV, as under Clovis, truth was triumphant, and France was once more the instrument employed by God to preserve its threatened empire." These lectures are a timely publication, and should be read by nonCatholics, as well as Catholics, if they desire to understand the Renaissance movement in very truth. II. GOD'S POOR MAN It would seem as if there were a momentous purpose, as if God had some great design in view, in the Franciscan revival that is now going on, more especially among non-Catholics, who apparently take a deep interest in St. Francis and the principles of life for which he stands, which is dynamically opposed to the dominant forces controlling Twentieth Century civilization: on one side there is humility born of poverty of spirit, a willing exchange of corporeal opulerce for the riches of the soul; on the other side pride in human applause, in union with a never satisfied greed for wealth. St. Francis was asked which of the virtues was most pleasing to God, and remembering the words of Christ: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, answered: "Poverty, for it is the way of salvation, the incentive to humility, the root of perfection; and from it springs many fruits, though they be hidden and known to but few." To the typical man of to-day this is foolishness, for he believes alone in the power of riches and looks upon material success as the highest good, just as if his earthly life has to last forever. Can it be that this Franciscan revival has been brought about in order to disabuse his mind of this fallacy, to awaken the world to its unwarrantable trust in riches, and to a realization that the longest time is as nothing in the face of eternity. Many non-Catholic men, thoughtful and world-weary, are longing for self-escape into something higher, something greater than themselves and all the world can give them, hence possibly this is the reason for their interest in St. Francis, who, kneeling at the feet of my Lady Poverty, was freed from earthly things, in order that he might better reach forward to heavenly ones, became a beggar in spirit with an insatiable hunger and thirst to do the will of God. St. Augustine says, "A rich man, who is able to despise in himself whatsoever there is in him by which pride can be puffed up, is God's poor man." Such a man was St. Francis of Assisi in whose estimation holy poverty held the first and chief place among the virtues, and rightly so, as his constant endeavor was to be a true imitator and disciple of the Blessed Jesus, the Son of God, the Lord of Virtues, the King of Glory, who loved poverty with a peculiar love "Her in the beginning of His preaching He placed as a light of Faith for all who would enter the harbor, laid her first as a stone in the foundation of His house, and the Kingdom of Heaven which the other virtues take of Him only by promise, He has granted to her direct from Himself without any off-putting. Blessed, He saith, are ye poor in spirit, for yours is the Kingdom of Heaven. Wherefore the blessed Francis, from the beginning of his conversion, gave himself to the seeking out of holy Poverty to find her and to hold her, with all zeal, with all desire, with all determination, doubting nothing of the enemy, fearing nothing that was against him, shunning no toil, refusing no affliction of the body, so at the last his desire should be granted him to attain unto her to whom the Lord had given the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven."* Many histories of the Poverello, and his quest of my Lady Poverty, have been written, and a number of these by authors not of the Household of Faith, even a Salvationist essayed a biography of Assisi's Saint. The first printed life of Francis in English forms a part of The Golden Legand, published by William Caxton in 1483; Sacred Commercium-Chap. I. and II. The Temple Classics. J. M. Dent. London. and the last, only just issued by E. P. Dutton & Co. of New York. It is not, however, a new life, but a translation into English of the first biography of the Saint, written in the year 1229. three years after his death, by one of his companions, Thomas of Celano, the author of the famous sequence Dies irae, dies illa. This work has been translated before by a Dr. Rosedall (London: Dent, 1904), but it has been discredited by Franciscan students, hence this rendering of Mr. Howell will be welcomed, as it is all that could be wished, and places in the hands of all who are studying St. Francis' life a most essential document: "a truthful and not unworthy memorial of that Christlike life and character that have endeared St. Francis to men of every age and of every religious persuasion." The translator calls the attention of the reader to Celano's wonderful familiarity with the Bible, which he has "at his finger's ends and his pages are saturated with the phraseology of Holy Scripture." The opening words of Thomas of Celano best describe his book, for he accomplished, in a masterly way, the end he desired:-"Desiring," he says, "to relate in order, with pious devotion and under the constant guidance and teaching of truth, the acts and life of our most blessed father Francis, it has been my endeavor, at the bidding of the Lord and glorious Pope Gregory, to set forth to the best of my ability (though with unskilled words) at least those things that I have heard from blessed Francis' own mouth or have understood from faithful and approved witnesses, since the memory of none can retain all that he did and taught. But would that I might deserve to be the disciple of him who always avoided dark sayings and knew no pomp of words!" By Brother Thomas of Celano. Trans* The Lives of St. Francis of Assisi. lated by A. G. Ferrers Howell, LL.M., Trinity College, Cambridge. E. P. Dutton & Co., New York. 8 vo. (360 pages, $2.00.) THE STANDARD OF ETERNITY It is told of St. Aloysius that he applied the standard of eternity to all his actions; that is, before he did a thing he considered how he would look at it before the bar of God, where every one shall answer for the deeds done in the body. If he could defend his action before his Judge, he would carry out his intention; if he could not defend it to the satisfaction of his own conscience and judgment he abandon ed his intention. Applying the rule of eternity to his acts, it is believed that he never was guilty of any serious sin. Unfortunately, there are few of us who apply any rule to our actions until we have committed them. How few of us, even after we have done a thing, consider whether or not we did well in doing it. Yet if we would mature our intentions before putting them into action by the rule of eternity, we would commit few sins. Intending purchasers of a STRICTLY FIRST-CLASS Piano, or Piano and Self-Player combined, should not fail to examine the merits of the worldrenowned PIANOS SOHMER PIANOS and the "SOHMER-CECILIAN" Inside Players, which surpass all others. Catalogue mailed on application. Warerooms, Cor. 5th Ave. 22d St. SOHMER & COMPANY, New York. HONOR It is remarkable that though honor has many senses, it has not among them in other languages the special sense common in our own. Among the Romans it signified veneration. There were many degrees of it, personal, civic, and religious. Divine honors lifted men to the gods. When a man, then, says, "Upon my honor," he pledges himself by all that he is or has of truth, integrity, and dignity-that is, by his whole price or THERE IS ONLY ONE worth before God and man. Here we come to the sense we are seeking. This honor is not the price that the world sets upon a man, but the price that he sets upon himself. Honor makes a man scrupulously exact in keeping engagements and promises, explicit and implicit. It is large, generous, and prompt, going beyond the strict obligations of law and conscience. and conscience. To be sordid or mean, tricky or sharp, would be more painful than any loss. SOAPINE Does Twice as Much Work as any Cheaper Washing Powder SAVE THE BEAUTIFUL FRAMED PICTURES WHALES FOR Art Gallery: 134 W. 18th St., near Sixth Ave., N. Y. Jersey City Agency, 623 Ocean Avenue The College of St. Angela, New Rochelle, N. Y. The College of Saint Angela, foun led in 1904, is the only Catholic college for women in New York State. It offers a four years' course leading to a bachelor's degree in art, science or music. Its graduates are recognized by the Regents of the State of New York, and by the Educational Department of New York City as having the same careful preparation given in the New York State colleges of highest rank. Special attention is given to the study of music and art. In the Extension centres, courses of college rank are given. Teachers are trained for New York State and New York City licenses. Extension Departments: New York, Park Ave. and 93d Street; Brooklyn, Montrose and Graham Aves.; Albany, St. Patrick's Institute. CALENDAR FOR JANUARY, 1909 I The Circumcision of Our Lord. 2 St. Macarius, H. Octave of the Holy Innocents Gospel, St. Matt. ii. 13-18: Massacre of the Holy Innocents. S. 3 St. Genevieve, V. Don't fret your children by perpetually worrying about them. They M. 4 St. Titus, Disciple of St. Paul. must have some common sense; teach them to make use of it. Don't delude yourself with the idea. that a six months' baby cannot understand the difference between your "yes" and "no." Don't treat your son and your daughter at twenty as you would have treated them at twelve; remember that they are now a man and woman. Don't forget that the fire of curiosity may be smothered, but not easily. extinguished, and that someone else will surely be called upon to explain if you do not. THE CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA The fourth volume of the Catholic Encyclopedia is a magnificent volume. of 800 pages, to which 200 scholars have directly contributed articles. One-fourth of the Encyclopedia has now appeared and from it the learned. and monumental character of the work can be estimated. The Encyclopedia is a mine of learning and a condensed library of the best information. Every public library should have this Encyclopedia. Every Catholic should be proud to own a copy of it. Wire May to wire Everything T 5 St. Telesphorus, P. M. 6The Epiphany of Our Lord. Th. 7 St. Lucian, P. M. W. F. 8 St. Severinus, Ab. C. SS. Julian and Basilissa, MM. Gospel, St. Luke ii. 42-52: Jesus found S. Second Sunday after the Epiphany Gospel, St. John ii. 1-11: The Marriage at Cana. S. 17 Feast of the Holy Name. T. 19 St. Canute, K. M. W. 20 SS. Fabian and Sebastian, MM. F. 22 SS. Vincent & Anastasius, MM. Third Sunday after the Epiphany Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Gospel, St. Matt. viii. 23-27: Jesus stills the Storm S. 31 St. Peter Nolasco, C. 37TH ST. AT 6THAVENE CORPHONE 724-38 Electrical repaired |