The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-06-06
NEW pUBLICATIoNs.

cation Company.
Il requires no word from our pen to commend
this volume to our readers.
Perfect in style, eloquent in expression, ana
convincing in all its arguments, IL aehgnS
the mind of the scholar and satisfies the I'M
derstanding of the illiterate. Its subject ID
most important one, especially in these times
when the spirit of Truth seems to be ignored
by men, who prefer TO make themselves chill
dren of darkness rather than children OF light.
Every Catholic should read this work the
instruction which it contains is duty We owe
to ourselHes; and one can commence tne
work through q sense of obligation, who will
not be compelled to finish it with a feeling OF
pleasure
As brilliant gem reflects more varied beau
ties in every light we view it, SO this rare
volume reveals more profound thoughts, more
sublime meanings from every side in which
our minds perpse it. And yet there is no
effort in the style; but the words flow on in
simple eloauence, clear, concise and thorough
" convincing, giving equal credit to the piety
of the holy priest and to the learning of the
distin guished Cardinal.
We cannot refrain from calling particular
attention to chapter xiii, entitled "The Gift
OF OnuefbbduuluS, "oiSo "AAA F>~~
treat to every intelligent mind; but for the
benefit of those who may fail to obtain the
book, We quote the following extract, which
is the answer to every cavil against the dog
matio teachings of the Church and the perfect
illumination of every doubt which cantar'se
in the minds of the faithful
"a third Office of this gift (the gif6 of under
standlng) is to reduce the revelation of truth
to the form of science. We hear much OF
science in these days. We hear Of ply sicai'
and social, and historical science; but as soon
as any man says that theology is a science, at
once we see the supercilious change and lines
of countenance, which we all we'll know, in
those who have courtesy at least to keep
silence
"Let us ask what, after all, is science Z
Science means the knowledge we have of truth
by revolving it into it's first principles, which
again are self evident. Now fully admit that
| theology is not Q science in that strict sense !;
because revelation, which is the matter of
of God. rst
"Therefore it is not self-evident to the human
reason but for that cause altogether deny
that history, and q great deal of that which we
are called upon to receive as science, is science.
or even scientific. fully admit that niathe-
and would add, the sciences of the physical
| world. They may be tested by experiment,
they may be resolved into self evident princi-
pies; therefore they may be called science.
And 1 will also use the word science of theol-
| ogy for this reason that whatever is method
cal, clear, definite, precise. whatever can be
stated in its principles, may be called scientific,
| if not in the strictness of propriety, at least
next to it and in that sense it is quite true
that the revelation of faith is a supernatural
science. For instance, there is nothing which
is 80 definite in its conceptions in it's terms, in
| it's definitions as the Catholic faith. Take
the theology Of the Nature. and Of tie Persons,
| and of the Perfections of God. Can anything
be moro precise Its precision is turned to
1 rro0-- khA khara nto
Greed take the definitions by which we ex.
| press every doctrine of the faith. I need not
| prove that these things are definite. The
| world cries out against us for that very defn-
iteness; the world denounces MS because we
| are dogmatic.. If We are not dogmatic, who
would know what we teach 7 If our doctrines
had neither beginning, nor ending, nor circum
ference, like the opinions that are tossed &c
and fro by conflicting sects, nobody would
know what mean. The admission of one
indefinite word into an argument, like the ad
mission of one false figure into sum, confuse:
the whole; and therefore the Church from the
beginning has been vigorously precise in the
choice of the very words by which it conveys
the faith Having defined its doctrines, il
assemblies them aud groups them together
| Your baptismal Creed is the germ of a whole
science. The twelve articles of the Apostles
Greed are, i'll fact, the text of the whole the
ology which the Councils of the Church hav'
elaborated in every age to this day, perpetual!
anal zing more and more exactly the meaning
OF every revealed truth by this gift of under
StAu0lngt ana then combining tnem all TO
gether into perfect unity and sS mmetry, ant
yet never venturing to draw line round it, o
, to say this contains the whole of the meaning
and that because in this life Z" we know in par
aud prophesy in part" while we are wait
ing for that time " hen the perfect shall come
and what is partial shall be done away. W
r do not venture now to declare that we posses
the whole truth of any mystery, but only 8
far as It is revealed. If You look back from
high mountain, you will see multitude @
i paths and roads and rivers divergiDg ever
q way. At last they reach the horizon an
. vanish. So it is with the truths of revelation
We can trace them 80 far as they are reveale
: to ms, but at last they reach the vanishin
points, where they pass into the infinite min
of God; there we cannot follow them. Theo
ogy does not venture to give account of any
o thing beyond that which has been revealed
= but that which has been revealed, theoloR!
I with precise treatment and exact metho'
defines and combining truths together,
d Rbrings out that which Is implicitly revealed
t Theology surrounds the faith, like the radiant
, round the sun. The science of God radiat
! from the baptismal Creed"
This work is so exceptionally beautiful TIL