The Irish standard., 1910-01-08

had they become for him that he de-
cided to spend two Of the three years
then accorded him, where he actually
was. The terra deserta, invia, ct
inaquosa' of Palestine had charms that
could not last too long. He could not
resist them, and sickness alone suf-
! feed in the end to make him forego
them. After three years passed within
the shadow or Calvary, he left the
Orient for Berlin. During that time he
had seen thoroughly upper and lower
and western Palestine. northern Syria
and the Lebanon, Alsia Minor and
Greece.
A supplementary tour in Europe was
all that was lacking to complete the
education thus begun. During his last
year abroad, Fr Reilly studied. six
months ut Berlin and then visited
Northern Germany and the Rhineland.
Switzerland and Austria. France, Eng
land, Ireland. and Italy. He then re-
turned to Washington and taught He
brew and introduction to Sacred Scrip
ture. tras.
i Then grew up the desire on the part
of his religious superiors that he should
take tl.e new scriptural degree al
Rome, andseverry,,. opportunity was give,
him to make thorough preparation
Those competent to judge admit that
the matter required for the licentiatc
. in Sacred Scripture IL so extensive that
it could not be satisfactorily gone over
in seminary in fewer than eight
years. The degree stands as a proof
Of ones orthodoxy not less than for
. his intelligence anu erudItion. 1t is
conferred in the Vatican only by five
consultors Of the Biblical commission
and is never open save to doctors In
theology.
The ordeal lasts three days. and is
. both written and oral. the oral beinG
always public. The examiners this fall
were Jesuit Father, a Benedictine. a
Franciscan, Sulpician, and secular
priest The Very Rev. 1Tr. Lepidi, O
) p, master Of the Sacred Palace. also
. of delicacy. did not appear until ITr
, Reilly's examination was over.
There were four candidates, an Eng
I lishman. an Austrian, a SpaniarI and
an American. For the first time sin2e
tue degree has been instituted, all werG
. received. 1T is perhaps pertinent tC
I remark that only five Americans have
, registered as candidates UP to the
present time. or these, only three
= have been successful, a Canadian ant
!. two priests of the United States. The
last two are DR.. Reilly, the Sulpician Of
z Brighton Seminary and FIR Reilly. tn,
Dominican. Dr. Reilly, s. S.. has gone
! one step higher and stands alone n:
: 8. S. d. in the Western Hemisphere
e. 1t is to be hoped that FIR. Reilly. o
: P., will in due time be advanced t.
t the same honor. That he Is at leas
:. capable Of doing creditable work in th
9 scriptural line seems clear, since paper
g published by him have found currenc.
. in Europe as we'll as in America AM
o have been favorably noticed by sucl
8 des Questions Historiques" in Franc
and the "Biblische Zeitschrif' in Ger
o many.
t The air of the Biblical school in
!, spires study and research. Every pro
|, fessor is specialist and several ar
f. authors Of classics. FIR. lagrange
|. "Juges' ranks among the most erudit
t compositions Of it's kind. His Re
: ligious Semitiques" has been crowne
:. by the French Academy and in tn
d province Of Catholic Apologetics i
$ without rival. FIR. vincents syntheti
: work on "Chanaan." which was i
: course Of preparation during ten year!
Y, stands alone in it's field and its author
!. ity is acknowledged by German, Eng
d lish, American and French explorer
r. Next comes Fr Dhonne's "Textes Re
Is ligieux," which enables it's readers
control the data from the sand-hills {
,r Assyria, which have so often been un
yl Justly arrayed against the Biblical nal
,e rative by Its adversaries.