The Catholic bulletin., 1913-02-15


double-column pages, giving an
extensive treatment of subjects
more or less intimately connected
with the Catholic Church, it's doc
trines, discipline and manifold
activities in every sphere of hui
man endeavor.
In the course of few months
the value of the completed set will
be enhanced by the addition of a
volume containing an analectical
index of all the subjects treated
in the Encyclopedia together with
such additions as the editors deem
necessary to bring the work up to
date in it's treatment of subjects
which appeared in the earlier vol
umes. We hope this index will
soon be in the hands Of the sub
scribers, as it is needed to facili-
tate the task of consulting a work
containing such a large number
of articles.
That the Catholic Encyclopedia
has been completed in such a short
space of time is matter for con-
graduation. The editors who
have had charge of the work have
labored increasingly to make it a
miniature library Of reliable in
formation, and an international
work of reference on the consti-
tuition, doctrine, discipline and
history of the Catholic Church.
The editors, Charles G.. Herber-
mann, Phi. D., LII. D.; Rev. Ed
ward A. Pace, Phi. D., D. D. !;
Conde P. Pallen, Phi. D., LII. D. {;
Mgr. Thomas j. Shahan, D. D. ;
Rev. John j. Wynne, S. j., were
assisted by numerous collabora-
tors from every country Of the
world, each one specialist in the
subject on which he was commits
stoned to write. This makes the
work a unique production emin-
emily creditable to Catholic schol-
arship.
When the project Of publishing
a Catholic Encyclopedia was first
broached it was predicted that it
would take a generation to bring
the work to completion. That it
has been finished in less than a
decade Of years speaks we'll for
the zeal and enthusiasm Of those
who had charge of it. It's value
as a work of reference is recog-
nized by all. 1t is a mine of in
formation not only for Catholics
but for non Catholics who wish to
familiarize themselves with the
teaching of the Catholic Church
and her varied activities. It
should be in the library of every
Catholic who can afford to pur-
chase it, in all public libraries
and in those of all institutions of
learning whether Catholic or not
that make any pretentions to COM
pleteness.
That it receives the appreciation
of scholars abroad is evident from
the testimony Of M. Georges
Goyau, Knight Commander of st.
Gregory, and associate editor of
the "Revue des Deux Mondes, "
Paris, who, writing in "The
Patriot of Brussels, a few
months ago, says that "this Cath
olic Encyclopedia of which the
year 1913 will set the pinnacle in
position, will make a date in the
history of Catholicity among the
English-speaking peoples.
"On the soil of the United
States the English language has
become for other English-speak-
ing countries the vehicle of Cath
Ollie thought, and the immense
publication which for many years
will be the messenger of this
thought is the expression Of a
very original plan which we are
glad to acclaim as a fortunate sys-
tenn of apologetics. We find in
this Encyclopaedia as is natural
all that the Church teaches; the
schedule of what she has done
and of what she accomplishes
daily for human progress is here
spread out and developed; here
its history is treated; its constiu-
tion is studied. These are at the
outset indisputably rich subjects
for study, and the American mind,
very alert and enamoured of mat
ters of definite and real current
interest, has succeeded in present
ing to the world with wonderful
rapidity the first library work
wherein effective mention is made,
and practical account is given, of
all the fundamental reforms in
troduced by Pope Plus x in the
Roman Curia.
"But the scope Of the Catholic
Encyclopedia, as it has been con-
ceived in New York, comprises a
still more vast domain, where a
wider horizon is opened to us.
The Americans did not wish to
produce simply a church en-
cyclopedia, limited to the ecclesi-
astical sciences and to the history