[ CHAPTER SEVENTH — THE DANGER OF THE HOUR. HOW TO MEET IT ]
[ CHAPTER EIGHTH — THE YOUNG PRIEST'S ACTIVITIES ]
CHAPTER FIRST
CULTURE: ITS NECESSITY TO A YOUNG PRIEST
If you question any priest of experience and observation who has lived on the foreign mission, and ask him what constitutes the greatest drawbacks, what seriously impedes the efficiency of our young priests abroad, without hesitation he will answer—First, want of social culture; and, secondly, a defective English education.
To the first of these this chapter will be exclusively devoted, while the subject of English will be dealt with in the chapter to follow.
The case stated
One of the great disadvantages of living in an island is that we get so few opportunities of seeing ourselves as others see us. When you seriously attempt to impress the necessity of culture on the student preparing for the foreign mission he generally pities you. In his eyes culture is a trifle, suited perhaps to the serious consideration of ladies and dancing masters, but utterly unworthy of one thought from a strong-minded or intellectual man. But you tell him that without it the world will sneer at him. He then pities the world, and replies—"What do I care about the world's thoughtless sneer; have I not a priestly heart and a scholar's head?"