Even in the days of St. Augustine, Catholic eyes had to behold scenes somewhat similar to the one in view of which this pamphlet has been written. Within churches once Catholic, Donatist bishops at that time held high festival, in the midst of solemn pomp, with mystic rite and sacred song. From episcopal chairs erected in opposition to those of the prelates in communion with the Roman Pontiff, “that is to say”, explains St. Cyprian, “with the Catholic Church”, intruded bishops counterfeited the preaching of the lawful pastors, and with many a text from Holy Writ, and with a plentiful use of holiest names, made a brave show of belonging to those whom the Holy Ghost has placed to rule the Church of God. But the make-believe was not successful. One glance at the religious system of these men and at the Catholic Church was enough to reveal the hollowness of their pretensions, notwithstanding the ecclesiastical air they so studiously cultivated. Hence St. Augustine thus writes about Emeritus, a Donatist bishop (for whom, perhaps, some worthy layman, not averse from proselytizing poor Catholics in the wild Numidian country about Cethaquenfusca, had restored one of the old cathedrals), “Outside the pale of the Church (Emeritus) may have everything except salvation. Honour he may have, a sacrament he may have, he may sing alleluia, he may answer amen, he may have the Gospel, he may both hold [pg 400] and preach faith in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; but nowhere save in the Catholic Church shall he be able to find salvation”—(Epist. clii.). And yet, at least in the beginning, the Donatists were but schismatics; their heresy was of somewhat later growth. How much stronger, then, becomes St. Augustine's argument when applied to the Established Church of our times, in which heresy and free-thinking have ravaged whatever schism had spared! The pamphlet under notice in reality does but reëcho the holy Doctor's remarks. An outline of St. Patrick's life and faith, drawn from unimpeachable authorities, sets before us most clearly that the ancient Catholic Church of Ireland differed far more from the Church now usurping St. Patrick's Cathedral, than the ancient Catholic Church of Africa from the Donatist body. The personal history of our great apostle, his early training, his call to preach, his ecclesiastical studies, his mission from Rome, his doctrine about the Holy See, his essentially Catholic teaching, are all plainly and forcibly Set forth, and contrasted with the peculiarities of modern Protestantism. No candid mind can for a moment hesitate to conclude with the writer, that the restoration ceremony was “a ghastly spectacle of unreality. It was a joyous revel over a lifeless form: the body was there, but not the soul. The beauty of early years, which is oftentimes observed to resume its place, in death, upon the face from which it had been long driven by weeks, or months, or, perhaps, years of pain, the beauty of graceful outline, and delicate feature, and placid, gentle expression—all that had come back; and the church seemed as if but yesterday finished. But the spirit of St. Patrick was not there; the creed which he taught was not there; the true faith, which is the soul, the animating spirit of religion, was far away”.
IV.
Vie et Institut de Saint Alphonse Marie de Liguori, Evêque de Sainte Agathe des Goths, et Fondateur de la Congregation du Tres-Saint Redempteur. Par son Eminence le Cardinal Clement Villecourt, 4 vols. Tournai: Casterman, 1864.
Of this excellent work we have only space to say at present that it is worthy of its eminent author, and not unworthy of the great saint whose life and virtues it sets forth. We hope to return to the subject at a future time.
Footnotes
[1.] The reader must not be surprised at the name thus given to the See of Derry. Camden cites, from an ancient Roman Provinciale, the name Rathlucensis given to this see (Publications of I. A. S., 1843, pag. 61), and O'Sullivan Beare more than once designates the town of Derry by the Latin name Lucas, and styles its bishop “Dirii vel Luci Episcopus”—(Hist. Cath., pag. 77, et passim). [2.] The cubit was originally the length of the human arm from the elbow to the end of the middle finger. It is variously estimated at from 16 to 22 inches. Our readers may form an idea of the tabernacle and the court, sufficiently accurate for all practical purposes, by allowing one yard English for every two cubits. See Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, or his Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. [3.] Our readers must not be surprised if in this and in other instances we depart a little from the reading of the Vulgate version, and adhere to the literal translation of the Hebrew text. In controversy it is often desirable to accommodate ourselves to the views and even to the prejudices of our adversaries; and since the authority of the Hebrew text is admitted by all classes of Christians, we appeal to it as a common ground of argument. Besides, when the point in dispute depends on the meaning of a Hebrew phrase, it will be always useful to have the exact words of the Hebrew text before our eyes. [4.] This mode of expression is perfectly conformable to scriptural usage; for we read (Numbers, x. 3) that all the assembly (עדה) were directed to assemble themselves to Moses: and again, (III. Kings, viii. 2) it is said that “all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto King Solomon”. [5.] Nordheim's Hebrew Grammar, § 148; see also Gesenius, § 53, “Significations of Hiphil. It is properly causative of kal.” [6.] Accordingly, this is the first meaning given for the word by Gesenius in his Lexicon. In this sense, too, it is frequently employed in the Mosaic narrative. Here are two examples, taken almost at random, in which we find the same word in the same conjugation, mood, and tense: When Joseph, in prison, asked the chief butler of Pharaoh to intercede for him with his royal master, he added: “And thou shalt bring me (והוצאתני—vehotzethani) out of this prison”—(Gen. xl. 14). Will Dr. Colenso say that Joseph intended the chief butler should carry him out of prison on his back? Again, when the Jews murmured against Moses and Aaron in the desert, they cry out, “Ye have brought us forth (הוצאתם—hotzethem) into this wilderness to kill the whole multitude with hunger”—(Ex. xvi. 3; also xiv. 11). They surely did not mean to say that Moses and Aaron had carried the whole multitude out of Egypt on their backs. [7.] “Clove”=Cloyne, Rymer's Foedera. Tom. v. par. iv. p. 105; Lib. Mun. Tom. i. par. iv. p. 102. [8.] “Maccarthy=Carthy=Macare=Machar”. Wadd. Annal. Min. ad an. 1340, n. 25, ed. Roman. Tom. viii. p. 241; ibid. Tom. xiii. p. 432, et pp. 558-9. [9.] “Kings of the M'Carthy race”, Annals of Innisfallen, ad an. 1106, p. 106, an. 1108, 1110, 1176; Annals of Boyle, an. 1138, 1185; Annals of Ulster, an. 1022-3, 1124; Gir. Cambr., lib. i. cap. iii.; S. Bernard, in Vit. Malac., cap. iv. “Their burial place”, Archdall Monast. Hib., pp. 302, 303.