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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIII, Issue 33, 13 December 1895, Page 1

cerely trust that the time which I have been obliged to devote to this task has not been wholly lost. If by chance, during the delivery of these lectures, I have uttered a single word which, could pain or give offence to one present or absent, I most sincerely regret it. I began this course in no controversial spirit, nor even from any feeling of personal pleasure. Some of my own flock and more than one of our dear separated friends expressed a wish that I should reply to the pamphlet called " Hindrances to the Re-union of Christendom." It was suggested to me that were I to remain silent this silence would be constituted into an acknowledgement that it were impossible to reply, that all the statements, no matter how false or gratuitous, were unassailable. What I have said in reply is more than enough, to convince my hearers that the author of "Hindrances" has made a grave mistake in accepting as Catholic teaching the prejudiced misatatements of those outside our Holy Church known to be hostile to us and to out faith and to its practices. Were I, in conclusion, allowed to give one word of advice to the many noble, upright souls who are yearning for the re-union of Christendom, I would say, if you are still members of the Church by Law Established, or any other outside the household of the Catholic faith, pray, pray without ceasing. Ask the Father of all mercies to vouchsafe to you the heavenly light which will enable you to behold the Divine Truth, that knowledge which surpasseth all understanding. But it is not enough to ask for light. One must implore the grace or strength to follow that light whithersoever it leadeth. What is the position of our Holy Church towards those souls who without her fold long for re-union ? She stretuhes out a helping hand She yearns to receive them into her maternal fold. She will yield all that she can possibly yield to meet them more than half way. But one thing she dare not, she cannot do. She can make no compromise when it is question of faith or doctrine. She has received, not created, the Divine deposit of truth. Change it, or part with one iota thereof, she cannot. Her discipline she may and would change if necessary, but her articles of faith, no, never ! though by so doing she were at once able to bring about the reunion of all Christendom. She has received from her Divine Spouse the mission to teach all nations, not to make any compromise or barter her faith, though by so bartering she won for herself all the possessions or peoples of the earth. Whilst we yearn for the re-union of Christendom, let us one and all unite in fervent prayer to hasten this desired consummation. Let us say from the depths of our heart — " Have mercy upon us, O God of all, and behold us. Show us the light of Thy mercies, and send Thy fear upon the nations that have not sought after Thee, that they may know that there is no God beside Thee. Gather together all, that they may declare Thy great works, and Thou shalt inherit them as from the beginning" Convert us, O God, and show us Thy face, and we shall be saved. Let us strive to be all one in Christ Jesus, Who in His last prayer on earth cried out to His Eternal Father." " I pray also for them who through their word shall believe in Me, That they all may be one as Thou Father in Me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. Other sheep I have that are not of this fold ; them also I must bring, and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd." Grant, O adorable Jesus, Eternal Truth, that we may be all united as Thou desirest, that we may all meet in the

unity of the faith, that henceforth we may be no more children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, that, hearing Thy words, we may always do them, and so deserve to be likened to the wise man that built his house upon a rock, and the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock, the rock whereon Thou has built Thy Church, against which the gates of hell shall never aught prevail, the Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth. Amen.