School Exams, and Prayer.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 2, 9 January 1902, Page 2

School Exams, and Prayer.

A correspondent. ' Clericus,' complains in a ncent is Bue8 ue of the Avstial Litj M, of an abuse which, he says is, far too common even in our Convent schools. He refers to a use of prayer which for want of adequate limitation, is no longer legitimate, and is calculated to weaken the faith of the children, as well as to prejudice the efficiency of the schools. Children are induced to make novenas and to communicate, prior to an examination, in order to ensure ravorable results. The correspondent avers that the children are given to understand, at least by implication, that some infallible efneacy attaches to devotional acts of the kind, and that the every day work of the school during the year contributes only in a very subordinate way to success at the examinations. % ' Outia,' who presides over the ' Information Bureau ' of our Catholic monthly, in commenting on the complaint of his correspondent says : ' I have myself noticed the abuse. I think it better however, to point out the legitimate scope of prayer in the circumstances mentioned, before dwelling on the features which may cause it to resemble superstition. That will be best done by stating a few general principles. 6 l T} t is L fcherefore legitimate to pray for temporal favors lhe ' Our Father," framed by Our Lord renders formal proof of Flom some P° ints of view - it indicates a more child-like and trusting faith to pray for temporal than for spiritual goods. The latter are evidently God's free gift : the former, we are tempted to imagine, depend on our own industry. ll.— All prayer for temporal favors should be accompanied by at least the implied condition— "lf it be according to the will of God." The necessity of this arises from the fact that we are very apt to pray for things which seem good, though God may see that they would be hurtful. To cull two examples from thousands we might draw upon -failure in a law suit and disablement in battle were the respective occasions of giving to the Church St Alphonsus Lrguon and St. Ignatius. In the Alcibiades of Plato, that great man leaves us this remarkable prayer :—" Great God 1 grant us that which is good, even when we do not ask for it, and refuse us that which is evil, eveu though we should pray for it." lll.— From the la.«t principle it follows that prayer for temporal favors is not infallible in its efficacy. This does not mean that God does not always hear our prayers'. But He often gives a greater spiritual gift, while refusing out of the love he bears up the seeming temporal good fcr which we make petition. ' IV.— Where God supplies a natural means of attaining a particular end, it is His will that it should be made use of at least under normal conditions. In thib ca-e the function of supernatural help is to a«aist nature, or to render the circumstances favorable for the most efficacious working of the natural instrument. Now, if it be asked, in view of these principles, "what is the legitimate scope of prayfr as a prepara'iou for school examinations I should reply as iollows :— First, the natural preparation for a school examination is diligent appli. atiin on the part of the pupils coupled with skilful teaching <11 the part of the staff. To expect prayers on the eve of an examination to supply the want of these coins uions would be to expect a miracle. Prayer is always to be commended as a < oinpanion and aid t) study, that the mind of the pupil may oe aided to absorb knowledge more nadily, and that the .study itself may get, through the Divine assistance, a wise direction The function of prayer on the e^e of an examination is not to scjure favorable results out of proportion to the knowledge actually oummuia- ated during the year. For. in the interests of true education, this would be undesirable, while it would be contrary to the normal workings of Providence to expect it. The following results, however, might with perfect propriety, be sought from prayers offered lor a bucvesaful examination : 0). That the paj ils might 1 ot appear at a disadvantage owine to nervousness ° (2). That they might not be injudiciously questioned so as that their knowledge shou'd t-ecin 10.-s than it really i« (3). Spe.kng generally, fat their wits should be sharpened so that, they might do justice to themselves and their teachers From all this it will readily be seen that the abuee complained of by 'Clencus,' lits in the failure to instruct children regarding the fallible character of prayer for a temporal end, and in the creation in the juvenile mind of the idea that prayer can supply the want of hard work and scientific teaching. The neglect of the first weakens the faiih of children in prayer, while the second fault favors superstition, A parting word, lest Ibe misunderstood. By all means get the children to pray, tj communicate, but always subject to the qualifications and limitations assigned above. It is woith remembering that the theologians hold with ivjrard to Extreme Unction that it should be administered at an early Blag* of a mortal illness, as its health restoring powers are v ade to supplement nature in a natural way. To deiay its administration until the patient is in extremis, and then, expect restoration to health is to expect a miracle. Dcn'b wait till tho children are in extremis,' 1