Answers to Correspondents

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LI, Issue 31, 23 July 1924, Page 26

Answers to Correspondents

Subscriber. Eithne is an Irish name. It means knowledge. Christian.— Thanks for cutting. We get the full text of the Cathedral Hall lectures in the Melbourne Advocate. They are invariably good. Celt. —The subject of Gaelic prosody is not easy. It would ’ i*be incompatible with our limits in this column to deal v with your question, but we will take it up in our “Notes” later on. Stousiied. There is no contradiction. The theory of the Conservation of Energy implies that the energy used is not lost; the Dissipation of Energy means that although force is not lost it is converted into forms of low-power energy which cannot be used immediately. Thus, the coal that is burned produces heat to drive an engine. A large part of the heat is converted into motion but much of it escapes into the elements. It is dissipated, thinned down, but not lost. The world is like a clock that begins to run down once it has been wound up. The fact that the world is running down implies that it was once wound up, so to speak. Perplexed. —The Scholastics distinguished between sensihilia, communia, such as extension, motion, etc., which • • could be perceived by several of the senses, and sen silt ilia propria , such as color, taste, smell, which are the objects of individual senses. Akin to this is the modern inept distinction into primary and secondary ■ objects. The theory that we can have no certainty as to the reliability of our senses leads directly to scepticism. The old theory that the senses, when normal, and acting under normal conditions, can be depended on to report truly, is the only satisfactory foundation of science. This does not mean that' the senses tell us all that is to be learned about the object, but that their report is true as far as it goes. All Scholastics agree that extension and motion are formal and real qualities of bodies, but there is some difference of opinion as to the explanation of how we attribute color, taste, etc., to things. All would, however, agree that they exist fundamentally and objectively outside the senses. In this they differ from the English and • German schools. A sceptic who howls when he hits his finger with a hammer is as absurd as a Christian Scientist who puts up an umbrella on a wet day. H.O. —Get rid of the idea that the efficacy of the Sacrament of Penance depends on your devotion. Remember that it is a means of grace, and that its efficacy consists •in its power of applying the satisfaction of Christ to your soul. There are three essential parts for the penitent to concern himself about; contrition, confession, satisfaction. "When you have done your part sincerely and as well as you can the fourth part, which is absolution, will have its effect on the soul. The thing for scrupulous people to remember is that God will meet them more than half-way and it is the sacrament and not their acts, which are, only part of it, .. .• that gives sanctifying grace. In other words; realise that we are not depending on our own imperfect efforts but on God who assists us and makes up for our weakness. As long as we place no obstacle to the action - of grace the Sacrament 'will have its effect. But this is a matter about which you ought to consult your confessor. "When you do seek his advice, remember that the first rule for scrupulous people is obedience. Occasional Correspondent (Taranaki). —Only officially appointed correspondents ought to send us collect wires, and they, only when the subject is important and urgent." It is something in the nature of an unkind practical joke to send us a long collect wire about a matter that is a month old. Why not wait until the students are returning to Mosgiel next year and send the. news by one of them? The obvious thing to do about news like that is to write about it, as neglecting so long to send it is a proof that the sender is not impressed by its importance. And if .you fool that you cannot v resist the (urge to wire . the ancient news,

— 7-* :• — : 7 — — —— why not pay for your fun yourself? If the matter depended on the judgment of the editor such wires would be rejected and allowed to return to the sender.