THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH FROM WITHIN.
The Catholic Church from Within. With Preface by the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. (Longmans and Co. 6s 6d )—Many who are not Roman Catholics, and have no intention of becoming Roman Catholics, feel an interest in the services and religious practices of the great Communion which has done so much, for good and evil, to fashion the life and thought of Europe. This work, written, as Cardinal 'Vaughan informs us, by a "lay hand," gives much information about the Roman Catholic Church in
pleasant and intelligible form. With a great deal that is here said about the services of the Church many Protestants will agree. Guizat, himself a rigid Protestant, said that the Roman Catholic Church was the greatest school of reverence in the world. The author's defence of the dramatic character of the services of the Church is forcible; this element in the services of the Roman Catholic Church has always appealed strongly to people of imagination and of strong sympathy. The object of the Church, writes the author, is to bring the scenes in the life of our Blessed Lord so vividly before the minds of her children as to impress them with the belief that they are not merely spectators, but are themselves taking part in them. There is in this policy, at all events, a profound knowledge of human nature ; but, it may be asked, if it is the object of the Church to create a vivid impression on the mind of the worshipper, is it wise to demand his presence so frequently as this writer does ? "We should not be satisfied with one Mass ; we should do our best to hear if possible more daily. With regard to Masses of obligation on Sundays and Feast Days, theologians in general agree that it is necessary to be present from the Credo to the last Gospel in order to fulfil this duty, and avoid mortal sin. We can also merit by uniting our intention to that of priests celebrating at different altars, although we can only personally assist at one Mass." Must not such oft-repetition weaken the force of the most impressive service P
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