ment, and the

eye needs to repose itself in the quiet and sweet light of solitude.*

We must not, then, despise external means: Jesus Christ How often is he represented in the himself, and passing long hours away Would a means which was necessary

did not despise them. Gospel as withdrawing from men and noise!

to Jesus Christ be useless to us ? I learn from Saint Augustine," says Bossuet, "that the attentive soul makes a soltude for itself: Gignit enim sibi ipsa mentis intentio solitudinem. But let us not flatter ourselves; if we would keep ourselves vigorous in the inward man, we must know how to avail ourselves of seasons of an effective solitude."t

Moreover, it is only as giving opportunity for action that solitude is desirable. The peace, the repose which it offers, are but a frame-work which we have to fill. up. Vagrancy of thought is always hurtful. Christianity makes us think, not dream.

Solitude, on account of its general influence as now set forth, is most valuable to a minister who can employ it in these three ways.

1. It enables him to take an estimate of his modes of life, external and internal. This self-examination should be often made, for the progress of evil is no less rapid than insensible. We are worse to-day than we were yesterday, if we are not better. As diligent stewards, let us settle our account every evening, for the thief may come during the night. A too minute manner of examining ourselves may, however, open a door to selfishness: Let us then, even here, be on our guard,

* See, on the Catholic Institution of Retreats, MASSILLON, third Synodal discourse, De la Nécessité des Retraites pour se renouveller dans le Gráce du Sacerdoce; and BOURDALOUE, l'Avertissement de la Retraite Spirituelle.

† BOSSUET: Oraison Funèbre de Marie Thérèse d'Autriche. For the quotation from St. Augustine, see De divers. Quaest. ad Simplic., lib. ii., Quaest. iv., t. vi., col. 118.

for the enemy glides in through every inlet. Some, with too little caution, have advised us to keep a minute and daily journal; we must not record too much about ourselves, even though we record evil. We shall find it useful, however, to take note of the most important occurrences of our life.

2. It assists him in gathering up the results of his experience. Experience is properly a reaction upon things which have been done; it does not suffice to have seen them, to have assisted in them; we must reflect upon them, detach them, separate them, classify them. "One might pass," says Argenson, "the whole of a long life in working without principles, and thereby learn nothing. Experience is rather the fruit of reflection on what we have seen than the result of a multitude of transactions to which we have not given the attention they deserve."

3. It aids him in consulting God. The holiest occupations can not prosper without this; how necessary, then, to the minister! Let him regulate his remoter conduct, form resolutions, deliberate with himself; he will make many false steps, especially at the outset, if he does not settle his plans of procedure But let God be called to the consultation, and never let Him be away when the deliberations are going on.

In solitude PRAYER finds its natural place, but we shall consider it apart as the second means of renewing vocation. It is not only a duty and a privilege; it is not only a preparation for the ministry, it is one of its labors for the accomplishment of which the first ministers of Jesus Christ demanded a discharge from certain secondary functions: We must, said they, give ourselves to this.-Acts, vi., 4.

Prayer is necessary to keep us at the proper point of vision, which is always escaping from us; to heal the wounds of selflove and of feeling; to renew our courage; to anticipate the always threatened invasion of indolence, of levity, of dilatoriness, of spiritual or ecclesiastical pride, of pulpit vanity, of

professional jealousy. Prayer resembles the air of certain isles of the ocean, the purity of which will allow no life to vermin. With this atmosphere we should compass ourselves about, as the diver surrounds himself with the bell before he descends into the sea.*

But the prayer of a pastor is sacerdotal prayer, and as such it is a function. It has been said that he who works prays; how much more true is it that he who prays works! Prayer is a work like that of Moses in the mount. Intercession is what remains to the ministry of the priesthood.† It was practiced immediately by the Great Pastor and by his apostles, who, without ceasing, made mention of their flocks in their prayers, at the same time that they claimed intercession from their flocks.

Another mode of employing the hours of a pastor's retreat, and a third means of renewing his vocation, is STUDY.

First, the study of the Bible. This, even when divested of every thing scientific, is inexhaustible, and leads to new discoveries, even to the end of life. For the pastor it is both obligatory and necessary; obligatory, since his business is nothing other than preaching the word of God, or according to this word; and thus his ministry will be interesting and fruitful in proportion as his word is penetrated with the substance, and even with the letter,§ of the Divine word.

* Frequent prayer is recommended to the pastor by HARMS, Pastoraltheologie, tome i., p. 25.

+ Not intercession only, but prayer for the coming of God's kingdom. See Isaiah, lxii., 6, 7. "Ye that make mention of the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth."

The prayer of Bacon before his study, reported by M. DE VAUZELLES, Histoire de Bacon, tome i., p. 107. That of Kepler (Semeur de 1838, p. 245). See these prayers, and two passages from Massillon, in the Appendix, note G.

See 1 Tim., iv., 13, "Give attendance to reading," etc.; and 2

1 need not enlarge on the richness and the interest of the preaching of a minister who does not confine himself to knowing certain parts of the Bible, but who understands and cites every part.

The Bible is still more necessary for the care of souls. We run the risk of being often unprovided for occasions as they arise, if we are not familiar with the word of God. What power has a profound knowledge of the Gospel given to certain missionaries. They doubtless have not learned it by heart, but they have heart-knowledge of it. This is the best knowledge, which belongs only to those who have felt its power. Let the minister read the Bible as a pastor and as a Christian; there is danger of reading it chiefly as a preachHe should seek in it, not passages and texts, but powers, virtues, inspirations; otherwise he will consult it no longer as a book, but as a collection of verses.

er.

The holy men, as well as holy words of the Bible, are to be studied. We too much neglect this; lives are the words of God. Christianity, in its greatest depth, is not a book, though it has a book for its foundation and support; it is a fact and a moral fact. The lives of saints, the lives of pastors, the lives of missionaries, should generally be studied. They tend to keep us at the highest point in our ministry. We shall not be kept there if we look only to what is customary.

The Bible should be studied in the original. Even for the country-pastor this study is necessary, for it concerns him to be imbued with the spirit of the Holy Scriptures. We may doubtless conceive of preaching as attended with the Divine blessing, where this means is not used; but the knowledge of the sacred languages is a privilege not to be despised.

Together with, or rather subordinate to, the study of the Tim., iii, 15, 17, "From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures," etc.

Bible, there are other studies which the pastor should pursue. There are abuses here, however, which we shall, in the first place, separate.

1. The study of frivolous things, or study undertaken with a frivolous end. We should beware of studying from mere curiosity, which only serves to feed our vanity; and avoid the foolish questions of which St. Paul speaks.*

2. Expecting from study what it can not give, the true knowledge of God, the love of God, peace of heart. When knowledge has gone so far as to make our darkness visible, it has, as to some things, rendered us the greatest service we can receive from it. It is a preparatory teacher; it is like the law, and has the same purpose-“ a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ;" but it is not the way, the truth, and the life. With much knowledge, we may have no faith; we may be lieve, and believe truly, without having any knowledge: The law of God, still more the Gospel, gives wisdom to the simple. There is, says St. John, an unction which teaches us all things, after which we have no need that any one should teach us.-John, ii., 27.

3. Lastly, excess; that is to say, giving too much of our time and strength to a study to which, as it has no other end than to prepare us for the ministry, or to give us proper recreation, the ministry should not be sacrificed. This would be neglecting the end for the sake of the means. The least of our duties should appear to us more important than the most interesting book, and should be able to withdraw us from it.‡

A question, a delicate one, here presents itself; that which relates to school-teaching ministers. It was not a delicate question some centuries ago, perhaps it will not be always.

'Doting about questions and strifes of words."-1 Tim., vi., 4. "The meek will he teach his way."-Psalm xxv., 9.

Le Clitophon, DE LA BRUYÈRE, Les Caractères, au chapitre Des Biens de la Fortune.