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other, and that while it is allowable even to English clergymen to kneel among a Roman Catholic congregation singing a hymn to a saint, in Paris, Amiens or Cologne, it would be a grievous sin to do so on this side of the straits of Dover.

Scores of orthodox English clergymen and hundreds of devout Anglican ladies, having "obtained a safe passage" by the fixed service or the tidal boats, follow in the steps of Germanus and Lupus, by kneeling with Romanists in grand old continental cathedrals, while the solemn ora pro nobis rises alike from the lips. of choir and congregation, including even a few of the faithful Anglicans themselves. The English ladies are, of course,mistaken by the rest of the congregation for foreigners and Roman

Catholics, while the clergymen are invariably thought to be Romish priests.

And so we see that the Church of this country had the same rules, without the shadow of a divergence, in the fifth century as in the nineteenth -a highly consoling and most beautiful thought. But how beautiful and how consoling are the treasures of history, if we but seek them at their sources, instead of contenting ourselves with hand-books or mere historical romances.

A student, who was going abroad, once inquired from me whether it would be permissible to ask "the intercession of the holy martyr Alban " in order to obtain a "safe passage' across the channel before starting; in short, whether, when one is going to leave England, and wishes for the in

tercession of a saint on one's travels, it is best to have it now, or wait till one gets it. My reply was that it would be decidedly illegal, in an ecclesiastical sense, to ask the intercession of any saint either in England or in British waters.

This gave rise to the interesting question at what spot in the English channel the ora pro nobis became allowable. I decided that although some theologians consider that the right to make use of Roman Catholic devotions begins exactly at mid-channel, it is more probable that it does not begin until RomanCatholic waters are reached. Moreover, I am personally inclined to think that as the sea between English and French waters is neither Anglican nor Roman, it is safer not to pray at all when in these

neutral waters, since all danger of schism may thus be avoided. This, however, I do not advance as a matter of faith, but merely as a pious opinion.

Germanus was entreated by all the priests that he would again defend the cause of God. He speedily complied with their request, . . . put to sea, and was calmly wafted over to Britain.

Elafius, the chief of that religion, hastened to meet the holy man, carrying with him his son, who labored under a weakness of his limbs. . . . Germanus, causing the youth to sit down, gently passed his healing hand over the leg which was con

tracted; the limb recovered its strength and soundness by the power of his touch, the withered nerves were restored, and the youth was, in the presence of all the people, delivered whole to his father. The multitude was amazed at the miracle, and the Catholic faith was firmly planted in the minds of all.1

13

13 This proves the truth of the remarks in the last note, for when Germanus has again reached the shores of Britain, nothing is said about "the intercession of the holy martyr Alban." Coming, as it does, so soon after the other passage, this is very pointed, and there can be no kind of question as to its meaning.

So Bishop Germanus came back

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