them? And if they are, whence comes it that men who are so zealous for the glory of the holy Church, should have so little regard for those who procured it-imitating the Egyptians, who loved to have numerous, fruitful, and well tended flocks, and loved to feed on their milk, and loved to clothe themselves in their wool-but at the same time abhorred as unclean the poor shepherds who toiled for Haring said so much about some of the most renowned and illustrious members of Religious Orders in former times and in foreign lands, it will not be improper to say something of the present time, and particularly of our own country. We shall begin with the learned and witty O'Leary. He was a gentleman, a scholar, and a profound theologian, and it may not be too much to assert, that without treating lightly the memories of the Irish Jesuit Brown, who wrote the "Pax vobis ;"-Dr. Nary, the celebrated antiquarian, historian, and controversialist; Dr. Burke and Dr. Lanigan, bishops of Ossory; Dr. O'Brien, of Castle Lyons, diocese of Cloyne; Dr. Coppinger, bishop of Cloyne and Ross; and the three Drs. Butler, who in unbroken succession sat in the archiepiscopal see of Cashel, there did not appear since the Reformation such a champion of Catholicity as Father O'Leary: and he was a Capuchin. His successor, Father Donovan, is still remembered with benedictions, and the third on the list of the same Order, Father Matthew, the Apostle of Temperance, is revered wherever his name is known, that is, throughout the wide domain of Christendom. Another holy and unassuming man of the same Order, Father Kinsella, has rendered most singular service to religion by his faithful translations of Tertullian's book of "Prescriptions," and of the Commonitorium or "Treatise of the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Church," by the renowned St Vincent, of Lerins; works which the Gallican assembly of bishops, at which Bossnet (no mean authority) was present, declared were more than sufficient to enable Catholics to successfully defend their religion,and to induce Protestants to embrace it. At present not one of the Trish Hierarchy are members of a Religious Order, but there was a time when no less than twenty-three were members of some Religious Society. Who can praise as he merited the late immortal and ever to be lamented Dr. Doyle he was an Augustinian. The celebrated Father Tom Maguire, whose death has left a vacuum which will not soon be filled up, and the manner of whose death will ever be a subject of regret to every friend of religion and of Ireland, was justly called the "Bossuet" of Ireland ;-but of Dr. Doyle it may be truly said, that what St. Augustin was to the church, he was to the Irish branch of it-its honour, its glory, its champion, its David, its light, its rock of defence, and its invincible Doctor! Let not the names of Drs. Betagh and Kenny be forgotten; they were renowned in their generations,-learned but pious,-laborious but contemplative,-austere but charitable,-fond of privacy, yet going about every where doing good,-en. couraging the strong and strengthening the weak,-constant in the confessional yet preaching everywhere,-poor yet enriching others, without a sufficiency for themselves, yet sharing with the necessitous,-in a word using this world as though they used it not,-walking on earth and commingling with their fellow men, yet having their minds constantly fixed on heaven, the object of all their desires and aspirations,living as men having death always in view, and dying with a well grounded hope that the God of charity would in eternity crown all their labours, and reward all their works done for Him, in the bestowal of the delightful fruition of those glories which He has specially reserved for His faithful few. They died: but their names shall be held in perpetual remembrance, for they left a character and a fame, which like the fields of their own Emerald isle, shall ever remain fresh and green in the minds of those whom they benefited! And as their deeds were destined also for the good of future times, in every generation shall their labours and merits be proclaimed by a proverbially kindhearted and grateful people. And who were these men? They were worthy sons of the illustrious Ignatius of Loyola, faithful and holy members of the much maligned and oft persecuted order of the "Society of Jesus." It would be too tedious to enumerate the many memorable characters who, in our own times have illustrated the annals of the Religious Orders in Ireland. But I cannot avoid saying something of those who for their great piety, talents, and zeal, have been raised to the episcopacy, and sent into the four corners of the earth to preach the gospel. I pass by those who have died within our recollection, and shall confine myself to those now living. If we go to Gibraltar we find an Irish Franciscan, in the person of the Illustrious Confessor, Bishop Hughes, the worthy nephew of the cele. i brated Father Hayes. The Dr. at Isidore's in Rome, in the Franciscan convents of Wexford, Cork, and Dublin, immortalized himself by his fervid and flowing eloquence, by the sanctity and purity of his morals, by his rigid adherence to discipline, by his inflexibility, his labours, and his great and unostentatious charities. He purged his cathedral of the vipers who, in the shape of lay-trustees, were endeavouring to enslave the church and to create a schism; and in the felon's cell he achieved a glorious victo ry over the wicked trio,-the trustees, the British officials, and the Prince of Darkness; he lives in the affections of his devoted flock, and may God grant that he may long continue to adorn the Franciscan order, his native land, and the See of Gibraltar, by the lustre of his virtues, the example of his charity, and his pure and sincere devotion. In leaving the "Rock" we pass to Newfoundland, where we shall find a colony of Irish Franciscans, with two bishops of their Order presiding over them. The name of Dr. Fleming is familiar to all who read the Catholic papers, and his super-human exertions for building up the spiritual edifice of religion, and erecting material temples in which God may be worthily honoured, are known extensively both in the old and new worlds. His worthy co-adjutor, Dr. Mullock is in the vigour of life, and has rendered much service to religion by his "Life of St Alphonsus Liguori,” and by his translation of the celebrated" History of the various Heresies, with their Refutation" by the same saint. They have become the instruments of incalculable good, and generations yet unborn will bless their ministry. We pass on to Demerara or British Guinea, and there we find the humble, the laborious, the talented and saintly Dr. Hynes, a worthy member of the Dominican order. When a only a very young man his extraordinary labours in that country obtained for him the glorious appellation of the Apostle of Demerara," and when he returned to Europe a short time previous to his appointment to the co-adjutorship of the united sees of Zante and Cephalonia in the t Ionian Islands, he left a flourishing church there, which r through subsequent maladministration was rapidly ap proaching to the very brink of ruin, until the late illustrious, Pope Gregory XVI, sent Dr. Hynes to Demerara to be its del bishop, to repair the injury inflicted by the most flagrant: ton scandals, and to build up again the broken down fence, 1512 He has laboured in spite of the most disheartening difficult ties thrown in his way by unworthy men, whose deeds shall be passed by in silence, as they have long since been sum moned before the tribunal of the God of justice he has laboured much, but he has laboured successfully, and allie good men pray devoutly that he may live long and may be rewarded in his old age with an abundant harvest of those crops which in his youth he planted by his preaching, and.niza watered with his sweat and tears. Time presses and my space is now limited, let us hasten then to the Cape of 1 Good Hope. An Irish Dominican, Dr. Griffith, sits there on the episcopal throne. Mild and gentle as a lamb, but, 9510 strong as a giant in missionary labours. His name is held,te in veneration in Limerick his native city, but Dublin, where,ad to he passed the most of his missionary life, can never forge ot him as a preacher. His eloquence was of the first order a favor it was swift but not impetuous,-it was burning but charity roa always guided it,—it would do honour to Demosthenes, ret hand the simple perfectly understood it,it had for its object the blow wonders of Creation and Redemption, the glories of Mar the characteristics and destinities of the Church; and it was always proved successful when the widow and the orphan, si the education of youth,-and the cause of the forlore;lomb to fronds of die wat oo) ed beans tiloins Vigen VILY SC zoves Pre zobgold batice ed: lo jasa edi VII. eldermen zuim edi staremuas et amilos DEDICATORY EPISTLE. Magdalen were committed its advocacy. Under the that crime will never be effectually checked, 1 or will the burning sun of Africa the good bishop labours unremittingly poor be properly provided for, or treated by such methods in season and out of season; and that he has not been idle. as have alone the sanctions of genuine Christianity, until is proved from the fact that he solicited and obtained from the death warrant of heresy, infidelity, and demoralization, Pius IX. a division of his Vicariate-one-half of which has shall have been signed by the same instrument which shall during the past two years been governed by a young Irish recal into being the ruined cells and cloisters, and give them bishop, Dr. Devereux, a secular. We have now arrived at life and energy. You are labouring worthily in your vocaBombay, and there we behold an Irish Carmelite wearing ation, and the splendid convent and church of Knocktopher mitre. The unassuming but energetic Dr. Whelan presides are trophies of your victories over the undisguised malice of over that extensive Vicariate. You know him well, Rev. your enemies, and of the cruel apathy of those who should Father, and it is not too much to assert that he is an orna- be your friends. Oh! what a lesson have you taught the ment to religion, a pillar of the house of God. A kind, Catholic body by your labours and by your success. If a patient, laborious, and talented shepherd of the fock of poor and powerless friar (I speak humanly) could achieve Christ. He indeed possesses talents of no ordinary kind, so much, what might not the poor but countless thousands and we have reason to conclude that, if his life be spared, of Irish Catholics in Ireland and Great Britain do, if they he will effectually crush the last remnants of the Portuguese could only be induced to forget party strifes and provincial schismatics,-strengthen the faith of the oppressed Irish jealousies, and unite as true sons of the church to promote soldiers, conquer the malice of military despots, edify his sound education and undefiled religion? Shall that day peeple, and be the instrument of innumerable conversions never come? Deus absit-God forbid Ireland has been among the aboriginal inhabitants of that portion of the East the benefactress of the nations, and thougli the lastre of committed to his episcopal care. On our homeward voyage her former greatness has been dimmed and faded, yet even let us pass the Straits of Gibraltar and visit the island of now she is, as far as her limited means and the altered Corfu. There we behold in the person of the co-adjutor state of circumstances will permit, recovering her former archbishop, another Irish Carmelite, Dr. Nicholson, a man splendour. May you and I live to see that day when she of genius, well known in Rome and in Ireland, as possessing shall be again honoured with the glorious appellation of the talents of the highest order; powerful in word and work; Island of the Saints and of the learned, "Ensula Sanctorum an ornament to the hierarchy, a patriot without reproach, a et doctorum." I deeply regret that when you lately so. genuine, warm-hearted, and noble son of the "Emeraldjourned amongst us here, that my very limited means pre Isle." At length we have reached Ireland, and there we rented me from giving you a substantial proof of my find two amiable and eloquent members of the hierarchy, profound respect for yourself individually, my esteem and who filled with honour and dignity the episcopal thrones of veneration for the Religious Orders in general, and of my Madras and Calcutta, until declining health obliged them sincere desire to enable you to complete the noble work to return home. Dr. O'Connor, of the " Augustinian Order," which has rendered your name famous in the annals of your and Dr. St. Leger, of the " Society of Jesus." Who can order, and in the history of the Irish church, and which recount their labours or enumerate their conquests? When shall perpetuate your memory to the latest generation. they went to the East, obstacles without number beset their If I have been the instrument of any good, however small r path. Religion in ruins through the corrupt influence of in amount, I beg most earnestly to be remembered in the: 3 Portuguese schismatical bishops and priests, and the wither prayers of your pious community. My wishes are but few ing influence of powerful lay-patronage, which the schis-I only ask that I may not die in debt, and that Jesus and matics had called into their aid! But the legitimate Mary may receive my sinful soul when I die. I have now pastors were men of sterling worth and of indomitable earthly attachments, for fortunately the world has treated energy: they crushed schism and banished lay intruders. me cruelly, and I have long since made up my mind for Demoralization skulked into the shade, and religion with troubles. Oh! if I had improved the opportunities which her attendant train of virtues gained the ascendancy. Be-presented themselves, (there is still room for improvement fore the bishops committed their flocks to the fostering care for they continue to present themselves,) I should indeed be of their worthy successors, Drs. Carew and Fennelly, they truly happy. But, Rev. Father, human nature is weak, laid the foundation of religion's future greatness in the and we sometimes require all the aids which religion can East; and their names, in generations yet to come, shall be afford, to enable us to sustain the conflict. May I then beg embalmed in the memory of a happy people, and their of you most earnestly to remember me. As a priest of the labours shall be recorded by the future historian. Had I Most High,-as a client of the glorious and immaculate not made up my mind to confine myself to write of living Mother of God, I conjure you not to forget me before the characters, I could cover many pages with the names, Holy Altar. Oh! if Jesus and Mary attend my dying pillow without recording the deeds, of the many illustrious Irish I shall indeed be happy; and I shall then willingly submitmembers of Religious Orders, who in Ireland, in France, in that my body be commingled with the earth: and thrice Spain, in Portugal, in Italy, and in America, have been happy would I be, if eircumstances would permit, that my honoured with the mitre, since the period improperly called bones should commingle with the hallowed dust of my the Reformation. And if to these I were to add those who persecuted and venerated fathers. in every country, England not excepted, even now sit on episcopal thrones, without enumerating those countless names which adorn the history of the Church from the first establishment of Religious Orders, if even space permitted, I would tire you out, and weary my reader. Suffice it then, Rey. Father, to say, that to the abolition of the Religious Orders in the united kingdom, are we almost wholly to attribute the banishment of true religion, the introduction of heresy and infidelity, and the wide spread of demoralization throughout the ramifications of society. When the royal robber plundered the religious houses he stabbed religion in a vital part, he defrauded the poor and laid the foundation of that pauperism which, notwithstanding the worldly greatness of England, has been travelling pari passu with distribution of corrupted Bibles. Remove the and you will remove the effect. If the cause of all the evils of which I complain may be fairly traced to the demolition of the monasteries and other religious houses, surely it cannot be too much to assert that England and the rest of the united kingdom will never be truly happy, And now, Rev. Father, before I conclude, permit me to vindicate myself in very few words from the malevolent and artful on the one side, and from the simple and misinformed on the other. There is no need of telling you that I an the Editor or compiler of this volume, which I have dedi cated to you in preference to the many priests of my own family. Besides writing much (and I write without fee or reward) you will perceive by a perusal of the following pages that I also speak a great deal; but I beg you will keep in view that I never speak outside of Manchester without a special invitation. My conduct in Manchester is open to criticism, and as I have been annoyed by a merciless persecution carried on in a covert and clandestine manner, I owe to my character as a Catholic, and as a man having some claims to the appellation of a scholar, to say something by way of defence. I was called upon towards the close of 1848 to rebut some infamous charges s which loe had been brought by a notorious Irish apostate against the religious principles of Irish Catholics. I reluctantly yielded, and purposed to meet the charges and then retire. Cir ་ cumstances above my control combined to force me out for a longer period. Indeed I have continued to the present time, and my last lecture was the 112th since the commencement. I knew full well my duty as a layman, and I have never even once transgressed against the discipline of the Church, I selected for my subjectsThe Life and Times of Martin Luther; of "Calvin ;" of "Knox;" of "Henry VIII;" of "Elizabeth;" of "Oliver Cromwell ""The Gunpowder Plot" The Inquisition;" the "Crusades ;" the "History of the Jesuits;" the "Paraguay Mission;" the " History of the Manicheans;" of the "Albigenses;" of "John Wickliffe;" the "Illuminized Free Masons;" the "Roman Revolution;" the "Red Republicans;"" Dr. Achilli :"the" Suppression of Monasteries;" the "Demoralized State of Eng. land and every other Protestant State;" and a variety of other interesting subjects. I have made it my business to act the part of an Historical lecturer, and by accumulating, as it were, a mountain load of facts, I have left our opponents in a defenceless position. In acting thus I have performed two things, namely, I have vindicated our principles from the attacks of our enemies, and in the second place I have refuted the charge so shamefully, and often brought against the Catholic priesthood, when it is said that they are enemies of education, and that they designedly keep their people in ignorance, lest, if they were properly instructed, they should discover the supposed errors of Popery, and would consequently leave the Church in ADDRESS OF THE EDITOR OF THE ILLUMINATOR TO THE CATHOLIC BODY. The appearance of a NEW CATHOLIC WEEKLY JOURNAL may perhaps surprize you, although you feel perfectly satisfied that such a publication is absolutely required in this vicinity, and especially in these times. We have long felt that our people want a steady and healthy supply of knowledge, conveyed to them through channels purely Catholic, proportioned to their education and position, rendered pleasing by the admixture of many ingredients, and useful for filling up the leisure hours which from time to time they may possess. We are even bold enough to assume, that after the great duties of the Christian Sabbath have been performed, even on that day our readers may profitably employ their leisure in the persual of our pages. For, is not our sole object,--to instruct the ignorant, both young and old, in their moral and social duties, from sources purely Catholic;-to refute the calumnies of our unscrupulous opponents;-and to place within the reach of the sincere inquirers after truth those means and helps, which with the Divine assistance, will infallibly allay their fears and remove their doubts. If ever a time existed for action on our parts, surely it is the present. Heresy and Infidelity were never bolder than they now are. Look at the almost countless numbers of cheap trashy publications which appear every week. The avowed purpose of the authors is to defame the religion of antiquity, misrepresent its practices and lampoon its most august and sacred rites and ceremonies. This is not all,-for there are some who studiously endeavour to undermine the morality of the Gospel, and to spread the most filthy licentiousness, by presenting vice to the youthful mind in the most ensnaring and fascinating style. It is said that the spirit of inquiry is abroad, and that the youth of the present generation ardently thirst for the waters of knowledge. That in consequence of the want of better fare they swallow large. draughts of those unwholesome streams which have been polluted with the mud of heresy and infidelity. And that eo far as the Catholic youths are concerned they have no choice, since no cheap literature has been provided for them. We could reply, that it would be better to remain in ignorance for ever than be indebted to such sources for information. We could remind those who so speak of the fervour and constancy of their martyred or plundered fathers, who would rather remain ignorant of human science than place their faith and consciences in jeopardy. But, we forbear, -for we know too well that opportunities of being informed, through the medium of cheap literature, have been often afforded them, but they were neglected: and many useful and valuable periodicals have disappeared for want of zeal and spirit on the part of our youth, but not until partial, and sometimes total ruin, fell unmeritedly upon the exterprizing editors or publishers. We now labour, without any great pretensions, to supply wholesome information for the youthful mind, and to remove, partially at least, the causes of complaint. If there be an anxious desire for information, we put it at once to the Catholic people,-ought not this desire to be gratified, ought not our youth to be led away, and that immediately, from those polluted waters and to be supplied with those wholesome pellucid streams which flow so abundantly, and always, from the fountains of Catholicity. Surely if we are sincere we will patronize a laudable effort to meet a great evil. We will strain a point to support a cheap periodical, especially when that periodical is a local one, the conductors of which are pledged to spare no pains to create a taste for Catholic literature,-to inspire the rising generation with a love of morality and religion, to furnish at the same time the candid inquirer with solutions to all his doubts, and to castigate with wholesome severity those false prophets, those wolves, in sheep's clothing, who itinerate the kingdom from end to end for the purpose of carrying on an irreligious crusade against God, his religion, and people. We insist most strongly on this, that if a hundred useful Catholic publica. tions were published in London or elsewhere, they could not produce half as much good as a local periodical. We want a paper to represent our own wants and wishes, and to refute the combined attacks of Stowell and his clique; and we repeat that no journal or periodical could do this but a local one. You must not expect too much in the beginning, or be disposed to quarrel if faults appear. We are pledged to make gradual improvements; and so far from being offended, would feel highly favoured, if any of our readers could suggest any useful alterations, either as to the quality of our subjects or the plan of their arrangement. We wish our periodical to be useful and efficient, and our desire is to edify and instruct. But, so far as principle will tolerate, we are more willing to obey than to command. To the Divine Founder of our holy religion we humbly dedicate our labours, and to Him we confidently appeal for the purity of our intentions and the disinterestedness of our motives. To his Holy Church we humbly submit ourselves and our writings, being determined in life and death to be obedient. To his Holy Mother we commend our labours and ourselves, and we place both under her especial patronage. ADDRESS OF THE EDITOR OF THE ILLUMINATOR You perceive that a change has been made this week, and we deeply regret it. We were no parties to it, but we were obliged reluctantly to yield. Many were desirous to have the Illuminator in a smaller form, fit for binding in a portable shape; and others preferred a penny publication, under the impression that it would meet, at that price, a more general circulation, and that its permanency would thereby be more effectually secured. We confess that we respectfully differ in opinion from our correspondents on this subject, and we would rather enlarge it than cut down its dimensions. We shall try it in its present form and size; and we trust that, at no distant period, we shall be enabled to publish as much matter as each of the preceding numbers contained. We have no control in the affair, and therefore we are compelled to submit for the present. But arrangements are being made that will place this journal on a more independent footing. Our subscribers must then look upon the present number as the beginning of the series, for they will perceive that the life of St. Elizabeth is not continued, and the lectures are omitted too. We intend to publish all the lectures. Each lecture will appear by itself, and its price will be only one penny. The matter contained in the two numbers which have been already published, will again appear in due time, in order that they may be bound up with the series; and no pains shall be spared to render the work both instruc. tive and amusing. PRICE ONE PENNY. as our very limited capabilities will permit, go on as we have begun, hoping that our people will effectually sustain us in our labours; and entreating Providence to give efficacy to our exertions, as we work only for the defence of truth and the well-doing of our fellow men. We leave the matter in your hands-we shall patiently await the resultand if we fail, we shall console ourselves with the reflection that we have done our duty, and that our want of success must be entirely attributed to circumstances above our control. Manchester, December 15th, 1849. -000 THE GLORIOUS EFFECTS OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY. ST. JOHN OF GOD.-A.D. 1550. St. John, surnamed of God, was born in Portugal, in 1495. His parents were of the lowest rank in the country, but devout and charitable. John spent a considerable part of his youth in service, under the mayoral or chief shepherd of the Count of Oropeusa, in Castile, and in great innocence and virtue. In 1522 he listed himself in a company of foot raised by the count, and served in the wars between the French and Spaniards; as he did afterward in Hungary against the Turks whilst the Emperor Charles V. was king of Spain. By the licentiousness of his companions he, by degrees, lost his fear of offending God, and laid aside the greatest part of his practices of devotion. The troop which he belonged to being disbanded, he went into Andalusia in 1536, where he entered the service of a rich lady near Seville, in quality of shepherd. Being now about forty years of age, stung with remorse for his past misconduct, he began to entertain very serious thoughts of a change of life, and doing penance for his sins. He accordingly employed the greatest part of his time, both by day and night, in the exercises of prayer and mortification; bewailing almost continually his ingratitude towards We carnestly call upon the Catholics of Manchester and its vicinity to aid and assist, as much as possible, in placing the Illuminator on a respectable footing. That a neces-God, and deliberating how he could dedicate himself in sity for its publication exists, is denied by none; and there fore it is the duty of all, since we are continually attacked and misrepresented, to use every lawful means to give it a large circulation. We believe that more than sufficient means are at our disposal, and we feel convinced that there will be no lack of zeal in our body. We deeply feel our incompetency for the task imposed upon us, and we would gladly place the matter in abler hands, contenting our selves with performing the duties of a subordinate station. However, until such persons appear, we shall gladly, as far for the distressed moved him to take a resolution of leaving the most perfect manner to his service. His compassion his place and passing into Africa, that he might comfort and succour the poor slaves there, not without hopes of meeting with the crown of martyrdom. At Gibraltar he met with a Portuguese gentleman condemned to banish. ment, and whose estate had also been confiscated by King John III. He was then in the hands of the king's officers, together with his wife and children, and on his way to charity and compassion, served him without any wages. At Ceuta in Barbary, the place of his exile. John, out of Ceuta, the gentleman falling sick with grief and the change of air, was soon reduced to such straits as to be TRUTH. ST. PETER. obliged to dispose of the small remains of his shattered The archbishop of Granada, taking notice of so excellent fortune for the family's support. John, not content to sell an establishment, and admiring the incomparable order what little stock he was master of to relieve them, went to observed in it, both for the spiritual and temporal care of day labour at the public works to earn all he could for the poor, furnished considerable sums to increase it, and their subsistence. The apostacy of one of his companions favoured it with his protection. This excited all persons alarmed him, and his confessor telling him that his going to vie with each other in contributing to it. Indeed, the in quest of martyrdom was an illusion, he determined to charity, patience, and modesty of St. John, and his wonren to Spin. Coming back to Gibraltar, his piety sug-derful care and foresight, engaged every one to admire gested to hur to turn pedlar, and sell little pictures and and favour the institute. The bishop of Tuy, president of books of devotion, which might furnish him with oppor- the royal court of judicature in Granada, having invited tunities of exhorting his customers to virtue. His stock the holy man to dinner, put several questions to him, to all increasing considerably, he settled in Granada, where he which he answered in such a manner as gave the bishop opened a shop in 1538, being then forty three years of age. the highest esteem of his person. It was this prelate that The great preacher and servant of God, John D'Avila, gave him the name of John of God, and prescribed him a surnamed the Apostle of Andalusia, preached that year at kind of habit, though St. John never thought of founding Granada on St. Sebastian's day, which is there kept as a a religious order: for the rules which bear his name were great festival. John having heard his sermon, was so only drawn up in 1556, six years after his death; and reaffleted with it that, melting into tears, he filled the ligious vows were not introduced among his brethren before whole church with his cries and lamentations; detesting the year 1570. his past life, beating his breast, and calling aloud for (To be continued in our next.) mercy. Net content with this, he ran about the streets like a distracted person, tearing his hair, and behaving in such a manner that he was followed everywhere by the rabble with sticks and stones, and came home all besmeared with dirt and blood. He then gave away all he had in the world, and having thus reduced himself to absolute poverty, that he might die to himself, and crucify ail the sentiments of the old man, he began again to coun terfeit the madman, running about the streets as before, till some had the charity to take him to the venerable John D'Avila, covered with dirt and blood. The holy man, full of the Spirit of God, soon discovered in John the motions of extraordinary graces, spoke to him in private, heard his general confession, aad gave him proper advice, and promaxed his assistance ever after. John, out of a desire of the greatest humiliations, returned soon after to his apparent madness and extravagances. He was, thereupon, taken up and put into a madhouse on supposition of his being di-ordered in his senses, where the severest methods were used to bring him to himself, all which he underwent in the spirit of penance, and by way of atonement for the sins of bis past lite. D'Avila being informed of his conduct cune to visit him, and found him reduced almost to the grave by weakness, and his body covered with wounds and tores; but his soul was still vigorous, and thirsting with the greatest ardour after new sufferings and humiliations. L'Avila, Lowever, told him that having now been sulii. citly exercised in that so singular a method of penance and humiliation, he advised him to employ himself for the time to come in something more conducive to his own and the public good. His exhortation had its desired effect; and he grew instantly calm and sedate, to the great asto rishmen of his keepers. He continued, however, some in the hospital serving the sick, but left it entirely St. Ursula's day in 1539. This his extraordinary ens. et is an object of our admiration, not of our antation: in this saint it was the effect of the fervour of his conversion, his desire of humiliation, and a holy hatred of hitself and his past criminal lite. By it he learned in a short time perfectly to die to himself and the world; watch prepared his soul for the graces which God after word bestowed on him. He then thought of executing his design of doing something for the relief of the poor; and, after a pilgrimage to our Lady's in Guadaloupe, to recommend himself and his undertaking to her intercession, in a place celebrated for devotion to her, he began by seling wood in the market-place, to feed some poor by the means of his labour. Soon after he hired a house to har bour poor sick persons in, whom he served and provided for with an ardour, prudence, economy, and vigilance that surprised the whole city. This was the foundation of the order of charity, in 1540, which, by the benediction of neaven, has since been spread all over Christendom. Joan was occupied all day in serving his patients: in the night Le went out to carry in new objects of charity, rather than to seek out provisions for them; for people, of their own accord, brought him in all necessaries for his little hospital. Time lon St. Peter, the most glorious prince of the apostles, and the most ardent lover of his divine master, before his vocation to the apostleship was called Simon. He was son of Jonas, and brother of St. Andrew. St. Epiphanius says, that though he was the younger brother, he was made by Christ the chief of all the apostles St. Chrysostom, on the contrary, takes him to have been the elder brother, and the oldest man in the apostolic college. If writers of the fifth age were divided upon this point, suc. ceeding ages have not been able to decide it. St. Peter originally resided at Bethsaida, a town much enlarged and beautified by Herod the tetrarch, situated in the tribe of Nepthali, in Upper Galilee, on the banks of the lake or sea of Gennesareth. This town was honoured with the presence of our Lord, who, in the course of his ministry, preached and wrought miracles in it. Its inhabitants, however, were for the most part a stupid and obstinate set of men, and their abuse of the grace that was offered them deserved the dreadful woe which Christ denounced against them. St. Peter and St. Andrew were religious, docile, and humble in the midst of a perverse and worldly minded people. They were educated in the laborious trade of fishing, which was probably their father's calling. From Bethsaida St. Peter removed to Capharnaum, probably on account of his marriage; for his wife's mother dwelt there. This place was equally commodious for fishing, being seated on the bank of the same lake, near the mouth of the river Jordan, on the confines of the tribes of Zabulon and Nepthali. Andrew accompanied his brother thither, and they still followed their trade as before. With their worlday employment they retained a due sense of religion, and did not suffer the thoughts of temporal concerns or gain to devour their more necessary attention to spiritual things, and the care of their souls. They lived in the earnest expectation of the Messiah. St. Andrew became a disciple of St. John the Baptist; and mest are of opinion that St. Peter was so too. The former having heard St. Jolin call Christ the Lamb of God, repaired to our Lord, and continued with him the remainder of that day, and, according to St. Austin, the following night. By the convers4tion of Jesus, he was abundantly convinced that he was the Christ, the world's Redeemer; and, coming from him, he went and sought out his brother Simon, and told him, in a transport of holy joy, that he had found the Messiah. Simon believed in Christ before he saw him; and being impatient to behold him with his eyes, and to hear the words of eternal life from his divine mouth, be without delay went with his brother to Jesus, who looking upon him, in order to give him a proof of his omniscience, told him not only his own but also his father's name. He on that occasion gave him the new name of Cephas, which in |