until it finds its own good and its own happiness in the happiness and good of others, and the law is no longer hard to keep. It becomes a necessity of the soul as well as a duty. This is the meaning of that deep saying of St. Augustine, "only love, and you may do what you choose." But to this end, the nations, not satisfied with being just, must be good, kind, trustful toward each other. The nations of Europe must maintain among themselves dispositions like those of provinces of the same country.

Does the prosperity of one of our provinces produce invidious feelings in the rest? No; because in their individuality-too imperfect, in my opinion, but real, nevertheless—they form the grand unit, France. Well, let each of the nations of the continent consider itself a province of that United States of Europe, which has not yet received its political constitution, but has received its moral one. Then, in the superior unity which knits together their interests, and instead of impairing, strengthens and develops them, they will learn to trust each other; and when, as the result of honorable effort-of industry and virtue-the prosperity of one of them shall be increased, it will not excite fear in any quarter, but pride and satisfaction everywhere. The little States will say, We have one protector more. And the great States will open ranks to welcome a new and potent auxiliary.

But how much closer and holier this unity becomes, when we consider it in its relations to Christianity! I have referred already to the wonderful teaching of St. Paul. "The nations are fellow-heirs, and of the same body."*"Concorporales:" it is one of those new words coined by Christianity to express the new ideas which it

*Ephesians, iii. 6.

brought into the world, the idea of true cosmopolitanism and humanitarianism, the idea of the city and people of God! The nations are more than consolidated ; they are concorporeal, because they are "partakers of one promise," and of one divine life," in Christ by the gospel."

Ladies and Gentlemen, I call to mind the first appearance of the symbol of the cross on a military standard. A prince, of whom I speak reservedly--for though in certain relations he was the benefactor of the gospel, he also, in my opinion, inflicted on it no little injuryConstantine the Great-[tokens of approval]—at that moment he was great, indeed, for he was struggling against the blind and violent resistance of expiring paganism; in one of those prophetic dreams which come to great men on the eve of the great events of their lives and of the world's life, Constantine saw the Christ holding in his hands, oh wonder! a flag of war; but on that flag was traced the cross!

The cross upon the flag! It is first the transformation of war, and then its destruction: transformation by justice and charity, destruction by peace. No! since that ray of heaven marked out the cross upon the Labarum, there must be no war save just war, waged only for the defence of right against violent aggression, and consequently against war, and in the interest of peace. All other war than this is pagan, even though Christians be its soldiers; and the cross of Jesus which it profanes shall be avenged, in the judgment of the last day. No! under the standard of the cross, no more of hatred, revenge, cruelty! But on these fields of horror, yet of moral beauty, the same hands which have inflicted wounds shall come near, trembling with pity, I had almost said with remorse, to stanch and heal. Instead of that savage war-cry of antiquity, Væ victis,

"woe to the vanquished!"—there shall be seen and heard nothing but love toward the conquered, and respect.

The day shall come, it may be ages from this timebut to the thought of God, and to the life of humanity, ages are but days-when the light of the cross shall shine out upon the prophetic Labarum, and the battlestandard shall be thenceforth only the standard of the immortal victory of peace.

ual

In the present age of the world, universal and perpetpeace is only a chimera. In the age to come, it will be a reality. For my part, I have always believed-and now, in this assembly of my brethren, I don't mind. telling the secret-I have always believed that in some nearer or remoter future, mankind would come, not to complete perfection, which does not belong to earth, but to that relative perfection which precedes and prepares for heaven. After the fall of Jerusalem and Rome, and the predicted end of the ancient world, the primitive Christians, heirs of the promises of Jewish prophecy, did not expect immediately the beginning of the heavenly and eternal state, but a temporal reign of Jesus Christ and his saints, a regeneration and triumph of man upon the earth. I, also, look for this mysterious millennium, about which our errors of detail cannot shake the deep, unalterable truth. I look for it, and in the humble but faithful measure of my labors, my words, my prayers, I strive to prepare the way for it. I believe that nations as well as individuals shall some day taste the fruit of universal redemption by the Son of God made man. I believe that the law and the gospel shall reign over this whole planet. I believe that we-that you and I shall see descending from heaven a manhood humbler and nobler, meeker and mightier, purer and

more loving, in a word, grander, than our own. this man shall be the peace!" Et erit iste Pax.*

"And

Over the cradle of our Lord Jesus Christ the angels sung, in the majestic beauty of that Christmas night, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will to men." And over the tomb from which he rose, the cradle of his new life, Christ says himself, "I have overcome the world! My peace I give to you!" The future shall receive that promise of the angels, and that gift of Christ-the double hosanna of his cradle and his tomb. The future is the inheritance, not of the violent, but of the meek. Then shall be brought to pass that other saying, written among the words that shall never pass away, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." [Loud and long-continued applause.]

* Micah, v. 5.

THE NOTRE-DAME LECTURES.

ADVENT, 1867.

CIVIL SOCIETY IN ITS RELATIONS WITH
CHRISTIANITY.

LECTURE FIRST,

DECEMBER 1, 1867.

CIVIL SOCIETY IN ITS RELATIONS WITH DOMESTIC SOCIETY.

MY LORD ARCHBISHOP AND GENTLEMEN: In entering, last year, upon the study of social questions in their moral and religious aspect, we distinguished, at the outset, three principal forms of society, which, for different but equally imperative reasons, are essential to the perfect organization of mankind on the earth domestic society, or the family-civil society, or the State; religious society, or the Church. We have spoken of the family. The subject needed years-we devoted to it six lectures; but as far as our limits allowed us we have treated of that subject.

The order of subjects brings me, this year, to the consideration of Civil Society, or the State.

But is this a time for bringing such a subject into the Christian pulpit? Is it becoming to lift up a voice