ON THE Principal Doctrines and Practices OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH; DELIVERED AT ST. MARY'S, MOORFIELDS, DURING THE LENT OF 1836. JOIN MURPHY & CO., PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS, NO. 178 MARKET STREET. PITTSBURG-GEORGE QUIGLEY. Sold by all the principal Catholic Booksellers in the United States. 1851. PREFACE TO THE THIRD AMERICAN EDITION. AMONG the numerous and learned productions of Dr. (now Cardinal) Wiseman, his "Lectures on the Principal Doctrines and Practices of the Catholic Church" hold a distinguished place, and may be ranked in general among the most valuable specimens of doctrinal and polemical writing of which Catholic literature can boast. Though important changes have taken place in the religious views and feelings of a large portion of the Christian world since the first edition of these Lectures was presented to the public, they still form a series of discourses admirably adapted to the present state of controversy between the Catholic Church and the various sects of Protestantism. The Tractarian movement in England and in this country has given a new phase to religious polemics, but it has not changed substantially the state of the question. The main points which it involves are developed and settled by Dr. Wiseman with a force of reasoning, a felicity of illustration, and a conciliatory spirit, which are unsurpassed, if equalled, in any other English work of a similar character. The Scriptural argument on the matters treated, is more fully and logically pursued than in most other works of this description. Hence, it will always be a standard reference on these subjects, useful alike to the members of the true church and to her adversaries. The former will find it an armory, where they will always be readily supplied with the most effective means of defending the Catholic cause; while the latter will be enlightened by its forcible and luminous reasoning, and convinced of the lamentable errors introduced by the pretended Reformation. With these remarks, the publishers offer it with confidence to the American community, and trust that it will receive the patronage which it so eminently merits. |