and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord" (ibid., v. II).

4. You say: "Christ Himself, Our Lord, has given us a command", John 5:39, "Search the scriptures, for you think in them to have life everlasting". Really, Sir, to us? I do not see it, I do not believe it. And, if He gave it to anybody, it was, of course, to unbelieving Jews, His enemies and persecutors, whom He was addressing; and, if to the Jews, not to all sorts of ignorant men from the crowd, but to the leaders, the priests, the lawyers, who desired to slay Him (v. 18, "Hereupon, therefore, the Jews sought to kill Him"), but "they feared the people" (Luke 22:2); therefore, not to His disciples, who are not said to have been present at that time, and hence not to us. But come now, what if I should understand in the Indicative mood, what you understand in the Imperative, which sense, indeed, suits the Latin word equally well and harmonizes much better with the passage itself; it is very easy to prove this, but it would take a little too long. For the rest, you easily see why I do not delay on the English translation, which perhaps either twists or bends the text into a command.

5. I know full well what a tremendous "Wo!" Christ launches at the lawyers: "For they have taken away the key of knowledge; and they themselves have not entered in, and those that were entering in, they have hindered" (Luke 11:52). Far be that "Wo!" from us, and far it will be, I hope; for we neither took away the key of knowledge, whatever, indeed, that may be, nor do we hinder those who want to come in; nay we even invite and urge the unwilling, and as, far as it is lawful, "compel them to come in" (Luke 14:24). Among us the holy scriptures

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NOTE.-The Latin text of this passage is "Scrutamini scripturas”, which can be translated either 'Search the scriptures" (imperative mood), or, “You search the scriptures” (indicative mood).—EDITOR.

lie open; they are made known, preached, explained, impressed continually on the faithful people by their rightful pastors, who, by virtue of their office, read them prayerfully and studiously, meditate on them, search them, and interpret them according to the definitions of the Councils, the expositions of the Fathers and Doctors, and thus according to the mind of the church. Moreover, the scriptures are read promiscuously by those whose spiritual guides judge that this reading would be profitable. But that (reading) is forbidden to those who, it is foreseen, would abuse it, whether from their ignorance, or weakness, or pride, or malice, or any other evil propensity, that is to say, we "give not that which is holy to dogs", nor "cast pearls", as well precious as divine, “before swine"; you know the rest (Matt. 7:6). Whoever, then, we are that read the scriptures, if we read rightly and Christianly, we read with this first caution, that we understand that no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation (2 Pet. 1: 20); but the sense we think underlies it must be subjected to the sense of the church which is "the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15), so that if our (sense) is consonant with that, we then admit it, cleave to it, and use it for our edification, consolation and salvation, but if it be dissonant, we then and there reject it. . . Many things occur to be added here; time does not allow it; I omit them, you will supply them.

6. You bring up, lastly, Acts 17:11: "Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonia, who received the word with all eagerness, daily searching the scriptures, whether these things were so ", and you say: "Paul praises the Bereans because they daily searched the scriptures ". Wait please: Paul is not praising, but Luke is narrating that the Bereans, Jews not yet Christians, received with all eagerness the word (not the written but the preached word), searching the scriptures daily to see if these things

were so, and he adds: "And many indeed of them believed" (v. 12). But because the more noble, eminent and learned Jews searched whether the testimony of the scriptures harmonized with Paul's preaching, this, if I mistake not, by no means proves that the holy scriptures ought to be discussed by the ordinary sort of Christians and tested by their scales; otherwise the most worthless people, the silliest girls, though laden with sins, will be the judges of controversies, and thence (will come) how great and ominous a multiplicity of opinions, sects and heresies? May God avert this, and to the bosom of the true and only true church either bring us back, or keep us in it, humble, docile, faithful to the end, Amen.

These notes of mine on your letters, too long, perhaps, for the subject, and yet, perchance, too short for its importance, you will take in fair and good part, as I hope, dearest Sir, and from them, too, I would have you know what my esteem for you is, and what my love towards you. I seem to myself to see in you a man naturally upright, honorable, loving the true and the good, and in whom this one thing is to be lamented, that he was born in a false church, this one thing to be blamed, that he is unwilling to renounce his preconceived opinions. May God, the Supreme Goodness, grant . . . but now I must close; I do close. Adieu, dearest Sir: pray, but fervently and perseveringly; meditate, but as seriously as possible and for the sake of recognizing and embracing the only Truth. An entire and endless eternity is at stake. Adieu, I say, and love just a little in turn me, your most truly loving in the Lord.

ST. PÉ, of the Society of Jesus.

Montreal, 15th March, 1751.

The ransom of your people moves on, as I hope, quite to your wish. In this matter, if I can have any influence, I will use it surely, both of my own accord, and on account of your special recommendation.

(To be concluded.)

FATHER PETER DE SMET-MIGHTY SOWER

1801-1873

BY THE REV. JOSEPH M. CORRIGAN, D. D.

(Concluded.)

Finding it impossible because of lack of funds to keep his promise of returning to the Flatheads as soon as he had hoped, Father De Smet, disappointed, but not dismayed, started off in midwinter on a begging expedition to Louisiana and actually collected $1,100 in New Orleans. Fathers Point and Mengarini and three lay brothers, were appointed to the Mission and set out with Father De Smet on April 24th, 1841. As in the preceding year, the missionaries followed the Nebraska River until reaching the first spurs of the Rocky Mountains. Again dangers by land and water were their daily lot, just escaping at one time a cyclone and shortly afterwards a waterspout. Nearing the source of the great River Platte, the travelers approached the mountains, towering into the clouds. Behind those sum mits dwelt the tribes destined soon to hear the Word of God.

On the Feast of the Assumption at Fort Hall they met the advance guard of the Flatheads who had traveled over three hundred miles in order to meet the Black Robe Among them was young Ignatius, Father De Smet's guide of the previous year. Ignatius had been running for four days, without food or drink, in order to be the first to salute the missionaries. Simon, the oldest member of the tribe, was also in the advance guard. Although so worn

with age that even when seated he leaned upon a cane for support, the ardor of his youth revived upon hearing of the approach of the Black Robe. "My children," said he, as he mounted his horse, "I am one of you; if I succumb on the way, our Fathers will know in what cause I died." The seed had surely sprouted with much promise of harvest, and Father De Smet's heart could indeed rejoice when he found that the year's interval had in no way diminished the fervor of the Flatheads. Their reverence, their devotion and their fidelity to the practices he had taught them, seemed continually on the increase. Twice on weekdays, three times on Sundays, during his absence had the tribe assembled to say prayers in common. The box containing vestments, and the altar service left in their charge the preceding year, were carried on high like the Ark of the Covenant each time the camp moved.

Upon his first visit to the Flatheads, Father De Smet had urged upon them to look about for a fertile tract of land where the tribe could settle. His whole efforts now were devoted to teaching the Indians the advantages to be obtained from the cultivation of the soil. They would thus be provided for in the rotation of crops and in their herded cattle, rather than be dependent upon the uncertainty of the chase. The newly-born mission, called St. Mary's, soon became a flourishing Christian colony. Twice a year some of the Flatheads left the village to hunt buffalo. Father Point accompanied the wandering camp, thus preventing the disorders the hunt usually occasioned.

In the spring of 1842 a succession of touching feasts took place. The Rocky Mountains witnessed for the first time the month of May devotions, the celebration of the feast of the Sacred Heart, and the procession of the Blessed Sacrament. The fervor of the Indians was such that numbers were permitted to receive Holy Communion frequently. "There are entire families," writes Father De Smet, "who