May the power of the Holy Spirit descend in his fulness into this font. Then raising the wax taper from the water he again plunges it, for a little, deeper, repeating in a louder tone, Descend, Holy Spirit, &c. Then raising the wax taper from the water, he plunges it, a third time, deeper, and repeats in a still louder voice, Des. cend, Holy Spirit, &c.; and then breathing thrice on the water, according to this figure, Y,' he continues, Fertilise the entire substance of this water, that it may impart the virtue of regeneration." Here he takes the wax taper from the water, and continues, May all the spots of sin be here effaced. Here may nature be formed after thine image; and, reformed to the honour of its Prince, be purged from all its old and wretched defilements, and renewed to a new infancy of true inno cence. The following he says reading. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who shall come to judge the quick and the dead, and this world by fire. R. Amen. Then by assistant priests, the blessed water is sprinkled upon the people. One of the attendants, in the mean time, takes a vase of the same water to sprinkle in private houses and other places. These things being done, the priest, who blessed the font, pours some of the oil of the cate chumens into the water, in the form of a cross, saying, in an intelligible voice, Let this font be sanctified and made fertile by the oil of salvation (salutis) that those born again by it may attain to eternal life. R. Amen. Then he pours the chrism3 in like manner as above, saying,— The infusion of the chrism of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the holy Spirit the paraclete, in the name of the holy Trinity. R. Amen. Then he takes two jars of the said holy oil and chrism, and pouring forth of each in the form of a cross, says,— May the mixture of the chrism of sanctification, and of the oil of anointing, and of the water of baptism, be made equally in the name of the Father +, and of the Son +, and of the Holy Spirit. R. Amen. Then the priest mingles the oil with the water, and sprinkles it with his hand over all the font. If those who are to be baptized are present, he baptizes them in the usual manner. Then the priest returning with the attendants to the altar, the litanies are chaunted by the two clerks, and the choir repeats it at the same time, as below. When, indeed, there is no baptismal font, on the last of the prophecies being ended, with its prayers, the celebrant lays aside his chasuble and kneels with the attendants before the altar, and with all others kneeling, the litanies are chaunted by two chaunters in the middle of the choir, and the choir repeat every part after them. When they come to the words, V. Peccatores te rogamus-(sinners we beseech thee), the priest and attendants rise, and go to the sacristy, put on white garments for the celebration of a solemn high mass; meanwhile the candles are 1 The figure made is exactly like the Greek cap. letter Psi, Y. 2 Here is no mincing of the virtues of baptismal water,- -no half-fledged, but fullwinged expression of sacramental efficacy,--unconditional—without an if. 3 Chrism, a composition oil compound, Mr Thomson informs us, in his "Facts from Rome," of olive oil and sweet smelling balsams, hallowed by the bishop alone, signifying the grace of the Holy Spirit. In what respect, if at all differing from the oil used for anointing the catechumens, we know not. See the baptismal service quoted from the Roman Ritual, in Chapter XI., p. 198. lighted on the altar; and at the end of the litanies,1 Kyrie eleison-(Lord have mercy), is solemnly sung and repeated, as at mass. Holy Benedict, pray for us. Holy Dominic, pray for us. Holy Francis, pray for us. All the holy priests and levites (dea Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. cons), pray for us. Christ hear us. Christ give ear to us. Holy Trinity, one God, pity us. Holy Mary, pray for us. Holy Mother of God, pray for us. All the holy angels and archangels, pray for us. All the holy ranks of blessed spirits, pray for us. Holy John the Baptist, pray for us. All the holy patriarchs and prophets, pray for us. Holy Peter, pray for us. Holy Paul, pray for us. Holy Andrew, pray for us. Holy John, pray for us. All the holy apostles and evangelists, pray for us. All the holy disciples of the Lord, pray for us. Holy Stephen, pray for us. Holy Lawrence, pray for us. Holy Vincent, pray for us. All the holy martyrs, pray for us. Holy Silvester, pray for us. Holy Gregory, pray for us. Holy Augustine, pray for us. All the holy popes and confessors, pray for us. All the holy doctors, pray for us. us. All holy monks and hermits, pray for Holy Mary Magdalene, pray for us. All the holy virgins and widows, pray for us. All the holy saints and women of God, intercede for us. Be gracious to us; spare us, O Lord. Be gracious to us; hear us, O Lord. From all evil deliver us, O Lord. From all sin deliver us, O Lord. From perpetual death deliver us, O Lord. By the mystery of thy holy incarnation deliver us, O Lord. By thine advent deliver us, O Lord. By thy birth deliver us, O Lord. By thy baptism and holy fasting deliver us, O Lord. By thy cross and passion deliver us, O Lord. By thy death and burial deliver us; O Lord. By thy holy resurrection deliver us, O Lord. By thy glorious ascension deliver us, O Lord. By the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, deliver us, O Lord. In the day of judgment, deliver us, O Lord. Saviour, we beseech thee to hear us. That thou wouldst spare us. We beseech thee to hear us. That thou wouldst vouchsafe to rule 1 Litany is the name given to certain forms of supplication by the Greeks, from a word signifying, "I beseech," and called by the Latins, rogations. They were em. ployed originally as circumstances required, and the days on which they were used, were called rogation days. About the year 400 they began to be used in processions, the people walking barefoot and repeating them. By-and-by every saint in the ca endar had his litany. and preserve thy Church. We beseech thee to hear us. That thou wouldst deign to preserve our apostolic Lord (the pope), and all ecclesiastical orders in the holy religion. We beseech thee to hear us. That thou wouldst deign to humble the enemies of holy Church. We beseech thee to hear us. That thou wouldst deign to bestow upon Christian kings and princes peace and true concord. We beseech thee to hear us. That thou wouldst deign to comfort and preserve us in thy holy service. We beseech thee to hear us. That thou wouldst reward all our benefactors with eternal blessing. We beseech thee to hear us. That thou wouldst deign to give and to preserve the fruits of the earth. We beseech thee to hear us. That thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant to all the faithful departed eternal rest. We beseech thee to hear us. That thou wouldst vouchsafe to give ear to us. We beseech thee to hear us. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world. Spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world. Lamb of God, sins of the world. Hear us, O Lord. who takest away the Pity us. Christ, hear us. Christ, give ear to us. Here the chaunters solemnly begin, Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison, and three times they are repeated. Meanwhile, the priest, with the attendants in white garments, goes to the altar, and haring said the psalm, Judge me, O God, with, Glory be to the Father, he makes confession according to custom, in the usual place; ascending, he kisses the altar, incenses it in the usual way, and Kyrie eleison being finished by the choir, he begins solemnly, Glory in the highest, and the bells are struck. Afterwards, the priest says, The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. most holy night by the glory of our Lord's resurrection, preserve in the new progeny of thy family, the spirit of adoption which thou hast given; renewed in body and in mind, they may present to thee a pure service. Through the same Lord, in unity of the same. Lesson, Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle, Colossians iii. 1-4. Brethren, if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, &c. The epistle ended, the celebrant begins chaunting, Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. And chaunts it three times, gradually elevating his voice; and the choir at each time repeats it in the same tone. Afterwards the choir continues. Ps. cxvii., Confess ye the Lord, because he is good; because his mercy endureth for ever. Then the tract is said, Ps. cxvi., O praise the Lord, all ye nations; and praise him together, all ye people. For he hath confirmed his mercy towards us; and the truth of the Lord remains for ever. The candles are not carried to the gospel; but only incense. The blessing is sought, and other things done according to custom. Sequentia of the Holy Gospel, And in the end of the Sabbath, &c. The Creed, is not said; but the gospel being finished, the priest says, The Lord be with you. Afterwards, Let us pray. The Offertory is not said. Gloria Patri-(Glory be to the Father), &c., is said, to Lavabo-(I will wash). Secret. Accept, O Lord, we beseech thee, the prayers of thy people, with the oblation of sacrifice; that initiated in paschal mysteries, by thy effectual blessing they may be profitable to us as an eternal remedy. Through our Lord. Preface, Te quidem-(Thee, indeed, at all times, but especially on this night), O God, who hast distinguished this &c., as in the ordinary of the mass. Let us pray.-Prayer. Within the action. Communicating and celebrating the most holy night of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh, and also venerating the memory in the first place of the glorious Mary, always a virgin, mother of the same our God and Lord Jesus Christ, &c. This oblation, therefore, of our service which we offer to thee for all thy family, and for those especially whom thou vouchsafest to regenerate by water and the Holy Spirit, bestowing on them the remission of their sins, we beseech thee, O Lord, that, well pleased, thou wouldst accept, &c. Pax Domini-(the Peace of the Lord), is said; but the kiss of peace is not given. Agnus Dei-(Lamb of God), is not said, nor post-communion; yet the three customary prayers before the communion are said. After the taking of the sacrament, before vespers, Alleluia, Alleluia, is sung in the choir, and the Psalm, Praise ye the Lord, all ye Gentiles, with, Glory be to the Father, at the close; and the same antiphony is afterwards repeated. The chapter, hymn, and versicle, are not said; but the celebrant immediately begins chaunting the antiphony, Ad Magnificat.1 But in the evening of the Sabbath, &c., and the chorus continues, When it dawned towards the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came, and another Mary, to see the sepulchre. Alleluia. Then is chaunted, Magnificat, with Glory be to the Father, at the close. And incense is offered as at other times at vespers. The antiphony being repeated, the celebrant says, The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Let us Pray.-Prayer. O Lord, pour out on us the spirit of thy charity, that those whom thou hast satisfied with the paschal mysteries, thou mayst unite in one heart. Through our Lord, in the unity of the same. Then he says, The Lord be with you; and the deacon, turning himself to the people, sings, Go, the mass is ended. Alleluia, Alleluia. R. Let us give thanks to God. Alleluia, Alleluia. And the priest having said, May it please thee, Holy Trinity, gives the benediction in the usual manner. 1 The magnificat is the hymn of Mary, in Luke i. 46, beginning, My soul doth magnify, &c. THE ORDINARY OF THE MASS. The priest being prepared, when he comes up to the altar, having made the usual reverence to it, signs himself with the sign of the cross from his forehead to his breast, and in a loud voice says:— In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Then folding his hands before his breast, he begins the antiphony, I will go to the altar of God (introibo). The attendants reply, To God who gives joy to my youth. Then he repeats alternately with the attendants, the following, Ps. xlii. (Prot. Vers. xliii.): Judge me, O God, and decide my cause, &c., to the end of the psalm. Priest. Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Attendants. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. The priest repeats the antiphony. P. I will go to the altar of God. Atten. To God who givest joy to my youth. He signs himself with the sign of the cross, saying,— P. Our help is in the name of the Lord. Atten. Who made heaven and earth. Then folding his hands, and profoundly bowing, he makes confession. In masses for the departed, and in masses during Passion week, the psalm beginning, Judge me, O God, also, Glory be to the Father, &c., and the repetition of the antiphony, are omitted; bnt having said, In the name of the Father, the Introibo—(I will go), and Adjutorium (our help), &c., confession is made as follows: I confess to Almighty God, to the blessed Mary, always a virgin, to the blessed Michael the Archangel, to the blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the saints, and to you brethren, because I have been a sinner exceedingly in thought, word, and deed.1 The priest here strikes his breast thrice, saying, 1 Confession of sin is here made equally to the Father, the Virgin, to Michael the Archangel, and to all the saints, who are thus made the objects of a worship undistinguishing, and in practice undistinguishable. One would have thought that when about to celebrate the dying love of the Redeemer, or, according to the Missal, to offer up the sacrifice of Him who is both God and man, whose salvation, therefore, includes in it infinite strength, as well as ineffable sweetness and grace, the one thought and feeling of the sinner in approaching God the Father would be, "None but Christ!" "None but Christ!"-into his bosom alone pouring his confession, and leaning on his merits alone when pleading the cause of his soul before the throne of God. Rome glories in her constant assertion of the doctrine of |