"O loving Jesus, preserve me from all sin this day."

At night, after a hearty act of contrition, the Tertiary will lie down, repeating three times: "My God, I commend my soul into Thy hands."

When the Tertiaries meet, they shall salute one another with the words:

"God give you His holy peace" (Chap. iv. constitution viii. Ara cæli).

The réveil in the morning shall be made by the caller with the words: "Benedicamus Domino." The answer to be: "Deo gratias." If a Tertiary be sent with a message to the cell of another, he (or she) shall knock at the door, saying:

"Laudetur Jesus Christus." The answer to be: "In sæcula. Amen" (Chap vi. constitution iv. Ara Cæli).

Besides the exercises of the community, Tertiaries should strive to cultivate a continual spirit of prayer, and to love all such devotional practices as were dear to the heart of our holy Founder. Such are the "Way of the Cross," the indulgenced prayers before the Crucifix, meditations on the Passion of Christ, and the recitation of the Rosary, whenever time and other duties will permit. All Tertiaries living in community must set aside one day in the month for a spiritual Retreat; and as far as possible it shall be the Saint's day which shall have fallen to their respective lots in the

L

general assembly (Act vii. Constitutions of Calais).

It is a common practice and most touching devotion, in all places where the Franciscan Orders are known, to recite five Paters, five Aves, and five Glorias, with the arms extended in the form of the Cross; and we cannot too strongly urge this devotion upon the members of the Third Order, more particularly as there are great indulgences attached to it. It is usual to add a Pater, Ave, and Gloria for the Holy Father.1

1 Manual of the Third Order, published by Burns, Oates, and Co.

THE WILL OF OUR HOLY FATHER

ST. FRANCIS.

OUR Lord has given me the grace (to me, Brother Francis) to begin a life of penance. When I was in a state of sin, it seemed to me a terrible thing to have the care of lepers; but our Lord having led me Himself amongst them, I did works of mercy towards them, and in leaving them I felt that what had at first seemed so bitter and repugnant to me, was changed into wonderful sweetness both of mind and body. After this I lived very little in the world. I was, as it were, set apart; and our Lord gave me such faith in the Church, where He is ever present, that I could do nothing but simply adore Him, saying: "We adore Thee, O Saviour Jesus Christ, both here and in all Thy churches throughout the world, and we bless Thee that Thou hast redeemed the world by Thy holy Cross." Our Lord gave me also such faith in His priests, that even were they to persecute me, I, having regard to their office, should always seek them and look up to them; and if I had all the wisdom of Solomon, and I came to a place with only poor secular priests, I would not preach in their churches contrary

to their will, for I should wish to fear, love, and honour them as my masters. I will not think of their faults, because I recognise in them the Son of God, and thus am subject to them. I do this the more readily, because they alone can consecrate, and receive, and dispense to others the precious Body and Blood of the Son of the Most High. I wish those sacred mysteries to be everywhere revered and honoured above all other things, and that they should be deposited in some safe and honourable place. I wish also to respect all theologians, and those who dispense to us the holy Word of God, as the ministers to us of life and grace.

After our Lord had given me a community, no one taught me what I should do, but the Most Highest Himself revealed to me that I must try and live as far as possible according to the rules of evangelical perfection. I drew up the Rule in a few and simple words, and our holy Father the Pope confirmed it. Those who came to embrace this state of life gave all they could to the poor. They contented themselves with a single habit, often mended within and without, with a cord for a girdle, and drawers. We wished for nothing else. We who are priests said Office like other priests; the lay brothers said the Pater noster. We were content with poor and neglected churches; we were simple poor people, obedient and submissive to every one. I worked with my hands, and I wish to work. I wish also that all the other Brothers

should occupy themselves with some manual work, and that those who do not know how to work should learn, and that not from the hope of recompense, but to give a good example to others, and to eschew idleness. If we obtain no wages for our toil, let us throw ourselves on Providence, and beg our bread from door to door. It has been revealed to me that the Brothers and Sisters should salute one another with the words, "God give you His peace." Let the Brothers be very careful not to accept churches, houses, or anything which may be built for them, if inconsistent with the holy poverty we have vowed by the Rule, and let them always remain as strangers and pilgrims on the earth. I strictly forbid any of the Brothers, by their vow of obedience, to ask for any letter from the Court of Rome, either for their churches or for any other thing, under pretext of preaching, or even for the security of their persons in case of persecution; but when they are persecuted in one place, let them flee unto another, and there let them do penance with the grace of God.

I promise absolute obedience to the Father General of this Brotherhood, and to the guardian he may please to appoint over me; and I wish to feel myself so bound in his hands that I should be unable to do anything or go anywhere without his permission, because he is my master. If I should be weak and infirm, I yet will always have a clerk to say Office to me, as is ap