ably separated from her Divine Son. Whatever she has, in nature or in grace, comes from Him. She depends upon God as we depend upon Him. When we pray to her we ask only for her prayers. Our petition is that she may intercede for us with her divine Son. Are we not allowed to ask this much of any saint in heaven or of any wayfarer upon earth? The only difference is that while the prayers of others, even our own, may not avail much, the prayers of the Mother of God cannot fail to reach His throne. Hence, no good Catholic neglects to ask her intercession.

That we honor her very much, yea, more than we can express, is true. To those who do not understand us our words seem extravagant. But neither you nor I can comprehend Mary's greatness. Hence, if we but remember that she is not God, we cannot say too much in her praise.

Mary is the Mother of God. She it is who was destined to crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Ghost says, "whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43.). In the Acts of the Apostles, Chap. 1: 14, we find these words: "All these were persevering with

one mind in prayer, with the women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus." Who but Mary is in the mind of St. Paul when he says, "When the fulness of the time was come, God sent His Son, made of a woman, made under the law." (Gal. 4:4.) The creed says that He was "conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary."

From Mary He received all that any child receives from its parents. Mary then is truly His Mother; He her Son.

He is the only child that ever had the choice of its mother, and He chose Mary. He chose her out of all the daughters of Eve, the only one that can ever be the subject of such choice, the only one who can ever be the Mother of Christ, the Mother of God.

Whom the king honors is entitled to honor from all his subjects. The honor which we, in our greatest ardor, bestow upon Mary, is but a trifle when we think of what the Lord of all bestows upon her. If we invoke her in the hour of need, we but follow the example of Christ who in His infancy and childhood depended upon her for His wants. If we call her Mother, it is by reason of the fact that, as adopted sons

of God and brothers of Jesus Christ, we have a right to claim her motherly care. The most ardent client of Mary but follows meekly in the footsteps of her Son, the Lord Jesus. If we manifest a confidence that her prayers for us will be heard, we but hold that the model Son will not refuse the request of His mother.

It was a strange perversity that drove men and women to take an unfriendly attitude towards Mary. It was an extraordinary process of reasoning that made them imagine the mother a rival of her Son. Only the madness of sectarian hatred could lead any one to think that Christ must be displeased at the honor bestowed upon His mother.

As God selected Mary to be the mother of His only-begotten Son, He prepared her for the high office she was to fill. The preparation must be in proportion to the dignity for which she was destined. The extraordinary graces bestowed upon her, such as her Immaculate Conception, were given that she might worthily fill the singularly exalted position for which God, from all eternity, had chosen her. There is no denying Mary's greatness, unless you are willing

to deny Christ, and thus make an end of Christianity.

We are pleased to think that Protestants generally have changed their views in regard to the Blessed Virgin. We trust they will continue to study the subject. The more they honor the great God, the more profoundly they reverence the Holy and Undivided Trinity, the more their esteem of Mary will be. She is Daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son, Spouse of the Holy Ghost. Her sanctity is in keeping with her exalted office. How can Christians afford to be indifferent or hostile to Mary?

ALLEGED USELESS REPETITIONS IN

PRAYER

Many Protestants find themselves unable to understand the repetitions so often found in the prayers of Catholics. The Rosary is considered especially puzzling.

For the benefit of such let me say that no Catholic is obliged to use a rosary; nor is any one obliged to repeat. We are obliged to pray, indeed, it is recommended that we pray always. But if we are able to pray always, or even often, without repetition no harm is done. On the contrary we show marvelous comprehension of the things of God and of the affairs of the soul. Yet, repetition cannot be bad, since Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane set the seal of His example upon it, "He prayed the third time, saying the selfsame word." (Matt. 26: 44.)

Turning to St. Luke, we find in Chapter 11 the parable of a householder who had to entertain a guest who came late at night to his abode. Having no bread himself, he goes to a friend for accommodation. The friend pleads