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PASTORAL LETTERS . 369
: Il. CHRISTIAN EDUCATION BY THE CHURCH.
The education begun at home must be continued by the Church. The
teachings of the father and mother. must be supplemented, developed, and
strengthened by the instructions of the ministers of religion, who are divinely
appointed by Christ to teach the nations and to instruct them unto justice. It
is a remarkable fact, and worthy of being mentioned, that in the early ages of
‘the Church no special provision seems to have been made for the instruction
Paganism, a long course of sermons, homilies, and catechetical discourses was
fixed by the discipline of the Church; but for the children of Christians, the
little ones of the faith, there is no mention of any instruction. It would seem
as if it were universally felt that the instruction in the Christian home was
‘quite as sufficient, and no fears were entertained that Christian parents would
ever neglect so important and sacred a duty as the teaching of Christian doc-
trine to their children. But as time elapsed and faith grew somewhat cold,
many parents became indifferent and careless. Then the Church made it a
special obligation for her priests and sacred ministers to look after the little
‘ones,—the -young lambs of the flock. In our days especially, when parents
for the most part are engaged in the arduous labors of modern industry, and
when, because of the difficulties and trials of their own childhood, many of
these parents have not been able to acquire such a knowledge of their religion
as to be able to impart it in an interesting way to their children, it becomes
absolutely necessary to come to their aid, and supply, by instruction in, the
Church, what they themselves either have not the time or have not sufficient
knowledge to communicate, or, still worse, have not sufficient love for the faith
to make them feel it a joy anda privilege. Therefore, catechism classes, or, as
they are nowadays styled by the very preteitious and deceiving title of, “ Sun-
day-schools,” have been established in all churches wherever the priest of God
has found it possible. Here the young mind is brought directly under the
teaching power of the Church. Here the priest, taking the parents’ place,
but acting as the representative of our Lord Jesus Christ, unfolds the won-
erful story of God’s dealings with men. Here the most sublime truths are
adapted to the weak minds of the children, and are accepted by them almost
as self-evident. Truths and mysteries such as the greatest of the pagan phil-
Osophers could never conceive, or at the best could only guess at in a doubtful
&roping way, are presented as the most elementary principles by men conse-
crated for that purpose by God’s providence, specially commissioned by His
Church, and who speak without hesitation, with positive certainty, as men
having authority to speak, -and not as the scribes and Pharisees and all false
teachers,
What a glorious mission is this of the priest, to be brought so closely to
young hearts yet untainted by the world, and to have the charge of unfolding
them, expanding them, under the influence of divine grace! Next to the
Mission and dignity of the mother comes this privilege of the Christian priest.
How consoling, how refreshing to the soul of the true priest is this com-
of the children of the faithful. For the catechumens, adults, converts from .-
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