nelius also addressed a letter to Lupicinus, another bishop of the same city, and informs him such was the fury of the persecution then kindled against the Christians at Rome, that they durst not venture to offer up Mass, even in the catacombs which were any-wise noted.*

In the acts of St. Stephen it is mentioned, that this holy Pope and martyr went about celebrating Mass in the catacombs of Rome.†

Writing in the year 374 to his sister Marcellina, and detailing some disturbances which took place at Milan, when an attempt was made to seize upon a Church, St. Ambrose says:- The next day, which was Sunday, whilst I was expounding the Creed, information was brought me, that officers

Missas agimus.-Epist. Pii ad Justum Episc. Vien. Apud Labbeum, Concil. Gen. tom. i. p. 576

* The pontiff thus begins his letter:-Scias, frater carissime, arcam dominicam vento persecutionis acerrime commoveri.....unde publice neque in cryptis notioribus Missas agere Christianis licet.—Epist. Cornelii ad Luper. Apud Labbeum. Concil. Gen. p. 681.

↑ During the persecution lighted up by Valerian in the year 257, St. Stephen was beheaded in the catacombs by a band of soldiers sent to apprehend him. This pontiff

was discovered in the act of offering up the Eucharistic sacrifice, which was scarcely concluded when he was thrust into his pontifical chair, and his head severed from his body. This chair is still preserved at Pisa.

had been deputed to seize the Portian Church; I continued to perform my duty, and began Mass.”*

In the year 390 was celebrated the second Council of Carthage which had been assembled by Genethlius, and was composed of all the prelates of the Church through Africa. In the third amongst those thirteen canons enacted by that synod, we find it was prohibited for ecclesiastics, who were simply priests, to receive again to the communion of the Church, and to reconcile any one at public Mass.†

* Ego mansi in munere, Missam facere cœpi.-S.Ambr. Epist. 13. In one of his discourses, the same illustrious bishop thus admonishes his people:-Moneo vos, ut qui juxta ecclesiam est, et sine gravi impedimento potest, quotidie audiat Missam.-S. Ambr. Serm. 34.

+ Reconciliare quemquam in publica Missa, presbytero non licere, hoc omnibus placet.—Labbeus, Concil. Gen. tom. ii. p. 1160.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IV.

ON THE USE OF LATIN AT MASS.

1. An unknown tongue used in the Jewish temple.-2. Not blamed by Christ, who prayed in an unknown tongue.—3. Reasons why the Catholic Church uses Latin at Mass.-4. The people not necessarily obliged to understand the language of the Mass.-5. Latin at Mass no-wise prejudicial to the people.-6. Greeks, Syrians, Copts, and Armenians, use an unknown tongue at Mass.-7. Objection answered.-8. Stricture on the Protestant version of the words of St. Paul.

307

PART THE SECOND.

CHAPTER IV.

ON THE USE OF LATIN AT MASS.

THOUGH the Church has never pretended that it was necessary to write and celebrate the Liturgy in a language not understood by the people, she has never considered it as imperatively requisite that her service should be performed in the vulgar tongue; and that the language which she speaks in her public service, should follow the changes and variations incidental to the vernacular idioms of those several nations which compose her household. This Babel-like commixture, variety, and dissonance, would have been productive of much confusion, and serious inconvenience.

I. AN UNKNOWN TONGUE USED IN THE JEWISH

TEMPLE.

In this respect the spouse of Christ has imitated the example furnished to her by the ancient synagogue. From the commencement of the Jewish dispensation, up to the conquest of Jerusalem by