of the Latin Fidelis is "true or obedient." But Du Cange says, "Fideles ita dicti . . . . quia fidem susceperunt," i.e., have believed it. (Glossarium, s. v.)

S. Chrysostom, (Hom. xxi.) "Thou art called faithful (TiσTòs) because thou believest GOD."

Suicer, (Thesaurus, s. v.) defines the word thus, "Qui credit DEI promissis, seu, qui credit in DEUM et CHRISTUM ac proinde Religionem amplectitur Christianam."

S. Thomas Aquinas, (Summa Theol. P. II., Quæst. viii., Art. 4,) uses the following phrase, which shows how he understood the word fidelis, "Nam Ecclesia est congregatio fidelium; fides autem non est in angelis: non enim ambulant per fidem, sed per speciem."

Bishop Forbes, (on Art. XIX.) defines the Church as "the reunion of those who believing and confessing the faith of JESUS CHRIST, are members of the Society established by Him in earth, in view of salvation."

Bishop Harold Browne, (on the same.) "The Church is called 'a congregation of faithful men,' cœtus fidelium, because those of whom the Church is composed are the professed believers in JESUS CHRIST." (P. 460.) And on p. 463, he expressly negatives the reviewer's statement, asserting that the Church "is a visible body of those who are outward followers of CHRIST, consisting partly of faithful, partly of unfaithful, but all professed believers in the Gospel."

I might multiply references; but no doubt the reviewer will acknowledge the ample authority already given for the statement in the "Plain Catechism."

Of course the "fideles" must be "obedient" also. But the "fides" comes first; it is the "principium spiritualis vitæ," as S. Thomas calls it. A man may be of the "fideles" who has failed to render the full obedience which is due, just as a child may be disobedient without ceasing to be a child.

2. "Mortal sin," says the reviewer, "is not unrepented sin." But unrepented sin in the individual "is mortal,"

which is the statement in the "Plain Catechism," and a very different thing. No definition is there given, or attempted to be given, of either mortal or venial sin. The question is on another subject altogether, and the reviewer has overlooked the bearings of it. Mortal sin is "that kind of sin, such as murder and adultery, which is eternally punished if a person dies without repentance." (Orby Shipley, Glossary of Ecclesiastical Terms.)

3. The third charge of inadequacy is not sufficiently definite to be met.

Again thanking you for the courtesy of your notice,-Yours, &c., THE WRITER OF THE "PLAIN CATECHISM."

[The Reviewer has no wish to carry on controversy. But his main point is unquestionable: neither the Greek word TOTÒs, nor the Latin fidelis means one who has faith, but of course faith is included in the idea of being faithful to GOD, just as are baptism and obedience. The most usual meaning of the term faithful perhaps is the baptized.]

WHAT IS RITUALISM?

SIR,-This is a question, it seems to me, that well deserves an answer, for passion and prejudice have so blinded the eyes of men that it is very difficult to attain to a right comprehension of what is involved in the term. In this way, however, I think we may arrive at a just definition. Christianity, as ministered to men by those who are called to the office of ministering it, may be regarded both as a science and an art. The proper ministering of the doctrines of Christianity is what we call the science of Theology: the right administration of its outward ordinances is the art of Ritualism. The Church is said in the 19th Article to be the aggregate of the Faithful, in which the pure Word of GOD is preached and the Sacraments are duly ministered according to its ordinances. Sound doctrine and Ritualism, then, are the two marks required. And this is the true definition of Ritualism: it is the correct performance of all external

things in the Sacraments and public worship of the Church; and in its degree, therefore, it is of co-ordinate importance with a sound faith. In this sense every Priest should be a Ritualist: he must know how to do these things rightly and do them accordingly, otherwise he may unwittingly administer what are not real Sacraments, and conduct worship which is not according to the mind of CHRIST.

Such being the case we are bound, I think, to rescue this much abused word from the false gloss that has been put upon it, and to maintain that, in the proper sense of the term, no clergyman can be faithful and well instructed unless he can discharge his office according to the true principles of Ritualism.Yours, &c., S. T. M.

66

'Humility, the loveliest flower that bloomed in Paradise,"

were written by Mrs. Caroline Fry, author of "The Listener," "The Assistant of Education," &c.,-I believe one of the Society of Friends.-Yours, &c., J. E.

S. THOMAS'S HOME, OXFORD. SIR,-May I appeal to your readers for some Christmas gifts for the Orphanage and Industrial School at S. Thomas's Home, Oxford? In this Home there are from forty to fifty girls, many of whom are rescued from wretched homes (some from the life of a tramp, and from singing and selling in the streets); they are here brought under loving religious influence and trained for service. The expense of their maintenance falls almost entirely upon the Sisters, and little can be spared for gifts. I feel sure that when it is thus brought before them, some of your readers will be glad to help, by their gifts, to bring joy and brightness into these young lives which have, as yet, seen more of the hard than of the bright side of life.

There are two divisions of girls in the Home, little ones from four to twelve (who have a separate cottage), and elder ones from twelve to eighteen, who are being trained for service; for the little ones dolls, toys, picture-books, &c., are earnestly begged, for the older girls story-books, work-boxes, writing-cases, &c.

These gifts need not be expensive, nor, indeed, new; many children, if asked, would find real pleasure in washing and mending their dolls' clothing, and dressing afresh some of their discarded favourites, also in looking out some of their own toys and books for their less fortunate sisters.

Trusting that I have not trespassed upon your space, and that sufficient gifts for a well-laden Christmas-tree may be the result,-Yours, &c., AssoCIATE, S. THOMAS'S HOME.

AN APPEAL FROM A LONDON HOSPITAL.

Who, for the love of CHRIST's sick ones, will give a cast-off piano or harmonium to amuse the patients of a large ward?

Full particulars can be obtained of the Sister, 9, Braemar Terrace, Varden's Road, S. John's Hill, S.W.

THE CHILDREN'S REFUGE, AT NEWPORT,

MONMOUTHSHIRE.

SIR,-This Home has now been begun a year and a half, long enough to have borne, what seem to be under the blessing of GOD, good fruits. Many of the children, before the age of twelve, have fallen into the deepest degradation; there is not one among them who has not an intimate knowledge of sins of the most fearful kind. In Newport there are many of these children; in Cardiff and Swansea numbers more. The population of these towns is notoriously of the worst possible class. There is no attempt at any 'Home' for them in South Wales, except our little effort at Newport, where we can only take in twenty children in a hired house.

Our children come from all parts of

England-Newport, Gloucester, Exeter, Norwich, the Isle of Wight, Cheltenham, and Lechlade, and we have many applications which we are obliged to refuse. With two or three exceptions, our children are unpaid for. It must be remembered that the cases are voluntary, so there can be no compelling power of payment brought to bear upon parents. Degraded parents do not care enough about the degradation of their children to be willing to pay anything towards their well-being, though we have never yet met ¡with a refusal give up a child to be brought up in the 'Home.' There seems to be a latent instinct of a better nature, even in the most reprobate, which prevents their actively opposing what is done for the good of their child, provided they are expected to pay for it.

Our plan is to build a laundry and a schoolroom and to make a playground on this site; then to purchase the row of small houses already existing, of which the present Children's Home forms one. Separate houses to contain fifteen or twenty children are best for our purpose. It is not advisable to mass these children in numbers, when there cannot be the necessary supervision on the one side, or the freedom and comfort of 'home' on the other. For we should remember in dealing with these little sick souls that they have been sinned against rather than sinning.

Will you, for the love of GoD and of souls, help us in this work of rescue, which must be dear to the heart of GOD? Money is all that is wanting. Will you help us to take in more children here where the work is already begun? There is no experiment about it; it is only 'a

drop in the ocean,' yet drops enough fill the ocean at last. Much is being done, and more will be done, to strike at the root of the degradation of children in England which makes such 'Homes' as this a sorrowful necessity.

Cheques and Orders may be made payable to the Rev. W. Conybeare Bruce, S. Woolos Vicarage, Newport; F. J. Mitchell, Esq., or Mrs. F. J. Mitchell, Llanfrechfa Grange, Caerleon; the Sister in Charge (Selina Congreve), S. John Baptist's Mission House, Stow Hill, Newport.-Yours, &c., B. L. P.

CHRIST CHURCH MISSION.

SIR,-Two years ago you kindly inserted an appeal for help for the above Mission in the parish of Camlough, Bessbrook. Two ladies then generously responded to my entreaty for help. Inow again venture to appeal to the readers of the Churchman's Companion. My Rector (Rev. A. L. Ford) has done all he can do out of his limited income.

My object in appealing again to my English Catholic brothers is this: I am anxious to give my people and Sunday school a tea, and a Christmas tree to my little ones if funds will permit.

I feel sure many of your readers will help me when they consider the many blessings GOD has showered down upon them in living in a land where there "is peace and plenty."

The smallest contribution for the above object, or donation, will be gratefully received and acknowledged if sent to The Firs, Bessbrook, co. Armagh, Ireland, or to the Rector, Bessbrook, Ireland. Yours, &c., CHARLES L. STUTCHBURY, C.B.S., Lay Deacon in charge.