I. To recite a certain number of psalms in the day, or say certain offices; that is to give up a certain portion of our time to God.

2. To make a gift of a certain share of our substance to God, either by a gift to the Church or the poor.

3. To undertake a certain work for the Church or the poor, which will occupy time, and take trouble.

4. To deny ourselves certain comforts or plea

sures.

It is advisable to make the vow for a certain fixed time; and in the selection of the vow to use common sense; for vows may be rash and unlawful; consequently the above precautions should be carefully adhered to.

PILGRIMAGES. The practice of going to strange Churches for harvest, choir, and dedication festivals, is becoming exceedingly common in England now; as are also expeditions for the day to ruined abbeys, or to fine Cathedrals, or newly restored Churches. If, instead of making these occasions of no use to our souls by indulging in frivolity, we used them as distinct religious acts, they might be found highly beneficial, and would be a fulfilling of the principle of the ancient pilgrimage. In this way, it might be even used as an object of vow. Having resolved to make such an expedition, obtain the blessing of a Priest on your undertaking. Let your com

panions be of one mind and object with yourself. Start from the Church, with the office of the Itinerary in this book. During this journey observe, as much as possible, silence and recollection, and abstain from whatever may cause dissipation. Go, if possible, on foot, so as to be better able with your companion or companions to recite psalms and litanies. Let your conversation on the way be of the things of God, like the disciples going to Emmaus, to whom Jesus came and joined Himself. Arrived at your destination receive, if possible, the Blessed Sacrament.

MEDITATION. Meditation is the exercise or application of the three powers of the soul, viz., the memory, the understanding, and the will, to the consideration of some particular subject, such as one of the mysteries of the Faith, or of the actions of our Lord Jesus Christ, or a text of Scripture, or of some christian virtue. The memory proposes or calls to mind the subject, which the imagination sometimes represents as a picture; the understanding considers the various truths contained in the subject, carefully weighing the several points; so that the will may be moved to form good desires and resolutions, and excited to devout affections.

It is clear that meditation is universally practised, since all, from the highest to the lowest, have some object in view, some scheme to accomplish or business to pursue. Christianity takes the natural acts

of men and turns them into means of sanctification. A saint is not distinguished from a worldling by the fact of his meditating, but by the object upon which he meditates. A worldling's meditations are all on things of earth. If we would live like the saints we must meditate on things of heaven. Meditations is divided into three parts: Ist., the preparation; 2nd., the act of meditation; 3rd., the conclusion.

I.

The preparation; it is made as follows:Having fixed on the subject, place yourself by an act of faith in the presence of God; offer up a short prayer for help to the Holy Spirit, to enable you to meditate aright; then consider well what the subject is upon which you design meditating. 2. The act of meditation.

Keep yourself as still as possible in such a posture as will not distress you. Say the Lord's Prayer. Call in every faculty and concentrate them on the object you have set before you. Consider the subject in all its details, developing each particular circumstance, and view them in their relation to yourself.

3. The conclusion.

Form resolutions flowing from the subject, and conclude with a prayer to God to give you grace to fulfil these resolutions.

If you suffer from distractions, desolation and darkness, you must not be discouraged, nor abandon

the holy exercise. Both dews and frosts bless the Lord, praise Him and magnify Him for ever: that is, both the conditions of tenderness on which descend perceptible favours, and also the hard, dry, cold conditions, when there is no such consciousness of sweetness, are equally accepted of God.

Such as find difficulty in meditating may help themselves by the use of a good book.

A person absorbed

MISSIONS AND RETREATS. in worldly pursuits becomes indifferent about his salvation, loses the grace of God, and if not recalled to the serious remembrance of eternal truths

is lost. Sometimes the religious duties become irksome, the desire to serve God grows less keen, the love of God waxes cold, the prayers become spiritless, and the works of mercy a burden. Should it be your happiness to reside in a parish where the zeal of the priest obtains for his people the privileges of a mission, avail yourself of it so as to obtain the fulness of the special graces peculiar to the times of retreats and missions. Before the mission begins arrange all worldly affairs, so as to have the time as free and undisturbed as possible. During the mission sacrifice to it everything but necessary work and duties. Make a general confession, and form good resolutions.

When there is no mission, you can recover yourself by means of a retreat. I do not know," said

S. Ignatius,

nor can I conceive a more effectual means of sanctifying oneself, than the exercise of a spiritual retreat.'

To make a retreat, decide for how long it is to be, for three days, seven days, or nine days. Make a table of hours for prayer, meditation, meals and recreation. Select the subjects for meditation. During the period keep to yourself as much as possible, observing silence and recollection. You will find in this book tables of subjects which may assist you, together with prayers and heads of meditation.

THE ORDINARY ACTIONS OF THE DAY.

For those who desire to regulate their lives by an exact method, the following rules should be observed in addition to those given before :

I. Have a regular hour for rising in the morning. 2. Pray not for yourself alone, but for all degrees of persons, and for the exaltation of Christ's Church; and for the dead whenever you hear a bell toll.

3. When alone, accustom yourself to ejaculatory prayer; that is to brief sentences, saying them often. 4. In the night when you cannot sleep, meditate on God.

5. Keep a close watch on your words, deeds, and thoughts, and mark them down during the day if against what is right.