TREFACE. Vil 



mou interest to tlio Cliristian heart ; by a sileiico 

 wliicli iiidicates little love for those things in modern 

 Eomanism from which the consciences o* Protestant 

 Christians shrink with most tendernes^s and pain; 

 and by a most fiery courage in the dcnmiciation of 

 corruption, dishonesty, and Pharisaism ; — these ser- 

 mons are as exceptional in tlio pulpit-literature of 

 the Eoman Catholic Church, as they are exceptional 

 in any literature by their splendid eloquence. 



This volume has been hastened through the press 

 to meet an immediate and urgent demand. But the 

 value of it will not cease with the abatement of the 

 local excitement connected with the visit of Father 

 Hyacinthe to the United States. The subjects of the 

 series of Notre Dame " Conferences" or Lectures, are 

 peculiarly appropriate to our times and circumstan- 

 ces. The subjects of others of the discoui'ses are 

 interesting for all time and everywhere. 



The failure of the health of an accomplished 

 scholar, particularly versed in the intricate ecclesias- 

 tical history of France, who was to have contributed 

 to this volume a Biographical and Critical Introduc- 

 tion, threw this part of the work, at the last moment, 

 on my own overburdened hands. I have done the 

 best with it that I could. 



I present my acknowdedgments, for the use of 

 materials, to the Bev. Narcisse Cyr ; to the Eev. 

 E. A. Washburn, D. D. ; and especially to my kind 



