vi PREFACE. 



most serious errors. lu tlic great impendiug contro- 

 versy between the Roman-Catholic and Protestant 

 systems, I, for one, would give ever}^ honest antago- 

 nist the opportunity of stating his o\\ti case in his 

 own way. Whenever the result "of this policy shall 

 be to fix discussion upon the real issues between 

 these gi-eat parties in the Church of Christ, instead 

 of the factitious issues created by disputants on 

 either side for the convenience of their argument, 

 the cause of truth as well as of charity will be the 

 gainer. 



At the same time, it need hardly be said that these 

 discourses, — though preached, some of them in the 

 most prominent metropolitan pulpit in the Catholic 

 world, under the auspices of church-dignitaries of 

 eminent rank, by a monk of the austerest sect, and of 

 standing then unquestioned, — are not to be taken as 

 representatives of ordinary Eoman Catholic preach- 

 ing. To acknowledge this is simple justice, both to 

 Father Hyacinthe, and to the Roman Catholic com- 

 munity, who themselves w^ould decline to be judged 

 by him as their representative. By their large- 

 hearted sympathy with humanity in every rank and 

 sect and nation ; by a fervid Christian love, which 

 attaches itself in the communion of saints to all who 

 love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity ; by a singu- 

 lar wealth and felicity of citation from the Holy 

 Scriptures ; by constant dwelling on themes of com- 



