128 DISCOURSES OF FATHER HYACINTHE. 



its tliresliold, to embrace its ancient walls, and dwell 

 therein forever. 



Yon fonnd it, at last, in that temple of Saint Peter, 

 the most vast and splendid ever reared by man to his 

 God, bnt whose noblest grandeur, after all, to believing 

 eyes, is this, that it images the universal brotherhood 

 of the children of God npon the earth, " that he should 

 gather together in one the children of God that were 

 scattered abroad."* Coming from that great dispersion 

 of souls, which is the work of man in Protestantism, 

 you could contemplate their highest unity, which is the 

 Avork of God in Catholicism. Suddenly thrilled to the 

 depth of your soul, you looked around (I do but repeat 

 your own touching story) — you looked around 3'ou for 

 a pi'iest of your own tongue, not to confess to — for you 

 did not then know the need of that — but to tell your 

 joy in having at last found a dwelling-place of the soul, 

 that home so dear to your race, and more necessary in 

 the religious than in the domestic life : " This is my rest 

 forever : here will I dwell ; for I have desired it."f 



IL I have attempted to recount your past, and to 

 show how God's loving-kindness has been preparing 

 you, by his far-reaching hand, for the wonders of the 

 present. What is this wondrous thing? It is your 

 mystical marriage with Jesus Christ, by communion 

 with his real l)ody and blood in the sacrament of his 

 true Churcli. Betrothed to God in baptism, you become 

 his spouse in the Eucharist. " Blessed are they which 

 are called unto the marriage supper of {\\q. Laml)."-| 



It is not without a tender significance that you liave 

 chosen this 14th of July to consummate this solemn act. 

 This day is the anniversary of your marriage — that mar- 



• John, xi. T)'l. t r^alm cxxxii. 11. % llcvelalion, xix. 9. 



