where; but these difficulties are by no means insurmountable. To some minds the most serious problem to be grappled with is lack of attendance. Yet instances might be cited in which this problem was solved, and the means used in the solution were simple enough. They were, first a tonic dose of gentleness, then a whole-hearted endeavor to persuade the children that their presence would not only fulfil a duty, but yield them personal pleasure as well, and a rooting out of that impression lingering in so many youthful minds that, because they do not attend the parochial school, they are to be merely tolerated in the Sunday-school. Further efforts were made on the part of catechists to give in their instructions more than the dry bones of the articles of faith; and, as the Supreme Pontiff has urged in his encyclical, liberal use was made of the Sacred Scriptures, of ecclesiastical history, of the lives of the saints, stories, parables, etc., so that life and raiment were given to the truth explained, and the total result was-attractiveness.

The second point which suggests itself for the improvement of the Sunday-school enables us to follow more closely the wishes of the Holy Father as expressed in his encyclical on Christian doctrine, and refers to the catechist. Of course the priest is "par excellence" the catechist; yet in every large city the number of children to be catechised is so great that it is necessary to call in the aid of lay teachers. To this class of Church workers we cannot give too high praise. By their work they give lessons in zeal, patience, and self-sacrifice that are both edifying and fruitful. The work of teachir g catechism is not always attractive and is not likely to win popular praise. But generous souls like these look to God for. their reward, and the Vicar of Christ speaks to them in his recent letter in the following terms: "We deem it superfluous to dwell at greater length in praising such instruction, or showing its value in the eyes of God. No doubt the pity we manifest in relieving the wants of the poor is most acceptable to God; but who will question that the care and labor by which we procure not transient benefits for the body, but eternal for the soul by teaching and warning them, are far more acceptable. Nothing certainly can Nothing certainly can be more desirable, nothing more pleasing to Jesus Christ the Redeemer of immortal souls."

The Supreme Pontiff lays stress on the fact that "no

weightier duty is appointed to priests," and hence it is evident that all who are called to help the priest in the fulfilment of this duty should understand well its importance. When this is once grasped, the necessity of preparing oneself for its proper accomplishment will be manifest; the necessity, on the part of the catechist, of study and inquiry; and hence too the obligation on the part of the head of the Sundayschool of training the teachers. This is the suggestion that we would make in order to meet the requirements of the time in the way of improving our Sunday-schools; teach the teachers. Now this is not said by way of reflection upon those who devote so much of their time at no slight sacrifice to instructing the children, and we are ready to believe that no one will comprehend the helpfulness and even the necessity of this suggestion more readily than the teaching corps itself. The priest, before he is sent to the Sunday-school work, is trained in the seminary for four or six years. There he spends his time in acquiring a fuller knowledge of the truths of Christianity, so that "his lips may speak knowledge" for the people; and, what is of equal importance, he is likewise taught, and that very assiduously, how this knowledge is to be given to those who seek instruction at his hands. Who will say then that some plan of instruction is not necessary for those who are to be the priest's helpers in this great work of teaching Christian truth to the little ones, or for that matter to those grownup members of the flock who know little and wish to know more of divine truths?

It happens not unfrequently that those who present themselves for this work have never had other opportunity afforded them, of studying and grasping the doctrines they are supposed to explain to their pupils, than the ordinary course in the catechism as taught in their school days in the Sundayschool, and explained to them by a teacher not well-equipped for the task. This course most probably consisted in a memory recitation of question and answer as found in the penny catechism. How necessary that teachers, if they are to be teachers in the real sense of the word, should first receive this knowledge from one fitted by vocation and training to impart it.

It is clear then that there should be a training class for the teachers. Without this it is useless to hope for perfection

in results in the Sunday-school work. No amount of energy, no amount of good will, no amount of generous self-sacrifice will fully compensate for the lack of a trained teacher. But given the teacher possessing energy, patience, and good will, the spirit of sacrifice added to a sound and thorough training on the doctrines taught in the Sunday-schools, and what a power for effective work is at the disposal of the head of the school! Nor will the teachers demur when such a proposition is made to them. Those who give themselves to this work are "made of sterner stuff," and will be found more than willing to take advantage of every chance offered them to fit themselves for their noble work. In In fact they are waiting for the descent of the angel and the moving of the waters." How is this to be done? In one of two wayseither by the formation of classes within parish or district limits, or better still by means of a normal training school for catechists. It is with pleasure that we call attention to the existence of such a normal school-in the Archdiocese of New York. This school, which is an outgrowth of the "Confraternity of Christian Doctrine," has been established for the past five years, and during that time has done most gratifying work in the preparation of teachers for their labor in the schools of Christian doctrine.

A complete course of three years, junior, senior, and postgraduate, has been carefully arranged and has been approved by the Most Rev. Archbishop. The junior year is devoted to the study of the pedagogy of the Sunday-school-how to hold the attention of the children; how to make the explanation of each chapter of the catechism interesting; where to search for useful matter; how best to impress important truths on youthful intellects; these and kindred subjects form the matter of the first year's study. The senior year is devoted to the acquisition of a more thorough knowledge of those truths of religion usually presented in the higher Christian doctrine classes. Lectures on the Sacred Scriptures; on the life of our Lord; on the Sacraments; on the Church; on the Commandments, etc., are given during this period. At the end of each year the student is required to pass a written and oral examination in the matter treated during the course, and at the close of the second year is presented with a teacher's diploma. The third or post-graduate year is devoted to the study of Church

y, und interweaves very fittingly with the work of the Nada Vedi, especially with the lectures on the Church. plemental course is most valuable, for it gives the Clearer and firmer understanding of doctrinal points is a strong stimulus to further research, the final reIs the acquisition of a storehouse of argument at as occasion requires in the Sunday-school. xperience is the best test of the applicability of ad the effectiveness of systems, let us say one word xperience about the results already accomplished by bool as yet hardly known. It has trained over one teachers, most of whom so appreciate the work done that they return year after year to follow the courses Many of these teachers, filled with an exemplary spirit, Catechetical work among the Italians, Bohemians,

ad a few of whom are conducting sub-training Vous parts of the city. Surely these single... in the vineyard and the school that trained ying out in a fruitful way that work for Christ Xys there is "none nobler, none more pleaste cemer of immortal souls." Here then are some the two suggestions offered in this papertraming of teachers. of teachers. We feel that there is Que further. Our Holy Father has ordered all parishes of the "Confraternity of calling attention at the same time to the Accrue to its members. This indeed is and have the effect of drawing into the goodly number of young folk who have which could be used profitably in mak

the "Redeemer of immortal souls." eseme Pontiff should likewise proclaim ach of Christ is still faithful to the * Divine Founder when he sent the " that she is ever doing her w by laboring for a nobler man

Russia.

Current Events.

Several events have recently taken place which may render this year memorable in the world's history The most striking of these are what we hope may be, and yet scarcely dare to expect will be, the death throes of a corrupt and tyrannous despotism. The state of Russia, to the reader of the newspapers, is a scene of massacre, mutiny, and riot on the part of its people, and of vacillation, ineptitude, and insincerity on the part of the rulers. It is, of course, easy to make a collection of the mishaps and misdeeds which take place in any country, even the most fortunate and the best-governed, and thereby to give a totally wrong idea of the state of that country. But no such consideration as this will render it possible to believe that the state of Russia is even tolerable. The mere fact that these disorders exist in the face of the enemy, and of the common danger resulting from that enemy's success, makes it clear that despair has taken possession of the people, and that they do not care enough for their country even to put on an appearance of patriotic feeling. The open mutiny of the Kniaz Potemkin may be but the manifestation of the widespread disaffection of the army, both of the officers and of the men. In fact some of the former have refused to be the agents of the bureaucracy in shooting down defenceless men and women and children. The annihilation of the Baltic Fleet has accentuated the demand for the assembling of representatives of the nation in order to make peace, and has even led to its being openly intimated that what a National Assembly did in the days of old it may repeat at the present time-replace, i. e., an incompetent head of the State by one capable of efficient work for the good of the nation. For the system of government adopted by the immediate predecessor of the present Tsar, and continued by him in full force, is at the root of all the disasters which have taken place. In the words of a Russian belonging to the class of landed proprietors, the present system "demoralizes the educated classes and leaves the masses in ignorance, The privation of all liberty of thought and action