and that we appreciate the practical importance of industry and of commerce.

We are "men of the day," but we are nevertheless disposed to think that it would be difficult to prove that Aristotle was a philosopher of lower merit than M. Tiberghien, that Alexander of Macedonia was inferior in political knowledge and experience to Prince Bismarck, that Demosthenes was less clever and enlightened than Mr. Gladstone, that Papinian was a pedant compared to Professor Bluntschli, and that M. de Savornin merits a hundredfold higher position in the social scale than St. Jerome.

Protestant sects, and even the Catholic Church itself, have but indirect relations with the great events that these names recall to our memory.

Jesus Christ has said "My kingdom is not of this world."

"Seek first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all the rest shall be added unto you."

This "rest" Catholics possess, as we have said before, in various degrees, and at least to quite as great an extent as Protestants.

At a time when professors of political economy and other great ones of the world look upon them

selves as the high priests of the future, because they expose the laws which control the production and the circulation of passing riches and study the conditions of material prosperity, it is necessary to repeat incessantly and proclaim aloud upon the house-tops, that the end of man upon earth does not entirely consist in the exaltation of his well-being.

We find in the catechism authorized for use in the diocese of Malines, a few simple questions and answers which surpass in beauty the "Timeus" of Plato and the twelfth book of Aristotle's "Metaphysics: "

"What is man? Man is a creature of God, gifted with reason, possessing an immortal soul and a mortal body. Which is the noblest part of man? The soul. For what end did God create man? Man was created by God to serve Him in this life and to possess Him eternally in the next. Are we then not created to enjoy ourselves in this life and to amass riches? No, we are created to serve God."

est.

To serve God is to reign. Servire Deo, regnare

He who serves God truly, reigns over creation, even though he may be the poorest and most illiterate of men. The Christian faith was not preached and the Universal Church was not founded either by rich capitalists, literary and scientific writers, pro

fessors of rural economy, consummate politicians, clever diplomatists, great generals, or shrewd and eloquent lawyers.

Jesus Christ, filius fabri, lived the life of an artisan, and died crucified between two malefactors; the Apostles were simple labourers and fishermen, and the whole work of Christianity was the greatest scandal which "the learned," "the rich," "the intelligent," "the civilized," of the first four centuries were called upon to witness.

It is the same at the present day: the existence, the development, the immutability of the Catholic Church together form a scandal in the eyes of unbelievers, and of those who are entirely given up to the pleasures of the world.

Until now the man of the "tertiary period," who, it was supposed, would be the same triumph in the natural theology of rationalism as the invention of the Krupp cannon has been in military art, has not yet been discovered, but cities built on piles do still exist which to the horror of modern liberals are still in the hands of the clergy.

M. X. Marmier not long ago gave a dissertation before the various assembled Academies of France, on the history of the dwellings of different nations,

from which we select an interesting passage relating to the cities that are built upon piles :

"In one of the most fertile regions of South America, in the Republic of Venezuela, a tribe of Indians may be found who have constructed their dwellings in the middle of the lake of Maracaibo, not in order to escape from tigers or serpents, or the invasion of hostile tribes, but to withdraw themselves from a legion of mosquitoes, far larger and more venomous than those that frequent our European climate. These insects, as is wellknown in all countries, prefer the neighbourhood of water, but scarcely ever leave the damp soil on the bank where they were hatched, and the Indians know that a certain distance from the shore they are safe from their attacks. They are surrounded with everything necessary to build huts, the palo di hierro, for their piles, a lighter sort of wood for their floors and partitions, creeping plants out of which they can make ropes for binding together the different parts of the building, and palm leaves as a covering for the roof.

There is no need to build massive walls (rain being the only kind of inclement weather they have to dread), for snow, frost, and cold winds are unknown. Thanks to the great riches of the country, there is no trouble as to the means of existence.

The lake is full of fish, and at certain seasons of the year thousands of wild ducks come and settle, of which large numbers are captured by means of snares.

The nevea, from which a milky sap is extracted that forms india-rubber, grows plentifully along the banks, and traders come every year to buy this article, as well as the down of the ducks, and the cargoes of smoked and preserved fish which this industrious people collect. These Indians live in their peaceful settlement, and are not ranked amongst civilized nations; they possess no newspapers and have no railways; they are ignorant

of the sweet excitements connected with the rise and fall of the Funds, and of the charm of parliamentary discussions.

But they are Christians (converted by Spanish missionaries), and in the midst of their simple village rises a church built on piles.

The cross that crowns the summit of the steeple is reflected in the shining mirror of water, and the bell peals forth the angelus in this solitude of the New World; at the hours of service, the family canoes are grouped around its entrance, whilst the faithful Indians devoutly kneel within its precincts.

When the Spaniards first arrived in this quarter the sight of the aquatic dwellings of Maracaibo reminded them of Venice, and they christened the country they had discovered by the name of Venezuela.

The opulent and proud Venice of the old world has now lost her riches; the city of the Doges has lost her golden ring, the Queen of the Adriatic has forfeited her crown, and she who was at one time so full of glory has been subjected to numberless disasters; but this little Indian tribe of Venezuela has never known such splendid prosperity, and will never experience such a terrible downfall.

Contented with its humble position in the world, it neither dreams of growing rich by rash speculation, nor increasing its boundaries by adventurous conquest.

The lake on which it is situated is its vast ocean, its frail bark is its 'Bucentoro,' its wooden chapel is its basilica of St. Mark, and its prosperity consists in the modest and simple habits of its daily life."

It is not probable that either we or our readers would select this city on piles as a summer residence; but we should never presume to assert that these contented and happy people live, before God, in a state of civili