Study.
Study a Duty
The State of the World calls for Knowledge
on the part of the Clergy.
Knowledge has always been one of the Glories of Religion.
All the eminent Men in the Church were Men of Study.
Reasons adduced for not studying, answered:
Want of Leisure,
natural Aptitude,
the Plea of having already studied sufficiently,
that one is fully equal to the Requirements
of the People committed to his Charge.
From what has been said above, it will readily be inferred that
much study is called for on our part--study of the sciences and
study of mankind, study of books and study of the human heart.
... In order to attain a noble simplicity, to acquire ease, and
to be natural, a man must possess profound knowledge. I even
venture to say that a little study leads us away from the
natural, whereas much study conducts us to it.
But there are other and still stronger motives for study on our
part: namely, duty, and the salvation of mankind. It has been
said, and that truly, that piety is the first and most essential
requirement. We admit that it is so; but genuine piety consists
in the faithful discharge of the duties of one's station.
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Now, it is absolutely impossible for a priest at the present day,
whatever position he may occupy, to discharge his duty without an
adequate amount of learning.
For, what is a priest? He is the depositary of the science of
life, and is debtor therein to every man. He is bound to trace
out the way for all; for the small and great, the young and aged,
the learned and ignorant, the humble and proud together.
He is bound to confront human passions and errors, to expose
their wiles, to withstand the assaults of vice, and to enlighten
the minds and win over the hearts of men by the power of the
Gospel. A priest's need of knowledge is truly paramount. ...
Hence the Church has always recommended study. The Fathers were
men of study; the men whose genius has made them illustrious,
were studious men. Look at Bossuet! we boast of his fluency; yes,
he was fluent; but the thought of the life which he led up to a
very advanced age is enough to make one tremble. He generally
rose at two in the morning, to continue a task hardly
interrupted. Let us not deceive ourselves in this matter: the
labors which have redounded to the glory of the Church have been
dearly bought.
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Bossuet's intense devotion to study was notorious. One day his
gardener accosted him thus: "Monseigneur, I am very much put out;
for I dig away and plant flowers, and you do not take the least
notice of them. If I could plant some John Chrysostoms or some
Saint Augustines in my garden I should be much more successful."
Even in our own times, those priests who effect any real good are
unremitting in their studies. The rule which Père Maccarthy
prescribed for himself is appalling:--"My recreations," said he,
"must be short. It is generally enough for me to walk about with
a book in my hand, or while I am reciting my prayers.
Unprofitable talk and time misspent are crimes in a priest."
At the age of fifty, he could no longer work seated, owing to an
infirmity brought on by doing a charitable act. He lay down on a
sheepskin spread in the centre of his room, and there worked from
ten to twelve hours a day. We admire his success; but we here see
what it cost him. We complain that the faithful do not come to
our sermons; have we made any such efforts as these? Let us do
the men of our time this justice, that whenever they come in
contact with a priest possessing piety and knowledge--sound
knowledge which is not acquired from books alone--he never fails
to make a lively impression upon them.
On the other hand, the men of the present day crave after
knowledge: it is one of their fancies. Are they right in this, or
are they to blame? You may think as you please on the subject;
but we are, nevertheless, bound by the obligation of charity to
become all things to all men, that we may save all; and among the
means thereto, knowledge is one of the most efficacious.
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There are but two powers in the world nowadays: namely, the power
of wealth and the power of talent.
The prestige of a name, of authority, and of dignity, has passed
away. The fact is to be deplored; but it is true. What are we to
do in consequence? We must take men as they are, in order to
better them.
As regards the power of wealth, we do not possess it; and we are
certainly not the worse for that. We are for the most part poor,
the offspring of humble parents; and what Saint Paul said of the
first Christians is applicable to us:--"Not many mighty men, not
many noble, are called."
We must array ourselves, therefore, on the side of the power of
talent. Therewith we may secure a hearing, and may succeed in
reclaiming some to the faith. ... There are two ways leading to
religion: many are led thereto by love, and through the heart,
and many likewise by knowledge; but when the two are conjoined,
incalculable good is the result.
A priest who is notoriously ignorant is already condemned: he is
morally dead, whatever other excellent qualities he may possess.
He is stigmatized with some such remark as this:--"He is a worthy
man, but he knows nothing." ... Thenceforward, what can you
expect him to effect, even among peasants, who have heard that
fatal verdict?
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The world calls for knowledge from us, and we are bound to supply
it. To that end, we must study, I do not say all human sciences,
but we should acquire some thoroughly, especially those which
bear upon our special duties; and, as regards others, should not
be what may be called "ignorant" of them. It would be
disgraceful, for example, if we were obliged to refer to laymen
to explain to us the beauties of our church architecture, or the
symbols which decorate our ornaments.
Frenchmen like a bold, animated, lively--a telling style of
speech; let us endeavor, therefore, to attain it. ... The world
comes to us; let us meet it half way. Let us partake of its
science, and it will partake of our religion.
Further, knowledge has always been one of the greatest glories of
the Church. At the period of the Revolution of '93, even
according to the testimony of occasionally prejudiced historians,
there was an immense number of men among the clergy of France who
were eminent for learning and talent. Nowadays, we are called an
admirable clergy--the first clergy in the world. That sounds very
well; but it is a mere compliment: that is, we do not merit the
eulogy. Let us lose no time in proving our claim to it in every
respect.
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But there is no lack of plausible reasons adduced for our
dispensing with study. Good God! the egregious mistakes and
infirmities which speech has taken under its patronage ought to
be well known by us. On the point under consideration, the
reasons urged are various.
The first is: "We would gladly do it, but, really, we have no
time." Now, let us be fair here. This is quite true in some
cases. ... The labors and anxieties of the sacred ministry are
absorbing, and, besides, they cut up the little leisure which is
left us after a conscientious discharge of our duty. ... I say,
this is true sometimes; but very often, if we only had the will!
... How is it with us, whenever we have a strong desire for any
thing? ... Put the question to the weakest among men, and you
will learn even from them, that when they have the will they
always find the way. Come along with me, and I think we may
succeed in picking up some scraps of time, and, perchance, a
large supply. ... And, first, as regards those long dinners: if
you were to curtail a little from the commencement, a little from
the end, and a small portion from the middle, methinks what
remained would be amply sufficient for that meal.
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Dignity is brief in words, and at dinner likewise; feeling that
it is endangered by exhibiting itself too long and too near in
the midst of meats and drinks, which savor little of Gospel
mortification: without taking into account the poor, who do not
see us sitting down at sumptuous tables, while they are hard at
work and fare scantily. ... And what shall we say of the
numberless visits received and returned, the cares which are
self-imposed, travelling, certain kinds of reading, and
inordinate sleep? In all these there is much scope for economy.
Place an old academician, or a compiler of works which nobody
reads, or a decipherer of illegible manuscripts, or a
bird-stuffer, or the eternal collector of coins and butterflies,
in the same position, and you will see how he will contrive to
save therefrom five hours a day at least. ... And we who are
called to save men's souls! ... Oh, idleness! idleness! That,
too, is another of our calamities. ... The serpent of indolence,
one of the vilest beasts in creation, glides in everywhere. ...
What restrains us is this, that we do not plunge into study; that
we have not the taste, the passion for study. We can only attain
such a temper by hard work. Let us break through the first
difficulties, then the taste will come, and ample time will be
found. ...
The fact of a man having studied a good deal during his lifetime,
is another plea on the same side. It may not be expressed, but
the flattering notion is nevertheless entertained that we have
already acquired a certain amount of knowledge; that the public
are aware of it, and have more than once complimented us on that
score.
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Yes, one has studied a good deal, learnt a good deal, and, we may
add, forgotten a good deal. ... Nothing is so soon forgotten as a
science which is not cultivated.
A strange habit obtains in this respect. ... We judge of a man's
abilities by what he was at college. He had ability then; but
subsequently he learnt nothing, and has forgotten much of what he
did learn. His knowledge has dwindled down to the wretched _just
enough_:--a fact which is patent. For all that, he is still
regarded as an able man. ... Another was rather backward at
college, but since then has worked, striven, and succeeded in
enlarging his talents. Why should such an one be spoken of as
unapt, while we venture to think that we ourselves are well up in
every thing, because we were believed to know something fifteen
years ago? Moreover, it never seems to be borne in mind that
college education merely gives us the key to knowledge and the
taste for study.
But one is naturally endowed with great ingenuity; what need is
there, then, for so much application? The Lord deliver us from
these gifted men! They are long-winded, tedious, monotonous,
bombastic, and any thing but natural; bearing out what we said
above, that a little study removes us from the natural, whereas
much study draws us toward it.
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Our aim should be to have it remarked of our
discourses:--"Really, all that is very simple, and precisely what
ought to have been said. It is just what I should have said
myself had I been called upon to speak." But we shall not attain
that stage without much painstaking. Sermons generally are worth
what they cost; and our most able men are those who study most.
The course sometimes pursued of restricting study to one special
subject is a sorry habit. It reminds one very much of a young man
whose chief aim is to get his bachelor's degree.
But it is further urged:--"No complaints are made; on the
contrary, people have been pleased to tell us that they are quite
delighted with us."
Good God! and has not every one experienced the same! Who,
indeed, has not been deluged with compliments? Do you know any
one to whom the like has not happened? It would be a great
curiosity to discover a preacher, however wretched, tiresome, and
insipid he may be, who has not found a few pious souls to bestow
on him the alms of a small compliment, or a small lie. He is to
be congratulated, indeed, if in addition thereto, after having
listened to one of our good preachers, some of them do not come
to him and say, with all the subtlety of the serpent:--"Yes, his
sermon was very grand, it was magnificent; still, we like your
excellent and charming little discourses much better."
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There is no doubting one's ability after that; and one is tempted
to believe himself a Ravignan, or an unrecognized Lacordaire. ...
One sees, of course, that there is some exaggeration in all this:
nevertheless he is fain to believe the half of it at least. ...
Alas! flattery is the ruin of kings--and of preachers also.
Lastly, we have this plea:--"I know quite enough to speak to my
own people; I shall always be superior to the good souls which
are committed to my charge." ... It is not superior to, but in
unison with them that you should be. ... Let us see, however,
what your knowledge really is, in connection with the good souls
you speak of. Whenever you address them from the pulpit, is their
attention riveted? do their countenances beam, do their eyes
glisten, or are they moistened with tears? Do you hold them under
the spell of your words? Do you possess their souls, together
with your own? ... "Alas! no," you reply; "blockheads that they
are; they yawn, they dread the sermon, and are delighted on
finding that at Mass the Gospel is immediately followed by the
Creed." ... Away to study! then; ... brush up your knowledge and
your heart; betake yourself once more to the study of your
people; find out their weak and their strong points; study their
minds, their manner of looking at and apprehending things; and
then you will come forth to proclaim the truth pithily and
powerfully, and will take up your proper position.
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The general impression, however, appears to be that a preacher
has but to open his mouth and the people should listen to him
with ecstasy; otherwise they are called dull and stupid. Instead
of speaking to them a language which they understand, they are
treated to a theological theme amplified; whereon they
remark:--"All that is undoubtedly very grand; but it does not
concern us." Or, as an operative once said:--"If that is the word
of God, it is not addressed to us; it must be intended for the
rich." ...
Study, then, is necessary to qualify us for doing good to all;
even to the lower orders, the poorest and meanest. We have
remarked elsewhere, that it is more difficult to preach to the
ignorant than to the literary: more preparation is required.
Hence it is that there are more men fitted to address the upper
than the lower classes; and yet the latter form nearly the whole
of the community. ... Be it ours, then, to attain that
superiority which knowledge confers; whereby also we shall be
able to lay hold of both small and great, through the medium
which they severally offer for being so secured. The world
thirsts for knowledge; let us give them knowledge; let us make
ourselves masters of knowledge, for then we shall undoubtedly be
stronger than the world.
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We shall then be invested with a twofold power: the power of
human and the power of Divine knowledge. The world possesses the
power of human speech only; we shall possess that, and the power
of God's word likewise. In a word, the world possesses the earth;
absolutely nothing but the earth: we, too, shall possess the
earth and heaven besides.
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