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Show The Catholic Encyclopedia. The appearance of Volume I of tlje Catholic Encyclopedia marks a nej,v epoch in English literature. It is, indeed, in-deed, a signal triumph for the transcendent tran-scendent scholarship and erudition of the intellectual leaders of our grand old church; and therefore cannot fail of being a perennial source of the greatest gratification and satisfaction to all loyal Catholics. Viewed from every standpoint of excellence, this truly great work sheds a radiant lustre of distinction upon its publishers, us illustrious illus-trious editors, and its army of intellectual intellec-tual and scholarly contributors the latter lat-ter numbering: over one thousand and representing twenty-seven different nationalities. na-tionalities. The Literary Digest, in a masterly review of this first volume of the Encyclopedia, En-cyclopedia, extols the work in unmeasured unmeas-ured terms of praise and commendation, commenda-tion, declaring that "Considered as an achievement of scholarship alone, it will command attention." The writer of the article just referred to (who, by the way, :;eems eminently competent to pass judgment upon the questions and problems involved), seizes the- opportunity, oppor-tunity, thus presented, to pay well-merited well-merited and, apparently, irresistible-tribute irresistible-tribute to the wonderful vitality and resourcefulness of Catholicism, in ihe following remarkable language: "Contrary "Con-trary to the expectation of its opponents, oppon-ents, the marvelous adaptability of the Roman church proved competent to withstand the apparent menace of the new ideas. Resting not solely upon the foundation rock of the Scriptures, but upon tradition as well. Catholicism has been able to withstand the assaults of science upon the tra.ditional conception of the Bible, to maintain its position, and to cement, as it were, into its unshaken un-shaken structure the missiles of its assailants. as-sailants. Thanks to the enlightened boldness of a minority of Catholic scholars and to the encouragement they received from a liberal pontiff in love with thejfuture, the most populous of the Christian cnurcnes nas Deen omciai-ly omciai-ly placed in the van of modern thought." The reviewer then adds, again referring to the Encyclopedia: "The general intellectual significance of the work before us is in line ,with this advance of liberality of thought," and closes his significant and erudite article arti-cle thus: "If future volumes maintain the standard set by the Tlrst, the Catholic Cath-olic Encyclopedia will long remain a classic work of reference." The Charleston (S. C.) Newsand Courier is equally as laudatory 'fi'ils most illustrious production, declaring: "This Encyclopedia must be regarded as a marvelous contribution to the religious re-ligious literature of the world:" and the Boston Herald pronounces It the most notable addition to reference literature lit-erature of modern times." And these expressions are accurately typical of an almost. If not quite, unanimous unan-imous voice of the press, and fairly indicative in-dicative of praise and appreciation freely emanating from all sources clerical cler-ical and lay Catholic and non-Catholic. Tremendous, therefore, and intensely salutary, must be the influence of this significant publication, in the spread and propagation of Catholic truth. Already Al-ready has it found its way into nearly one hundred and fifty public and university uni-versity libraries and will, no doubt, be accepted as the standard of authority on all questions relating to Catholic doctrine and history, and the attitude of the. church on the manifold problems vitally effecting the interests of the race of man, past and present. It is easy to understand, therefore, why our clergy prelates and priests wherever the English language is spoken, spo-ken, manifest such earnest solicitude for the widest possible distribution of the Catholic Encyclopedia. In view of the unbounded . and f reedy expressed admiration of the. non-Catholic wo,rld for this remarkable work, it would be inconceivable that Catholics anywhere should long fail to manifest the niost lively and ardent Interest in this grand literary achievement in behalf of Vheir fondly cherished cause. Aside from the keen personal Interest that this fork must possess for every intelligent and devoted Catholic, it should be esteet ned an enviable privilege to aid in pron ot-ing ot-ing its distribution by every practi cable ca-ble and reasonable means at his c m-mand. m-mand. - |
