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Show Our Eiterary Cable ' -a j "The Symbol of the Apostles" is the title of a volume vol-ume by the Rev. Alexander MacDonald. D. D.. Vlca.r General of the Diocese of Antigonlsh. Novi Scotia. The subtitle for the book describe?? as "A Vindication Vindica-tion of the Apostolic Authorship of th$ Creed on tha Lines of Catholic Tradtion." The work Is as enlargement enlarge-ment of a series of articles which ran through tbe Ecclesiastical Ec-clesiastical Review from January to June of the present pres-ent year. The book is entirely doctrinal and historicaUi Under the title of '"The Philippine Inlands: 1493-1898," 1493-1898," there is now issued a (jomplete and comprehetv-sive comprehetv-sive history of the islands and of the work of th v&- : rious Catholic orders in the islands, from their flrat , discovery by Europeans to the end of the Spanish do. ' minion. The work will be completed In fifty-five- relumes. rel-umes. The edition is limited to 1,000 numbered seta. r THOUGHTS ON CARDINAL NEWMAN'S "DREAM OF GERONTITJS." J (By Miss Bessie Callashan-(class 1904) Sacred Hr4 Academy, Ogrden.) Amongr the many literary lights that have shed their ' ; silvery lights over the world in the nineteenth, century ! ; there is none that shines forth more brilUant tha Cardinal Newman. Although we find this period heavy laden with thi spirit of scepticism and Infidelity, yet Newman anl his Illustrious pieces retain the balance In their ex-. - pression3 of the higher and more beautiful features ! life. ; In Cardinal Newman we find one of the most won- 1 derful minds ever possessed by man. His literary pro- 1 ductions area standing evidence of the true nobility f of his character, and in his "Dream of Gerorrtlus" find him at the highest point of his literary excellency More than five decades have passed sine Newman'i genius as a poet burst forth in those sublime passage I where he so beautifully pictures the soul of Gerontlm struggling against the agonies of death. j Year after year passed silently on and this beautiful j gem of literature was left practically undisturbed by J the great mass of readers, until at the dawn of the i twentieth century we find it placed In a beautiful i golden setting of music. The mind of Edgar Elgar saw in the "Dream of G- ? rontius" thoughts which awakened the highest powers ; of music , in his soul. Inspired by these expressive thoughts which had lingered in his mind for eight ; long. years, Mr. Elgar touched the golden strings of his lyre and the result we believe is one of. the most beau tiful oratorios of modern times. If we examine tns ( "Dream of Gerontius" we cannot fail to notice ho admirably each part is adopted to varied strains of , music. How beautiful it is to see one of Newman's own countrymen elevating this creation of a poet's mind w a higher and more deserving place In English litera-ture. litera-ture. ; In this poem we see Newman as the scientist, th? dreamer, the poet, and -pre-eminently as the theologian truths of science. ' Dogmas of faith and thought of the world b?yond j are expressed in longings and a style which belong' only to a true poet. In the opening lines of this od the1 reader is brought to the bedside of a dying Chris- , tlan. The scene is pictured so vividly and the outlines ' drawn with such a master hand that we seem to hew t , I Gerontius in the last moments of his life saying: . "I am near to death. And thou art calling me: I know it now, ' Not by the token of this faltering breath. Th.cl,ih at heart, this dampness on my brow; 'Tis this new feeling never felt before That I am going and am no more." Softly and slowly the poet leads us from the deathbed death-bed of Gerontius on further and further until the an? addresses him thus: s"Thy judgment now is near and we are coma into the veiled presence of our God " Beautifully, indeed, does Newman explain the tt- ; sation which the soul feels at the first sight of th? I beatific vision: j 'The sight of Him would kindle in thy heart j All tender, gracious, reverential thoughts; Thou wilt be sick with" love and yearn for Him And feel as though thou cculds't but pity Him That one so sweet should 'er have placed Him f - At his advantage such as to be u?ed ..-r- So vilely by a being as thee." From his exquisite description of the ane,!, sacred stair and the "heart-subduing melod'3 Faradise one might be led to think that Newman favored with a peep into the great beyond. The inspiration of this poem was the ae cherished friend. How often do we find ,tf weighted down by sorrow's burden breathing grief la some work of literature. cieroU' As we read the last page of the "Dream 0 this" its beauty appeals to us stronger than e,n4 I vb -lay the book down close at hand. wherds of C graBp it again to reread those beautiful wor angel as he bids farewell to Gerontius at of purgatory, j |