y were the tribe in Israel, he continued, whose special
inheritance was the Lord. They stood between him and his people evermore,
offering with prayer and supplication the spotless victim of the new law.
Let them look well to the ministry entrusted to them, shining in the
presence of all men by the dignity of their bearing, the innocence of
their life, by integrity and charity, and the golden ornaments of every
virtue. "You," he said, "who are the interpreters of the word of God, you
must preach it unweariedly to the wise and the unwise. Preach to them
Christ and Him crucified, not in loftiness of speech, but in the knowledge
of the spirit, never ceasing to call into the right road all who stray,
and confirm them in sound doctrine. Dispensers of the divine mysteries and
of the manifold grace of God, deal it out to the faithful people, to the
sick especially, in order that no help may fail them in their last
struggle with the evil one. Do not refuse to the little ones of the flock
the milk which they need. Let it be your dearest care to teach them, to
train them, to form them. Be the faithful and devoted helpmates of your
respective bishops; obeying them in all things, zealous to heal in your
parishes whatever is ailing, to bind up what is broken, to raise up what
is fallen, to seek what is lost, in order that in all things God may be
honored through our Lord Jesus Christ. Lift up your souls and contemplate
the immeasurable height of glory prepared by him for all true and faithful
laborers."

On the 26th a great public consistory was held. The five hundred bishops
then at Rome were invited to attend. So great a number had never before
assembled in Italy or any part of Western Christendom. Nor indeed was
there ever, or could there ever have been, so great an occasion for their
assembling. There was question of celebrating the eighteen hundredth
anniversary of the glorious martyrdom of Rome's first great bishop, so
many prelates had come together, also in order to venerate Peter in the
person of his venerable successor, who had now so long and so gloriously
borne witness to the Truth--the Truth in its plenitude, as first committed
to Peter and his fellow-apostles. The world was no longer heathen, and no
Nero reigned, but the spirit of unbelief was abroad, and its champions
were even then seeking to drive the Sovereign Pontiff from the holy city,
and were waging war with as determined wickedness as that of the early
persecut