he who casts a stone into the path of his neighbor, will strike against it
and stumble; finally, he who lays a snare for another will be caught
therein himself.' This war, venerable, brother, is waged, not so much
against men as against God. It is because of hatred to his name that his
ministers and faithful people are persecuted. Persecution constitutes
their merit and their glory. God will at length arise and vindicate his
cause. Whilst I applaud your firmness, I most earnestly exhort you never
to let it fail you, but to possess your soul in patience, to wait
confidently, and, at the same time, courageously, for you rely not on your
own strength, but on the power of God, whose cause you maintain. Your
constancy will confirm that of your brethren of the clergy and of the
flock confided to your care. It will lead to a moral victory, assuredly
more brilliant and more solid than the ephemeral success of violence."

It was not long till the news of the day bore that many distinguished
persons were returning to the one fold. A moral victory for the Armenian
Catholics was following fast in the wake of successful force. The number
of Kupelianists was diminishing. The churches and church properties of
Adana and Diabekir, were abandoned by them in 1876, and the schism was in
course of being extinguished.

The Chaldean patriarch, Audon, rashly undertook to establish a schism.
Towards the end of February, 1873, he was reconciled to Pius IX., and
relieved from the censures which he had incurred. The Chaldean Catholics
gave a great deal of trouble. However anxiously Pius IX. labored for their
salvation, they are insignificant in point of numbers, scarcely as many as
would constitute a parish in any of our cities. Any further historical
notice of them may, therefore, be very properly dispensed with.

CHINA--INDIA--JAPAN--WONDERFUL CHANGE.

China, where the light of Christianity has sought so long to penetrate and
dispel the dismal gloom of heathen darkness, may now, at length, be said
to enjoy the greatest possible degree of religious liberty. The European
Powers, Great Britain and France, whilst securing the freedom of trade,
and generally that intercourse which is customary between civilized
nations, neglected not, at the same time, to establish such relations as
render safe and available the labors of Christian missionaries. If, in
Tonquin, there occurred a fearful massacre of Christians, it was due to
the indiscretion of a F