e plans of God's providence, must remove these two great roots of evil
by imparting to the mind infallibly the light of truth, and by laying
down for the will authoritatively the unchangeable principles of
morality. It is the Catholic Church that has accomplished in society
this twofold task, by means of education.

In the Pagan world, education was an edifice built up on the principles
of slavery. The motto was, "Odi profanum vulgus et arceo." Education was
the privilege of the aristocracy. The great mass of people was
studiously kept in ignorance of the treasures of the mind. This state of
things was done away with by the Roman Catholic Church, when she
established the monastic institutions of the West. The whole of Europe
was soon covered with schools, not only for the wealthy, but for the
poorest even of the poor. Yes, education was systematized, and an
emulation was created for learning, such as the world had never seen
before. Italy, Germany, France, England, and Spain, had their
universities; but side by side with these, their colleges, gymnasiums,
parish and village schools, as numerous as the churches and monasteries,
which the efforts of the Holy See had scattered with lavish hand over
the length and breadth of the land.

And where was the source of all this light? I answer, at _Rome_. For
when the barbarian hordes poured down upon Europe from the Caspian
Mountains, it was the Popes who saved civilization. They collected, in
the Vatican, the manuscripts of the ancient authors, gathered from all
parts of the earth at enormous expense. The barbarians, who destroyed
everything by fire and sword, had already advanced as far as Rome.
Attila, who called himself the scourge of God, stood before its walls;
there was no emperor, no praetorian guard, no legions present to save
the ancient Capital of the world. But there was a Pope--Leo I. And Leo
went forth, and by entreaties, and threats of God's displeasure, induced
the dreaded king of the Huns to retire. Scarcely had Attila retired,
before Genseric, king of the Vandals, made his appearance, invited by
Eudoxia, the empress, to the plunder of Rome. Leo met him, and obtained
from him the lives and the honor of the Romans, and the sparing of the
public monuments which adorned the city in such numbers. Thus Leo the
Great saved Europe from barbarism. To the name of Leo, I might add those
of Gregory I., Sylvester II., Gregory XIII., Benedict XIV., Julius III.,
Paul III., L