CURRENT LITERATURE.
Sermons on Ecclesiastical Subjects. By Henry Edward Manning, D.D. (Duffy.)—About eleven years ago, as everybody knows, the author of these sermons abandoned a high position in the Church of England to begin life over again in the Church of Rome. He left us silently without saying why, conscious, as he very truly remarks, that a man's We is the best expositor of his conduct and motives. He now, however, for the first time publishes his reasons for having taken so serious a step. In the first few pages of the volume before us Dr. Manning gives a concise sketch of the process of his conversion to the Roman Catholic Church. His old admirers will be curious to know which of the various compita led him to the Seven-hilled City. And, as mental biography is always interesting, the history, however brief, of the workings of a mind like the author's, which completely turned the current of his life, cannot fail to excite the curiosity oven of those who see in the change more to lament than to admire. What was the mental process that produced Rome as its logical conclusion? Dr. Manning tells its it was the analysis of the article of the Creed "I believe in the Holy Ghost." This satisfied several wants which arose in the com.se of his former ministry. His wants were, a commission to give him authority to teach, and a definite and certain message to deliver, and, consequently, a criterion to test the message, a judge to apply the criterion, and, lastly, an infallible process of judgment by which the judge might apply the criterion. Qf course, when an earnest heart and a restless head proposed such a concatenation of wants, and all to be satisfied in black and white, it is very -easy to see where it will end. Dr. Manning then solved his difficulties in this way. The Holy Ghost supplies an infallible process of judg- ment to the judge, 1. e., the Roman Catholic Church. The judge then, with true discernment, applies the criterion, i. e., Christian tradition, and by so doing defines accurately the nature and limits of the message to be delivered, which she gives into the hands and mouths of her accredited messengers. He must, therefore, go to that judge for his credentials and his brief, and so Dr. Manning went over to Rome. We cannot say that he shows any signs of repentance or of regret for the step he took; on the contrary, he lots us know, with the most down- right frankness, that his whole mind, will, and life, are now ruled by one idea, and that is, loyalty to the See of Rome. But, although these sermons generally are more Roman than Rome itself, yet still there appears a truly catholic spirit, broad as the world itself. Whilst standing on the dome of St. Peter's he makes a general survey of nations and of history. Spain is represented by St. Ignatius.; Italy by St. Benedict and St. Charles Borromeo; Japan by the forty Martyrs. One sermon is devoted to St. Boniface and Germany, another to St. Patrick and Ireland. He compliments France on her chivalry, her fiery legions, her Oriental conquests, but most on her charity, her missionaries, and her zeal for the Holy See. And, notwithstanding Dr. Manning discards all nationalism in religion, he says, clearly, that after his religion he loves his country. We, his poor benighted fellow-countrymen, have to swallow some unpalatable mouthfuls from him. For instance, he would make us believe that we are running down hill in religion, that we are gradually ceasing to be Christians, and that we must soon all turn either Papists or Pagans ; and yet he does justice to our energy, enter- prise, force of character, and love of justice, and asks pardon for show- ing us too much love. Be even calls his native land a Babylon, a sentina gentiutn ; and yet, when he gets over to Paris, he is proud of his wicked country, and tells the congregation of St. Roch that he will die as he was born, to the lad drop of his blood an Englishman, in love and fidelity to his land and people. Apart from its theological or political character, the book will rank, at least equal to his old Anglican dis- courses in simplicity of expression and vigour of style. In these ser- mons there is, perhaps, less of elaboration, polish, and file-work, but certainly more power, grasp, and manliness, than when the Oxford undergraduates crowded the galleries of St. Mary's to hear one of his University pulpit essays. We, however, have no hesitation in saying that, in our opinion, both for force and grace, some passages in the "Sermon on St. Patrick" surpass anything he has ever written.
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