and Blessed Delphina, his spouse; St. Yves, Curé of Brittany, surnamed the poor man's advocate; St. Roch, of Montpellier; the Blessed Peter of Sienna, who knew so well how to combine the service of God with his humble occupations; the Blessed Lucius, or Luchesius, who was the first member of the Third Order.

It has had its martyrs also. Witness the Blessed Raymond Lully, patron of the Island of Majorca, who honoured the habit of St. Francis both by his life of learning and zeal and by his glorious death. In 1597, seventeen Tertiaries of Japan, with six Franciscans of the Observance, sealed their faith with their blood. In 1630, twenty-two members of the Third Order and eighteen other Franciscans obtained in their turn the martyr's crown.

The Order has also been the mother of a numerous band of illustrious virgins. There is St. Rose of Viterbo, in whose person God was pleased to prove the all-powerful energy of His grace; there is St. Angela, of Mericia; St. Mary Frances of the Five Wounds, who died at Naples in 1791; those blessed women, Viridiana, Lucia of Salerno, Joan of Signa, Elizabeth of Suabia, and many more.

Among the widowed sanctified, the Third Order counts the celebrated St. Elizabeth of Hungary; her sainted namesake, the Queen of Portugal; St. Frances of Rome; St. Joan of Valois, Queen of France; the Blessed Louisa of Albertoni; Blessed Michelina; Blessed Paula Gambara; Blessed Angelina; Blessed Humiliana; Blessed Joan Maria de Maille, &c.

It has had, too, some great penitents-St. Margaret of Cortona and the Blessed Angela da Foligno.

Thus befriended in past ages, it is even in later days possessed of protectors, advocates and examples. The causes of beatification of a great number of Tertiaries, many of whom belong to the present age, have lately been under consideration. We may cite the names of Sister Mary Lillia of the Crucified, a native of Viterbo, who died the 12th February, 1773. She

founded five Convents of nuns of the Third Order Regular, which were placed under the guidance of the Franciscans of the Observance; of Sister Mary of the Five Wounds of Our Lord, who died at Naples in 1827; of the Venerable Elizabeth Sanna, a widow, who died at Rome in 1857; of Sister Angela Pozzi, of Rome, a member of the Congregation attached to the Church of Ara Coli, who died in 1846 in the odour of sanctity. Then there was Father Vincent Palotti, a Roman by birth, who founded the Society of the Missions. This servant of God took the habit in the Church of our Convent of Ara Cœli on the 29th November, 1816, was professed on the 25th February, 1818, and died in 1849, leaving behind him a great reputation for sanctity.

To the honour of the Third Order we may add that independent of the Saints and blessed persons, devotion to whom has been solemnly sanctioned by the Church, this admirable institute claims forty-five Martyrs and more than two hundred Confessors, Virgins and Widows, who may be called Blessed in virtue of the Bull, Coelestis Jerusalem, issued by Pope Urban VIII., and dated 7th July, 1634. It has given birth to twelve Religious Orders or Congregations. Here mention must be made of Cardinal de Berulle, founder of the celebrated Congregation of the Oratory in France; of M. Olier, who established the Sulpicians, where so many priests have imbibed that true spirit of the priesthood which the great servant of God left as legacy to his disciples. He was professed in the Convent of the Fathers of the Observance at Paris, and contributed largely to the well-being of the Congregation established there.

The Venerable Curé d'Ars, whose fame is world-wide, was also a member of the Third Order. This worthy servant of God, whose death occurred on the 4th August, 1859, considered the Third Order a most powerful instrument for revivifying Christian charity; he wished it were diffused through all parishes and dioceses.

At thought of this bewildering multitude of Saints which belong to them, the Brothers and Sisters of the Third Order should remember that they are heirs to all that saintliness and merit amassed during six centuries at the expense of such pains and labour. What a consoling thought! what cheering encouragement for the children of Father Francis!

The Tertiaries can also count among their protectors the Saints of the First and Second Orders, for all are children of the same father and members of one family. (To be continued.)

DOMINE USQUEQUO?

O THOU! beloved of my soul, when will this exile end? When will this weary wait be o'er, and Thou my summons

send?

Thou knowest well that life hath naught of happiness for me, I taste no sweetness, find no joy, but only, Lord, in Thee.

Hast Thou not taught and gained my heart, this yearning heart of mine,

To rise above the love of earth, and seek its all in Thine? Hast Thou not called me by my name, and am I not Thine own ?—

The spouse whom Thou hast chosen, Lord, Thou never wilt disown!

Thy loveliness hath charmed my soul; I sigh to gaze on Thee;
My spirit pines and frets to bear this body's slavery;
I long to lay me down and rest, safe from the guilt of sin,
Far from the selfish ways of earth, its tumult and its din.

I long to see Thy glorious face, to lose myself in Thee,
To sit and feast upon Thy love, from earth's distractions free.
To see Thee, Lord, to gaze upon the beauty of Thy face,—
And wilt Thou grant me such a joy? O miracle of grace !

May I yet swell the joyful hymns of angel choirs above,
And shall I rest in Thine embrace, exulting in Thy love?
The blessed hope dilates my heart; my heart and soul
rejoice;

I languish, Lord, I die to hear the music of Thy voice.

I weary of my pilgrimage, the stranger's land I roam;
My Father, wilt Thou still delay to call the exile home?
Call me and I will answer Thee; call me from earth away,
From darkest night of cheerless gloom, to gladdest, brightest
day.

Hush! thou, my soul, in silent hope await the happy hour, And cling with childlike trust to Him, the God of might and

pow'r ;

And prize each pang, each sigh, each tear, that grief wringsfrom thee now,

Each one will shine a brilliant gem hereafter on thy brow.

The pain will pass, 'twill not be long before thy work is done, And then the combat will be o'er, the crown of victory won; Thy God is true; He cannot fail; His plighted word is given: If thou art faithful to the end thy home shall be in heaven.

He will unveil the mystery this life has been to thee,
And in the bitter things of Time thy Father's love thou'lt see.
What blessedness 'twill be to lie on His paternal breast,
While countless ages pass away in everlasting rest!

Oh! 'tis a blissful thought to think, that life must soon be passed,

That all its waves may yet be calmed, and peace be mine at

last.

'Tis joy to know that death will come and place me on the shore

Within

my

God's eternal arms, secure for evermore.

Jesus! Thy precious gift of Faith is wealth untold to me';
If it can give so much of bliss, oh, what will vision be.
I will be still, and patient sing my life's unceasing song,
The low, deep murmur of my soul: How long, O Lord, how
long?

FELIX'S

VOCATION.

PART II.

THE first days of March were bitterly cold.

Thick snow

flakes fell, and hailstones pattered down like white stars on the dark ground, which was soon half-covered. A sharp east wind was scurrying through the streets of the capital, driving the soft, newly-fallen snow into balls before it, then sportively tossing them, blown into powder, up in the air, playing with the long white snow-wreaths, driving them along the house fronts, till they looked like trailing spectres.

Father Halden, wrapped in an old-fashioned, faded cloak, the collar turned up over his ears, stepped with his fellowpassengers from the train on to the asphalted platform of the city terminus. He followed the stream of men as they passed through the wide gates, and slowly climbed a high flight of stone steps leading to an upper platform; here the busy toand-fro of the great city was in full activity. The jingling

of a tramway's bells was heard a little way off, announcing its departure; omnibuses and hotel-cars crossed each other rapidly, whilst at the side stood a long row of cabs, the drivers closely muffled up, sitting with stoical calm on their seats, awaiting the fares who seemed resolved not to come on, for everyone rushed for the trams, as more comfortable and convenient. Only Father Halden stepped up to the dark-looking row, opened the door of the first cab and sat bolt-upright on its hard cushions. The driver jumped nimbly down and shut the door: "Where to, sir?" he asked, looking seriously at the white-haired old gentleman.