Meditations For Every Day In The Year/Preface
[Copy of the Copyright to the first American edition of this work, published at Georgetown, D. C, in 1823, by Joseph Milligan, and printed by J. C. Dunn.]
District of Columbia, to wit:
BE it remembered, that on the twentieth day of March, in the forty-seventh year of the Independence of the United States of America, Joseph Milligan, of the said District, has deposited in this office, the title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as Proprietor, in the words following, to wit :
"Meditations for every day in the year, collected from different spiritual writers. First written in Latin by N. B., translated into English by E. M., in the year 1669, and now revised by Rev. R. Baxter. Every day will I bless thee : and I will praise thy name forever; yea. forever and ever. — [Ps. cxlv. 2.]"
In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned.
EDMUND I. LEE,
Clerk of the District of Columbia.'ARCHBISHOPRIC OF BALTIMORE.
Dear Father Neale :
I am glad to learn that you are preparing for publication a new edition of that excellent work, "Short Points for Mental Prayer. " This precious book was originally written in 1639, and was used by Challoner, Walmsly, and other Confessors of the Faith in times of persecution. I hope the volume will have a large sale, not only among your own flock in St. Mary's County, but throughout the country.
Believe me,
Yours faithfully in Christ,
+ JAMES GIBBONS,
Archbishop of Baltimore [Copy of Approbations given to the first American edition of this work.]
APPROBATIONS.
Ego infrascriptus attente ac sedulo perlegi Hbrum, cui titulus Meditations for every day in the year, revised, etc., by Rev. R. Baxter, in <juo nihil invenio contra fidem vel bonos mores. — Cum vero opus illud optimum mihi videtur inter id generis libros, Christifidelibus ilud impense commendatum esse volo, quod nulli non Christiana* familiae Bibliothecae instar futurum esse existimo.
Washington, 28th February, 1823.
Legi librum cui titu.us, Meditations for every day in the year, recenter quoad linguam prcecipue, a Rev. R. Baxter, S. J. recensitum, in quo tantum abest, ut quid vel fidei vel moribus contrarium repererim, quin potius omnia et orthodoxa, et pia et docta et perutilia invenio. Quapropter ilium nova impressione dignissimum censeo.
Dat. in Col. Geo. Feb. 12, 1823.
A. M. D. G.
PREFACE TO THE PRESENT EDITION.
This volume of Meditations is interesting not only from its origin, which is given at length in the Preface to the first American edition, but also from the fact that it is among the first devotional works published in this country. Even prior to its appearance here the English edition was much in use. This, in itself, adds vastly to its historical interest, since it creates, as it were, a spiritual fellowship with those pioneers of the faith who came not only to teach, but prepared to suffer. The first American edition owed its appearance to the exertions of the Rev. Roger Baxter, S.J., a man conspicuous for his learning, eloquence, and zeal in defence of the faith. Though dying at the early age of thirty-four, he was the author of at least two books which earned for him fame in the field of polemics; one, "A Series of Letters between M. B. and Quaero on the Tenets of Catholicity" appeared in 1817; the other, " The Most Important Tenets of the Roman Catholic Church, fairly explained," was published three years later, and even to this day is recognized as a standard controversial work.
This present volume contains Father Baxter's Preface to his edition, which is certain to excite attention, as it embraces the history of the book as well as the method laid down by its author.
We have also included the Approbations given to Father Baxter's edition, and a transcript of the old copyright as likely to prove interesting to the bibliographer. We hope that the present edition, like its predecessors, will prove not only welcome, but be as productive of good to souls.
PREFACE.
The following series of Meditations has been long in high repute in England. They were originally collected, a long time ago, from the best ascetical writers, which were then in existence, and there is hardly a meditation book of those days which our author has not ransacked in order to form his work. Tradition says that this little book served in an eminent degree to keep alive the spirit of their religion among the persecuted Catholics of England, for when it was first printed the days of intolerance and religious proscription had not passed away. Independently of the intrinsic merit of the book, these associations give it some degree of interest which it would not otherwise possess. This book was a particular favorite with such men as Bishops Challoner and Walmsly.
The devout contemplative, as well as the ordinary Christian, may use these Meditations with advantage.
The edition used in revising this work was printed in the year 1669. If the language had only been a little antiquated, it would have been better to have reprinted it in its original state; for we have more than one instance of good old books being revised and corrected, and spoiled. But the style was too far removed from the standard of modern language for the book to appear in it before the public, with that credit to which it is entitled. The citations from Scripture, besides, were taken from an older English translation of the Bible, the phraseology of which differs in many respects from the present authorized translation.
The translator of 1669 (Rev. E. Mico), with some trifling changes in phraseology and orthography, gives in his preface the following account of the work: " The author of these Meditations is still living in England, of which he is a native; but his modesty prevents me from publishing his name. But, if his reputation be of any concern to the reader, I think myself bound to tell the world that his singular virtue and talents have placed him for the last twenty years in an eminent employment in his religious profession. He composed this book thirty years ago (1639), in Latin, for the benefit of a private community, in whose spiritual advancement he was interested. The work, though never before printed, has a sufficient approbation from the esteem of all those who have made use of it. Some persons of virtue, talents, and authority have procured manuscript copies of the Meditations, and make use of no other in their daily exercise of mental prayer."
The author's name has not travelled down to us in any other shape than as expressed in the title-page.
HOW TO MEDITATE OR PRAY MENTALLY.
St. Augustine is quoted as saying that "any one who knows how to pray rightly, knows how to live rightly." Many opinions could be cited of holy and learned writers who attach the greatest importance to mental prayer, and for some persons think it even necessary for salvation.
Distant Preparation. — 1. Avoid venial sins and be exact in all duties. 2. Practise some self-denial; guard your eyes and tongue. 3. Have a habit of recollection and union with God. 4. Be patient and kind.
Near Preparation. — 1. Read the subject attentively the evening before, and fix it in the memory. 2. Picture in your imagination some object or scene connected with the subject of meditation. 3. Take a respectful and not too easy posture in meditating. We should try to come to prayer with a disengaged mind and a tranquil heart.
Begin your Mental Prayer by realizing the presence of God, and kiss your crucifix devoutly. Preparatory Prayer: O my God, I offer myself entirely to Thee, and beg of Thee to direct all the powers of my soul to know, honor, love, and serve Thee. Grant, dearest Lord, that I may practise the virtue taught by this meditation. (Recall the picture formed in imagination.)
Then carry on a conversation, as it were, with Almighty God, while you exercise your memory, understanding, and will (either all together or separately), asking, I. What am I going to think of? (who? where? when? why?) II. What doctrine or practical truth is to be learned from this? III. What reasons or motives for it from authority, reason, experience, or from the subject itself? (Is it becoming? is it profitable? is it agreeable? is it easy? is it necessary?) IV. How have I done in the past? (in thought, word, action; towards God, my neighbor, myself?) V. What must I do in the future? (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly?) VI. What obstacles are in my way? — (internal, external?) VII. What means must I use? — (determine on one or two things, and no more.)
Finish your meditation by a most fervent address to God the Father, to Jesus Christ, to God the Holy Ghost; also to the Blessed Virgin, the Angels and Saints.
After Meditation, examine yourself as to the preparation for your mental prayer; as to the manner in which you have made the meditation itself (posture, attention place, time). If it has succeeded, thank God; if it has not, find out the cause and resolve to do better next time.