AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
The law of the 4th of July, which suppressed the Society of Jesus within the new German empire, is well known. Being condemned to involuntary leisure by the unjust application of this law, being banished from the school-room, from the pulpit, from the confessional, yea, even driven away from the altar, and from the sphere of long continued activity, chased from place to place: writing is my only means of intercourse with those who once were so near to me. And yet, when could I have experienced greater pleasure in communicating with you, my young friends, in directing kind words of warning, of advice, of consolation, and of encouragement to you, than now? These pages are, therefore, dedicated to you; to you whose youth is a witness to so many struggles, to you who must be deeply impressed with the thought: this warfare around me is for interests which are also mine; it is a warfare in which, although young, I must, by a firm adherence to my faith, strive to obtain the mastery over my passions, and perfect myself in all things; I desire to become a man in the full sense of the word; no storm, be it ever so violent, shall sweep me away from the immovable Rock of Christ, which is the One, Holy, Catholic Church.
Therefore, at times, in moments of leisure, take these words of advice, read a chapter now and then, and reflect upon it; apply it to yourself, and ask God to give you the grace not only to understand what you read, but also to practice it: "Domine ut videam—et agam." In exile, during the winter 1872–73. P. A. de Doss.
