properly understood, than the attentive arid meditative reading of the ' Lives of the Saints.' "
XV. The Clouded Telescope
1. WHEN astronomers desire to contemplate the sidereal heavens, they do not take their telescopes into a room filled with smoke, dust, and vapor, but they go out into the open air, at a time when the atmosphere is perfectly clear.
The reason is apparent. They act thus in order that they may see the stars more clearly and distinctly, and keep the lens of their instrument free from smoke and moisture. The same argument applies to faith; it is a telescope by means of which one can see those heavenly and supernatural things which the unaided eye of reason is not able to perceive. But this super-, natural telescope must be pure and bright, and not allowed to become dim. How does it become dim; how does unbelief creep into the head and heart? This is the question. Now listen to the answer.
2. Who drifts into unbelief? Is it the men who spent their youth in prayer and study, and then as priests of God set an example to the world of a pure and blameless life? Is it the virgins consecrated to God who devote themselves in the solitude of the cloister to the contemplation of eternal truths? Is it the courageous youths who do their utmost to safeguard me virtue of chastity, and are careful to cleanse their consciences by a frequent reception of the sacraments? Certainly not! They can see clearly the lens of their telescope is not dim.
