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mit the subject of miracles to escape their attention. They were sensible that abuses might creep in among simple people, and that accounts of false or supposititious miracles in particular places, remote from the means of detection, might be circulated and credited, if not properly prevented. Wherefore, following the example of former ages, they framed a decree, by which they not only confirm to the chief pastors of the Church the right of examining new miracles, and of rejecting or approving them as they shall see cause, but also strictly forbid any new miracle to be admitted till it be properly examined and approved by the diocesan bishop.

The words of the decree are as follow: "The holy synod decrees also that no new miracles shall be admitted without the previous examination and approbation of the said bishop, who, when he has arrived at any certainty regarding them, may, with the advice of theologians and other pious persons, do what he shall judge agreeable to truth and piety," Sess. 25, Decr. de Invoc. et Vener. Sanct. This wise regulation effectually discourages all impostures. These can never stand the test of a judicial examination; and without that they can never make great progress in deceiving, nor have any public weight or authority in the Church.

XX. Even though no other precautions than those had been taken for ascertaining the truth of miracles, yet it must be owned that they were amply sufficient to convince any reasonable person of the certainty of the facts so examined and attested. These precautions were repeated examinations by different commissioners, men of known probity and learning, made at different times, of witnesses upon oath, concerning facts of their nature, open, plain, and public, said to have been performed in the presence of multitudes of people of all ranks and

stations. These examinations were made at or soon after the time when the facts were said to have happened, when numbers of witnesses were alive, and when everything was fresh in their memories. The process and result of these examinations were weighed with the most mature deliberation by a body of learned and disinterested persons, and, when approved by them, published to the world among the people, and in the place, where the whole had occurred, and where it was impossible that any fraud attempted could escape detection.

All these circumstances are doubtless such means of ascertaining the facts examined and attested, that it seems scarcely possible to add anything in order to give the human mind more assured conviction; and yet we find that the Church, from her desire of rendering these matters absolutely incontestable, and of precluding every possible cavil of her enemies, has, even in these later times, added new precautionary measures, and in her processes for the canonisation of saints uses still greater rigour and severity in the proofs which she demands. The whole series of this process is described at length by one who was thoroughly conversant with it—the late Pope Benedict XIV., in his valuable and elaborate work on the Canonisation of Saints. From it I shall here give a clear and succinct account of what refers to miracles. Whoever considers it with due attention will, I am confident, acknowledge that it is impossible for human prudence to use more effectual means for arriving at the knowledge of the truth; and that if facts so examined and attested could, notwithstanding, be false or forged, we must bid farewell to all faith and credit among

men.

XXI. At the death of any holy servant of God, whose virtuous and holy life gives a well-founded hope to those

who knew him that his soul has been received into eternal glory, the faithful are not forbidden to have recourse in private to his intercession, or to ask benefits from Almighty God through the help of his prayers. If these favours be not granted, and no sign of his being with God be manifested, this private devotion naturally decays, and in time completely disappears. But if Almighty God shall be pleased to grant the favours asked, and even to work miracles at the invocation of His holy servant; when these, published among the faithful, increase the reputation of his sanctity, and give encouragement to others to have recourse to his intercession, in hopes of receiving like blessings from God through his means,—when this is the case, things are permitted to proceed without any judicial cognisance for some time.

Experience shows how easily the majority of mankind, especially the uneducated, allow themselves to be influenced by anything that strongly affects them. The popular opinion of the sanctity of a person deceased, if followed by a report, whether true or false, of any miracle wrought by his means, cannot fail at first to make a deep impression on the minds of the people. But if the foundation be false, the superstructure will soon fall to the ground. A little time must be given, and some allowance made, for the first transports of devotion. Error cannot long continue to prevail; and, sooner or later, imposture must be discovered.

But if the reputation of the person's sanctity increases; if the fame of supernatural events wrought by his intercession continues; if these things, instead of diminishing, make greater progress, and daily gain more credit in the minds of men,-then, from this constant and increasing public voice in his favour, there arises a well

grounded reason for making more particular inquiry into the nature and truth of the things reported; if, therefore, the State, a religious order, or any particular persons connected with the deceased, shall think proper to interest themselves in procuring an examination of the case at the supreme tribunal, in order to canonisation, their first application must be to the diocesan bishop, to whom it belongs to take judicial cognisance in the first instance of the popular report in the saint's favour, both as to his life and miracles. This is so indispensable, that the Court of Rome will admit no case to a hearing till this first step be taken, and the acts of this judicial inquiry by the bishop fully proved, with all the formalities prescribed.

These formalities, ten in number, are as follows: 1. To avoid all precipitation (as I observed above), the popular report of the sanctity and miracles of the deceased must have existed for some considerable time before the bishop be allowed to begin his proceedings of inquiry. 2. The bishop must himself preside, if possible, at all the steps of the process; and if he be obliged to substitute any of the inferior clergy, this judge must have a doctor of divinity and a licentiate of canon law for his assistants. 3. He who receives the depositions must countersign every article with the witnesses themselves who subscribe them. 4. Each deponent must be asked for a circumstantial relation of the facts which he attests. It is not allowed to read over to witnesses what may have been deponed by those preceding them, and to cause it to be confirmed by their consent; but each one must be examined by himself apart, and the answers to each interrogatory extended at full length. 5. The notary and the promoter of the case, as well as the witnesses, must be

sworn to observe profound secrecy with reference to the questions put and the answers given. 6. Information must be sent to the Pope of the whole procedure, and of the judgment of the bishop passed thereupon. 7. A copy of the papers must be made in proper form, authenticated, sealed, and sent to the Congregation of Rites at Rome. 8. The originals are preserved in the archives of the cathedral church of the diocese, in a special chest, sealed, and under different keys, which are deposited with different persons of rank and character. 9. Besides the witnesses presented to the bishop by the promoters of the case, he must also examine as many others as he can find capable of giving any proper information. 10. No extra-judicial acts or attestations are allowed to be inserted among the authentic writings of the process.

Now, who does not see in this procedure the utmost care to prevent imposition, and to arrive at a distinct and certain knowledge of the truth? Remark the particular and separate examination of each witness, the ignorance each one is in of the questions put to the others, and the solemn oath which all take never to disclose the subject of the questions put, or the answers given. In addition to the witnesses presented by the promoters of the case, as many others as can be had are procured, and all care is taken to preserve the papers from improper inspection. What are these but the most careful measures to prevent collusion among the present witnesses or those who may afterwards be examined, and to procure from each the most exact account of what he knows? One would be inclined to think, that a miracle proved by this judgment alone might justly be deemed sufficient to gain belief and credit from any unpre

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