wherein he might be sheltered from pursuit. "And considering, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was surnamed Mark, where many were gathered together and praying. And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, whose name was Rhoda. And as soon as she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but running in she told that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her: Thou art mad. But she affirmed that it was so. Then said they: It is his angel (1). But Peter continued knocking. And when they had opened, they saw him, and were astonished. But he, beckoning to them with his hand to hold their peace, told how the Lord had brought him out of prison, and he said: Tell these things to James (2) and to the brethAnd going out, he went into another place (3)."

ren.

(1) This text has been already of good service in proving the Catholic doctrine that each individual has his guardian angel. Calvin, seeing plainly that it was conclusive against him, endeavored to evade it by admitting that St. Peter had a guardian angel while in prison, but no more. How knew he this? or rather, how did they know it who, believing it impossible that Peter could be at the gate, said that it must be his angel? Will Protestants say that God sent another angel to reveal it to them? What senseless folly! Let us speak always according to faith, and we shall be sure to have reason on our side. These people, then, said: It is his angel, simply because the first Christians were persuaded that each has his guardian angel.

This word: It is his angel, shows us further that these early Christians believed that the angels sometimes assumed the appearance of those over whom they watched: such, too, is the opinion of some theologians. These last found their assertion on the fact that many of the saints, during their mortal lives, were seen at the same time in different places, without being themselves aware of the reduplication of their presence. Hence it has been reasonably concluded that these saints were not made present in body or in soul, but that it was their angel appearing under their likeness, or otherwise that God was pleased to form a body of inanimate air, giving to it the features and the voice of the person so represented. This is a matter, however, which could only be decided by his own special revelation.

(2) James the less, bishop of Jerusalem, he who is called in Scripture the brother of our Lord. It is still debated amongst the learned whether he was the same as James the son of Alpheus, one of the twelve apostles, or whether they were two different perThe common opinion, and that which is adopted by the Church, is, that they were but one and the same individual.

sons.

(3) In another place appears to signify that he went to conceal himself in another house. Some give the expression a wider meaning, because that in reality St. Peter hastened to quit Jerusalem, whence, after visiting several provinces, he repaired to Rome, leaving Evodius his successor in the episcopacy of Antioch and in the patriarchate of the East, and taking with him his primacy, which he irrevocably attached to the Roman see,

"When the day was come, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, having examined the keepers, he commanded they should be put to death. And going down from Judea to Cesarea, he abode there."

There it was that he was to fill up the measure of his iniquity, and receive the reward of his crimes. "He was angry with the Tyrians and the Sidonians, but they, with one accord, came to him, and having gained Blastus, who was the king's chamberlain, they desired peace, because their countries were nourished by him. And upon a day appointed, Herod, being arrayed in kingly apparel, sat in the judgment-seat, and made an oration to them. And the ple made acclamation, saying: It is the voice of a god, and not of a And forthwith an angel of the Lord struck him, because he had not given the honor to God, and being eaten up by worms, he gave up the ghost (1)."

man.

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Meantime, the blood which he had shed fructified and enriched the Church. "The word of the Lord increased and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem" to Antioch, "having fulfilled their ministry, taking with them John, who was surnamed Mark."

founded by him towards the close of that year, which was the tenth after the Ascension of Our Lord.

• (1) Humble yourself, O man! for you shall soon die, and your flesh shall then be devoured by worms! And you, princes! bow down even to the earth; lest, allowing yourselves to be intoxicated by flattery, you should become the living prey of worms. Such things have occurred in other instances besides that of the unhappy Herod.

Any mortal who takes pleasure in hearing himself styled more than human is as guilty as Herod, or perhaps more guilty still.