TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. THE original of this Catechism was first published Germany in 1847, and met with such general favor t in 1853 it had numbered twenty-one editions. It been approved by all the Archbishops and Bishops Bavaria, and by nearly all those of the other countr in Germany, and by those of Switzerland. It has be reprinted, with the approbation of Archbishop Purc in the United States of America, and it has been int duced into the German schools; in a word, it has sup seded nearly all the various German catechisms p viously used in the dioceses of those countries, and now almost the only authorized and standard Catechi of the whole German nation. This Catechism is founded on History; not only the History of the Old and New Testament, but on History of Religion from the Creation of the world the present time. It clearly shows how our Faith o ginated and spread, what blessings it produced, how confounded Infidelity and Heresy, and how it triumph over all sorts of obstacles and persecutions in every a down to this day. It thus shows how the predictions the Prophets, and more especially those of the Eter Son of God, with regard to His Church, have been f filled at all times; thus clearly proving which o among the many societies that now claim Christ their Founder, is in reality His true Church, holding a professing the True and Divine Religion established Him. 1 In presenting this view, the Catechism carries out the advice of St. Augustine, who admonishes catechists to give a brief account to the ignorant of the whole History from the Creation to the present time of the Church,* and to adduce the causes of the various events.' It is, indeed, to be regretted that this advice of the great Doctor has been so sadly neglected in later times! Why are Protestants so much prejudiced against the Catholic Church, and why is it so difficult to convert them? It is because from infancy the minds of their children have been impressed with a false view of the History of their Religion-a Religion that dates only from the beginning of the sixteenth century. Why should not Catholics with equal, and even greater, effect confirm our children in their attachment to the Church, by showing them how to trace her to the times of the Apostles, and even to the Creation of the world? Is it not, then, of the greatest importance to teach them, together with their catechism, the History of their Religion? History is a safeguard against internal doubts, and a bulwark against all external attacks. He who has, by this means, been fully strengthened in his conviction that the Catholic Church is from God, and that she is the Only True Church, cannot but love her and submit his intellect to her doctrine and his heart to her precepts, and thus remain all his lifetime faithful to her. After this proof from History that the Catholic Religion is Divine, the Catechism proper commences, and teaches us that we must submit to its doctrine; namely, that we must, 1. Believe what the Church teaches; 2. That we must also practise, that is, do the will of God; and 3. That we can neither believe nor do the will of God without His grace, which we receive by means of the Sacraments and of Prayer. This division is not only dictated by reason, but it embraces also every particular part of the Christian Doctrine; for instance: as Sin is the voluntary breaking of the Commandments, and Virtue the opposite of sin, these two heads belong to * Usque ad præsentia tempora Ecclesiæ (De Catechis. Rudibus, c. 3 and 6). the Second Part. It is, moreover, the only way in which the Catechism should be learnt; for a child cannot even go to Confession, unless he be instructed in the First and Second Part; namely, upon the Creed, the Commandments of God and the Church, Sin, and Virtue. Finally, it is the easiest division of all; and a child, with the help of a teacher, may get, in less than a quarter of an hour, such a clear view of all the general and particular parts of the Christian Doctrine that he will never forget them in after-life. But as there is a logical connection between the general parts, so there is also a connection between the questions and answers throughout each particular treatise. One question and answer leads to the following question and answer, and these again to the next, and thus the whole treatise forms, as it were, one coherent conversation. Certainly, these are not to be considered as unimportant advantages in a catechism of this character. The dogmatical and moral explanation of the Christian Doctrine itself is comprehensive and plain, and is adapted to the present wants of youth, being proved in full from Holy Scripture, Tradition, and the General Councils. It is at the same time controversial, inasmuch as the objections made against it by Infidels, Heretics, and Innovators are solidly refuted; and, therefore, it may justly be called a full Catechism of the Catholic Religion. This Catechism, however, is not intended so much for Children and for Elementary Schools as for Colleges, for Teachers, and for Private Instruction. There are two Abridgments of it for Schools, with the same wording, and made by the author himself, which have been equally approved of throughout all Germany. The SHORT HISTORY OF RELIGION FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE PRESENT TIME,' which stands at the head of the Catechism, was edited with a great many alterations and additions by the Rev. Dr. Fergusson in 1854. The translator, who was in no way responsible for those changes, has now carefully revised his first translation, and most faithfully expressed in it the sense of the original text. Here and there, however, he has made a few, but very short, additions, which he has either translated or compiled from writers of highly approved authority. OCTAVE OF ST. STEPHEN, January 2. FIFTH AMERICAN EDITION. IN preparing this new Edition of De Harbe's FULL CATECHISM, the text of the English translation, used in the former editions, has been retained. But it has been thought well to introduce here and there changes in the phraseology, in order to accommodate the questions and answers to our American forms of expression, more familiar to young pupils, and perhaps more readily understood by them. Some few passages in the notes, referring to usages or to discipline known in Germany, but unknown in the United States, have been omitted as unnecessary. On the other hand, two or three points omitted by the learned author have been introduced, on account of their appropriateness or special importance in this country. In a few instances the author's meaning has been made clearer by adding a few words. In all this the editor only follows the example of the learned author himself, who in his life-time was accustomed to introduce such changes or improvements in the successive German editions of his valuable work. |