ness, the silence, and the solitude, of night; burning in the glare of the most sunny day, in the most crowded service, most aptly represents the unceasing homage wherewith the Lord of Glory should be greeted in that, His dwelling,-that untiring, unfailing, worship which the heart should pay Him for "mercy, which endureth for ever." That watchful lamp seems to do our duty, and represent our affections, ever glowing, ever bright, in cheerful devotion. It is symbolical too of the ever wakeful homage of the celestial host, who, with unclosing eye and restless tongue, watch and give praise before the shrine, as before the throne, of the Lamb. And it forms, moreover, a just analogy with the enjoined mark of respect in the old law, where the golden candlestick was commanded ever to burn before the entrance of the Holy of Holies. These reflections open to our minds a long train of thoughts in which we would gladly indulge. To do them justice, we should have to go into a subject very agreeable to us, but requiring some development, the symbolism of Catholic worship in general, and of sacramental actions in particular. While there is much attention now turned to the symbolical arrangement of churches, and to the symbolical forms of their ornaments, there is, we apprehend, some danger of overlooking the far deeper mysticism of functions, ceremonies, and smaller rites. Of this we have abundant proofs in the writings of some late revivers of this species of lore, Anglicans, who seem to think that they have made wonderful discoveries in the symbolism of architecture, but who fall lamentably short of the real depth of mystic knowledge. For the present, we will take leave of our subject, strongly recommending attention to the last topic on which we have touched; and hoping that before long the piety of the people will not allow the reservation of the most holy Eucharist to be less honoured than it deserves, but will provide for every place where it is permitted, the most appropriate, significant, and beautiful mark of devotion and love, the lamp unextinguished in the sanctuary, the characteristic of the Catholic altar, the emblem of the day-star that sets not ever "ille inquam Lucifer qui nescit b [The wishes, here expressed, have been in a great measure fulfilled. There are few churches comparatively now, in which a burning lamp does not shine before the altar of the most Blessed Sacrament.] |