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 of being  mere dreamers with  no  practical  aim. If apostolic activity does  not  derive its life  from  contemplation and  prayer  it  quickly degenerates into  morbid excitement, and  falls  into decay,  without  achieving any  result.

"It is  remarkable  (in the  history  of  the  Church) how  the  earth  became fruitful  and  the  atmosphere wholesome  wherever the  Religious  Orders shed  their  light.  The monasteries  were  like  so many  suns,  rising  amidst the  mists  and  foulness of  paganism,  dispersing the  thick  vapors  and  causing a  wonderful  wealth of  Christian  virtues  to grow  even  from  the  mire. Whenever  a  country  was thickly  studded  with  monasteries it  became  Christian. It  would  not  be difficult  to  prove,  logically and  historically, that  the  number  and  state of  the  houses  belonging  to the  Contemplative  Orders supply  a  most  exact criterion  of  the  intensity and  depth  of  Christian life  in  any  country. "Mgr. Lefebvre. Bishop of Cochin  China,  perceived this  clearly  when, immediately after  his  consecration, being  filled  with the light  of  the  Holy Spirit, he  formed  the resolution to  found  a convent  of  Carmelites  at Saigon. The Governor, hearing that  this  was  the bishop's first  decision,  remarked that  one  should not think  of  luxuries  before having  a  house  to live  in,  and  received  the answer, 'What  you  call a luxury  is,  in  my  opinion, the  first  necessity of our  Christian  ministry. Ten Religious  who pray will  help  me  more than twenty  missionaries who preach.'

"Prayer and  penance are  Hie  two  wings  given to  a  monk  whereby  he may  quit  the  earth  and soar  toward  heaven.  In both  alike  he  regards God  and  man.  By  prayer he  gives  glory  to  God,  and by  penance  he  does  reparation, but  prayer  and  penance have  the  farther aim  of  sanctifying  and purifying  man.  These are  the  reasons  why  a monk  spends  his  life  in prayer  and  mortification.