Page:Latin prayers not fit for Irishmen.pdf/6

 the people may say Amen, So be it, signifying their assent to what has been said; and that no man can say Amen to what he does not understand. "When thou shalt bless with the Spirit, how shall be that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest."—ver. 16. Prayers in an unknown tongue are quite forbidden by St. Paul in this chapter; Latin is an unknown tongue to an Irish congregation; prayers in Latin cannot edify them, because they cannot understand them; therefore it we believe the plain meaning of St. Paul's words, Latin payers are not fit for Irishmen.

The early Christian Church understood the Apostle's words as we do, and considered, that they forbid prayers in an unknown tongue. Justin Martyr's second Apology for the Christians, and St. Jerome's Preface to his Comment on the Epistle to the Galatians, shews us, that in their days the whole congregation answered Amen at the end of each prayer: and the writings of other ancient fathers clearly prove, that