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 turn aside  to  chastise  every  tiny  cur  that  barks  at  him. Ask Christ  why  He  suffered  Himself  to  be  led  like  a lamb  to  the  slaughter. The secret  of  this  phenomenon is  a  sense  of  stability — a  consciousness  of  power with perfect  resignation  to  the  workings  of  divine providence. The Church  answers  her  enemies  as  did Christ His:  "  Thou  shouldst  have  no  power  over  Me were  it  not  given  thee  from  above." With Him  she prays "  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what they  do." That is  the  spirit  of  Christ,  of  St.  Paul,  and of every  true  Catholic,  too. As St.  Peter  says:  "  Let us  so  deport  ourselves  that  by  well  doing  we  may  silence the  ignorance  of  foolish  men,"  and  withal  let us have  an  abiding  trust  in  the  ultimate  victory  of justice  and  of  truth. Let us  convince  ourselves  from a consideration  of  the  Church's  divine  origin,  from her nature  as  an  imperial  power,  from  her  absolute necessity to  the  existence  of  the  State,  and  from  the disreputable character  of  her  opponents,  that  He  who hath begun  a  good  work  in  her  will  perfect  it  unto  the day of  Christ  Jesus.