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 Master hath  need  of  them,"  but  there  was  no  such crying  necessity  in  the  case  as  justifies  the  forcible appropriation  of  another's  provisions,  lands,  or  cattle in  times  of  war  or  famine,  or  in  the  face  of  a  mighty conflagration.  Besides,  in  neither  case  did  the owners  yield  to  force,  but  each  evidently  assented quite  cheerfully,  proving  that  Christ's  almighty power  influenced  them  to  cede  to  the  Lord  that which  He  had  but  lent  them  for  a  time,  and  which anytime  and  everywhere  He  could  justly  claim  as  His own.

Brethren, from  these  considerations  I  would  have you gather  three  points:  First,  the  power  of  Holy Scripture as  a  defender  of  truth  and  a  weapon  against error. The most  appalling  danger  to  religion  in modern  times  is  the  popular  loss  of  faith  in  Christ's divinity. The ideas  of  the  non-Catholic  world  on  this most important  point  are  growing  daily  more  vague and uncertain. Let us  not  neglect  the  study  of  those sacred pages,  in  almost  every  line  of  which  we  will find reasons  for  the  faith  that  is  in  us. Second, Let  us admire  the  sublime  condescension  with  which  Christ chooses at  times  the  lowliest  of  His  creatures  to  be the  vehicle  of  His  truth  or  the  instrument  of  His  will. The royal  entry  of  earthly  kings  is  made  in  gorgeous chariots drawn  by  prancing  steeds,  but  Christ's  kingdom is  not  from  hence. The humble  ass  and  colt,  recalling as  they  do  the  prophecy  of  Zachary,  add  more lustre to  His  retinue  than  all  such  pomp  and  ceremony. Such disregard  of  earthly  aids  is  in  line  with His choice  of  fishermen  to  be  His  Apostles,  and  per-