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 and the  saints  at  her  glorious  coronation. Brethren, such are  the  beautiful  thoughts  that  occupy  the mind while  our  lips  are  praising  God  in  language commended by  Himself,  and  our  hands  keeping  time to our  thoughts  and  words  on  a  little  instrument invented for  her  wayward  children  by  our  own  loving Mother. Every faculty  of  our  mind  and  body  is by  this  method  of  prayer  brought  into  play  and  directed heavenward,  so  that  with  right  good  reason one of  the  Fathers  has  said  of  the  Rosary  that  it  is the  queen  of  indulgenced  devotions.

Not least  among  the  many  excellences  of  this prayer is  its  suitability  to  all  classes  of  men — to every  condition  of  life. It is  the  devotion  of  the family circle. Many of  us  will  remember  the  old homestead of  long  ago,  where,  at  the  quiet  evening hour, our  good  parents  and  their  little  ones  knelt around the  hearth  and  joined  with  simple  fervor  in reciting  the  Rosary. Who does  not  remember  that happy moment  when  for  the  first  time  it  was  his proud privilege  to  lisp  his  own  decade? For so simple  is  this  devotion  that  the  merest  child  can  practice it;  so  easy  that  the  most  uncultivated  mind  can follow it. It inspires  thoughts  worthy  of  the  loftiest intellect, emotions  that  satisfy  the  cravings  of  the most fervent  heart,  and  aspirations  that  lead  innumerable souls  to  God. It unites  all,  high  and  low,  in the  bonds  of  equality  and  brotherhood. I have  in my  mind  at  the  present  moment  a  little  chapel  where you may  often  see  a  royal  queen  and  a  lowly  peasant addressing the  same  prayers  to  the  same  Mary,