Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/92

 ruler Israel  hoped  for? No, but  to  go  over  to  a despised  hamlet  and  fall  down  in  adoration  before  an infant  in  a  manger. Ah! Brethren, how  many  individuals, aye,  how  many  nations  are  kept  from  the true faith  by  similar  considerations! Many a  minister of  a  national  establishment,  many  a  highly-salaried  preacher  embarrassed  with  a  family,  is deterred  from  embracing  Catholicity  only  by  worldly motives. Though Catholic  at  heart,  the  rich  and mighty often  hide  their  faith  through  fear  of  being lowered socially,  while  the  lower  social  grades  are made or  kept  non-Catholic  by  self-interest,  ancestral prejudice, or  ignorance  and  indifference  about  the truth. But many,  many  more,  alas! neglect the  call to faith  because  they  find  like  Herod  that  faith  runs counter to  their  vices. When Stephen  preached  the faith, his  hearers  gnashed  their  teeth  at  him. When men possessed  of  demons  were  brought  to  Christ for cure,  the  devils  howled  and  spat  and  raged  at Him  and  tore  and  lashed  their  victims  into  fury before abandoning  dominion  over  them. So, too,  the wicked of  to-day  oppose  the  faith  of  Christ,  and Herod-like they  fain  would  stamp  it  out  by  measures quite as  drastic  as  the  slaughter  of  the  Innocents. Especially dangerous  are  the  enemies  within  the fold, the  hypocrites,  who  while  seemingly  anxious  to follow  and  adore  the  Christ,  are  really  hounding  Him to death  by  the  scandal  of  their  lives. As warm water is  most  easily  congealed,  so  a  pervert  makes the fiercest  bigot. They believe  for  a  while,  but  in time  of  temptation  they  fall  away,  and  their  last  state