ersion of a hardened sinner is, after all, a greater miracle
than all cures of disease. And such conversions to this day are as
numerous as they were at the time the rosary was introduced. Entire
nations, provinces and cities have been converted to God through his
devotion. Blessed John, a companion of St. Dominic, wrote a book about
the miraculous power of the rosary. The blessed Alanus de la Roche
tells of a bishop, in whose diocese morality was decadent, who finally
took up the devotion to the rosary, explained it to his people, prayed
it with them, and had it introduced in all parishes. Soon the people
abandoned their evil ways.

St. Clement Hofbauer assures us: "When I am called to a sick man of
whom I know that he is averse to making his peace with God, on the way
I pray my rosary, and when I reach him I am sure to find him desirous
to receive the Sacraments."

The holy doctor Alphonsus of Liguori relates from his experience: "The
walls of Jericho did not collapse more quickly at the trumpet call of
Josue than false teachings disappear after the earnest praying of the
rosary. The swimming pool of Jerusalem was not as healing for the
bodily sick as the rosary is as remedy for the spiritually diseased."

These few examples, to which I could add hundreds of other similar
instances, prove the miraculous efficacy of the rosary. Oh, that all
Christians would grasp this weapon to attack and conquer all enemies of
Church and soul!

Great dangers threaten the spiritual weal of the individual, family and
community. Let us, then, arise and grasp the mighty sword which is like
to none, the holy rosary, and let us attack with it the Goliath of our
times, corruption and godlessness. As David courageously met the enemy
of Israel with the humble sling in his hand and conquered because God
was with him, so let us face the enemies of Christendom and of our
salvation, with the humble wreath of the rosary in our hands, and the
intercession of the Blessed Virgin will secure for us God's grace and
assistance, and with God to fight our battles, who will do us harm?
Amen!

IV. THE EXCELLENCE OF THE VARIOUS PARTS OF THE ROSARY

(a) _The Sign of the Cross_

"The foundations thereof are in the holy mountains."--Ps. lxxxvi, I.

Dear brethren, we have seen in our previous discourses upon the rosary
how for more than six centuries the rosary has proved itself a great,
indeed a marvelous, power and help in times of stress. This