d implicit faith in the
everlasting vitality which lies concealed in the divine seed of the Word
of God. He knew that by spreading it broadcast, it would necessarily
fall on prepared and expectant soil, germinate and produce a hundred
fold. With the approbation of the Hierarchy and the generous support of
a few intelligent associates, the Society issued devotional,
controversial, historical and dogmatic pamphlets. Small in form, compact
in doctrine, living in expression, these messengers of Truth winged their
way through the world. Little by little the Society's influence has
spread everywhere and proved beyond doubt to be a great factor of
Catholic apostolate in our time.

For twenty-one years (1888-1909) the annual meeting of the Catholic Truth
Society was the outstanding event of Catholic life in England. It became
the field on which Catholic forces--clergy and laity--met yearly to
exchange ideas, formulate plans, co-ordinate purpose and concentrate
activity. This gathering gave rise to the "National Catholic
Congress"--which now stands out as the annual review, the
"mass-manoeuvre," of the Church militant in England. These meetings have
made of a handful of Catholics, many but neo-converts of yesterday, the
aggressive body we all admire, and from which we, in Canada, have many
things to learn.

The Editor of the "Universe" in his issue of Sept. 22, 1919, on the
occasion of the C.T.S. Conference in Nottingham, paid a beautiful tribute
to the Society. "This summing up of its activities is in itself an
inspiration and incentive. We are reminded by this Conference of the
debt and duty we owe to the society under whose auspices it meets. The
debt is all-pervading. How many Catholics in this country are there,
teachers or taught, who have not profited directly and personally by the
labour and enterprise, freely given, of the comparatively few who, since
that memorable day of its foundation, November 5, 1884, have maintained,
written for, and contributed to the expenses of the Catholic Truth
Society? It has provided the apologist with an armoury and the teacher
with material; it has saved the scholarly many an hour of troublesome
research; it has given the unlearned instruction suited to their needs;
it has given the masses of our people the popular Catholic literature
they want; it has been a veritable sleuth-hound on the track of traducers
of the Church; it has explained and commended her cause to even great