of nature is so richly adorned, should not our temples made
with hands bear some resemblance to it?

How many professing Christians must, like David, reproach themselves for
"dwelling in a house of cedar, while the ark of God is lodged with
skins."(278) How many are there whose private apartments are adorned with
exquisite paintings, who affect to be scandalized at the sight of a single
pious emblem in their house of worship? On the occasion of the celebration
of Henry W. Beecher's silver wedding several wealthy members of his
congregation adorned the walls of Plymouth church with their private
paintings. Their object, of course, in doing so was not to honor God, but
their pastor. But if the portraits of men were no desecration to that
church, how can the portraits of Saints desecrate ours?(279) And what can
be more appropriate than to surround the Sanctuary of Jesus Christ with
the portraits of the Saints, especially of Mary and of the Apostles, who,
in their life, ministered to His sacred person? And is it not natural for
children to adorn their homes with the likenesses of their Fathers in the
faith?

Second--_Religious paintings are the catechism of the ignorant_. In spite
of all the efforts of Church and State in the cause of education a great
proportion of the human race will be found illiterate. Descriptive
pictures will teach those what books make known to the learned.

How many thousands would have died ignorant of the Christian faith if they
had not been enlightened by paintings! When Augustine, the Apostle of
England, first appeared before King Ethelbert to announce to him the
Gospel, a silver crucifix and a painting of our Savior were borne before
the preacher, and these images spoke more tenderly to the eyes than his
words to the ears of his audience.

By means of religious emblems St. Francis Xavier effected many conversions
in India; and by the same means Father De Smet made known the Gospel to
the savages of the Rocky Mountains.

Third--By exhibiting religious paintings in our rooms _we make a silent,
though eloquent, profession of our faith_. I once called on a gentleman in
a distant city, some time during our late war, and, on entering his
library, I noticed two portraits, one of a distinguished General, the
other of an Archbishop. These portraits at once proclaimed to me the
religious and patriotic sentiments of the proprietor of the house.
"Behold!" he said to me, pointing to the pictures, "my re