of the army, the officerships, the palace, the senate, the forum,"
(_Tertullian Apol._, n. 37), so that the Christian faith, when it was
unlawful publicly to profess the Gospel, was not like a child crying in
his cradle, but grown up and already sufficiently firm, was manifest in
a great part of the State.

Now, indeed, in these days it is as well to renew these examples of our
forefathers. For Catholics indeed, as many as are worthy of the name,
before all things it is necessary to be, and to be willing to be,
regarded as most loving sons of the Church; whatsoever is inconsistent
with this good report, without hesitation to reject; to use popular
institutions as far as honestly can be to the advantage of truth and
justice; to labor, that liberty of action shall not transgress the
bounds ordained by the law of nature and of God; so to work that the
whole of public life shall be transformed into that, as we have called
it, a Christian image and likeness. The means to seek these ends can
scarcely be laid down upon one uniform plan, since they must suit places
and times very different from each other. Nevertheless, in the first
place, let concord of wills be preserved, and a likeness of things to be
done sought for. And each will be attained the best, if all shall
consider the admonitions of the Apostolic See, a law of conduct, and
shall obey the Bishops whom "_the Spirit of God has placed to rule the
Church of God_." (Acts xx. 28). The defence of the Catholic name, indeed
of necessity demands that in the profession of doctrines which are
handed down by the Church the opinion of all shall be one, and the most
perfect constancy, and from this point of view take care that no one
connives in any degree at false opinions, or resists with greater
gentleness than truth will allow. Concerning those things which are
matters of opinion, it will be lawful, with moderation and with a desire
of investigating the truth, without injurious suspicions and mutual
incriminations. For which purpose, lest the agreement of minds be broken
by temerity of accusation, let all understand: that the integrity of the
Catholic profession can by no means be reconciled with opinions
approaching towards _naturalism_ or _rationalism_, of which the sum
total is to uproot Christian institutions altogether, and to establish
the supremacy of man, Almighty God being pushed to one side. Likewise,
it is unlawful to follow one line of duty in private and another i