that it is observed under all conditions. The Apostolic principle applies to Religious Rule as well as to morals in general: "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

He who allows himself to regard and disregard what he will, however small the fault, is living his life on the principle of self-will. The principle of Obedience is wanting, even though he may actually render Obedience, ex animo, in many things. Choosing not to yield Obedience on a single point, renders it an equal act of self-choosing to obey on other points.

V. Of Dispensation from Rule

A rule is given that it may be observed. Therefore, wise and necessary as dispensations may be at times, they are always to be regarded as abnormal. The true Religious is one who, so far from expecting and desiring dispensations, feels a regret that any condition should arise calling for them. The granting of dispensations is a concession to human weakness, or a yielding to the abnormal exigencies of time or circumstance.

We should use every endeavour to be as morally certain as possible of its necessity before applying for it, and a Superior is required to exercise equal care and judgment before granting a dispensation, remembering that each dispensation granted takes from the Religious, for the time being, the use of the instrument ordinarily employed by the divine wisdom for the working out of his perfection. He is safe in applying for dispensation who earnestly and humbly desires to

1 St. James ii. 10.

observe all things appointed for him, and a wise Superior soon learns to know to whom he can allow exceptions to the Rule.

The careful Religious will always seek so to dispose his work in relation to his time that it may not be necessary for him to ask for dispensation, and he should feel bound to watchfulness in times of unusual activity or distraction lest he be unable to perform the labour assigned to him without having to ask to be dispensed from some part of his ordinary Rule.

Those who have to be dispensed should regard themselves as the unfortunate, rather than the favoured ones in the community; and so far from envying them their brethren should look upon them with a loving sympathy, praying that they may have speedily restored to them the full use of the means appointed them for their perfection.

Herein lies much room for the exercise of humility. Pride may easily enter in to incite us to an unwise and injurious effort to maintain the mere letter of a Rule, when to accept, or even to apply for, a dispensation, may be more Christ-like, in that it would indicate an humble spirit. On the other hand, there may be ample room for the exercise of humility in cases where our judgment as to the need of a dispensation is overruled.

In connection with the subject of dispensations, a warning must be uttered against a too literal attitude. "The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."1 Many a Religious who never asks for a dispensation, who is fretted when one is given him, and who per

1 2 Corinthians iii. 6.

haps has but few faults to acknowledge in Chapter, may be failing habitually to progress in perfection because of the subtle pride that hinders him from applying to be dispensed. If we pray the Holy Spirit to give us a right judgment in the matter we need have no fear that we shall suffer spiritually, even though the use of the ordinary regimen appointed for our perfection be, for the time, suspended.

VI. Of Reverence for Rule

The Rule of a community is always to be regarded by its members with great reverence, for it is the particular instrument that God the Holy Ghost has appointed to be used for our perfection. Hence a Religious offends who thinks or speaks lightly of his Rule, for it is the sin of irreverence to regard in light fashion any means the Spirit has in His infinite wisdom seen fit to employ for our spiritual advancement. The Rule is a gift from God, and must be so regarded and cherished.

This does not imply that the Rule is perfect or infallible. Human elements are involved in it, and as in everything human there are in it weak points. We ourselves may see them, and may rightly desire and labour for changes, provided it be done in the right spirit and according to the method provided. But this makes the Rule none the less the instrument God is using, for the time being, to conform us to the likeness of Christ.

The desire for change or modification of Rule should never be indulged in order to obtain relief from the burden of certain requirements, but only

because in submission to what we believe to be the divine guidance, we have become convinced that the change would make it a more effective instrument in God's hands for our perfection.

VII. Of Rule as a Protection to the Precepts

Writers on the monastic state have been accustomed to assign to Religious Rule the office which we have seen assigned to the Counsels in general, namely, that of acting as a protection to the precepts.

"God has first encompassed us," says Rodriguez, "with the rampart of His law and commandments, and He has added to this rampart the outworks of our Rules and Constitutions that all the endeavours of our enemies, with whom we are always at war, may be able only to make some breach in the first fortification; and so the law of God remaining always entire, we may be secure from all their insults. It is a great favour that God has bestowed upon us to have put us in such a state that the devil can hope even by his most violent attacks, to prevail no farther than to make us fail in our rules, the transgression of which amounts not to a venial sin; and that, at present, we have a greater scruple to violate any one of these rules than perhaps, had we remained in the world, we would have had to commit great sins."1

The same pious writer goes on to show that had we remained in the world, beyond the precincts of our Rules and Counsels, without the protection of these ever-widening circles of defence, the devil could then "undisturbed play his machines against the rampart 1 Rodriguez, op. cit., Vol. iii, p. 307.

of the law of God and perhaps make us fall into some mortal sin. But here it is not easy for him to compass what he aims at on account of the outworks against which, though he employs all his force, he cannot put us in danger of receiving any mortal wound in our soul."

VIII. Of the Spirit of Strict Observance

It has been the teaching of all spiritual writers that in violations of obedience lightness of matter does not excuse the fault, but rather renders it more blameworthy.

The Fathers taught this truth in a variety of ways. St. Augustine declares, for instance, the sin of Adam to have been the more criminal because there was no great difficulty in complying with the command of God not to eat of the forbidden fruit;1 and St. Bonaventura utters a striking epigram when he says, "The more easily a thing can be performed, the more guilty we are in not performing it.”

It is the attention to the little points of the Rule that cultivate the spirit of strict observance which is at the same time the glory and the protection of the Religious State.

We can with profit refer here again to the figure of the inner citadel and the outer fortifications. The strict observance of Rule is the outworks which are the protection of the Rule itself. He who is watchful to guard that which is least, will never fail in that

1 St. Augustine, De Civitate Dei, Lib. xiv, cap. xii. Migne, P. L., Tom. xli, col. 420.

2 Quoted by Rodriguez, op. cit., Vol. iii, p. 314.