after the sacrament has been finished, are chiefly these three: the anointing of the baptized person with chrism, the donation of a white garment, and the delivery of a burning wax candle. There were formerly certain special ceremonies, which concerned the state of the catechumens, &c." (No. 40.) Sponsors are to be employed only in a solemn baptism, and then the obligation is imperative and important. The Council of Trent has fixed the number at two, one a man, and the other a woman. The first effect is a spiritual relationship; the second effect is a serious obligation of providing that the baptized person be duly instructed and educated in the Christian faith and life. The qualifications of a sponsor, are the following. He must be baptized; he must not be an idiot; he must be designated by the parents or others on whom the care devolves of having the infant baptized; or in defect of these, by the pastor, to whom it pertains to admit the designated sponsor, or for a just cause to reject him, &c. The priest commits a grievous sin if he admits more than two sponsors. (No. 41.)

Whether a Catholic may be a sponsor for a child that is to be baptized among heretics, is a controverted point. "But it is certain that in the baptism of Catholics, the priest ought rather to baptize solemnly without sponsor than with a heretic, because of two evils the less is to be chosen." (No. 42.)

Every priest must keep a baptismal register, in which the names and surnames of persons baptized, of the parents, and of the godfathers and godmothers, and the day of the baptism, are carefully written down. It is a grievous sin to neglect this duty. (No. 43.)

CHAPTER XXXVI.

TREATISE CONCERNING THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMA

TION.

PREFACE.

Decree of the Council of Florence for the instruction of the Armenians.

"THE second sacrament is Confirmation, the matter of which is chrism prepared from oil, which signifies clearness of conscience, and from balsam, blessed by the bishop, which signifies the odour of a good reputation. But the form is: I sign thee with the sign of the cross, and I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

"The ordinary minister is the bishop. And whilst a mere priest has power to apply other unctions, none but the bishop ought to confer this; because we read of the apostles only, whose room the bishops hold, that by the imposition of hands they gave the Holy Spirit, as the reading of Acts viii. 14, manifests. But in place of this imposition of hands, confirmation is given in the church. It is recorded, however, that sometimes by the dispensation of the Apostolic See, from a reasonable and urgent cause, even a simple priest has administered the sacrament of confirmation, with chrism prepared by the bishop. But the effect of this sacrament is the increase of strength, because in it the Holy Spirit is given, just as it was imparted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost, to wit, in order that a Christian may boldly confess the name of Christ. And therefore the person to be confirmed is anointed on the forehead, where the seat of bashfulness is, that he may not blush to confess the name of Christ, and especially his cross, which to the Jews indeed is a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles, foolishness, according to the apostle, 1 Cor. i., for which reason he is signed with the sign of the cross."

Canons of the Council of Trent concerning Confirmation.

"1. Whoever shall say that the confirmation of baptized persons is a needless ceremony, and not rather a true and proper sacrament; or that anciently it was nothing else than a kind of catechising, by which

the youth expressed the reason of their faith before the Church; let him be accursed!

“2. Whoever shall say that they do despite to the Holy Spirit, who attribute any virtue to the holy chrism of confirmation; let him be accursed!

"3. Whoever shall say that the ordinary minister of holy confirmation is not the bishop alone, but any mere priest whatsoever; let him be accursed!

This sacrament is called confirmation from its effect, inasmuch as by it spiritual strength is conferred. It was anciently called the sacrament of chrism, or the sacrament of unction, "also, the seal, or the little sign, both because when the chrism is applied we are sealed on the forehead by the sign of the cross, and because through the character a seal is impressed on the soul." It is also termed perfection, consummation, and plenitude of grace, because in it is specially conferred the Holy Spirit, or the copious grace of the Holy Spirit. For the special benefit and edification of heretics, it is defined: A sacrament instituted by Christ the Lord, by which the Holy Spirit is given to baptized persons, in order that they may steadfastly and boldly profess the faith of Christ. (No. 1.)

Then

It is a matter of faith that confirmation is a sacrament. "It is proved 1. from sacred scripture, Acts viii. 14, &c. "When the apostles had heard-that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John. they laid hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost.' The same is maintained ch. xix. 6, ' And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spoke tongues, and prophesied.""

Tradition and the practice of the Church also prove it. A reference is also made to Matt. xix. 15, and 2 Cor. i. 21, 22; but these latter proof texts are not insisted upon as positive. The remote matter of this sacrament is chrism, prepared from oil and balsam, blessed by the bishop. Whether this mixture is essential to the validity of the sacrament is a controverted point; and so is the question whether the blessing or consecration of the chrism is requisite in order to its validity. It is also a disputed point whether the priest ought not to be permitted to consecrate the chrism, as well as the bishop. The proximate matter is the total and adequate

application of the chrism, or the anointing of chrism, and the imposition of hands. This application must be made on the forehead and in the form of a cross. The sacrament is valid "whether this anointing be performed with the thumb of the right hand, (as the pontifical manual prescribes,) or with another finger of the right or left hand :" but it is essential that it be made with the hand, and not with a rod, or any other instrument, as it ought to be done by imposition of hands. (No. 5.)

The form is among the Latins, I sign thee with the sign of the cross, and I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (No. 6.)

The proper minister is the bishop. (No. 7.)

According to modern usage, the age at which confirmation is regularly conferred, is not less than seven years; there are exceptions in which it may be performed even earlier. Idiots are to be confirmed, "because they are capable of character, and of sanctifying, and even of sacramental grace, &c." (No. 8.)

As for the dispositions requisite for a person who is to be confirmed, a state of grace is necessary in an adult. Children, although not seven years old, should be previously disposed to confession; instruction, reverence, and devotion suited to their age, are also required. As for the corporeal preparation, observe, 1. When it can conveniently be done, it is more proper that it be given and received fasting. 2. That the persons to be confirmed have the forehead open and clean. 3. That the dress, especially of the girls, be decent and modest. 4. That each one of the persons to be confirmed have a ribbon, or a linen band, clean, and of proper size, with which the forehead, when anointed with the chrism, may be covered, and may remain bound, out of reverence to the sacred chrism: if however any one at a more advanced age is confirmed, the band may soon be laid aside by the priest, before the confirmed person goes out of the church. (No. 9.)

The effects of this sacrament are, 1. Sanctifying grace, by which the person is strengthened, having annexed the abundance of the virtues and of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, of which Is. xi. 2, 3; the virtues of faith and boldness

are specially augmented. 2. Sacramental grace, or actual grace dispensed whenever opportunity is afforded of strenuously and boldly professing the faith with heart and mouth. 3. The third effect is character, by reason of which this sacrament can never be repeated. (No. 10.)

Whether confirmation is necessary to salvation is a disputed point, but the more probable opinion is the affirmative. (No. 11.)

A sponsor is to be employed in confirmation. “Just as a sponsor in baptism contracts the obligation of instructing the baptized person in the faith and in Christian morals; so the person holding the confirmand in confirmation like a veteran soldier, should instruct the confirmed person, as yet a novice, more perfectly in the Christian warfare." (No. 12.)

The principal ceremonies of confirmation are the following: "So soon as the bishop has pronounced the form of the sacrament, he inflicts a slight blow on the jaw of the confirmed person: 'in order that he may remember that it behoves him as a brave combatant to be always ready to bear with an indomitable spirit, all adversity for the name of Christ,' says the Roman Catechism, num. 20, on confirmation.

"At the same time the bishop prays for peace, saying: Peace be with thee (Pax tecum): 'in order that (says the Roman Catechism,) by this peace the confirmed may understand that he has obtained the plenitude of celestial grace, and the peace which passes all understanding.'

"These things having been performed by the bishop, the forehead of the confirmed is bound with a band or linen ribbon, both out of reverence for the sacred chrism, and in order to designate, that the grace of the Holy Spirit just obtained is to be diligently preserved, and also, (says the Mechlinian pastorale,) as the symbol of a mind prepared for all reproach and adversity for the name of Christ, whose face was veiled and smitten with blows.

"Anciently the ribbon was kept tied for seven days; afterwards, in some churches, for only three days; but now it is usually laid aside on the following day, and the forehead is wiped off on the same day: concerning which the Mechlinian pastorale thus directs: Let the ribbon be laid aside by the priest, and preserved in the sacristy or some other