Selections from the Prose Writings of John Henry Cardinal Newman

arks for and a

shall be prepa

e subject; I ha

is notice by a

the impending vi

answer happily

from it shall n

re

Brothers and

stine sends Hea

copy of my lett

h I sent to you, w

rother, without th

on the proper cour

rs. It was certain

ry question which

hen I said that n

ng to such fortified

o secure; while, on

he bonds of our m

has engaged us not

to serve. The fol

etter I refer to:

gh God's people in

et, if it does stay,

its staying, mus

rong rock and p

that this view is

ehension lest we

rd's command and

Yet is it conceiv

whom He bought wi

ed of that neces

y cannot live? Is

d in flight into Egy

before He had fo

s leaving? Or, wh

through a windo

nd so escaped his h

of its necessary mi

ethren stationed th

idently it was th

t object of the p

imself for the sa

nts of Christ, the

ts, do in such ca

such of them, by a

re special objects

e not thus attac

at to those their f

not live without

es-I mean bish

ommon danger, let no

serted by those who

ve into some fortifi

o remain, let the

o supply their eccl

urvive in common,

er decrees they

ention of the a

that "if our L

in persecution

, much more is

n sufferings in

," and he says,

the case of suc

fice to tie them"

make no questi

eing from city to

ireling who seeth

careth not for th

concile (as they a

ble declarations

commands flight,

And what other

n that which I have

ministers of Christ

tion, are then at l

ck is left for us

be a flock, yet t

ry ministry, who h

g,-as in the case

y Athanasius, bis

lly sought afte

e the Catholic pe

ia, were in no measu

But when the peop

d the ministration

ty flight of hirelin

en the wolf will

ccustomed to persua

re bereft of the d

and by your, no

the weak brother wi

st d

sider, when matt

er, and there is

sons flock togethe

all ages, beggin

even for works of p

nsolation, and the

e sacraments. Now

n awaits those, w

or unabsolved! C

relatives, who wi

selves in the rest

ish of the whole

f them, at the abs

mini

however, that the

ch imminent peril

for the profit of

grant it where oth

iastical ministry

ecessary it was t

a man should remain

ears witness, wh

by his voice and

n danger, and wh

nd lest a man sho

ose of prudence, bu

he example of fli

f living does good

brief, holy Davi

war, lest perchan

at the instance of h

therwise, he woul

an inactivity whic

to regard for the

cowar

to a further que

ase where all min

s some of them t

is set on foot

ministers of t

im to e

y be then a quarr

to remain, and wh

eserted, whether b

e will ever be suc

in its own charit

. In such a difficul

on, in default of

perplexities of t

ward the holier a

m, and to spare t

atter to endure evi

Church of God can

ever, seem ine

r which I cannot b

s flight be the ca

rations which, in s

d so imperative

n, on the plea of h

him a claim to li

ig

upposed that bisho

posts in dangers of

staying, by their

ove this objection

em not to be misle

r your sake,' we mus

ain such ministrat

our salvation in

ll then set us fre

n there seems some

position. Should a

n His hands from

e; whose mercy e

he stir not, whet

the uncertainty of

btedly such pers

of Christian mi

ese lines, dearest

sure charity, by wa

but not as dictat

better view to g

in these perils th

ve mercy upon