Excerpt from Sermons, and Lectures on Moral and Historical Subjects The discourses contained in the present volume comprise the most important and beautiful of the Sermons delivered in the United States by the Very Rev. Thomas N. Burke, O.P., as well as of his Lectures on moral and historical subjects, - all of which possess an interest for the Irish-American element of the community, not only as magnificent and praiseworthy efforts of one of the most gifted living orators of their race, but also on account of the testimony which they bear to the fidelity to faith, religious fervor, and national virtue exhibited by the Irish people in every vicissitude of fortune. As specimens of pulpit oratory, nothing can be imagined finer or more impressive than those discourses; while the enlightened spirit, and broad, comprehensive views characterizing the Lectures, - in which the great wants and deficiencies of society, in the present day, are analyzed with the acumen of a mastermind and the learning of a true Christian philosopher, - render them doubly valuable, even from a purely humanitarian point of view. The secret of Father Burke's influence over his auditors, (and, indeed, over his readers, also, ) lies not so much in his eloquence - great as are his natural gifts in that particular - as in the convincing force of his sincerity, and the intensity of his zeal for the enlightenment, elevation, and sanctification of all his fellow creatures. On this point, one of the most eminent and well-known of American Catholic writers has said of the great Irish Dominican: - Father Thomas Burke is known all over Europe, as a great apostolic preacher. It is especially in Rome, where most of his life has been passed, that his reputation is so great. Wherever he goes, after he has preached once, the faithful flock around the pulpit and around the church, if he preaches a second time, as bees gather round a bed of jessamines. What is the power by which he holds, hushed and breathless, each one in a crowded congregation; alike the most learned and critical, and the rough men with little either of sentiment or education? A natural gift of oratory no one can mistake in him. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.