Author’s preface

Man has no right to pass judgment on the effects which God deigns to produce by his power and goodness. In order to assist us in our necessities, God, in his wisdom and providence, sometimes makes use of extremely simple means, thus to keep us in humility and filial confidence. A Christian whose faith is but weak is surprised at this, and even tempted to be scandalized, inasmuch as it seems to him that the means by which God works are not in keeping with his greatness. Such a thought as this is nothing less than pride or ignorance, for whenever God puts himself within our reach, he must needs stoop down to our lowliness.

And yet, does he not show his greatness when he selects simple material objects as the medium of communication between himself and us, as in the case of the Holy Sacraments? Does he not thereby show us how he is the absolute Master of all, even so far as this — that he can embody his grace in such lowly and apparently commonplace forms as these ? The Church, which is guided by his Spirit, delights in imitating this his mode of acting, at least in some slight way, and hence she communicates the divine virtue which she possesses to those objects which she sanctifies as helps and consolations for her children.

This little work treats of one of these sacred objects ; one which is honoured with the approbation and blessing of the Church, and which unites in itself the triumphant power of the holy cross which redeemed us, with the memory of one of God’s most illustrious servants. Every Christian that loves and adores Christ who redeemed us, or who believes in the intercession of the Saints who are now reigning in heaven with Him, will look on the medal of St. Benedict with respect ; and when he hears of any of those heavenly favours of which it has been the instrument, he will give thanks to God, who authorizes us to make use of his Son’s cross as a shield of protection, and to rely with confidence on the assistance of the Saints in heaven.

We have collected together in these pages a certain number of facts which prove that God deigns to protect, in a special manner those who put their confidence in the sacred signs marked on the medal. These facts, to which we in no manner wish to attribute the name of miracles properly so called, have been told us by persons in whom we have the fullest confidence. The reader is at liberty to form his own judgment upon them, and believe them or not, as he pleases. Numerous as they are, we could easily have given very many more, of all of which we have received the particulars ; but we thought it advisable to limit ourselves to those we have related, and to aim rather at variety than number.

In publishing this work upon a subject which to many may seem ill fitted for an age like this, when Rationalism is so rife, our only object is to render a service to our brethren in the faith. During life they will be placed in circumstances when they will feel that they need a special help from Heaven. Let them, at these times, have recourse to the medal of St Benedict, as so many Christians are in the habit of doing ; and if their faith be strong and simple, they may depend on the promise of our Lord — such faith shall not go unrewarded.

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THE MEDAL OR CROSS

OF

St. JSenebict,

ITS ORIGIN, MEANING,' AND privileges.

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ON THE FI017KE: OF THE CROSS REPRESENTED ON a # * a „ 1 - - - a •••* .THE MEDAL.

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There is a gre^t-wj£h J on the part of-mahy Catholics to have clear idea> ,*§g&rdirig .the’ seTehrated medal, which goes under thfc-tj&me of thejjreat Patriarch of/ the Monks of the West. It is true that several notices, some more, some less correct, have been already published ; but not one of them — so it seems to us — having fully satisfied the wishes of the faithful, we thought it would be well to offer to their devotion a more complete explanation of an object, which has become so dear to them. That there may be order in what we are going to say about it, we will begin with the description of the medal.

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