As an example, taken at hazard, of one of his sermons, I will give a short outline of his Epiphany discourse on the text—“It is the Lord that commandeth the waters; it is the glorious God that maketh the thunder; it is the Lord that ruleth the sea.” (Ps. xxix. 3, 4.) Question. Was it of necessity that Christ should be baptized? Answer. No; for reasons taken from St. Bernard and St. Chrysostom. Christ however consented to be baptized for three reasons,— 1. To set an example to us. 2. To conceal Himself from Satan, who beholding Him baptized might hesitate to regard Him as the Messiah. 3. To show His perfect humility. In the baptism of our Lord, there were three manifestations: the Son in His humanity, the Father by the voice, the Holy Ghost by the descent of the dove. Then follows an exhortation to humility, and a warning to priests and people to practise godliness instead of contenting themselves with professing it. “The hand is bigger than the tongue,” hints Raulin. The Son was manifest in His humanity. A question is asked:—Did John Baptist recognize Christ? Answer:— 1. He recognized Him when He was unborn, “The babe leaped in my womb for joy;” but he did not distinctly know Him now, for—the reason given is perfectly monstrous—Aristotle says that the human frame changes every seven years. 2. He knew that Christ was among the throng by a sort of inspiration, but he knew not which of his hearers was Christ. 3. Knowledge is double; it arises out of α. Demonstration, and is acquired by reason. β. Experience. Raulin investigates the knowledge of John, and resolves the question by stating that at first he had no certain knowledge, but that after the manifestations accompanying the baptism, he obtained it by experience. A second question is asked:—Why St. John Baptist did not venture to touch Christ? Answer:— 1. Because he had an instinctive fear of God present in the flesh. 2. Because he was conscious of his own sinfulness. The Father was manifest by the voice. In holy baptism all men are made in like manner children of God. We are made children, 1. By adoption—to the Father. 2. By ingrafting—to the Church. 3. By spiritual generation—to the priest who baptizes. From this arises the question:—Did St. John the Baptist become spiritual father of our Lord by baptizing Him? This Raulin answers in the negative; for, 1. Christ received not grace through the ministration of John; for He was full of grace from the moment of His conception. 2. The rite was imperfect. 3. It was a baptism of repentance, which could not avail spiritually one who had never sinned. The Spirit was manifest under the form of a dove. The dove appeared above water, and here follows a dissertation on the virtues of divers waters. The question arises:—Why did the Spirit elect the form of a dove? This Raulin answers in the following manner: