598 INTELLECT AND FAITH. In spite of St. Bernard's remonstrance, the celebration of the Feast of the Conception gradually spread. Thomas Aquinas tells us that it was observed in many churches, though not in that of Home, and that it was not forbidden, but he warns us against the inference that because a feast is holy therefore the conception of Mary was holy. In fact, he denies the possibility of her immac- ulate conception, though he admits her sanctification at some period which cannot be defined. This settled the question for the Dominicans, whose reverence for their Angelic Doctor rendered it impossible for them to swerve from his teachings. For a while, strange to say, the Franciscans agreed with their rivals. There is a tradition that Duns Scotus, in 1304, defended the new doctrine against the Dominicans in the University of Paris, and that in 1333 the University declared in its favor by a solemn decree, but this story only makes its appearance about 1480 in Bernardinus de Bustis, and there is no trace in the records of any such action, while Duns Scotus only said that it was possible to God, and that God alone knew the truth. There were few more zealous Fran- ciscans than Alvaro Pelayo, penitentiary to John XXII., and he, in refuting the illuminism of the Beghards, makes use of the Vir- gin's conception in sin as an admitted fact which he employs as an argument ; and he adds that this is the universal opinion of the received authorities, such as Bernard, Aquinas, Bonaventura, and Richard de Saint Victor, although some modern theologians, aban- doning the teachings of the Church, have controverted it through a false devotion to the Virgin, whom they thus seek to assimilate to God and Christ. Yet as, about this very time, the Church of Xarbonne commenced, in 1327, to celebrate the Feast of the Con- ception, and in 132S the Council of London ordered its observance in all the churches of the Province of Canterbury, we see how rapidly the new dogma was spreading.* between God and man and the source of all good, is expressed by Fazio degli Uberti — " Tu sola initigasti la discordia Che fu tra Dio e 1' uomo; e tu cagione Sei d' ogni bene che quaggiu si esordia."
- Thorn. Aquin. Suram. i. ii. Q. 81, Art. 4 ; m. Q. 14, Art. 4, Q. 27. — D'Argen-
tre 1. 1.275. — Alvar. Pelag. de Planctu Eccles. Lib. n. Art. 52. — Chron. de Saint-
