49. [1]The most wonderful and most consoling fact in recent history has been the Church's unexampled growth in the United States during the past century. From a mere handful a hundred years ago, her children have increased to fourteen millions or more. This growth, too, is as sound and vigorous as it is extensive. Among the external indications of its strength enumerated with admiration by Leo XIII. (Longinqua Oceani, Jan., 1895) are, our unnumbered religious and useful institutions, sacred edifices, schools for elementary instruction, colleges for the higher branches, homes for the poor, hospitals for the sick, convents and monasteries. Besides, as he observed, there are still surer signs of the faith of the people; for the numbers of the clergy are steadily increasing, pious sodalities and confraternities are held in esteem, schools for religious teaching are in a flourishing' condition; the strength of popular piety is further manifested by associations for mutual aid, for the relief of the indigent, and for the promotion of temperance. Truly the judgment of the secular historian was well grounded who said that the Church's gains in the New World have compensated her for what she has lost in the Old.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
ON THE HISTORICAL EVIDENCES OF THE TRUTH OF OUR DIVINE RELIGION.
1. We have now, in a small compass, surveyed the history of our Holy Religion, and considered the blessings
- ↑ What is the most consoling fact in the recent history of the Church? What are the external signs of this growth? Are there other signs indicating the strength of the people's faith?What have we now surveyed? What have we chiefly considered in the history or our Religion? 1. Whence does our Religion come? By whom has God revealed it to us? How did Jesus Christ confirm His Divine Doctrine? Is it indifferent which religion we profess?
