Page 199 - Third Book of Reading Lessons

198 THIRD BOOK OF
vours which God bestowed upon his chosen people, of our redemption by his only-begotten Son, and of the establishment of his Church, which was after­ wards to extend itself over all. the nations of the earth. It was also the seat of the most powerful em­ pires of antiquity, a great part having been sncces- · sively governed by the Assyrians, Medes, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, though the ancient conquerors knew little of India or of China. The population is generally allowed to be primitive, excepting, perhaps, a few colonies om Russia, and the European settle­
ments in Hindostan a d the south-eastern islands.
6. Almost the entire of this great continent is re­ duced to the very lowest state of moral degradation, -its people, the slaves of the grossest superstitions. · Attempts have been made, and with much success, to di use the ljght of the Gospel among them, par­ ticularly in the south and east; and tigues, su er­ ings, and persecutions, are being daily and cheer lly undergone by Catholic fissionaries, to e ect this
glorious object. The recent persecutions in Cochin­ China have given new martyrs to the Cirnrch of
Goand mani sted to the world, that she still possesses within her bosom that spirit of zeal, rtitude, and
selfsacri ce, r which, in all ages, her childreu have peculiarly been distinguished. C. B.
LESSON XVII.
PROPERTIES OF MATTER.
ED11 icE, n., a building, a bric. F. ed ce, om (L.) d co,- des,
a house, and cio, I make or. construct.
om (L.) saga , s, nnd this om sagire, to see clearly. SAGA 1ITY, n., acut1mess of discovery; clearsightedness. F. sagacite,