To state facts, discuss principles and advocate policies, in connection with the Catholic Truth Society of Canada, particularly in the West, is the object of this chapter.

Facts.

The Catholic Truth Society was born in England; November 5th, 1884, was its birthday; Mr. Britten,[2] its honored and devoted parent.  The activities of the Anglican Church inspired this great Catholic layman to counteract the influence of its propaganda.  Tract for tract, pamphlet for pamphlet, lecture for lecture, advertisement for advertisement was the plan of campaign of our new militant leader.  To marshal all the tremendous forces of the “printed word” for the service and defence of Mother Church was his noble ambition.  He had implicit faith in the everlasting vitality which lies concealed in the divine seed of the Word of God.  He knew that by spreading it broadcast, it would necessarily fall on prepared and expectant soil, germinate and produce a hundred fold.  With the approbation of the Hierarchy and the generous support of a few intelligent associates, the Society issued devotional, controversial, historical and dogmatic pamphlets.  Small in form, compact in doctrine, living in expression, these messengers of Truth winged their way through the world.  Little by little the Society’s influence has spread everywhere and proved beyond doubt to be a great factor of Catholic apostolate in our time.

For twenty-one years (1888-1909) the annual meeting of the Catholic Truth Society was the outstanding event of Catholic life in England.  It became the field on which Catholic forces—­clergy and laity—­met yearly to exchange ideas, formulate plans, co-ordinate purpose and concentrate activity.  This gathering gave rise to the “National Catholic Congress”—­which now stands out as the annual review, the “mass-manoeuvre,” of the Church militant in England.  These meetings have made of a handful of Catholics, many but neo-converts of yesterday, the aggressive body we all admire, and from which we, in Canada, have many things to learn.

The Editor of the “Universe” in his issue of Sept. 22, 1919, on the occasion of the C.T.S.  Conference in Nottingham, paid a beautiful tribute to the Society.  “This summing up of its activities is in itself an inspiration and incentive.  We are reminded by this Conference of the debt and duty we owe to the society under whose auspices it meets.  The debt is all-pervading.  How many Catholics in this country are there, teachers or taught, who have not profited directly and personally by the labour and enterprise, freely given, of the comparatively few who, since that memorable day of its foundation, November 5, 1884, have maintained, written for, and contributed to the expenses of the Catholic Truth Society?  It has provided the apologist with an armoury and the teacher with material; it has saved the scholarly many an hour of troublesome research; it has given the unlearned instruction suited