Preface

The present volume of this work is assigned to an argument which the moral theologian will deservedly claim as especially his own. For in it the principles of fundamental moral theology continually come to be used; in it there must be set forth the moral order which, Christ the Redeemer reigning, is appointed to be observed by human liberty; in it the immutable divine law, and the law most intimate to us, must chiefly be questioned and consulted, so that human decrees have only the secondary parts of complement to fulfill. Yet we confess that these are not of slight moment in the treatise On Justice, which, together with the treatises On the Theological Virtues and On Religion, must truly be called principal. In what way positive laws seem to us to have to be sketched for the use of a truly international school, we shall explain at the very threshold of the treatise on justice. A business, certainly difficult enough, had to be undertaken by us: that of comparing the dictates of conscience with the demands of many civil laws. Yet the labor was in part lightened for us by several modern works which, as general or special studies of Aertnijs, Arregui, Cholly, Duijnstee, Ferreres, Gariepy, Lehmkuhl, Piscetta-Gennaro, Prummer, Slater, Van Gestel, either allege legal definitions, or, what is of greater value, in some measure explain them. The bibliography of volume IV will teach what books we have employed. But much more profitable to us was the kindly work of learned friends who, from various parts of Europe and of both Americas, either supplied texts of law, or learnedly answered our inquiries concerning law. We intended here especially to render them the thanks due.

Now we should wish that our book be judged and read with the same mind with which it was written, that is, with sincere zeal for pursuing the truth. Therefore we proposed neither to deny due honor to authority, nor to abstain from an intrinsic examination of causes, nor to withdraw the mind from attending to circumstances which, in their responses and counsels, the greatest doctors did not omit to consider. By this way alone, unless we are mistaken, can that always desirable progress of science be hoped for. But that scientific progress itself may bring that increase with which alone cultivators of sacred science can be content, an increase, I say, profitable to the gospel of peace, God alone will give. We ask from divine munificence such spiritual usefulness for our humble effort, through the holy youth who once was a hearer of theology in this Institute, on whose feast day we make an end of writing.

Rome, on the feast of St. Aloysius, June 21, 1924.