,,explanation ,,of ,,catholic ,,morals ,a ,concise1 ,reasoned1 and ,popular ,exposition of ,catholic ,morals by ,rev4 ,,john ,h4 ,,stapleton ,new ,york1 ,cincinnati1 ,chicago3 ,benzinger ,brothers ,printers to the ,holy ,apostolic ,see ,publishers of ,benzinger's ,magazine #aiac ,nihil ,obstat4 ,,remy ,,lafort1 ,censor ,librorum4 ,imprimatur ,,john ,m4 ,,farley1 ,archbishop of ,new ,york ,new ,york1 ,march #be1 #aijd ,copyright1 #aijd1 by ,benzinger ,brothers4 ,,preface ,,the contents of this volume appeared originally in ,the ,catholic ,transcript1 of ,hartford1 ,connecticut1 in weekly installments1 from ,february1 #aija1 to ,february1 #aijc4 ,during the course of their publication1 it became evident that the form of instruction adopted was appreciated by a large number of readers in varied conditions of life-- this appreciation being evinced1 among other ways1 by a frequent and widespread demand for back-numbers of the publishing journal4 ,the management finding itself unable to meet this demand1 suggested the bringing out of the entire series in book-form2 and thus1 with very few corrections1 we offer the ,briefs to all desirous of a better acquaintance with ,catholic ,morals4 ,,the ,,author4 ,,contents ,i4 ,believing and ,doing ,,ii4 ,the ,moral ,agent ,,iii4 ,conscience ,,iv4 ,laxity and ,scruples ,v4 ,the ,law of ,god and ,its ,breach ,,vi4 ,sin ,,vii4 ,how to ,count ,sins ,,viii4 ,capital ,sins ,,ix4 ,pride ,x4 ,covetousness ,,xi4 ,lust ,,xii4 ,anger ,,xiii4 ,gluttony ,,xiv4 ,drink ,,xv4 ,envy ,,xvi4 ,sloth ,,xvii4 ,what ,we ,believe ,,xviii4 ,why ,we ,believe ,,xix4 ,whence ,our ,belief3 ,reason ,,xx4 ,whence ,our ,belief3 ,grace and ,will ,,xxi4 ,how ,we ,believe ,,xxii4 ,faith and ,error ,,xxiii4 ,the ,consistent ,believer ,,xxiv4 ,unbelief ,,xxv4 ,how ,faith ,may ,be ,lost ,,xxvi4 ,hope ,,xxvii4 ,love of ,god ,,xxviii4 ,love of ,neighbor ,,xxix4 ,prayer ,,xxx4 ,petition ,,xxxi4 ,religion ,,xxxii4 ,devotions ,,xxxiii4 ,idolatry and ,superstition ,,xxxiv4 ,occultism ,,xxxv4 ,christian ,science ,,xxxvi4 ,swearing ,,xxxvii4 ,oaths ,,xxxviii4 ,vows ,,xxxix4 ,the ,professional ,vow ,,xl4 ,the ,profession ,,xli4 ,the ,religious ,,xlii4 ,the ,vow of ,poverty ,,xliii4 ,the ,vow of ,obedience ,,xliv4 ,the ,vow of ,chastity ,,xlv4 ,blasphemy ,,xlvi4 ,cursing ,,xlvii4 ,profanity ,,xlviii4 ,the ,law of ,rest ,,xlix4 ,the ,day of ,rest ,l4 ,keeping the ,lord's ,day ,holy ,,li4 ,worship of ,sacrifice ,,lii4 ,worship of ,rest ,,liii4 ,servile ,works ,,liv4 ,common ,works ,,lv4 ,parental ,dignity ,,lvi4 ,filial ,respect ,,lvii4 ,filial ,love ,,lviii4 ,authority and ,obedience ,,lix4 ,should ,we ,help ,our ,parents8 ,,lx4 ,disinterested ,love in ,parents ,,lxi4 ,educate the ,children ,,lxii4 ,educational ,extravagance ,,lxiii4 ,godless ,education ,,lxiv4 ,catholic ,schools ,,lxv4 ,some ,weak ,points in the ,catholic ,school ,system ,,lxvi4 ,correction ,,lxvii4 ,justice and ,rights ,,lxviii4 ,homicide ,,lxix4 ,is ,suicide a ,sin8 ,,lxx4 ,self-,defense ,,lxxi4 ,murder ,often ,sanctioned ,,lxxii4 ,on the ,ethics of ,war ,,lxxiii4 ,the ,massacre of the ,innocents ,,lxxiv4 ,enmity ,,lxxv4 ,our ,enemies ,,lxxvi4 ,immorality ,,lxxvii4 ,the ,sink of ,iniquity ,,lxxviii4 ,wherein ,nature ,is ,opposed ,,lxxix4 ,hearts ,,lxxx4 ,occasions ,,lxxxi4 ,scandal ,,lxxxii4 ,not ,good to ,be ,alone ,,lxxxiii4 ,a ,helping ,hand ,,lxxxiv4 ,thou ,shalt ,not ,steal ,,lxxxv4 ,petty ,thefts ,,lxxxvi4 ,an ,oft ,exploited1 ,but ,specious ,plea ,,lxxxvii4 ,contumely ,,lxxxviii4 ,defamation ,,lxxxix4 ,detraction ,,xc4 ,calumny ,,xci4 ,rash ,judgment ,,xcii4 ,mendacity ,,xciii4 ,concealing the ,truth ,,xciv4 ,restitution ,,xcv4 ,undoing the ,evil ,,xcvi4 ,paying ,back ,,xcvii4 ,getting ,rid of ,ill-,gotten ,goods ,,xcviii4 ,what ,excuses ,from ,restitution ,,xcix4 ,debts ,,moral ,,briefs4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,believing ,,and ,,doing4 ,,morals pertain to right living1 to the things we do1 in relation to ,god and ,his law1 as opposed to right thinking1 to what we believe1 to dogma4 ,dogma directs our faith or belief1 morals shape our lives4 ,by faith we know ,god1 by moral living we serve ,him2 and this double homage1 of our mind and our works1 is the worship we owe our ,creator and ,master and the necessary condition of our salvation4 ,faith alone will save no man4 ,it may be convenient for the easy-going to deny this1 and take an opposite view of the matter2 but convenience is not always a safe counsellor4 ,it may be that the just man liveth by faith2 but he lives not by faith alone4 ,or1 if he does1 it is faith of a different sort from what we define here as faith1 viz41 a firm assent of the mind to truths revealed4 ,we have the testimony of ,holy ,writ1 again and again reiterated1 that faith1 even were it capable of moving mountains1 without good works is of no avail4 ,the ,catholic ,church is convinced that this doctrine is genuine and reliable enough to make it her own2 and sensible enough1 too4 ,for faith does not make a man impeccable2 he may believe rightly1 and live badly4 ,his knowledge of what ,god expects of him will not prevent him from doing just the contrary2 sin is as easy to a believer as to an unbeliever4 ,and he who pretends to have found religion1 holiness1 the ,holy ,ghost1 or whatever else he may call it1 and can therefore no longer prevaricate against the law1 is1 to common-sense people1 nothing but a sanctified humbug or a pious idiot4 ,nor are good works alone sufficient4 ,men of emancipated intelligence and becoming breadth of mind1 are often heard to proclaim with a greater flourish of verbosity than of reason and argument1 that the golden rule is religion enough for them1 without the trappings of creeds and dogmas2 they respect themselves and respect their neighbors1 at least they say they do1 and this1 according to them1 is the fulfilment of the law4 ,we submit that this sort of worship was in vogue a good many centuries before the ,god-,man came down upon earth2 and if it fills the bill now1 as it did in those days1 it is difficult to see the utility of ,christ's coming1 of ,his giving of a law of belief and of ,his founding of a ,church4 ,it is beyond human comprehension that ,he should have come for naught1 labored for naught and died for naught4 ,and such must be the case1 if the observance of the natural law is a sufficient worship of the ,creator4 ,what reasons ,christ may have had for imposing this or that truth upon our belief1 is beside the question2 it is enough that ,he did reveal truths1 the acceptance of which glorifies ,him in the mind of the believer1 in order that the mere keeping of the commandments appear forthwith an insufficient mode of worship4 ,besides1 morals are based on dogma1 or they have no basis at all2 knowledge of the manner of serving ,god can only proceed from knowledge of who and what ,he is2 right living is the fruit of right thinking4 ,not that all who believe rightly are righteous and walk in the path of salvation3 losing themselves1 these are lost in spite of the truths they know and profess2 nor that they who cling to an erroneous belief and a false creed can perform no deed of true moral worth and are doomed2 they may be righteous in spite of the errors they profess1 thanks alone to the truths in their creeds that are not wholly corrupted4 ,but the natural order of things demands that our works partake of the nature of our convictions1 that truth or error in mind beget truth or error correspondingly in deed and that no amount of self-confidence in a man can make a course right when it is wrong1 can make a man's actions good when they are materially bad4 ,this is the principle of the tree and its fruit and it is too old-fashioned to be easily denied4 ,true morals spring from true faith and true dogma2 a false creed cannot teach correct morality1 unless accidentally1 as the result of a sprinkling of truth through the mass of false teaching4 ,the only accredited moral instructor is the true ,church4 ,where there is no dogma1 there can logically be no morals1 save such as human instinct and reason devise2 but this is an absurd morality1 since there is no recognition of an authority1 of a legislator1 to make the moral law binding and to give it a sanction4 ,he who says he is a law unto himself chooses thus to veil his proclaiming freedom from all law4 ,his golden rule is a thing too easily twistable to be of any assured benefit to others than himself2 his moral sense1 that is1 his sense of right and wrong1 is very likely where his faith is--nowhere4 ,it goes without saying that the requirements of good morals are a heavy burden for the natural man1 that is1 for man left1 in the midst of seductions and allurements1 to the purely human resources of his own unaided wit and strength2 so heavy a burden is this1 in fact1 that according to ,catholic doctrine1 it cannot be borne without assistance from on high1 the which assistance we call grace4 ,this supernatural aid we believe essential to the shaping of a good moral life2 for man1 being destined1 in preference to all the rest of animal creation1 to a supernatural end1 is thereby raised from the natural to a supernatural order4 ,the requirements of this order are therefore above and beyond his native powers and can only be met with the help of a force above his own4 ,it is labor lost for us to strive to climb the clouds on a ladder of our own make2 the ladder must be let down from above4 ,human air-ships are a futile invention and cannot be made to steer straight or to soar high in the atmosphere of the supernatural4 ,one-half of those who fail in moral matters are those who trust altogether1 or too much1 in their own strength1 and reckon without the power that said ,without ,me you can do nothing4 ,the other half go to the other extreme4 ,they imagine that the ,almighty should not only direct and aid them1 but also that ,he should come down and drag them along in spite of themselves2 and they complain when ,he does not1 excuse and justify themselves on the ground that ,he does not1 and blame ,him for their failure to walk straight in the narrow path4 ,they expect ,him to pull them from the clutches of temptation into which they have deliberately walked4 ,the drunkard expects ,him to knock the glass out of his hand3 the imprudent1 the inquisitive and the vicious would have it so that they might play with fire1 yea1 even put in their hand1 and not be scorched or burnt4 ',tis a miracle they want1 a miracle at every turn1 a suspension of the laws of nature to save them from the effects of their voluntary perverseness4 ,too lazy to employ the means at their command1 they thrust the whole burden on the ,maker4 ,god helps those who help themselves4 ,a supernatural state does not dispense us from the obligation of practising natural virtue4 ,you can build a supernatural life only on the foundations of a natural life4 ,to do away with the latter is to build in the air2 the structure will not stay up1 it will and must come down at the first blast of temptation4 ,catholic morals therefore require faith in revealed truths1 of which they are but deductions1 logical conclusions2 they presuppose1 in their observance1 the grace of ,god2 and call for a certain strenuosity of life without which nothing meritorious can be effected4 ,we must be convinced of the right ,god has to trace a line of conduct for us2 we must be as earnest in enlisting ,his assistance as if all depended on ,him2 and then go to work as if it all depended on ourselves4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,moral ,,agent4 ,,morals are for man1 not for the brute2 they are concerned with his thoughts1 desires1 words and deeds2 they suppose a moral agent4 ,what is a moral agent8 ,a moral agent is one who1 in the conduct of his life1 is capable of good and evil1 and who1 in consequence of this faculty of choosing between right and wrong is responsible to ,god for the good and evil he does4 ,is it enough1 in order to qualify as a moral and responsible agent1 to be in a position to respect or to violate the ,law8 ,it is not enough2 but it is necessary that the agent know what he is doing2 know that it is right or wrong2 that he will to do it1 as such2 and that he be free to do it1 or not to do it4 ,whenever any one of these three elements--knowledge1 consent and liberty--is wanting in the commission or omission of any act1 the deed is not a moral deed2 and the agent1 under the circumstances1 is not a moral agent4 ,when ,god created man1 ,he did not make him simply a being that walks and talks1 sleeps and eats1 laughs and cries2 ,he endowed him with the faculties of intelligence and free will4 ,more than this1 ,he intended that these faculties should be exercised in all the details of life2 that the intelligence should direct1 and the free will approve1 every step taken1 every act performed1 every deed left undone4 ,human energy being thus controlled1 all that man does is said to be voluntary and bears the peculiar stamp of morality1 the quality of being good or evil in the sight of ,god and worthy of ,his praise or blame1 according as it squares or not with the ,rule of ,morality laid down by ,him for the shaping of human life4 ,of all else ,he takes no cognizance1 since all else refers to ,him not indifferently from the rest of animal creation1 and offers no higher homage than that of instinct and necessity4 ,when a man in his waking hours does something in which his intelligence has no share1 does it without being aware of what he is doing1 he is said to be in a state of mental aberration1 which is only another name for insanity or folly1 whether it be momentary or permanent of its nature4 ,a human being1 in such a condition1 stands on the same plane with the animal1 with this difference1 that the one is a freak and the other is not4 ,morals1 good or bad1 have no meaning for either4 ,if the will or consent has no part in what is done1 we do nothing1 another acts through us2 'tis not ours1 but the deed of another4 ,an instrument or tool used in the accomplishment of a purpose possesses the same negative merit or demerit1 whether it be a thing without a will or an unwilling human being4 ,if we are not free1 have no choice in the matter1 must consent1 we differ in nothing from all brutish and inanimate nature that follows necessarily1 fatally1 the bent of its instinctive inclinations and obeys the laws of its being4 ,under these conditions1 there can be no morality or responsibility before ,god2 our deeds are alike blameless and valueless in ,his sight4 ,thus1 the simple transgression of the ,law does not constitute us in guilt2 we must transgress deliberately1 wilfully4 ,full inadvertence1 perfect forgetfulness1 total blindness is called invincible ignorance2 this destroys utterly the moral act and makes us involuntary agents4 ,when knowledge is incomplete1 the act is less voluntary2 except it be the case of ignorance brought on purposely1 a wilful blinding of oneself1 in the vain hope of escaping the consequences of one's acts4 ,this betrays a stronger willingness to act1 a more deliberately set will4 ,concupiscence has a kindred effect on our reason4 ,it is a consequence of our fallen nature by which we are prone to evil rather than to good1 find it more to our taste and easier to yield to wrong than to resist it4 ,call it passion1 temperament1 character1 what you will1--it is an inclination to evil4 ,we cannot always control its action4 ,everyone has felt more or less the tyranny of concupiscence1 and no child of ,adam but has it branded in his nature and flesh4 ,passion may rob us of our reason1 and run into folly or insanity2 in which event we are unconscious agents1 and do nothing voluntary4 ,it may so obscure the reason as to make us less ourselves1 and consequently less willing4 ,but there is such a thing as1 with studied and refined malice and depravity1 to purposely and artificially1 as it were1 excite concupiscence1 in order the more intensely and savagely to act4 ,this is only a proof of greater deliberation1 and renders the deed all the more voluntary4 ,a person is therefore more or less responsible according as what he does1 or the good or evil of what he does1 is more or less clear to him4 ,ignorance or the passions may affect his clear vision of right and wrong1 and under the stress of this deception1 wring a reluctant yielding of the will1 a consent only half willingly given4 ,because there is consent1 there is guilt but the guilt is measured by the degree of premeditation4 ,god looks upon things solely in their relation to ,him4 ,an abomination before men may be something very different in ,his sight who searches the heart and reins of man and measures evil by the malice of the evil-doer4 ,the only good or evil ,he sees in our deeds is the good or evil we ourselves see in them before or while we act4 ,violence and fear may oppress the will1 and thereby prove destructive to the morality of an act and the responsibility of the agent4 ,certain it is1 that we can be forced to act against our will1 to perform that which we abhor1 and do not consent to do4 ,such force may be brought to bear upon us as we cannot withstand4 ,fear may influence us in a like manner4 ,it may paralyze our faculties and rob us of our senses4 ,evidently1 under these conditions1 no voluntary act is possible1 since the will does not concur and no consent is given4 ,the subject becomes a mere tool in the hands of another4 ,can violence and fear do more than this8 ,can it not only rob us of the power to will1 not only force us to act without consent1 but also force the will1 force us to consent8 ,never2 and the simple reason is that we cannot do two contradictory things at the same time--consent and not consent1 for that is what it means to be forced to consent4 ,violence and fear may weaken the will so that it finally yield4 ,the fault1 if fault there be1 may be less inexcusable by reason of the pressure under which it labored4 ,but once we have willed1 we have willed1 and essentially1 there is nothing unwilling about what is willingly done4 ,the will is an inviolable shrine4 ,men may circumvent1 attack1 seduce and weaken it4 ,but it cannot be forced4 ,the power of man and devil cannot go so far4 ,even ,god respects it to that point4 ,in all cases of pressure being brought to bear upon the moral agent for an evil purpose1 when resistance is possible1 resistance alone can save him from the consequences4 ,he must resist to his utmost1 to the end1 never yield1 if he would not incur the responsibility of a free agent4 ,non-resistance betokens perfect willingness to act4 ,the greater the resistance1 the less voluntary the act in the event of consent being finally given2 for resistance implies reluctance1 and reluctance is the opposition of a will that battles against an oppressing influence4 ,in moral matters1 defeat can never be condoned1 no matter how great the struggle1 if there is a final yielding of the will2 but the circumstance of energetic defense stands to a man's credit and will protect him from much of the blame and disgrace due to defeat4 ,thus we see that the first quality of the acts of a moral agent is that he think1 desire1 say and do with knowledge and free consent4 ,such acts1 and only such1 can be called good or bad4 ,what makes them good and bad1 is another question4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,conscience4 ,,the will of ,god1 announced to the world at large1 is known as the ,law of ,god2 manifested to each individual soul1 it is called conscience4 ,these are not two different rules of morality1 but one and the same rule4 ,the latter is a form or copy of the former4 ,one is the will of ,god1 the other is its echo in our souls4 ,we might fancy ,god1 at the beginning of all things1 speaking ,his will concerning right and wrong1 in the presence of the myriads of souls that lay in the state of possibility4 ,and when1 in the course of time1 these souls come into being1 with unfailing regularity1 at every act1 conscience1 like a spiritual phonograph1 gives back ,his accents and reechoes3 it is lawful1 or it is not lawful4 ,or1 to use another simile1 conscience is the compass by which we steer aright our moral lives towards the haven of our souls' destination in eternity4 ,but just as behind the mariner's compass is the great unseen power1 called attraction1 under whose influence the needle points to the star2 so does the will or ,law of ,god control the action of the conscience1 and direct it faithfully towards what is good4 ,we have seen that1 in order to prevaricate it is not sufficient to transgress the ,law of ,god3 we must know2 conscience makes us know4 ,it is only when we go counter to its dictates that we are constituted evil-doers4 ,and at the bar of ,god's justice1 it is on the testimony of conscience that sentence will be passed4 ,her voice will be that of a witness present at every deed1 good or evil1 of our lives4 ,conscience should always tell the truth1 and tell it with certainty4 ,practically1 this is not always the case4 ,we are sometimes certain that a thing is right when it is really wrong4 ,there are therefore two kinds of conscience3 a true and a certain conscience1 and they are far from being one and the same thing4 ,a true conscience speaks the truth1 that is1 tells us what is truly right and truly wrong4 ,it is a genuine echo of the voice of ,god4 ,a certain conscience1 whether it speaks the truth or not1 speaks with assurance1 without a suspicion of error1 and its voice carries conviction4 ,when we act in accordance with the first1 we are right2 we may know it1 doubt it or think it probable1 but we are right in fact4 ,when we obey the latter1 we know1 we are sure that we are right1 but it is possible that we be in error4 ,a true conscience1 therefore1 may be certain or uncertain2 a certain conscience may be true or erroneous4 ,a true conscience is not the rule of morality4 ,it must be certain4 ,it is not necessary that it be true1 although this is always to be desired1 and in the normal state of things should be the case4 ,but true or false1 it must be certain4 ,the reason is obvious4 ,god judges us according as we do good or evil4 ,our merit or demerit is dependent upon our responsibility4 ,we are responsible only for the good or evil we know we do4 ,knowledge and certainty come from a certain conscience1 and yet not from a true conscience which may be doubtful4 ,now1 suppose we are in error1 and think we are doing something good1 whereas it is in reality evil4 ,we perceive no malice in the deed1 and1 in performing it1 there is consequently no malice in us1 we do not sin4 ,the act is said to be materially evil1 but formally good2 and for such evil ,god cannot hold us responsible4 ,suppose again that we err1 and that the evil we think we do is really good4 ,in this instance1 first1 the law of morality is violated1--a certain1 though erroneous conscience3 this is sinful4 ,secondly1 a bad motive vitiates an act even if the deed in itself be good4 ,consequently1 we incur guilt and ,god's wrath by the commission of such a deed1 which is materially good1 but formally bad4 ,one may wonder and say3 how can guilt attach to doing good8 ,guilt attaches to formal evil1 that is1 evil that is shown to us by our conscience and committed by us as such4 ,the wrong comes1 not from the object of our doing which is good1 but from the intention which is bad4 ,it is true that nothing is good that is not thoroughly good1 that a thing is bad only when there is something lacking in its goodness1 that evil is a defect of goodness2 but formal evil alone can be imputed to us and material cannot4 ,the one is a conscious1 the other an unconscious1 defect4 ,here an erroneous conscience is obeyed2 there the same conscience is disregarded4 ,and that kind of a conscience is the rule of morality2 to go against it is to sin4 ,there are times when we have no certitude4 ,the conscience may have nothing to say concerning the honesty of a cause to which we are about to commit ourselves4 ,this state of uncertainty and perplexity is called doubt4 ,to doubt is to suspend judgment2 a dubious conscience is one that does not function4 ,in doubt the question may be3 ,to do2 is it right or wrong8 ,may ,i perform this act1 or must ,i abstain therefrom8 ,in this case1 we inquire whether it be lawful or unlawful to go on1 but we are sure that it is lawful not to act4 ,there is but one course to pursue4 ,we must not commit ourselves and must refrain from acting1 until such a time1 at least1 as1 by inquiring and considering1 we shall have obtained sufficient evidence to convince us that we may allow ourselves this liberty without incurring guilt4 ,if1 on the contrary1 while still doubting1 we persist in committing the act1 we sin1 because in all affairs of right and wrong we must follow a certain conscience as the standard of morality4 ,but the question may be3 ,to do or not to do2 which is right and which is wrong8 ,here we know not which way to turn1 fearing evil in either alternative4 ,we must do one thing or the other4 ,there are reasons and difficulties on both sides4 ,we are unable to resolve the difficulties1 lay the doubt1 and form a sure conscience1 what must we do8 ,if all action can be momentarily suspended1 and we have the means of consulting1 we must abstain from action and consult4 ,if the affair is urgent1 and this cannot be done2 if we must act on the spot and decide for ourselves1 then1 we can make that dubious conscience prudently certain by applying this principle to our conduct3 ,of two evils1 choose the lesser4 ,we therefore judge which action involves the least amount of evil4 ,we may embrace the course thus chosen without a fear of doing wrong4 ,if we have inadvertently chosen the greater evil1 it is an error of judgment for which we are in nowise responsible before ,god4 ,but this means must be employed only where all other and surer means fail4 ,the certainty we thereby acquire is a prudent certainty1 and is sufficient to guarantee us against offending4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,laxity ,,and ,,scruples4 ,,in every question of conscience there are two opposing factors3 ,liberty1 which is agreeable to our nature1 which allows us to do as we list2 and ,law which binds us unto the observance of what is unpleasant4 ,liberty and law are mutually antagonistic4 ,a concession in favor of one is an infringement upon the claims of the other4 ,conscience1 in its normal state1 gives to liberty and to law what to each is legitimately due1 no more1 no less4 ,truth lies between extremes4 ,at the two opposite poles of conscientious rectitude are laxity and scruples1 one judging all things lawful1 the other all things forbidden4 ,one inordinately favors liberty1 the other the law4 ,and neither has sufficient grounds on which to form a sound judgment4 ,they are counterfeit consciences1 the one dishonest1 the other unreasonable4 ,they do unlawful business2 and because the verdict they render is founded on nothing more solid than imaginations1 they are in nowise standards of morality1 and should not be considered as such4 ,the first is sometimes known as a rubber conscience1 on account of its capacity for stretching itself to meet the exigencies of a like or a dislike4 ,laxity may be the effect of a simple illusion4 ,men often do wrong unawares4 ,they excuse themselves with the plea3 ,i did not know any better4 ,but we are not here examining the acts that can be traced back to self-illusion2 rather the state of persons who labor under the disability of seeing wrong anywhere1 and who walk through the commandments of ,god and the ,church with apparent unconcern4 ,what must we think of such people in face of the fact that they not only could1 but should know better6 ,they are supposed to know their catechism4 ,are there not ,catholic books and publications of various sorts8 ,what about the ,sunday instructions and sermons8 ,these are the means and opportunities1 and they facilitate the fulfilment of what is in us a bounden duty to nourish our souls before they die of spiritual hunger4 ,a delicate1 effeminate life1 spiritual sloth1 and criminal neglect are responsible for this kind of laxity4 ,this state of soul is also the inevitable consequence of long years passed in sin and neglect of prayer4 ,habit blunts the keen edge of perception4 ,evil is disquieting to a novice2 but it does not look so bad after you have done it a while and get used to it4 ,crimes thus become ordinary sins1 and ordinary sins peccadillos4 ,then again there are people who1 like the ,pharisees of old1 strain out a gnat and swallow a camel4 ,they educate themselves up to a strict observance of all things insignificant4 ,they would not forget to say grace before and after meals1 but would knife the neighbor's character or soil their minds with all filthiness1 without a scruple or a shadow of remorse4 ,these are they who walk in the broad way that leadeth to destruction4 ,in the first place1 their conscience or the thing that does duty for a conscience1 is false and they are responsible for it4 ,then1 this sort of a conscience is not habitually certain1 and laxity consists precisely in contemning doubts and passing over lurking1 lingering suspicions as not worthy of notice4 ,lastly1 it has not the quality of common prudence since the judgment it pronounces is not supported by plausible reasons4 ,its character is dishonesty4 ,a scruple is a little sharp stone formerly used as a measure of weight4 ,pharmacists always have scruples4 ,there is nothing so torturing as to walk with one or several of these pebbles in the shoe4 ,spiritual scruples serve the same purpose for the conscience4 ,they torture and torment2 they make devotion and prayer impossible1 and blind the conscience2 they weaken the mind1 exhaust the bodily forces1 and cause a disease that not infrequently comes to a climax in despair or insanity4 ,a scrupulous conscience is not to be followed as a standard of right and wrong1 because it is unreasonable4 ,in its final analysis it is not certain1 but doubtful and improbable1 and is influenced by the most futile reasons4 ,it is lawful1 it is even necessary1 to refuse assent to the dictates of such a conscience4 ,to persons thus afflicted the authoritative need of a prudent adviser must serve as a rule until the conscience is cured of its morbid and erratic tendencies4 ,it is not scruples to walk in the fear of ,god1 and avoid sin and the occasions thereof3 that is wisdom2 nor to frequent the sacraments and be assiduous in prayer through a deep concern for the welfare of one's soul3 that is piety4 ,it is not scruples to be at a loss to decide whether a thing is wrong or right2 that is doubt2 nor to suffer keenly after the commission of a grievous sin2 that is remorse4 ,it is not scruples to be greatly anxious and disturbed over past confessions when there is a reasonable cause for it3 that is natural4 ,a scrupulous person is one who1 outside these several contingencies1 is continually racked with fears1 and persists1 against all evidence1 in seeing sin where there is none1 or magnifies it beyond all proportion where it really is4 ,the first feature--empty and perpetual fears--concerns confessions which are sufficient1 according to all the rules of prudence2 prayers1 which are said with overwrought anxiety1 lest a single distraction creep in and mar them2 and temptations1 which are resisted with inordinate contention of mind1 and perplexity lest consent be given4 ,the other and more desperate feature is pertinacity of judgment4 ,the scrupulous person will ask advice and not believe a word he is told4 ,the more information he gets1 the worse he becomes1 and he adds to his misery by consulting every adviser in sight4 ,he refuses to be put under obedience and seems to have a morbid affection for his very condition4 ,there is only one remedy for this evil1 and that remedy is absolute and blind obedience to a prudent director4 ,choose one1 consult him as often as you desire1 but do not leave him for another4 ,then submit punctiliously to his direction4 ,his conscience must be yours1 for the time being4 ,and if you should err in following him1 ,god will hold him1 and not you1 responsible4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,law ,,of ,,god ,,and ,,its ,,breach4 ,,without going into any superflous details1 we shall call the ,law of ,god an act of ,his will by which ,he ordains what things we may do or not do1 and binds us unto observance under penalty of ,his divine displeasure4 ,the law thus defined pertains to reasonable beings alone1 and supposes on our part1 as we have seen1 knowledge and free will4 ,the rest of creation is blindly submissive under the hand of ,god1 and yields a necessary obedience4 ,man alone can obey or disobey2 but in this latter case he renders himself amenable to ,god's justice who1 as his ,creator1 has an equal right to command him1 and be obeyed4 ,the ,maker first exercised this right when ,he put into ,his creature's soul a sense of right and wrong1 which is nothing more than conscience1 or as it is called here1 natural law4 ,to this law is subject every human being1 pagan1 ,jew and ,christian alike4 ,no creature capable of a human act is exempt4 ,the provisions of this law consider the nature of our being1 that is1 the law prescribes what the necessities of our being demand1 and it prohibits what is destructive thereof4 ,our nature requires physically that we eat1 drink and sleep4 ,similarly1 in a moral sense1 it calls for justice1 truthfulness1 respect of ,god1 of the neighbor1 and of self4 ,all its precepts are summed up in this one3 ,do unto others as you would have them do unto you--the golden rule4 ,thence flows a series of deducted precepts calculated to protect the moral and inherent rights of our nature4 ,but we are more concerned here with what is known as the positive ,law of ,god1 given by ,him to man by word of mouth or revelation4 ,we believe that ,god gave a verbal code to ,moses who promulgated it in ,his name before the ,jewish people to the whole world4 ,it was subsequently inscribed on two stone tables1 and is known as the ,decalogue or ,ten ,commandments of ,god4 ,of these ten1 the first three pertain to ,god ,himself1 the latter seven to the neighbor2 so that the whole might be abridged in these two words1 ,love ,god1 and love thy neighbor4 ,this law is in reality only a specified form of the natural law1 and its enactment was necessitated by the iniquity of men which had in time obscured and partly effaced the letter of the law in their souls4 ,latterly ,god again spoke1 but this time in the person of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the ,saviour1 after confirming the ,decalogue with ,his authority1 gave other laws to men concerning the ,church ,he had founded and the means of applying to themselves the fruits of the ,redemption4 ,we give the name of dogma to what ,he tells us to believe and of morals to what we must do4 ,these precepts of ,jesus ,christ are contained in the ,gospel1 and are called the ,evangelical ,law4 ,it is made known to us by the infallible ,church through which ,god speaks4 ,akin to these divine laws is the purely ecclesiastical law or law of the ,church4 ,christ sent forth ,his ,church clothed with ,his own and ,his ,father's authority4 ,as the ,father sent me1 so ,i send you4 ,she was to endure1 perfect herself and fulfil her mission on earth4 ,to enable her to carry out this divine plan she makes laws1 laws purely ecclesiastical1 but laws that have the same binding force as the divine laws themselves1 since they bear the stamp of divine authority4 ,god willed the ,church to be2 ,he willed consequently all the necessary means without which she would cease to be4 ,for ,catholics1 therefore1 as far as obligations are concerned1 there is no practical difference between ,god's law and the law of ,his ,church4 ,jesus ,christ is ,god4 ,the ,church is ,his spouse4 ,to her the ,saviour said3 ,he that heareth you1 heareth me1 and he that despiseth you despiseth ,me4 ,a breach of the law is a sin4 ,a sin is a deliberate transgression of the ,law of ,god4 ,a sin may be committed in thought1 in desire1 in word1 or in deed1 and by omission as well as by commission4 ,it is well to bear in mind that a thought1 as well as a deed1 is an act1 may be a human and a moral act1 and consequently may be a sin4 ,human laws may be violated only in deed2 but ,god1 who is a searcher of hearts1 takes note of the workings of the will whence springs all malice4 ,to desire to break ,his commandments is to offend ,him as effectually as to break them in deed2 to relish in one's mind forbidden fruits1 to meditate and deliberate on evil purposes1 is only a degree removed from actual commission of wrong4 ,evil is perpetrated in the will1 either by a longing to prevaricate or by affection for that which is prohibited4 ,if the evil materializes exteriorly1 it does not constitute one in sin anew1 but only completes the malice already existing4 ,men judge their fellows by their works2 ,god judges us by our thoughts1 by the inner workings of the soul1 and takes notice of our exterior doings only in so far as they are related to the will4 ,therefore it is that an offense against ,him1 to be an offense1 need not necessarily be perpetrated in word or in deed2 it is sufficient that the will place itself in ,opposition to the ,will of ,god1 and adhere to what the ,law forbids4 ,sin is not the same as vice4 ,one is an act1 the other is a state or inclination to act4 ,one is transitory1 the other is permanent4 ,one can exist without the other4 ,a drunkard is not always drunk1 nor is a man a drunkard for having once or twice overindulged4 ,in only one case is vice less evil than sin1 and that is when the inclination remains an unwilling inclination and does not pass to acts4 ,a man who reforms after a protracted spree still retains an inclination1 a desire for strong drink4 ,he is nowise criminal so long as he resists that tendency4 ,but practically vice is worse than sin1 for it supposes frequent wilful acts of sin of which it is the natural consequence1 and leads to many grievous offenses4 ,a vice is without sin when one struggles successfully against it after the habit has been retracted4 ,it may never be radically destroyed4 ,there may be unconscious1 involuntary lapses under the constant pressure of a strong inclination1 as in the vice of parsing1 and it remains innocent as long as it is not wilfully yielded to and indulged4 ,but to yield to the ratification of an evil desire or propensity1 without restraint1 is to doom oneself to the most prolific of evils and to lie under the curse of ,god4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,sin4 ,,if the ,almighty had never imposed upon ,his creatures a ,law1 there would be no sin2 we would be free to do as we please4 ,but the presence of ,god's ,law restrains our liberty1 and it is by using1 or rather abusing1 our freedom1 that we come to violate the ,law4 ,it is for this reason that ,law is said to be opposed to ,liberty4 ,liberty is a word of many meanings4 ,men swear by it and men juggle with it4 ,it is the slogan in both camps of the world's warfare4 ,it is in itself man's noblest inheritance1 and yet there is no name under the sun in which more crimes are committed4 ,by liberty as opposed to ,god's law we do not understand the power to do evil as well as good4 ,that liberty is the glory of man1 but the exercise of it1 in the alternative of evil1 is damnable1 and debases the creature in the same proportions as the free choice of good ennobles him4 ,that liberty the law leaves untouched4 ,we never lose it2 or rather1 we may lose it partially when under physical restraint1 but totally1 only when deprived of our senses4 ,the law respects it4 ,it respects it in the highest degree when in an individual it curtails or destroys it for the protection of society4 ,liberty may also be the equal right to do good and evil4 ,there are those who arrogate to themselves such liberty4 ,no man ever possessed it1 the law annihilated it forever4 ,and although we have used the word in this sense1 the fact is that no man has the right to do evil or ever will have1 so long as ,god is ,god4 ,these people talk much and loudly about freedom--the magic word6--assert with much pomp and verbosity the rights of man1 proclaim his independence1 and are given to much like inane vaunting and braggadocio4 ,we may be free in many things1 but where ,god is concerned and ,he commands1 we are free only to obey4 ,his will is supreme1 and when it is asserted1 we purely and simply have no choice to do as we list4 ,this privilege is called license1 not liberty4 ,we have certain rights as men1 but we have duties1 too1 as creatures1 and it ill-becomes us to prate about our rights1 or the duties of others towards us1 while we ignore the obligations we are under towards others and our first duty which is to ,god4 ,our boasted independence consists precisely in this3 that we owe to ,him not only the origin of our nature1 but even the very breath we draw1 and which preserves our being1 for in ,him we live1 move and have our being4 ,the first prerogative of ,god towards us is authority or the right to command4 ,our first obligation as well as our highest honor as creatures is to obey4 ,and until we understand this sort of liberty1 we live in a world of enigmas and know not the first letter of the alphabet of creation4 ,we are not free to sin4 ,liberty rightly understood1 true liberty of the children of ,god1 is the right of choice within the law1 the right to embrace what is good and to avoid what is evil4 ,this policy no man can take from us2 and far from infringing upon this right1 the law aids it to a fuller development4 ,a person reading by candlelight would not complain that his vision was obscured if an arc light were substituted for the candle4 ,a traveler who takes notice of the signposts along his way telling the direction and distance1 and pointing out pitfalls and dangers1 would not consider his rights contested or his liberty restricted by these things4 ,and the law1 as it becomes more clearly known to us1 defines exactly the sphere of our action and shows plainly where dangers lurk and evil is to be apprehended4 ,and we gladly avail ourselves of this information that enables us to walk straight and secure4 ,the law becomes a godsend to our liberty1 and obedience to it1 our salvation4 ,he who goes beyond the bounds of true moral liberty1 breaks the law of ,god and sins4 ,he thereby refuses to ,god the obedience which to ,him is due4 ,disobedience involves contempt of authority and of him who commands4 ,sin is therefore an offense against ,god1 and that offense is proportionate to the dignity of the person offended4 ,the sinner1 by his act of disobedience1 not only sets at naught the will of his ,maker1 but by the same act1 in a greater or lesser degree1 turns away from his appointed destiny2 and in this he is imitated by nothing else in creation4 ,every other created thing obeys4 ,the heavens follow their designated course4 ,beasts and birds and fish are intent upon one thing1 and that is to work out the divine plan4 ,man alone sows disorder and confusion therein4 ,he shows irreverence for ,god's presence and contempt for ,his friendship2 ingratitude for ,his goodness and supreme indifference for the penalty that follows his sin as surely as the shadow follows its object4 ,so that1 taken all in all1 such a creature might fitly be said to be one part criminal and two parts fool4 ,folly and sin are synonymous in ,holy ,writ4 ,the fool saith in his heart there is no ,god4 ,sin is essentially an offense4 ,but there is a difference of degree between a slight and an outrage4 ,there are direct offenses against ,god1 such as the refusal to believe in ,him or unbelief2 to hope in ,him1 or despair1 etc4 ,indirect offenses attain ,him through the neighbor or ourselves4 ,all duties to neighbor or self are not equally imperious and to fail in them all is not equally evil4 ,then again1 not all sins are committed through pure malice1 that is1 with complete knowledge and full consent4 ,ignorance and weakness are factors to be considered in our guilt1 and detract from the malice of our sins4 ,hence two kinds of sin1 mortal and venial4 ,these mark the extremes of offense4 ,one severs all relation of friendship1 the other chills the existing friendship4 ,by one1 we incur ,god's infinite hatred1 by the other1 ,his displeasure4 ,the penalty for one is eternal2 the other can be atoned for by suffering4 ,it is not possible in all cases to tell exactly what is mortal and what venial in our offenses4 ,there is a clean-cut distinction between the two1 but the line of demarcation is not always discernible4 ,there are1 however1 certain characteristics which enable us in the majority of cases to distinguish one from the other4 ,first1 the matter must be grievous in fact or in intention2 that is1 there must be a serious breach of the law of ,god or the law of conscience4 ,then1 we must know perfectly well what we are doing and give our full consent4 ,it must therefore be a grave offense in all the plenitude of its malice4 ,of course1 to act without sufficient reason1 with a well-founded doubt as to the malice of the act1 would be to violate the law of conscience and would constitute a mortal sin4 ,there is no moral sin without the fulfilment of these conditions4 ,all other offenses are venial4 ,we cannot1 of course1 read the soul of anybody4 ,if1 however1 we suppose knowledge and consent1 there are certain sins that are always mortal4 ,such are blasphemy1 luxury1 heresy1 etc4 ,when these sins are deliberate1 they are always mortal offenses4 ,others are usually mortal1 such as a sin against justice4 ,to steal is a sin against justice4 ,it is frequently a mortal sin1 but it may happen that the amount taken be slight1 in which case the offense ceases to be mortal4 ,likewise1 certain sins are usually venial1 but in certain circumstances a venial sin may take on such malice as to be constituted mortal4 ,our conscience1 under ,god1 is the best judge of our malevolence and consequently of our guilt4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,how ,,to ,,count ,,sins4 ,,the number of sins a person may commit is well-nigh incalculable1 which is only one way of saying that the malice of man has invented innumerable means of offending the ,almighty--a compliment to our ingenuity and the refinement of our natural perversity4 ,it is not always pleasant to know1 and few people try very hard to learn1 of what kind and how many are their daily offenses4 ,this knowledge reveals too nakedly our wickedness which we prefer to ignore4 ,catholics1 however1 who believe in the necessity of confession of sins1 take a different view of the matter4 ,the requirements of a good confession are such as can be met only by those who know in what things they have sinned and how often4 ,there are many different kinds of sin4 ,it is possible by a single act to commit more than one sin4 ,and a given sin may be repeated any number of times4 ,to get the exact number of our misdeeds we must begin by counting as many sins at least as there are kinds of sin4 ,we might say there is an offense for every time a commandment or precept is violated1 for sin is a transgression of the law4 ,but this would be insufficient inasmuch as the law may command or forbid more than one thing4 ,let the first commandment serve as an example4 ,it is broken by sins against faith1 or unbelief1 against hope1 or despair1 against charity1 against religion1 etc4 ,all these offenses are specifically different1 that is1 are different kinds of sin2 yet but one precept is transgressed4 ,since therefore each commandment prescribes the practice of certain virtues1 the first rule is that there is a sin for every virtue violated4 ,but this is far from exhausting our capacity for evil4 ,our virtue may impose different obligations1 so that against it alone we may offend in many different ways4 ,among the virtues prescribed by the first commandment is that of religion1 which concerns the exterior homage due to ,god4 ,i may worship false gods1 thus offending against the virtue of religion1 and commit a sin of idolatry4 ,if ,i offer false homage to the true ,god1 ,i also violate the virtue of religion1 but commit a sin specifically different1 a sin of superstition4 ,thus these different offenses are against but one of several virtues enjoined by one commandment4 ,the virtue of charity is also prolific of obligations2 the virtue of chastity even more so4 ,one act against the latter may contain a four-fold malice4 ,it would be out of place here to adduce more examples3 a detailed treatment of the virtues and commandments will make things clearer4 ,for the moment it is necessary and sufficient to know that a commandment may prescribe many virtues1 a virtue may impose many obligations1 and there is a specifically different sin for each obligation violated4 ,but we can go much farther than this in wrongdoing1 and must count one sin every time the act is committed4 ,yes1 but how are we to know when there is one act or more than one act6 ,an act may be of long or short duration4 ,how many sins do ,i commit if the act lasts1 say1 two hours8 ,and how can ,i tell where one act ends and the other begins8 ,in an action which endures an hour or two hours1 there may be one and there may be a dozen acts4 ,when the matter a sinner is working on is a certain1 specified evil1 the extent to which he prevaricates numerically depends upon the action of the will4 ,a fellow who enters upon the task of slaying his neighbor can kill but once in fact2 but he can commit the sin of murder in his soul once or a dozen times4 ,it depends on the will4 ,sin is a deliberate transgression1 that is1 first of all an act of the will4 ,if he resolves once to kill and never retracts till the deed of blood is done1 he sins but once4 ,if he disavows his resolution and afterwards resolves anew1 he repeats the sin of murder in his soul as often as he goes through this process of will action4 ,this sincere retraction of a deed is called moral interruption and it has the mysterious power of multiplying sins4 ,not every interruption is a moral one4 ,to put the matter aside for a certain while in the hope of a better opportunity1 for the procuring of necessary facilities or for any other reason1 with the unshaken purpose of pursuing the course entered upon1 is to suspend action2 but this action is wholly exterior1 and does not affect the will4 ,the act of the will perseveres1 never loses its force1 so there is no moral1 but only a physical1 interruption4 ,there is no renewal of consent for it has never been withdrawn4 ,the one moral act goes on1 and but one sin is committed4 ,thus1 of two wretches on the same errand of crime1 one may sin but once1 while the other is guilty of the same sin a number of times4 ,but the several sins last no longer than the one4 ,which is the more guilty8 ,that is a question for ,god to decide2 ,he does the judging1 we do the counting4 ,this possible multiplication of sin where a single act is apparent emphasizes the fact that evil and good proceed from the will4 ,it is by the will primarily and essentially that we serve or offend ,god1 and1 absolutely speaking1 no exterior deed is necessary for the accomplishment of this end4 ,the exterior deed of sin always supposes a natural preparation of sin-- thought1 desires1 resolution1--which precede or accompany the deed1 and without which there would be no sin4 ,it is sinful only inasmuch as it is related to the will1 and is the fruit thereof4 ,the interior act constitutes the sin in its being2 the exterior act constitutes it in its completeness4 ,all of which leads up to the conclusion1 of a nature perhaps to surprise some1 that to resolve to sin and to commit the sin in deed are not two different sins1 but one complete sin1 in all the fulness of its malice4 ,true1 the exterior act may give rise to scandal1 and from it may devolve upon us obligations of justice1 the reparation of injury done2 true1 with the exterior complement the sin may be more grievous4 ,but there cannot be several sins if there be one single uninterrupted act of the will4 ,an evil thing is proposed to your mind2 you enjoy the thought of doing it1 knowing it to be wrong2 you desire to do it and resolve to do it2 you take the natural means of doing it2 you succeed and consummate the evil--a long drawn out and well prepared deed1 'tis true1 but only one sin4 ,the injustices1 the scandal1 the sins you might commit incidentally1 which do not pertain naturally to the deed1 all these are another matter1 and are other kinds of sins2 but the act itself stands alone1 complete and one4 ,but these interior acts of sin1 whether or not they have reference to external completion1 must be sinful4 ,the first stage is the suggestion of the imagination or simple seeing of the evil in the mind1 which is not sinful2 the next is the moving of the sensibility or the purely animal pleasure experienced1 in which there is no evil1 either2 for we have no sure mastery over these faculties4 ,from the imagination and sensibility the temptation passes before the will for consent4 ,if consent is denied1 there is no deadly malice or guilt1 no matter how long the previous effects may have been endured4 ,no thought is a sin unless it be fully consented to4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,capital ,,sins4 ,,you can never cure a disease till you get at the seat or root of the evil4 ,it will not do to attack the several manifestations that appear on the surface1 the aches and pains and attendant disorders4 ,you must attack the affected organ1 cut out the root of the evil growth1 and kill the obnoxious germ4 ,there is no other permanent remedy2 until this is done1 all relief is but temporary4 ,and if we desire to remove the distemper of sin1 similarly it is necessary to seek out the root of all sin4 ,we can lay our finger on it at once2 it is inordinate self-love4 ,ask yourself why you broke this or that commandment4 ,it is because it forbade you a satisfaction that you coveted1 a satisfaction that your self-love imperiously demanded2 or it is because it prescribed an act that cost an effort1 and you loved yourself too much to make that effort4 ,examine every failing1 little or great1 and you will trace them back to the same source4 ,if we thought more of ,god and less of ourselves we would never sin4 ,the sinner lives for himself first1 and for ,god afterwards4 ,strange that such a sacred thing as love1 the source of all good1 may thus1 by abuse1 become the fountainhead of all evil6 ,perhaps1 if it were not so sacred and prolific of good1 its excess would not be so unholy4 ,but the higher you stand when you tumble1 the greater the fall2 so the better a thing is in itself1 the more abominable is its abuse4 ,love directed aright1 towards ,god first1 is the fulfilment of the ,law2 love misdirected is the very destruction of all law4 ,yet it is not wrong to love oneself2 that is the first law of nature4 ,one1 and one only being1 the ,maker1 are we bound to love more than ourselves4 ,the neighbor is to be loved as ourselves4 ,and if our just interests conflict with his1 if our rights and his are opposed to each other1 there is no legitimate means but we may employ to obtain or secure what is rightly ours4 ,the evil of self-love lies in its abuse and excess1 in that it goes beyond the limits set by ,god and nature1 that it puts unjustly our interests before ,god's and the neighbor's1 and that to self it sacrifices them and all that pertains to them4 ,self1 the ego1 is the idol before which all must bow4 ,self-love1 on an evil day1 in the garden of ,eden1 wedded sin1 ,satan himself officiating under the disguise of a serpent2 and she gave birth to seven daughters like unto herself1 who in turn became fruitful mothers of iniquity4 ,haughty ,pride1 first-born and queen among her sisters1 is inordinate love of one's worth and excellence1 talents and beauty2 sordid ,avarice or ,covetousness is excessive love of riches2 loathsome ,lust is the third1 and loves carnal pleasures without regard for the law2 fiery ,anger1 a counterpart of pride1 is love rejected but seeking blindly to remedy the loss2 bestial ,gluttony worships the stomach2 green-eyed ,envy is hate for wealth and happiness denied2 finally ,sloth loves bodily ease and comfort to excess4 ,the infamous brood6 ,these parents of all iniquity are called the seven capital sins4 ,they assume the leadership of evil in the world and are the seven arms of ,satan4 ,as it becomes their dignity1 these vices never walk alone or go unattended1 and that is the desperate feature of their malice4 ,each has a cortege of passions1 a whole train of inferior minions1 that accompany or follow4 ,once entrance gained and a free hand given1 there is no telling the result4 ,once seated and secure1 the passion seeks to satisfy itself2 that is its business4 ,certain means are required to this end1 and these means can be procured only by sinning4 ,obstacles often stand in the way and new sins furnish steps to vault over1 or implements to batter them down4 ,intricate and difficult conditions frequently arise as the result of self-indulgence1 out of which there is no exit but by fresh sins4 ,hence the long train of crimes led by one capital sin towards the goal of its satisfaction1 and hence the havoc wrought by its untrammeled working in a human soul4 ,this may seem exaggerated to some2 others it may mislead as to the true nature of the capital sins1 unless it be dearly put forth in what their malice consists4 ,capital sins are not1 in the first place1 in themselves1 sins2 they are vices1 passions1 inclinations or tendencies to sin1 and we know that a vice is not necessarily sinful4 ,our first parents bequeathed to us as an inheritance these germs of misery and sin4 ,we are all in a greater or lesser degree prone to excess and to desire unlawful pleasures4 ,yet1 for all that1 we do not of necessity sin4 ,we sin when we yield to these tendencies and do what they suggest4 ,the simple proneness to evil1 devoid of all wilful yielding is therefore not wrong4 ,why8 ,because we cannot help it2 that is a good and sufficient reason4 ,these passions may lie dormant in our nature without soliciting to evil2 they may1 at any moment1 awake to action with or without provocation4 ,the sight of an enemy or the thought of a wrong may stir up anger2 pride may be aroused by flattery1 applause or even compliments2 the demon of lust may make its presence known and felt for a good reason1 for a slight reason1 or for no reason at all2 gluttony shows its head at the sight of food or drink1 etc4 ,he who deliberately and without reason arouses a passion1 and thus exposes himself imprudently to an assault of concupiscence1 is grievously guilty2 for it is to trifle with a powerful and dangerous enemy and it betokens indifference to the soul's salvation4 ,suggestions1 seductions1 allurements follow upon the awakening of these passions4 ,when the array of these forces comes in contact with the will1 the struggle is on2 it is called temptation4 ,warfare is the natural state of man on earth4 ,without it1 the world here below would be a paradise1 but life would be without merit4 ,in this unprovoked and righteous battle with sin1 the only evil to be apprehended is the danger of yielding4 ,but far from being sinful1 the greater the danger1 the more meritorious the struggle4 ,it matters not what we experience while fighting the enemy4 ,imagination and sensation that solicit to yielding1 anxiety of mind and discouragement1 to all this there is no wrong attached1 but merit4 ,right or wrong depends on the outcome4 ,every struggle ends in victory or defeat for one party and in temptation there is sin only in defeat4 ,a single act of the will decides4 ,it matters not how long the struggle lasts2 if the will does not capitulate1 there is no sin4 ,this resistance demands plenty of energy1 a soul inured to like combats and an ample provision of weapons of defense--faith1 hatred of sin1 love of ,god4 ,prayer is essential4 ,flight is the safest means1 but is not always possible4 ,humility and self-denial are an excellent1 even necessary1 preparation for assured victory4 ,no man need expect to make himself proof against temptation4 ,it is not a sign of weakness2 or if so1 it is a weakness common to all men4 ,there is weakness only in defeat1 and cowardice as well4 ,the gallant and strong are they who fight manfully4 ,manful resistance means victory1 and victory makes one stronger and invincible1 while defeat at every repetition places victory farther and farther beyond our reach4 ,success requires more than strength1 it requires wisdom1 the wisdom to single out the particular passion that predominates in us1 to study its artifices and by remote preparation to make ourselves secure against its assaults4 ,the leader thus exposed and its power for evil reduced to a minimum1 it will be comparatively easy to hold in check all other dependent passions4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,pride4 ,,excellence is a quality that raises a man above the common level and distinguishes him among his fellow-beings4 ,the term is relative4 ,the quality may exist in any degree or measure4 ',tis only the few that excel eminently2 but anyone may be said to excel who is1 ever so little1 superior to others1 be they few or many4 ,three kinds of advantages go to make up one's excellence4 ,nature's gifts are talent1 knowledge1 health1 strength1 and beauty2 fortune endows us with honor1 wealth1 authority2 and virtue1 piety1 honesty are the blessings of grace4 ,to the possession of one or several of these advantages excellence is attached4 ,all good is made to be loved4 ,all gifts directly or indirectly from ,god are good1 and if excellence is the fruit of these gifts1 it is lawful1 reasonable1 human to love it and them4 ,but measure is to be observed in all things4 ,virtue is righteously equidistant1 while vice goes to extremes4 ,it is not1 therefore1 attachment and affection for this excellence1 but inordinate1 unreasonable love that is damnable1 and constitutes the vice of pride4 ,god alone is excellent and all greatness is from ,him alone4 ,and those who are born great1 who acquire greatness1 or who have greatness thrust upon them1 alike owe their superiority to ,him4 ,nor are these advantages and this preeminence due to our merits and deserts4 ,everything that comes to us from ,god is purely gratuitous on ,his part1 and undeserved on ours4 ,since our very existence is the effect of a free act of ,his will1 why should not1 for a greater reason1 all that is accidental to that existence be dependent on ,his free choice8 ,finally1 nothing of all this is ours or ever can become ours4 ,our qualities are a pure loan confided to our care for a good and useful purpose1 and will be reclaimed with interest4 ,since the malice of our pride consists in the measure of affection we bestow upon our excellence1 if we love it to the extent of adjudging it not a gift of ,god1 but the fruit of our own better selves2 or if we look upon it as the result of our worth1 that is1 due to our merits1 we are guilty of nothing short of downright heresy1 because we hold two doctrines contrary to faith4 ,what hast thou1 that thou hast not received8 ,if a gift is due to us1 it is no longer a gift4 ,this extreme of pride is happily rare4 ,it is directly opposed to ,god4 ,it is the sin of ,lucifer4 ,a lesser degree of pride is1 while admitting ourselves beholden to ,god for whatever we possess and confessing ,his bounties to be undeserved1 to consider the latter as becoming ours by right of possession1 with liberty to make the most of them for our own personal ends4 ,this is a false and sinful appreciation of ,god's gifts1 but it respects ,his and all subordinate authority4 ,if it never1 in practice1 fails in this submission1 there is sin1 because the plan of ,god1 by which all things must be referred to ,him1 is thwarted2 but its malice is not considered grievous4 ,pride1 however1 only too often fails in this1 its tendency being to satisfy itself1 which it cannot do within the bounds of authority4 ,therefore it is that from being a venial1 this species of pride becomes a mortal offense1 because it leads almost infallibly to disobedience and rebellion4 ,there is a pride1 improperly so called1 which is in accordance with all the rules of order1 reason and honor4 ,it is a sense of responsibility and dignity which every man owes to himself1 and which is compatible with the most sincere humility4 ,it is a regard1 an esteem for oneself1 too great to allow one to stoop to anything base or mean4 ,it is submissive to authority1 acknowledges shortcomings1 respects others and expects to be respected in return4 ,it can preside with dignity1 and obey with docility4 ,far from being a vice1 it is a virtue and is only too rare in this world4 ,it is nobility of soul which betrays itself in self-respect4 ,here is the origin1 progress and development of the vice4 ,we first consider the good that is in us1 and there is good in all of us1 more or less4 ,this consideration becomes first exaggerated2 then one-sided by reason of our overlooking and ignoring imperfections and shortcomings4 ,out of these reflections arises an apprehension of excellence or superiority greater than we really possess4 ,from the mind this estimate passes to the heart which embraces it fondly1 rejoices and exults4 ,the conjoint acceptation of this false appreciation by the mind and heart is the first complete stage of pride--an overwrought esteem of self4 ,the next move is to become self-sufficient1 presumptuous4 ,a spirit of enterprise asserts itself1 wholly out of keeping with the means at hand4 ,it is sometimes foolish1 sometimes insane1 reason being blinded by error4 ,the vice then seeks to satisfy itself1 craves for the esteem of others1 admiration1 flattery1 applause1 and glory4 ,this is vanity1 different from conceit only in this1 that the former is based on something that is1 or has been done1 while the latter is based on nothing4 ,vanity manifested in word is called boasting2 in deed that is true1 vain-glory2 in deed without foundation of truth1 hypocrisy4 ,but this is not substantial enough for ambition1 another form of pride4 ,it covets exterior marks of appreciation1 rank1 honor1 dignity1 authority4 ,it seeks to rise1 by hook or crook1 for the sole reason of showing off and displaying self4 ,still growing apace1 pride becomes indignant1 irritated1 angry if this due appreciation is not shown to its excellence2 it despises others either for antipathy or inferiority4 ,it believes its own judgment infallible and1 if in the wrong1 will never acknowledge a mistake or yield4 ,finally the proud man becomes so full of self that obedience is beneath him1 and he no longer respects authority of man or of ,god4 ,here we have the sin of pride in all the plenitude of its malice4 ,pride is often called an honorable vice1 because its aspirations are lofty1 because it supposes strength1 and tends directly to elevate man1 rather than to debase and degrade him1 like the other vices4 ,yet pride is compatible with every meanness4 ,it lodges in the heart of the pauper as well as in that of the prince4 ,there is nothing contemptible that it will not do to satisfy itself2 and although its prime malice is to oppose ,god it has every quality to make it as hideous as ,satan himself4 ,it goeth before a fall1 but it does not cease to exist after the fall2 and no matter how deep down in the mire of iniquity you search1 you will find pride nethermost4 ,other vices excite one's pity2 pride makes us shudder4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,covetousness4 ,,what is a miser8 asked the teacher of her pupils1 and the bright boy spoke up and answered3 one who has a greed for gold4 ,but he and all the class were embarrassed as to how this greed for gold should be qualified4 ,the boy at the foot of the class came to the rescue1 and shouted out3 misery4 ,less wise answers are made every day in our schools4 ,misery is indeed the lot1 if not the vice1 of the miser4 ',tis true that this is one of the few vices that arrive at permanent advantages1 the others offering satisfaction that lasts but for a moment1 and leaves nothing but bitterness behind4 ,yet1 the more the miser possesses the more insatiable his greed becomes1 and the less his enjoyment1 by reason of the redoubled efforts he makes to have and to hold4 ,but the miser is not the only one infected with the sin of avarice4 ,his is not an ordinary1 but an extreme case4 ,he is the incarnation of the evil4 ,he believes in1 hopes in1 and loves gold above all things2 he prays and sacrifices to it4 ,gold is his god1 and gold will be his reward1 a miserable one4 ,this degree of the vice is rare2 or1 at least1 is rarely suffered to manifest itself to this extent2 and although scarcely a man can be found to confess to this failing1 because it is universally regarded as most loathsome and repulsive1 still few there are who are not more or less slaves to cupidity4 ,pride is the sin of the angels2 lust is the sin of the brute1 and avarice is the sin of man4 ,scripture calls it the universal evil4 ,we are more prone to inveigh against it1 and accuse others of the vice than to admit it in ourselves4 ,sometimes1 it is the pot calling the kettle black2 more often it is a clear case of sour grapes4 ,disdain for the dollars that speak1 the mighty dollars1 in abundance and in superabundance1 is rarely genuine4 ,there are1 concerning the passion of covetousness1 two notions as common as they are false4 ,it is thought that this vice is peculiar to the rich1 and is not to be met with among the poor4 ,now1 avarice does not necessarily suppose the possession of wealth1 and does not consist in the possession1 but in the inordinate desire1 or greed for1 or the lust of1 riches4 ,it may be1 and is1 difficult for one to possess much wealth without setting one's heart on it4 ,but it is also true that this greed may possess one who has little or nothing4 ,it may be found in unrestrained excess under the rags of the pauper and beggar4 ,they who aspire to1 or desire1 riches with avidity are covetous whether they have much1 little1 or nothing4 ,christ promised ,his kingdom to the poor in spirit1 not to the poor in fact4 ,spiritual poverty can associate with abundant wealth1 just as the most depraved cupidity may exist in poverty4 ,another prejudice1 favorable to ourselves1 is that only misers are covetous1 because they love money for itself and deprive themselves of the necessaries of life to pile it up4 ,but it is not necessary that the diagnosis reveal these alarming symptoms to be sure of having a real case of cupidity4 ,they are covetous who strive after wealth with passion4 ,various motives may arouse this passion1 and although they may increase the malice1 they do not alter the nature1 of the vice4 ,some covet wealth for the sake of possessing it2 others1 to procure pleasures or to satisfy different passions4 ,avarice it continues to be1 whatever the motive4 ,not even prodigality1 the lavish spending of riches1 is a token of the absence of cupidity4 ,rapacity may stand behind extravagance to keep the supply inexhausted4 ,it is covetousness to place one's greatest happiness in the possession of wealth1 or to consider its loss or privation the greatest of misfortunes2 in other words1 to over-rejoice in having and to over-grieve in not having4 ,it is covetousness to be so disposed as to acquire riches unjustly rather than suffer poverty4 ,it is covetousness to hold1 or give begrudgingly1 when charity presses her demands4 ,there is1 in these cases1 a degree of malice that is ordinarily mortal1 because the law of ,god and of nature is not respected4 ,it is the nature of this vice to cause unhappiness which increases until it becomes positive wretchedness in the miser4 ,anxiety of mind is followed by hardening of the heart2 then injustice in desire and in fact2 blinding of the conscience1 ending in a general stultification of man before the god ,mammon4 ,all desires of riches and comfort are not1 therefore1 avarice4 ,one may aspire to1 and seek wealth without avidity4 ,this ambition is a laudable one1 for it does not exaggerate the value of the world's goods1 would not resort to injustice1 and has not the characteristic tenacity of covetousness4 ,there is order in this desire for plenty4 ,it is the great mover of activity in life2 it is good because it is natural1 and honorable because of its motives4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,lust4 ,,pride resides principally in the mind1 and thence sways over the entire man2 avarice proceeds from the heart and affections2 lust has its seat in the flesh4 ,by pride man prevaricating imitates the angel of whose nature he partakes2 avarice is proper to man as being a composite of angelic and animal natures2 lust is characteristic of the brute pure and simple4 ,this trinity of concupiscence is in direct opposition to the ,trinity of ,god--to the ,father1 whose authority pride would destroy2 to the ,son1 whose voluntary stripping of the divinity and the poverty of whose life avarice scorns and contemns to the ,holy ,ghost1 to whom lust is opposed as the flesh is opposed to the spirit4 ,this is the mighty trio that takes possession of the whole being of man1 controls his superior and inferior appetites1 and wars on the whole being on ,god4 ,and lust is the most ignoble of the three4 ,strictly speaking1 it is not here question of the commandments4 ,they prescribe or forbid acts of sin--thoughts1 words or deeds2 lust is a passion1 a vice or inclination1 a concupiscence4 ,it is not an act4 ,it does not become a sin while it remains in this state of pure inclination4 ,it is inbred in our nature as children of ,adam4 ,lust is an appetite like any other appetite1 conformable to our human nature1 and can be satisfied lawfully within the order established by ,god and nature4 ,but it is vitiated by the corruption of fallen flesh4 ,this vitiated appetite craves for unlawful and forbidden satisfactions and pleasures1 such as are not in keeping with the plans of the ,creator4 ,thus the vitiated appetite becomes inordinate4 ,at one and the same time1 it becomes inordinate and sinful1 the passion being gratified unduly by a positive act of sin4 ,this depraved inclination1 as everyone knows1 may be in us1 without being of us1 that is1 without any guilt being imputed to us4 ,this occurs in the event of a violent assault of passion1 in which our will has no part1 and which consequently does not materialize1 exteriorly or interiorly1 in a human act forbidden by the laws of morality4 ,nor is there a transgression1 even when gratified1 if reason and faith control the inclination and direct it along the lines laid down by the divine and natural laws4 ,outside of this1 all manners1 shapes and forms of lust are grievous sins1 for the law admits no levity of matter4 ,no further investigation1 at the present time1 into the essence of this vice is necessary4 ,there is an abominable theory familiar to1 and held by the dissolute1 who1 not content with spreading the contagion of their souls1 aim at poisoning the very wells of morality4 ,they reason somewhat after this fashion3 ,human nature is everywhere the same4 ,he knows others who best knows himself4 ,a mere glance at themselves reveals the fact that they are chained fast to earth by their vile appetites1 and that to break these chains is a task too heavy for them to undertake4 ,the fact is overlooked that these bonds are of their own creation1 and that every end is beyond reach of him who refuses to take the means to that end4 ,incapable1 too1 of conceiving a sphere of morality superior to that in which they move1 and without further investigation of facts to make their induction good1 they conclude that all men are like themselves2 that open profession of morality is unadulterated hypocrisy1 that a pure man is a living lie4 ,a more wholesale impeachment of human veracity and a more brutal indignity offered to human nature could scarcely be imagined4 ,reason never argued thus2 the heart has reasons which the reason cannot comprehend4 ,truth to be loved needs only to be seen4 ,adversely1 it is the case with falsehood4 ,it is habitual with this passion to hide its hideousness under the disguise of love1 and thus this most sacred and hallowed name is prostituted to signify that which is most vile and loathsome4 ,depravity8 ,no4 ,goodness of heart1 generosity of affections1 the very quintessence of good nature6 ,but ,god is love1 and love that does not see the image of the ,creator in its object is not love1 but the brutal instinct4 ,there are some who do not go so far as to identify vice with virtue1 but content themselves with esteeming that1 since passion is so strong1 virtue so difficult and ,god so merciful to ,his frail creatures1 to yield a trifle is less a sin than a confession of native weakness4 ,this weakness runs a whole gamut of euphemisms2 imperfections1 foibles1 frailties1 mistakes1 miseries1 accidents1 indiscretions--anything to gloss it over1 anything but what it is4 ,at this rate1 you could efface the whole ,decalogue and at one fell stroke destroy all laws1 human and divine4 ,what is yielding to any passion but weakness8 ,very few sins are sins of pure malice4 ,if one is weak through one's own fault1 and chooses to remain so rather than take the necessary means of acquiring strength1 that one is responsible in full for the weakness4 ,the weak and naughty in this matter are plain1 ordinary sinners of a very sable dye4 ,theirs is not the view that ,god took of things when ,he purged the earth with water and destroyed the five cities with fire4 ,from ,genesis to the ,apocalypse you will not find a weakness against which ,he inveighs so strongly1 and chastises so severely4 ,he forbids and condemns every deliberate yielding1 every voluntary step taken over the threshold of moral cleanness in thought1 word1 desire or action4 ,the gravity and malice of sin is not to be measured by the fancies1 opinions1 theories or attitude of men4 ,the first and only rule is the will of ,god which is sufficiently clear to anyone who scans the sacred pages whereon it is manifested4 ,and the reason of ,his uncompromising hostility to voluptuousness can be found in the intrinsic malice of the evil4 ,in man1 as ,god created him1 the soul is superior to the body1 and of its nature should rule and govern4 ,lust inverts this order1 and the flesh lords it over the spirit4 ,the image of ,god is defiled1 dragged in the mire of filth and corruption1 and robbed of its spiritual nature1 as far as the thing is possible4 ,it becomes corporal1 carnal1 animal4 ,and thus the superior soul with its sublime faculties of intelligence and will is made to obey under the tyranny of emancipated flesh1 and like the brute seeks only for things carnal4 ,it is impossible to say to what this vice will not lead1 or to enumerate the crimes that follow in its wake4 ,the first and most natural consequence is to create a distaste and aversion for prayer1 piety1 devotion1 religion and ,god2 and this is ,god's most terrible curse on the vice1 for it puts beyond reach of the unfortunate sinner the only remedy that could save him4 ,but if ,god's justice is so rigorous toward the wanton1 ,his mercy is never so great as toward those who need it most1 who desire it and ask it4 ,the most touching episodes in the ,gospels are those in which ,christ opened wide the arms of ,his charity to sinful but repentant creatures1 and lifted them out of their iniquity4 ,that same charity and power to shrive1 uplift and strengthen resides to-day1 in all its plenitude1 in the ,church which is the continuation of ,christ4 ,where there is a will there is a way4 ,the will is the sinner's2 the way is in prayer and the sacraments4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,anger4 ,,never say1 when you are angry1 that you are mad2 it makes you appear much worse than you really are1 for only dogs get mad4 ,the rabies in a human being is a most unnatural and ignoble thing4 ,yet common parlance likens anger to it4 ,it is safe to say that no one has yet been born that never yielded1 more or less1 to the sway of this passion4 ,everybody gets angry4 ,the child sulks1 the little girl calls names and makes faces1 the boy fights and throws stones2 the maiden waxes huffy1 spiteful1 and won't speak1 and the irascible male fumes1 rages1 and says and does things that become him not in the least4 ,even pious folks have their tiffs and tilts4 ,all flesh is frail1 and anger has an easy time of it2 not because this passion is so powerful1 but because it is insidious and passes for a harmless little thing in its ordinary disguise4 ,and yet all wrath does not manifest itself thus exteriorly4 ,still waters are deepest4 ,an imperturbable countenance may mask a very inferno of wrath and hatred4 ,to hear us talk1 there is no fault in all this1 the greater part of the time4 ,it is a soothing tonic to our conscience after a fit of rage1 to lay all the blame on a defect of character or a naturally bad temper4 ,if fault there is1 it is anybody's but our own4 ,we recall the fact that patience is a virtue that has its limits1 and mention things that we solemnly aver would try the enduring powers of the beatified on their thrones in heaven4 ,some1 at a loss otherwise to account for it1 protest that a particular devil got hold of them and made resistance impossible4 ,but it was not a devil at all4 ,it was a little volcano1 or better1 a little powder magazine hidden away somewhere in the heart4 ,the imp ,pride had its head out looking for a caress1 when it received a rebuff instead4 ,hastily disappearing within1 it spat fire right and left1 and the explosion followed1 proportionate in energy and destructive power to the quantity of pent-up self-love that served as a charge4 ,once the mine is fired1 in the confusion and disorder that follow1 vengeance stalks forth in quest of the miscreant that did the wrong4 ,anger is the result of hurt pride1 of injured self-love4 ,it is a violent and inordinate commotion of the soul that seeks to wreak vengeance for an injury done4 ,the causes that arouse anger vary infinitely in reasonableness1 and there are all degrees of intensity4 ,the malice of anger consists wholly in the measure of our deliberate yielding to its promptings4 ,sin1 here as elsewhere1 supposes an act of the will1 ,a crazy man is not responsible for his deeds2 nor is anyone1 for more than what he does knowingly4 ,the first movement or emotion of irascibility is usually exempt of all fault2 by this is meant the play of the passion on the sensitive part of our nature1 the sharp1 sudden fit that is not foreseen and is not within our control1 the first effects of the rising wrath1 such as the rush of blood1 the trouble and disorder of the affections1 surexcitation and solicitation to revenge4 ,a person used to repelling these assaults may be taken unawares and carried away to a certain extent in the first storm of passion1 in this there is nothing sinful4 ,but the same faultlessness could not be ascribed to him who exercises no restraining power over his failing1 and by yielding habitually fosters it and must shoulder the responsibility of every excess4 ,we incur the burden of ,god's wrath when1 through our fault1 negligence or a positive act of the will1 we suffer this passion to steal away our reason1 blind us to the value of our actions1 and make us deaf to all considerations4 ,no motive can justify such ignoble weakness that would lower us to the level of the madman4 ,he dishonors his ,maker who throws the reins to his animal instincts and allows them to gallop ahead with him1 in a mad career of vengeance and destruction4 ,many do not go to this extent of fury1 but give vent to their spleen in a more cool and calculating manner4 ,their temper1 for being less fiery1 is more bitter4 ,they are choleric rather than bellicose4 ,they do not fly to acts but to desires and well-laid plans of revenge4 ,if the desire or deed lead to a violation of justice or charity1 to scandal or any notable evil consequence1 the sin is clearly mortal2 the more so1 if this inward brooding be of long duration1 as it betrays a more deep-seated malice4 ,are there any motives capable of justifying these outbursts of passion8 ,none at all1 if our ire has these two features of unreasonableness and vindictiveness4 ,this is evil4 ,no motive1 however good1 can justify an evil end4 ,if any cause were plausible1 it would be a grave injury1 malicious and unjust4 ,but not even this is sufficient1 for we are forbidden to return evil for evil4 ,it may cause us grief and pain1 but should not incite us to anger1 hatred and revenge4 ,what poor excuses would therefore be accidental or slight injuries1 just penalties for our wrongdoings and imaginary grievances6 ,the less excusable is our wrath1 the more serious is our delinquency4 ,our guilt is double-dyed when the deed and the cause of the deed are both alike unreasonable4 ,yet there is a kind of anger that is righteous4 ,we speak of the wrath of ,god1 and in ,god there can be no sin4 ,christ himself was angry at the sight of the vendors in the temple4 ,holy ,writ says3 ,be ye angry and sin not4 ,but this passion1 which is the fruit of zeal1 has three features which make it impossible to confound it with the other4 ,it is always kept within the bounds of a wise moderation and under the empire of reason2 it knows not the spirit of revenge2 and it has behind it the best of motives1 namely1 zeal for the glory of ,god4 ,it is aroused at the sight of excesses1 injustices1 scandals1 frauds2 it seeks to destroy sin1 and to correct the sinner4 ,it is often not only a privilege1 but a duty4 ,it supposes1 naturally1 judgment1 prudence1 and discretion1 and excludes all selfish motives4 ,zeal in an inferior and more common degree is called indignation1 and is directed against all things unworthy1 low and deserving of contempt4 ,it respects persons1 but loathes whatever of sin or vice that is in1 or comes from1 unworthy beings4 ,it is a virtue1 and is the effect of a high sense of respectability4 ,impatience is not anger1 but a feeling somewhat akin to it1 provoked by untoward events and inevitable happenings1 such as the weather1 accidents1 etc4 ,it is void of all spirit of revenge4 ,peevishness is chronic impatience1 due to a disordered nervous system and requires the services of a competent physician1 being a physical1 not moral1 distemper4 ,anger is a weakness and betrays many other weaknesses2 that is why sensible people never allow this passion to sway them4 ,it is the last argument of a lost cause3 ,you are angry1 therefore you are wrong4 ,the great misery of it is that hot-tempered people consider their mouths to be safety-valves1 while the truth is that the wagging tongue generates bile faster than the open mouth can give exit to it4 ,st4 ,liguori presented an irate scold with a bottle1 the contents to be taken by the mouthful and held for fifteen minutes1 each time her lord and master returned home in his cups4 ,she used it with surprising results and went back for more4 ,the saint told her to go to the well and draw inexhaustibly until cured4 ,for all others1 the remedy is to be found in a meditation of these words of the ,our ,father3 forgive us our trespasses1 as we forgive those who trespass against us4 ,the ,almighty will take us at our word4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,gluttony4 ,,self-,,preservation is nature's first law1 and the first and essential means of preserving one's existence is the taking of food and drink sufficient to nourish the body1 sustain its strength and repair the forces thereof weakened by labor1 fatigue or illness4 ,god1 as well as nature1 obliges us to care for our bodily health1 in order that the spirit within may work out on earth the end of its being4 ,being purely animal1 this necessity is not the noblest and most elevating characteristic of our nature4 ,nor is it1 in its imperious and unrelenting requirements1 far removed from a species of tyranny4 ,a kind ,providence1 however1 by lending taste1 savor and delectability to our aliments1 makes us find pleasure in what otherwise would be repugnant and insufferably monotonous4 ,an appetite is a good and excellent thing4 ,to eat and drink with relish and satisfaction is a sign of good health1 one of the precious boons of nature4 ,and the tendency to satisfy this appetite1 far from being sinful1 is wholly in keeping with the divine plan1 and is necessary for a fulsome benefiting of the nourishment we take4 ,on the other hand1 the digestive organism of the body is such a delicate and finely adjusted piece of mechanism that any excess is liable to clog its workings and put it out of order4 ,it is made for sufficiency alone4 ,nature never intended man to be a glutton2 and she seldom fails to retaliate and avenge excesses by pain1 disease and death4 ,this fact coupled with the grossness of the vice of gluttony makes it happily rare1 at least in its most repulsive form2 for1 be it said1 it is here question of the excessive use of ordinary food and drink1 and not of intoxicants to which latter form of gluttony we shall pay our respects later4 ,the rich are more liable than the poor to sin by gluttony2 but gluttony is fatal to longevity1 and they who enjoy best life1 desire to live longest4 ',tis true1 physicians claim that a large portion of diseases are due to over-eating and over-drinking2 but it must be admitted that this is through ignorance rather than malice4 ,so that this passion can hardly be said to be commonly yielded to1 at least to the extent of grievous offending4 ,naturally1 the degree of excess in eating and drinking is to be measured according to age1 temperament1 condition of life1 etc4 ,the term gluttony is relative4 ,what would be a sin for one person might be permitted as lawful to another4 ,one man might starve on what would constitute a sufficiency for more than one4 ,then again1 not only the quantity1 but the quality1 time and manner1 enter for something in determining just where excess begins4 ,it is difficult therefore1 and it is impossible1 to lay down a general rule that will fit all cases4 ,it is evident1 however1 that he is mortally guilty who is so far buried in the flesh as to make eating and drinking the sole end of life1 who makes a god of his stomach4 ,nor is it necessary to mention certain unmentionable excesses such as were practiced by the degenerate ,romans towards the fall of the ,empire4 ,it would likewise be a grievous sin of gluttony to put the satisfaction of one's appetite before the law of the ,church and violate wantonly the precepts of fasting and abstinence4 ,and are there no sins of gluttony besides these8 ,yes1 and three rules may be laid down1 the application of which to each particular case will reveal the malice of the individual4 ,overwrought attachment to satisfactions of the palate1 betrayed by constant thinking of viands and pleasures of the table1 and by avidity in taking nourishment1 betokens a dangerous1 if not a positively sinful1 degree of sensuality4 ,then1 to continue eating or drinking after the appetite is appeased1 is in itself an excess1 and mortal sin may be committed even without going to the last extreme4 ,lastly1 it is easy to yield inordinately to this passion by attaching undue importance to the quality of our victuals1 seeking after delicacies that do not become our rank1 and catering to an over-refined palate4 ,the evil of all this consists in that we seem to eat and drink1 if we do not in fact eat and drink1 to satisfy our sensuality first1 and to nourish our bodies afterwards2 and this is contrary to the law of nature4 ,we seemed to insist from the beginning that this is not a very dangerous or common practice4 ,yet there must be a hidden and especial malice in it4 ,else why is fasting and abstinence--two correctives of gluttony--so much in honor and so universally recommended and commanded in the ,church8 ,counting three weeks in ,advent1 seven in ,lent and three ,ember days four times a year1 we have1 without mentioning fifty-two ,fridays1 thirteen weeks or one-fourth of the year by order devoted to a practical warfare on gluttony4 ,no other vice receives the honor of such systematic and uncompromising resistance4 ,the enemy must be worthy4 ,as a matter of fact1 there lies under all this a great moral principle of ,christian philosophy4 ,this philosophy sought out and found the cause and seat of all evil to be in the flesh4 ,the forces of sin reside in the flesh while the powers of righteousness--faith1 reason and will-- are in the spirit4 ,the real issue of life is between these forces contending for supremacy4 ,the spirit should rule2 that is the order of our being4 ,but the flesh revolts1 and by ensnaring the will endeavors to dominate over the spirit4 ,now it stands to reason that the only way for the superior part to succeed is to weaken the inferior part4 ,just as prayer and the grace of the sacraments fortify the soul1 so do food and drink nourish the animal2 and if the latter is cared for to the detriment of the soul1 it waxes strong and formidable and becomes a menace4 ,the only resource for the soul is then to cut off the supply that benefits the flesh1 and strengthen herself thereby4 ,she acts like a wise engineer who keeps the explosive and dangerous force of his locomotive within the limit by reducing the quantity of food he throws into its stomach4 ,thus the passions being weakened become docile1 and are easily held under sway by the power that is destined to govern1 and sin is thus rendered morally impossible4 ,it is gluttony that furnishes the passion of the flesh with fuel by feeding the animal too well2 and herein lies the great danger and malice of this vice4 ,the evil of a slight excess may not be great in itself2 but that evil is great in its consequences4 ,little over-indulgences imperceptibly1 but none the less surely1 strengthen the flesh against the spirit1 and when the temptation comes the spirit will be overcome4 ,the ruse of the saints was to starve the enemy4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,drink4 ,,intemperance is the immoderate use of anything1 good or bad2 here the word is used to imply an excessive use of alcoholic beverages1 which excess1 when it reaches the dignity of a habit or vice1 makes a man a drunkard4 ,a drunkard who indulges in highballs and other beverages of fancy price and name1 is euphemistically styled a tippler2 his brother1 a poor devil who swallows vile concoctions or red pizen is called a plain1 ordinary soak4 ,whatever name we give to such gluttons1 the evil in both is the same2 'tis the evil of gluttony4 ,this vice differs from gluttony proper in that its object is strong drink1 while the latter is an abuse of food and nourishment necessary1 in regulated quantity1 for the sustenance of the body4 ,but alcohol is not necessary to sustain life as an habitual beverage2 it may stimulate1 but it does not sustain at all4 ,it has its legitimate uses1 like strychnine and other poison and drugs2 but being a poison1 it must be detrimental to living tissues1 when taken frequently1 and cannot have been intended by the ,creator as a life-giving nourishment4 ,its habitual use is therefore not a necessity4 ,its abuse has therefore a more far-fetched malice4 ,but its use is not sinful1 any more than the use of any drug1 for alcohol1 or liquor1 is a creature of ,god and is made for good purposes4 ,its use is not evil1 whether it does little good1 or no good at all4 ,the fact of its being unnecessary does not make it a forbidden fruit4 ,the habit of stimulants1 like the habit of tobacco1 while it has no title to be called a good habit1 cannot be qualified as an intrinsically bad habit2 it may be tolerated as long as it is kept within the bounds of sane reason and does not give rise to evil consequences in self or others4 ,apart1 therefore1 from the danger of abuse--a real and fatal danger for many1 especially for the young--and from the evil effects that may follow even a moderate use1 the habit is like another2 a temperate man is not1 to any appreciable degree1 less righteous than a moderate smoker4 ,the man who can use and not abuse is just as moral as his brother who does not use lest he abuse4 ,he must1 however1 be said to be less virtuous than another who abstains rather than run the risk of being even a remote occasion of sin unto the weak4 ,the intrinsic malice therefore of this habit consists in the disorder of excess1 which is called intoxication4 ,intoxication may exist in different degrees and stages2 it is the state of a man who loses1 to any extent1 control over his reasoning faculties through the effects of alcohol4 ,there is evil and sin the moment the brain is affected2 when reason totters and falls from its throne in the soul1 then the crime is consummated4 ,when a man says and does and thinks what in his sober senses he would not say1 do1 or think1 that man is drunk1 and there is mortal sin on his soul4 ,it is not an easy matter to define just when intoxication properly begins and sobriety ends2 every man must do that for himself4 ,but he should consider himself well on the road to guilt when1 being aware that the fumes of liquor were fast beclouding his mind1 he took another glass that was certain to still further obscure his reason and paralyze his will4 ,much has been said and written about the grossness of this vice1 its baneful effects and consequences1 to which it were useless here to refer4 ,suffice it to say there is nothing that besots a man more completely and lowers him more ignobly to the level of the brute4 ,he falls below1 for the most stupid of brutes1 the ass1 knows when it has enough2 and the drunkard does not4 ,it requires small wit indeed to understand that there is no sin in the catalogue of crime that a person in this state is not capable of committing4 ,he will do things the very brute would blush to do2 and then he will say it was one of the devil's jokes4 ,the effects on individuals1 families and generations1 born and unborn1 cannot be exaggerated2 and the drunkard is a tempter of ,god and the curse of society4 ,temperance is a moderate use of strong drink2 teetotalism is absolute abstention therefrom4 ,a man may be temperate without being a teetotaler2 all teetotalers are temperate1 at least as far as alcohol is concerned1 although they are sometimes1 some of them1 accused of using temperance as a cloak for much intemperance of speech4 ,if this be true--and there are cranks in all causes--then temperance is itself the greatest sufferer4 ,exaggeration is a mistake2 it repels right-thinking men and never served any purpose4 ,we believe it has done the cause of teetotalism a world of harm4 ,but it is poor logic that will identify with so holy a cause the rabid rantings of a few irresponsible fools4 ,the cause of total abstinence is a holy and righteous cause4 ,it takes its stand against one of the greatest evils1 moral and social1 of the day4 ,it seeks to redeem the fallen1 and to save the young and inexperienced4 ,its means are organization and the mighty weapon of good example4 ,it attracts those who need it and those who do not need it2 the former1 to save them2 the latter1 to help save others4 ,and there is no banner under which ,catholic youth could more honorably be enrolled than the banner of total abstinence4 ,the man who condemns or decries such a cause either does not know what he is attacking or his mouthings are not worth the attention of those who esteem honesty and hate hypocrisy4 ,it is not necessary to be able to practice virtue in order to esteem its worth4 ,and it does not make a fellow appear any better even to himself to condemn a cause that condemns his faults4 ,saloon-keepers are engaged in an enterprise which in itself is lawful2 the same can be said of those who buy and sell poisons and dynamite and fire-arms4 ,the nature of his merchandise differentiates his business from all other kinds of business1 and his responsibilities are of the heaviest4 ,it may1 and often does1 happen that this business is criminal2 and in this matter the civil law may be silent1 but the moral law is not4 ,for many a one such a place is an occasion of sin1 often a near occasion4 ,it is not comforting to kneel in prayer to ,god with the thought in one's mind that one is helping many to damnation1 and that the curses of drunkards' wives and mothers and children are being piled upon one's head4 ,how far the average liquor seller is guilty1 ,god only knows2 but a man with a deep concern for his soul's salvation1 it seems would not like to take the risk4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,envy4 ,,when envy catches a victim she places an evil eye in his mind1 gives him a cud to chew1 and then sends him gadding4 ,if the mind's eye feeds upon one's own excellence for one's own satisfaction1 that is pride2 if it feeds upon the neighbor's good for one's own displeasure and unhappiness1 that is envy4 ,it is not alone this displeasure that makes envy1 but the reason of this displeasure1 that is1 what the evil eye discerns in the neighbor's excellence1 namely1 a detriment1 an obstacle to one's own success4 ,it is not necessary that another's prosperity really work injury to our own2 it is sufficient that the evil eye1 through its discolored vision1 perceive a prejudice therein4 ,ah6 says envy1 he is happy1 prosperous1 esteemed6 ,my chances are spoiled4 ,i am overshadowed4 ,i am nothing1 he is everything4 ,i am nothing because he is everything4 ,remember that competition1 emulation1 rivalry are not necessarily envy4 ,i dread to see my rival succeed4 ,i am pained if he does succeed4 ,but the cause of this annoyance and vexation is less his superiority than my inferiority4 ,i regret my failure more than his success4 ,there is no evil eye4 ',tis the sting of defeat that causes me pain4 ,if ,i regret this or that man's elevation because ,i fear he will abuse his power2 if ,i become indignant at the success of an unworthy person2 ,i am not envious1 because this superiority of another does not appear to me to be a prejudice to my standing4 ,whatever sin there is1 there is no sin of envy4 ,we may safely assume that a person who would be saddened by the success of another1 would not fail to rejoice at that other's misfortune4 ,this is a grievous offense against charity1 but it is not1 properly speaking1 envy1 for envy is always sad2 it is rather an effect of envy1 a natural product thereof and a form of hatred4 ,this unnatural view of things which we qualify as the evil eye1 is not a sin until it reaches the dignity of a sober judgment1 for only then does it become a human act4 ,envy like pride1 anger1 and the other vicious inclinations1 may and often does crop out in our nature1 momentarily1 without our incurring guilt1 if it is checked before it receives the acquiescence of the will1 it is void of wrong1 and only serves to remind us that we have a rich fund of malice in our nature capable of an abundant yield of iniquity4 ,after being born in the mind1 envy passes to the feelings where it matures and furnishes that supply of misery which characterizes the vice4 ,another is happy at our expense2 the sensation is a painful one1 yet it has a diabolical fascination1 and we fondle and caress it4 ,we brood over our affliction to the embittering and souring of our souls4 ,we swallow and regurgitate over and over again our dissatisfaction1 and are aptly said to chew the cud of bitterness4 ,out of such soil as this naturally springs a rank growth of uncharity and injustice in thought and desire4 ,the mind and heart of envy are untrammeled by all bonds of moral law4 ,it may think all evil of a rival and wish him all evil4 ,he becomes an enemy1 and finally he is hated4 ,envy points directly to hatred4 ,lastly1 envy is a gadding passion1 it walketh the street and does not keep home4 ,it were better to say that it talketh4 ,there is nothing like language to relieve one's feelings2 it is quieting and soothing1 and envy has strong feelings4 ,hence1 evil insinuations1 detraction1 slander1 etc4 ,justice becomes an empty word and the seamless robe of charity is torn to shreds4 ,as an agent of destruction envy easily holds the palm1 for it commands the two strong passions of pride and anger1 and they do its bidding4 ,people scarcely ever acknowledge themselves envious4 ,it is such a base1 unreasonable and unnatural vice4 ,if we cannot rejoice with the neighbor1 why be pained at his felicity8 ,and what an insanity it is to imagine that in this wide world one cannot be happy without prejudicing the happiness of another6 ,what a severe shock it would be to the discontented1 the morosely sour1 the cynic1 and other human owls1 to be told that they are victims of this green-eyed monster4 ,they would confess to calumny1 and hatred2 to envy1 never6 ,envy can only exist where there is abundant pride4 ,it is a form of pride1 a shape which it frequently assumes1 because under this disguise it can penetrate everywhere without being as much as noticed4 ,and it is so seldom detected that wherever it gains entrance it can hope to remain indefinitely4 ,jealousy and envy are often confounded2 yet they differ in that the latter looks on what is another's1 while the former concerns itself with what is in one's own possession4 ,i envy what is not mine2 ,i am jealous of what is my own4 ,jealousy has a saddening influence upon us1 by reason of a fear1 more or less well grounded1 that what we have will be taken from us4 ,we foresee an injustice and resent it4 ,kept within the limits of sane reason1 jealousy is not wrong1 for it is founded on the right we have to what is ours4 ,it is in our nature to cling to what belongs to us1 to regret being deprived of it1 and to guard ourselves against injustice4 ,but when this fear is without cause1 visionary1 unreasonable1 jealousy partakes of the nature and malice of envy4 ,it is even more malignant a passion1 and leads to greater disorders and crimes1 for while envy is based on nothing at all1 there is here a true foundation in the right of possession1 and a motive in right to repel injustice4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,sloth4 ,,not the least1 if the last1 of capital sins is sloth1 and it is very properly placed2 for who ever saw the sluggard or victim of this passion anywhere but after all others1 last6 ,sloth1 of course1 is a horror of difficulty1 an aversion for labor1 pain and effort1 which must be traced to a great love of one's comfort and ease4 ,either the lazy fellow does nothing at all--and this is sloth2 or he abstains from doing what he should do while otherwise busily occupied--and this too1 is sloth2 or he does it poorly1 negligently1 half-heartedly--and this again is sloth4 ,nature imposes upon us the law of labor4 ,he who shirks in whole or in part is slothful4 ,here1 in the moral realm1 we refer properly to the difficulty we find in the service of ,god1 in fulfiling our obligations as ,christians and ,catholics1 in avoiding evil and doing good2 in a word1 to the discharge of our spiritual duties4 ,but then all human obligations have a spiritual side1 by the fact of their being obligations4 ,thus1 labor is not1 like attendance at mass1 a spiritual necessity2 but to provide for those who are dependent upon us is a moral obligation and to shirk it would be a sin of sloth4 ,not that it is necessary1 if we would avoid sin1 to hate repose naturally and experience no difficulty or repugnance in working out our soul's salvation4 ,sloth is inbred in our nature4 ,there is no one but would rather avoid than meet difficulties4 ,the service of ,god is laborious and painful4 ,the kingdom of ,god suffers violence4 ,it has always been true since the time of our ancestor ,adam1 that vice is easy1 and virtue difficult2 that the flesh is weak1 and repugnance to effort1 natural because of the burden of the flesh4 ,so that1 in this general case1 sloth is an obstacle to overcome rather than a fault of the will4 ,we may abhor exertion1 feel the laziest of mortals2 if we effect our purpose in spite of all that1 we can do no sin4 ,sometimes sloth takes on an acute form known as aridity or barrenness in all things that pertain to ,god4 ,the most virtuous souls are not always exempt from this4 ,it is a dislike1 a distaste that amounts almost to a disgust for prayer especially1 a repugnance that threatens to overwhelm the soul4 ,that is simply an absence of sensible fervor1 a state of affliction and probation that is as pleasing to ,god as it is painful to us4 ,after all where would the merit be in the service of ,god1 if there were no difficulty8 ,the type of the spiritually indolent is that fixture known as the half-baked ,catholic--some people call him a poor stick--who is too lazy to meet his obligations with his ,maker4 ,he says no prayers1 because he can't2 he lies abed ,sunday mornings and lets the others go to mass--he is too tired and needs rest2 the effort necessary to prepare for and to go to confession is quite beyond him4 ,in fine1 religion is altogether too exacting1 requires too much of a man4 ,and1 as if to remove all doubt as to the purely spiritual character of this inactivity1 our friend can be seen1 without a complaint1 struggling every day to earn the dollar4 ,he will not grumble about rising at five to go fishing or cycling4 ,he will1 after his hard day's work1 sit till twelve at the theatre or dance till two in the morning4 ,he will spend his energy in any direction save in that which leads to ,god4 ,others expect virtue to be as easy as it is beautiful4 ,religion should conduce to one's comfort4 ,they like incense1 but not the smell of brimstone4 ,they would remain forever content on ,tabor1 but the dark frown of ,calvary is insupportable4 ,beautiful churches1 artistic music1 eloquent preaching on interesting topics1 that is their idea of religion2 that is what they intend religion--their religion--shall be1 and they proceed to cut out whatever jars their finer feelings4 ,this is fashionable1 but it is not ,christian3 to do anything for ,god--if it is easy2 and if it is hard1--well1 ,god does not expect so much of us4 ,you will see at a glance that this sort of a thing is fatal to the sense of ,god in the soul2 it has for its first1 direct and immediate effect to weaken little by little the faith until it finally kills it altogether4 ,sloth is a microbe4 ,it creeps into the soul1 sucks in its substance and causes a spiritual consumption4 ,this is neither an acute nor a violent malady1 but it consumes the patient1 dries him up1 wears him out1 till life goes out like a lamp without oil4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,what ,,we ,,believe4 ,,our first duty to ,god1 and the first obligation imposed upon us by the ,first ,commandment is ,faith1 or belief in ,god--we must know ,him4 ,belief is solely a manner of knowing4 ,it is one way of apprehending1 or getting possession of1 a truth4 ,there are other ways of acquiring knowledge2 by the senses1 for instance1 seeing1 hearing1 etc41 and by our intelligence or reason4 ,when truth comes to us through the senses1 it is called experience2 if the reason presents it1 it is called science2 if we use the faculty of the soul known as faith1 it is belief4 ,you will observe that belief1 experience and science have one and the same object1 namely1 truth4 ,these differ only in the manner of apprehending truth4 ,belief relies on the testimony of others2 experience1 on the testimony of the senses2 science1 on that of the reason4 ,what ,i believe1 ,i get from others2 what ,i experience or understand1 ,i owe to my individual self4 ,i neither believe nor understand that ,hartford exists--,i see it4 ,i neither understand nor see that ,rome exists--,i believe it4 ,i neither see nor believe that two parallel lines will never meet--,i reason it out1 ,i understand it4 ,now it is beside the question here to object that belief1 or what we believe1 may or may not be true4 ,neither is all that we see1 nor all that our reason produces1 true4 ,human experience and human reason1 like all things human1 may err4 ,here we simply remark that truth is the object of our belief1 as it is the object of our experience and of understanding4 ,we shall later see that if human belief may err1 faith or divine belief cannot mislead us1 cannot be false4 ,neither is it in order here to contend that belief1 of its very nature1 is something uncertain1 that it is synonymous of opinion2 or if it supposes a judgment1 that judgment is formidolose1 liable at any moment to be changed or contradicted4 ,the testimony of the senses and of reason does not always carry certain conviction4 ,we may or may not be satisfied with the evidence of human belief4 ,as for the divine1 or faith1 it is certain1 or it is not at all2 and who would not be satisfied with the guarantee offered by the ,word of ,god6 ,and the truths we believe are those revealed by ,god1 received by us through a double agency1 the written and the oral word1 known as ,scripture and ,tradition4 ,scripture is contained in the two ,testaments2 ,tradition is found in the bosom1 the life of the ,church of ,christ1 in the constant and universal teachings of that ,church4 ,the ,scripture being a dead letter cannot explain or interpret itself4 ,yet1 since it is applied to the ever-varying lives of men1 it needs an explanation and an interpretation2 it is practically of no value without it4 ,and in order that the truth thus presented be accepted by men1 it is necessary1 of prime necessity1 that it have the guarantee of infallibility4 ,this infallibility the ,church of ,christ possesses1 else ,his mission were a failure4 ,this infallibility is to control the vagaries of ,tradition1 for ,tradition1 of its very nature1 tends to exaggeration1 as we find in the legends of ancient peoples4 ,exaggerated1 they destroy themselves1 but in the bosom of ,god's ,church these truths forever retain their character unchanged and unchangeable4 ,if you accept the truth1 the whole truth1 and nothing but the truth as revealed by ,god and delivered to man by the infallible ,church from the ,bible and ,tradition1 you have what is called ecclesiastical1 ,catholic or true faith4 ,there is no other true faith4 ,it is even an open question whether there is any faith at all outside of this2 for outside the ,church there is no reasonable foundation for faith1 and our faith must be reasonable4 ,however1 granting that such a thing can be1 the faith of him who takes and leaves off the divine ,word is called divine faith4 ,he is supposed to ignore invincibly a portion of revealed truth1 but he accepts what he knows4 ,if he knew something and refused to embrace it1 he would have no faith at all4 ,the same is true of one who having once believed1 believes no longer4 ,he impeaches the veracity of ,god1 and therefore cannot further rely on ,his ,word4 ,lastly1 it matters not at all what kind of truths we receive from ,god4 ,truth is truth always and ever4 ,we may not be able to comprehend what is revealed to us1 and little the wonder4 ,our intelligence is not infinite1 and ,god's is4 ,many things that men tell us we believe without understanding2 ,god deserves our trust more than men4 ,our incapacity for understanding all that faith teaches us proves one thing3 that there are limits to our powers1 which may be surprising to some1 but is nevertheless true4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,why ,,we ,,believe4 ,,belief1 we have said1 is the acceptance of a truth from another4 ,we do not always accept what others present to us as truth1 for the good reason that we may have serious doubts as to whether they speak the truth or not4 ,it is for us to decide the question of our informant's intellectual and moral trustworthiness4 ,if we do believe him1 it is because we consider his veracity to be beyond question4 ,the foundation of our belief is therefore the veracity of him whose word we take4 ,they tell me that ,lincoln was assassinated4 ,personally1 ,i know nothing about it4 ,but ,i do know that they who speak of it could know1 did know1 and could not lead us all astray on this point4 ,i accept their evidence2 ,i believe on their word4 ,it is on the testimony of ,god's word that we believe in matters that pertain to faith4 ,the idea we have of ,god is that ,he is infinitely perfect1 that ,he is all-wise and all-good4 ,he cannot1 therefore1 under pain of destroying ,his very existence1 be deceived or deceive us4 ,when1 therefore1 ,he speaks1 ,he speaks the truth and nothing but the truth4 ,it would be a very stultification of our reason to refuse to believe ,him1 once we admit ,his existence4 ,now1 it is not necessary for us to inquire into the things ,he reveals1 or to endeavor to discover the why1 whence and wherefore4 ,it is truth1 we are certain of it2 what more do we need6 ,it may be a satisfaction to see and understand these truths1 just as it is to solve a problem two or three different ways4 ,but it is not essential1 for the result is always the same--truth4 ,but suppose1 with my senses and my reason1 ,i come to a result at variance with the first1 suppose the testimony of ,god's word and that of my personal observations conflict1 what then8 ,there is an error somewhere4 ,either ,god errs or my faculties play me false4 ,which should have the preference of my assent8 ,the question is answered as soon as it is put4 ,i can conceive an erring man1 but ,i cannot conceive a false ,god4 ,nothing human is infallible2 ,god alone is proof against all error4 ,this would not be my first offense against truth4 ,yes1 all this is evident4 ,i shall and do believe everything that ,god deigns to reveal1 because ,he says it1 whether or not ,i see or understand it4 ,but the difficulty with me is how to know that ,god did speak1 what ,he said1 what ,he meant4 ,my difficulty is practical1 not theoretical4 ,and by the same token you have shifted the question from ,why we believe to ,whence we believe2 you no longer seek the authority of your faith1 but its genesis4 ,you believe what ,god says1 because ,he says it2 you believe ,he did say it because--the ,church says it4 ,you are no longer dealing with the truth itself1 but with the messenger that brings the truth to be believed4 ,the message of the ,church is3 these are ,god's words4 ,as for what these words stand for1 you are not to trust her1 but ,him4 ,the foundation of divine belief is one thing2 the motives of credibility are another4 ,we should not confound these two things1 if we would have a clear notion of what faith is1 and discover the numerous counterfeits that are being palmed off nowadays on a world that desires a convenient1 rather than a genuine article4 ,the received manner of belief is first to examine the truths proposed as coming from ,god1 measure them with the rule of individual reason1 of expediency1 feeling1 fancy1 and thus to decide upon their merits4 ,if this proposition suits1 it is accepted4 ,if that other is found wanting1 it is forthwith rejected4 ,and then it is in order to set out and prove them to be or not to be the word of ,god1 according to their suitability or non-suitability4 ,one would naturally imagine1 as reason and common sense certainly suggest1 that one's first duty would be to convince oneself that ,god did communicate these truths2 and if so1 then to accept them without further dally or comment4 ,there is nothing to be done1 once ,god reveals1 but to receive ,his revelation4 ,outside the ,church1 this procedure is not always followed1 because of the rationalistic tendencies of latter-day ,protestantism4 ,it is a glaring fact that many do not accept all that ,god says because ,he says1 but because it meets the requirements of their condition1 feelings or fancy4 ,they lay down the principle that a truth1 to be a truth1 must be understood by the human intelligence4 ,this is paramount to asserting that ,god cannot know more than men--blasphemy on the face of it4 ,thus the divine rock-bed of faith is torn away1 and a human basis substituted4 ,faith itself is destroyed in the process4 ,it is1 therefore1 important1 before examining whence comes our faith1 to remember why we believe1 and not to forget it4 ,this much gained1 and for all time1 we can go farther2 without it1 all advance is impossible4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,whence ,,our ,,belief3 ,,reason4 ,,my faith is the most reasonable thing in the world1 and it must needs be such4 ,the ,almighty gave me intelligence to direct my life4 ,when ,he speaks ,he reveals ,himself to me as to an intelligent being3 and ,he expects that ,i receive ,his word intelligently4 ,were ,i to abdicate my reason in the acceptance of ,his truths1 ,i would do my ,maker as great an injury as myself4 ,all the rest of creation offers ,him an homage of pure life1 of instinct or feeling2 man alone can1 and must1 offer a higher1 nobler and more acceptable homage--that of reason4 ,my faith is reasonable1 and this is the account my reason gives of my faith3 ,i can accept as true1 without in the least comprehending1 and far from dishonoring my reason1 with a positive and becoming dignity1-- ,i can accept6--but ,i must accept--whatever is confided to me by an infallible authority1 an authority that can neither deceive nor be deceived4 ,there is nothing supernatural about this statement4 ,that which is perfect cannot be subject to error1 for error is evil and perfection excludes evil4 ,if ,god exists ,he is perfect4 ,allow one imperfection to enter into your notion of ,god1 and you destroy that notion4 ,when1 therefore1 ,god speaks ,he is an infallible authority4 ,this is the philosophy of common sense4 ,now ,i know that ,god has spoken4 ,the existence of that historical personage known as ,jesus of ,nazareth is more firmly established than that of ,alexander or ,caesar4 ,four books relate a part of ,his sayings and doings2 and ,i have infinitely less reason to question their authenticity than ,i have to doubt the authenticity of ,virgil or ,shakespeare4 ,no book ever written has been subjected to such a searching1 probing test of malevolent criticism1 at all times but especially of late years in ,germany and ,france4 ,great men1 scholars1 geniuses have devoted their lives to the impossible task of explaining the ,gospels away1 with the evident result that the position of the latter remains a thousandfold stronger4 ,unless ,i reject all human testimony1 and reason forbids1 ,i must accept them as genuine1 at least in substance4 ,these four books relate how ,jesus healed miraculously the sick1 raised the dead to life1 led the life of the purest1 most honest and sagest of men1 claimed to be ,god1 and proved it by rising from the dead ,himself4 ,that this man is divine1 reason can admit without being unreasonable1 and must admit to be reasonable2 and revelation has nothing to do with the matter4 ,a glaring statement among all others1 one that is reiterated and insisted upon1 is that all men should share in the fruit of ,his life2 ana for this purpose ,he founded a college of apostles which ,he called ,his ,church1 to teach all that ,he said and did1 to all men1 for all time4 ,the success of ,his life and mission depends upon the continuance of ,his work4 ,why did ,he act thus8 ,i do not know4 ,are there reasons for this economy of salvation8 ,there certainly are1 else it would not have been established4 ,but we are not seeking after reasons2 we are gathering facts upon which to build an argument1 and these facts we take from the authentic life of ,christ4 ,now we give the ,almighty credit for wisdom in all ,his plans1 the wisdom of providing ,his agencies with the means to reach the end they are destined to attain4 ,to commission a church to teach all men without authority1 is to condemn it to utter nothingness from the very beginning4 ,to expect men to accept the truths ,he revealed1 and such truths6 without a guarantee against error in the infallibility of the teacher1 is to be ignorant of human nature4 ,and since at no time must it cease to teach1 it must be indefectible4 ,being true1 it must be one2 the work of ,god1 it must be holy2 being provided for all creatures1 it must be ,catholic or universal2 and being the same as ,christ founded upon ,his ,apostles1 it must be apostolic4 ,if it is not all these things together1 it is not the teacher sent by ,god to ,instruct and direct men4 ,no one who seeks with intelligence1 single-mindedness and a pure heart1 will fail to find these attributes and marks of the true ,church of ,christ4 ,whether1 after finding them1 one will make an act of faith1 is another question4 ,but that he can give his assent with the full approval of his reason is absolutely certain4 ,once he does so1 he has no further use for his reason4 ,he enters the ,church1 an edifice illumined by the superior light of revelation and faith4 ,he can leave reason1 like a lantern1 at the door4 ,therein he will learn many other truths that he never could have found out with reason alone1 truths superior1 but not contrary1 to reason4 ,these truths he can never repudiate without sinning against reason1 first1 because reason brought him to this pass where he must believe without the immediate help of reason4 ,one of the first things we shall hear from the ,church speaking on her own authority is that these writings1 the four relations of ,christ's life1 are inspired4 ,however a person could discover and prove this truth to himself is a mystery that will never be solved4 ,we cannot assume it2 it must be proven4 ,unless it be proven1 the faith based on this assumption is not reasonable2 and proven it can never be1 unless we take it from an authority whose infallibility is proven4 ,that is why we say that it is doubtful if non-,catholic faith is faith at all1 because faith must be reasonable2 and faith that is based on an assumption is to say the least doubtfully reasonable4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,whence ,,our ,,belief3 ,,grace ,,and ,,will4 ,,to believe is to assent to a truth on the authority of ,god's word4 ,we must find that the truth proposed is really guaranteed by the authority of ,god4 ,in this process of mental research1 the mind must be satisfied1 and the truth found to be in consonance with the dictates of right reason1 or at least1 not contrary thereto4 ,but the fact that we can securely give our assent to this truth does not make us believe4 ,something more than reason enters into an act of faith4 ,faith is not something natural1 purely human1 beginning and ending in the brain1 and a product thereof4 ,this is human belief1 not divine1 and is consequently not faith4 ,we believe that faith is1 of itself1 as far beyond the native powers of a human being as the sense of feeling is beyond the power of a stone1 or intelligence1 the faculty of comprehension1 is beyond the power of an animal4 ,in other words1 it is supernatural1 above the natural forces1 and requires the power of ,god to give it existence4 ,no man can come to me1 unless the ,father who has sent ,me1 draw him4 ,some have faith1 others have it not4 ,where did you get your faith8 ,you were not born with it1 as you were with the natural1 though dormant faculties of speech1 reason1 and free will4 ,you received it through ,baptism4 ,you are a product of nature2 therefore nature should limit your existence4 ,but faith aspires to1 and obtains1 an end that is not natural but supernatural4 ,it consequently must itself be supernatural1 and cannot be acquired without divine assistance4 ,unless ,god revealed1 you could not know the truths of religion4 ,unless ,he established a court of final appeal in ,his ,church1 you could not be sure what ,he did reveal or what ,he meant to say4 ,because of the peculiar character of these truths and the nature the certitude we possess1 many would not believe all1 if ,god's grace were not there to help them1 even though one could and would believe1 there no divine belief or faith proper until the soul lives the faculty from ,him who alone can give it4 ,the reason why many do not believe is not because ,god's grace is wanting nor because their minds cannot be satisfied1 not because they cannot1 but because they will not4 ,faith is a gift of ,god1 but not that alone2 it is a conviction1 but not that alone4 ,it is a firm assent of the will4 ,we are free to believe or not to believe4 ,as one may be convinced and not act according to his conviction1 so may one be convinced and not believe according to his conviction4 ,the arguments of religion do not compel anyone to believe1 just as the arguments for good conduct do not compel anyone to obey4 ,obedience is the consequence of willing to obey1 and faith is the consequence of willing to believe4 ,i am not obliged to receive as true any religious dogma1 as ,i am forced to accept the proposition that two and two are four4 ,i believe because ,i choose to believe4 ,my faith is a submission of the will4 ,the authority of ,god is not binding on me physically1 for men have refused and still do refuse to submit to ,his authority and the authority ,he communicated to ,his ,church4 ,and ,i know that ,i1 too1 can refuse and perhaps more than once have been tempted to refuse1 my assent to truths that interfered too painfully with my interests and passions4 ,besides1 faith is meritorious1 and in order to merit one must do something difficult and be free to act4 ,the difficulty is to believe what we cannot understand1 through pride of intelligence1 and to bring that stiff domineering faculty to recognize a superior4 ,the difficulty is to bend the will to the acceptance of truths1 and consequent obligations that gall our self-love and the flesh'4 ,the believer must have humility and self-denial4 ,the grace of ,god follows these virtues into a soul1 and then your act of faith is complete4 ,herein we discover the great wisdom of ,god who sets the price of faith1 and of salvation that depends on it1 not on the mind1 but on the will2 not on the intelligence alone1 but on the heart4 ,to no man is grace denied4 ,every man has the will to grasp what is good4 ,but though to all ,he gives a will1 all have not the same degree of intelligence2 ,he does not endow them equally in this respect4 ,how then could ,he make intelligence the first principle of salvation and of faith8 ,god searches the heart1 not the mind4 ,a modicum of wit is guaranteed to all to know that they can safely believe4 ,be one ever so unlettered and ignorant1 and dull1 faith and heaven are to him as accessible as to the sage1 savant and the genius4 ,for all1 the way is the same4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,how ,,we ,,believe4 ,,faith is the edifice of a ,christian life4 ,it is1 of itself1 a mere shell1 so to speak1 for unless good works sustain and adorn it1 it will crumble1 and the ,almighty in ,his day will reduce it to ashes2 faith without works is of no avail4 ,the corner stone of this edifice is the authority of the word of ,god1 while ,his gratuitous grace1 our intelligence and will furnish the material for building4 ,now1 there are three features of that spiritual construction that deserve a moment's consideration4 ,first1 the edifice is solid2 our faith must be firm4 ,no hesitation1 no wavering1 no deliberate doubting1 no suspicion1 no take-and-leave4 ,what we believe comes from ,god1 and we have the infallible authority of the ,church for it1 and of that we must be certain4 ,that certainly must not for a moment falter1 and the moment it does falter1 there is no telling but that the whole edifice so laboriously raised will tumble down upon the guilty shoulders of the imprudent doubter4 ,and of reasons for hesitating and disbelieving there is absolutely none1 once we have made the venture of faith and believe sincerely and reasonably4 ,no human power can in reason impugn revealed truths for they are impervious to human intelligence4 ,one book may not at the same time be three books2 but can one divine nature be at one and the same time three divine persons8 ,until we learn what divinity and personality are we can affirm nothing on the authority of pure reason4 ,if we cannot assert1 how can we deny8 ,and if we know nothing about it1 how can we do either8 ,the question is not how is it1 but if it is4 ,while it stands thus1 and thus ever it must stand1 no objection or doubt born of human mind can influence our belief4 ,nothing but pride of mind and corruption of heart can disturb it4 ,if you have a difficulty1 well1 it is a difficulty1 and nothing more4 ,a difficulty does not destroy a thesis that is solidly founded4 ,once a truth is clearly established1 not all the difficulties in the world can make it an untruth4 ,a difficulty as to the truth revealed argues an imperfect intelligence2 it is idle to complain that we are finite4 ,a difficulty regarding the infallible ,church should not make her less infallible in our mind1 it simply demands a clearing away-,theological difficulties should not surprise a novice in theological matters2 they are only misunderstandings that militate less against the ,church than against the erroneous notions we have of her4 ,to allow such difficulties to undermine faith is like overthrowing a solid wall with a soap-bubble4 ,common sense demands that nothing but clearly demonstrated falsity should make us change firm convictions1 and such demonstration can never be made against our faith4 ,not from difficulties1 properly speaking1 but from our incapacity for understanding what we accept as true1 results a certain obscurity1 which is another feature of faith4 ,believing is not seeing4 ,such strange things we do believe6 ,who can unravel the mysteries of religion8 ,moral certitude is sufficient to direct one's life1 to make our acts human and moral and is all we can expect in this world where nothing is perfect4 ,but because the consequences of faith are so far-reaching1 we would believe nothing short of absolute1 metaphysical certitude4 ,but this is impossible4 ,hence the mist1 the vague dimness that surrounds faith1 baffling every effort to penetrate it2 and within1 a sense of rarefied perception that disquiets and torments unless humility born of common sense be there to soothe and set us at rest4 ,moral truths are not geometric theorems and multiplication tables1 and it is not necessary that they should be4 ,of course1 if1 as in science so in faith1 reason were everything1 our position would hardly be tenable1 for then there should be no vagueness but clear vision4 ,but the will enters for something in our act of faith4 ,if everything we believe were as luminous as two and two are four1 a special act of the will would be utterly uncalled for4 ,we must be able1 free to dissent1 and this is the reason of the obscurity of our faith4 ,it goes without saying that such belief is meritorious4 ,christ ,himself said that to be saved it is necessary to believe1 and no man is saved but through his own merit4 ,faith is1 therefore1 gratuitous on ,his part and meritorious on ours4 ,it is in reality a good work that proceeds from the will1 under the dictates of right reason1 with the assistance of divine grace4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,faith ,,and ,,error4 ,,intolerance is a harsh term4 ,it is stern1 rigid1 brutal1 almost4 ,it makes no compromise1 combats a outrance and exacts blind and absolute obedience4 ,among individuals tolerance should prevail1 man1 should be liberal with man1 the ,law of ,charity demands it4 ,in regard to principles1 there must and shall eternally be antagonism between truth and error1 justice demands it4 ,it is a case of self-preservation2 one destroys the other4 ,political truth can never tolerate treason preached or practised2 neither can religious truth tolerate unbelief and heresy preached or practised4 ,now our faith is based on truth1 the ,church is the custodian of faith1 and the ,church1 on the platform of religious truth1 is absolutely uncompromising and intolerant1 just as the ,state is in regard to treason4 ,she cannot admit error1 she cannot approve error2 to do so would be suicidal4 ,she cannot lend the approval of her presence1 nay even of her silence1 to error4 ,she stands aloof from heresy1 must always see in it an enemy1 condemns it and cannot help condemning it1 for she stands for truth1 pure and unalloyed truth1 which error pollutes and outrages4 ,call this what you will1 but it is the attitude of honesty first1 and of necessity afterwards4 ,he who is liberal with what belongs to him is generous1 he who undertakes to be generous with what does not belong to him is dishonest4 ,our faith is not founded on an act or agreement of men1 but on the revelation of ,god4 ,no human agency can change or modify it4 ,neither ,church nor ,pope can be liberal with the faith of which they are the custodians4 ,their sole duty is to guard and protect it as a precious deposit for the salvation of men4 ,this is the stand all governments take when there is question of political truth4 ,and whatever lack of generosity or broadmindedness there be1 however contrary to the spirit of this free age it may seem1 it is nevertheless the attitude of ,god ,himself who hates error1 for it is evil1 who pursues it with ,his wrath through time and through eternity4 ,how can a custodian of divine truth act otherwise8 ,even in human affairs1 can one admit that two and three are seven8 ,we sometimes hear it said that this intolerance takes from ,catholics the right to think4 ,this is true in the same sense that penitentiaries1 or the dread of them1 deprive citizens of the right to act4 ,everybody1 outside of sleeping hours and with his thinking machine in good order1 thinks4 ,perhaps if there were a little more of it1 there would be more solid convictions and more practical faith4 ,holy ,writ has it somewhere that the whole world is given over to vice and sin because there is no one who thinks4 ,but you have not and never had the right to think as you please1 inside or outside the ,church4 ,this means the right to form false judgments1 to draw conclusions contrary to fact4 ,this is not a right1 it is a defect1 a disease4 ,thus to act is not the normal function of the brain4 ,it is no more the nature of the mind to generate falsehoods than it is the nature of a sewing machine to cut hair4 ,both were made for different things4 ,he therefore who disobeys the law that governs his mind prostitutes that faculty to error4 ,but suppose1 being a ,catholic1 ,i cannot see things in that true light1 what then8 ,in such a case1 either you persist1 in the matter of your faith1 in being guided by the smoky lamp of your reason alone1 or you will be guided by the authority of ,god's appointed ,church4 ,in the first alternative1 your place is not in the ,church1 for you exclude yourself by not living up to the conditions of her membership4 ,you cannot deny but that she has the right to determine those conditions4 ,if you choose the latter1 then correct yourself4 ,it is human to err1 but it is stupidity to persist in error and refuse to be enlightened4 ,if you cannot see for yourself1 common sense demands that you get another to see for you4 ,you are not supposed to know the alpha and omega of theological science1 but you are bound to possess a satisfactory knowledge in order that your faith be reasonable4 ,has no one a right to differ from the ,church8 ,yes1 those who err unconsciously1 who can do so conscientiously1 that is1 those who have no suspicion of their being in error4 ,these the heavenly ,father will look after and bring safe to ,himself1 for their error is material and not formal4 ,he loves them but ,he hates their errors4 ,so does the ,church abominate the false doctrines that prevail in the world outside her fold1 yet at the same time she has naught but compassion and pity and prayers for those deluded ones who spread and receive those errors4 ,to her the individual is sacred1 but the heresy is damnable4 ,thus we may mingle with our fellow citizens in business and in pleasure1 socially and politically1 but religiously--never4 ,our charity we can offer in its fullest measure1 but charity that lends itself to error1 loses its sacred character and becomes the handmaid of evil1 for error is evil4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,consistent ,,believer4 ,,the intolerance of the ,church towards error1 the natural position of ,one who is the custodian of truth1 her only reasonable attitude1 makes her forbid her children to read1 or listen to1 heretical controversy1 or to endeavor to discover religious truth by examining both sides of the question4 ,this places the ,catholic in a position whereby he must stand aloof from all manner of doctrinal teaching other than that delivered by his ,church through her accredited ministers4 ,and whatever outsiders may think of the correctness of his belief and religious principles1 they cannot have two opinions as to the logic and consistency of this stand he takes4 ,they may hurl at him all the choice epithets they choose for being a slave to superstition and erroneous creeds2 but they must give him credit for being consistent in his belief2 and consistency in religious matters is too rare a commodity these days to be made light of4 ,the reason of this stand of his is that1 for him1 there can be no two sides to a question which for him is settled2 for him1 there is no seeking after the truth3 he possesses it in its fulness1 as far as ,god and religion are concerned4 ,his ,church gives him all there is to be had2 all else is counterfeit4 ,and if he believes1 as he should and does believe1 that revealed truth comes1 and can come1 only by way of external authority1 and not by way of private judgment and investigation1 he must refuse to be liberal in the sense of reading all sorts of ,protestant controversial literature and listening to all kinds of heretical sermons4 ,if he does not this1 he is false to his principles2 he contradicts himself by accepting and not accepting an infallible ,church2 he knocks his religious props from under himself and stands-- nowhere4 ,the attitude of the ,catholic1 therefore1 is logical and necessary4 ,holding to ,catholic principles how can he do otherwise8 ,how can he consistently seek after truth when he is convinced that he holds it8 ,who else can teach him religious truth when he believes that an infallible ,church gives him ,god's word and interprets it in the true and only sense8 ,a ,protestant may not assume this attitude or impose it upon those under his charge4 ,if he does so1 he is out of harmony with his principles and denies the basic rule of his belief4 ,a ,protestant believes in no infallible authority2 he is an authority unto himself1 which authority he does not claim to be infallible1 if he is sober and sane4 ,he is after truth2 and whatever he finds1 and wherever he finds it1 he subjects it to his own private judgment4 ,he is free to accept or reject1 as he pleases4 ,he is not1 cannot be1 absolutely certain that what he holds is true2 he thinks it is4 ,he may discover to-day that yesterday's truths are not truths at all4 ,we are not here examining the soundness of this doctrine2 but it does follow therefrom1 sound or unsound1 that he may consistently go where he likes to hear religious doctrine exposed and explained1 he may listen to whomever has religious information to impart4 ,he not only may do it1 but he is consistent only when he does4 ,it is his duty to seek after truth1 to read and listen to controversial books and sermons4 ,if therefore a non-,catholic sincerely believes in private judgment1 how can he consistently act like a ,catholic who stands on a platform diametrically opposed to his1 against which platform it is the very essence of his religion to protest8 ,how can he refuse to hear ,catholic preaching and teaching1 any more than ,baptist1 ,methodist and ,episcopalian doctrines8 ,he has no right to do so1 unless he knows all the ,catholic ,church teaches1 which case may be safely put down as one in ten million4 ,he may become a ,catholic1 or lose all the faith he has4 ,that is one of the risks he has to take1 being a ,protestant4 ,if he is faithful to his own principles and understands the ,catholic point of view1 he must not be surprised if his ,catholic friends do not imitate his so-called liberality2 they have motives which he has not4 ,if he is honest1 he will not urge or even expect them to attend the services of his particular belief4 ,and a ,catholic who thinks that because a ,protestant friend can accompany him to ,catholic services1 he too should return the compliment and accompany his friend to ,protestant worship1 has a faith that needs immediate toning up to the standard of ,catholicity2 he is in ignorance of the first principles of his religion and belief4 ,a ,catholic philosopher resumes this whole matter briefly1 and clearly in two syllogisms1 as follows3 7,i47 ,major4 ,he who believes in an infallible teacher of revelation cannot consistently listen to any fallible teacher with a view of getting more correct information than his infallible teacher gives him4 ,to do so would be absurd1 for it would be to believe and at the same time not believe in the infallible teacher4 ,minor4 ,the ,catholic believes in an infallible teacher of revelation4 ,conclusion4 ,therefore1 the ,catholic cannot listen to any fallible teacher with a view of getting more correct information about revealed truth than his ,church gives him4 ,to do so would be to stultify himself4 7,,ii47 ,major4 ,he who believes in a fallible teacher--private judgment or fallible church--is free1 nay bound1 to listen to any teacher who comes along professing to have information to impart1 for at no time can he be certain that the findings of his own fallible judgment or church are correct4 ,each newcomer may be able to give him further light that may cause him to change his mind4 ,minor4 ,the ,protestant believes in such fallible teacher--his private judgment or church4 ,conclusion4 ,therefore1 the ,protestant is free to hear1 and in perfect harmony with his principles1 to accept the teaching of any one who approaches him for the purpose of instructing him4 ,he is free to hear with a clear conscience1 and let his children hear1 ,catholic teaching1 for the ,church claiming infallibility is at its worst as good as his private judgment is at best1 namely1 fallible4 ,religious variations are so numerous nowadays that most people care little what another thinks or believes4 ,all they ask is that they may be able to know at any time where he stands2 and they insist1 as right reason imperiously demands1 that1 in all things1 he remain true to his principles1 whatever they be4 ,honest men respect sincerity and consistency everywhere2 they have nothing but contempt for those who stand1 now on one foot1 now on the other1 who have one code for theory and another for practice1 who shift their grounds as often as convenience suggests4 ,the ,catholic should bear this well in mind4 ,there can be no compromise with principles of truth2 to sacrifice them for the sake of convenience is as despicable before man as it is offensive to ,god4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,unbelief4 ,,an atheist in principle is one who denies the existence of ,god and consequently of all revealed truth4 ,how1 in practice1 a man endowed with reason and a conscience can do this1 is one of the unexplained mysteries of life4 ,christian philosophers refuse to admit that an atheist can exist in the flesh4 ,they claim that his denial is fathered by his desire and wish1 that at most he only doubts1 and while professing atheism1 he is simply an agnostic4 ,an agnostic does not know whether ,god exists or not--and cares less4 ,he does not affirm1 neither does he deny4 ,all arguments for and against are either insufficient or equally plausible1 and they fail to lodge conviction in his mind of minds4 ,elevated upon this pedestal of wisdom1 he pretends to dismiss all further consideration of the ,first ,cause4 ,but he does no such thing1 for he lives as though ,god did not exist4 ,why not live as though ,he did exist6 ,from a rational point of view1 he is a bigger fool than his atheistic brother1 for if certainty is impossible1 prudence suggests that the surer course be taken4 ,on one hand1 there is all to gain2 on the other1 all to lose4 ,the choice he makes smacks of convenience rather than of logic or common sense4 ,no one may be accused of genuine1 or as we call it--formal--heresy1 unless he persistently refuses to believe all the truths by ,god revealed4 ,heresy supposes error1 culpable error1 stubborn and pertinacious error4 ,a person may hold error in good faith1 and be disposed as to relinquish it on being convinced of the truth4 ,to all exterior appearances1 he may differ in nothing from a formal heretic1 and he passes for a heretic4 ,in fact1 and before ,god1 he belongs to the ,church1 to the soul of the ,church2 he will be saved if in spite of his unconscious error he lives well4 ,he is known as a material heretic4 ,an infidel is an unbaptized person1 whose faith1 even if he does believe in ,god1 is not supernatural1 but purely natural4 ,he is an infidel whether he is found in darkest ,africa or in the midst of this ,christian commonwealth1 and in this latter place there are more infidels than most people imagine4 ,a decadent ,protestantism rejects the necessity of baptism1 thereby ceasing to be ,christian1 and in its trail infidelity thrives and spreads1 disguised1 'tis true1 but nevertheless genuine infidelity4 ,it is baptism that makes faith possible1 for faith is a gift of ,god4 ,an apostate is one who1 having once believed1 ceases to believe4 ,all heretics and infidels are not apostates1 although they may be in themselves or in their ancestors4 ,one may apostatize to heresy by rejecting the ,church1 or to infidelity by rejecting all revelation2 a ,protestant may thus become an apostate from faith as well as a ,catholic4 ,this going back on the ,almighty--for that is what apostasy is1--is1 of all misfortunes the worst that can befall man4 ,there may be excuses1 mitigating circumstances1 for our greatest sins1 but here it is useless to seek for any4 ,god gives faith4 ,it is lost only through our own fault4 ,god abandons them that abandon ,him4 ,apostasy is the most patent case of spiritual suicide1 and the apostate carries branded on his forehead the mark of reprobation4 ,a miracle may save him1 but nothing short of a miracle can do it1 and who has a right to expect it8 ,god is good1 but ,god is also just4 ,it is not necessary to pose as an apostate before the public4 ,one may be a renegade at heart without betraying himself1 by refusing his inner assent to a dogma of faith1 by wilfully doubting and allowing such doubts to grow upon him and form convictions4 ,people sometimes say things that would brand them as apostates if they meant what they said4 ,this or that one1 in the midst of an orgy of sin1 or after long practical irreligion1 in order to strangle remorse that arises at an inopportune moment1 may seem to form a judgment of apostasy4 ,this is treading on exceedingly thin glass4 ,but it is not always properly defection from faith4 ,apostasy kills faith as surely as a knife plunged into the heart kills life4 ,a schismatic does not directly err in matters of faith1 but rejects the discipline of the ,church and refuses to submit to her authority4 ,he believes all that is taught1 but puts himself without the pale of the ,church by his insubordination4 ,schism is a grievous sin1 but does not necessarily destroy faith4 ,the source of all this unbelief is1 of course1 in the proud mind and sensual heart of man4 ,it takes form exteriorly in an interminable series of isms that have the merit of appealing to the weaknesses of man4 ,they all mean the same thing in the end1 and are only forms of paganism4 ,rationalism and ,materialism are the most frequently used terms4 ,one stands on reason alone1 the other1 on matter1 and both have declared war to the knife on the ,supernatural4 ,they tell us that these are new brooms destined to sweep clean the universe1 new lamps intended to dissipate the clouds of ignorance and superstition and to purify with their light the atmosphere of the world4 ,but1 truth to tell1 these brooms have been stirring up dust from the gutters of passion and sin1 and these lamps have been offending men's nostrils by their smoky stench ever since man knew himself4 ,and they shall continue to do service in the same cause as long as human nature remains what it is4 ,but ,christ did not bring ,his faith on earth to be destroyed by the lilliputian efforts of man4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,how ,,faith ,,may ,,be ,,lost4 ,,it is part of our belief that no man can lose his faith without mortal sin4 ,the conscious rejection of all or any religious truth once embraced and forming a part of ,christian belief1 or the deliberate questioning of a single article thereof1 is a sin1 a sin against ,god's light and ,god's grace4 ,it is a deliberate turning away from ,god4 ,the moral culpability of such an act is great in the extreme1 while its consequences cannot be weighed or measured by any human norm or rule4 ,no faith was ever wrecked in a day2 it takes time to come to such a pass2 it is by easy stages of infidelity1 by a slow process of half-denials1 a constant fostering of habits of ignorance1 that one undermines1 little by little1 one's spiritual constitution4 ,taking advantage of this state of debility1 the microbe of unbelief creeps in1 eats its way to the soul and finally sucks out the very vitals of faith4 ,nor is this growth of evil an unconscious one2 and there lies the malice and guilt4 ,ignorant pride1 neglect of prayer and religious worship1 disorders1 etc41 these are evils the culprit knows of and wills4 ,he cannot help feeling the ravages being wrought in his soul2 he cannot help knowing that these are deadly perils to his treasure of faith4 ,he complacently allows them to run their course2 and he wakes up one fine morning to find his faith gone1 lost1 dead--and a chasm yawning between him and his ,god that only a miracle can bridge over4 ,we mentioned ignorance3 this it is that attacks the underpinning of faith1 its rational basis1 by which it is made intelligent and reasonable1 without which there can be no faith4 ,ignorance is1 of course1 a relative term2 there are different degrees and different kinds4 ,an ignorant man is not an unlettered or uncultured one1 but one who does not know what his religion means1 what he believes or is supposed to believe1 and has no reason to give for his belief4 ,he may know a great many other things1 may be chock full of worldly learning1 but if he ignores these matters that pertain to the soul1 we shall label him an ignoramus for the elementary truths of human knowledge are1 always have been1 and always shall be1 the solution of the problems of the why1 the whence and the whither of life here below4 ,great learning frequently goes hand in hand with dense ignorance4 ,the ,sunday-school child knows better than the atheist philosopher the answer to these important questions4 ,there is more wisdom in the first page of the ,catechism than in all the learned books of sceptics and infidels4 ,knowledge1 of course1 a thorough knowledge of all theological science will not make faith1 any more than wheels will make a cart4 ,but a certain knowledge is essential1 and its absence is fatal to faith4 ,there are the simple ignorant who have forgotten their ,catechism and leave the church before the instruction1 for fear they might learn something2 who never read anything pertaining to religion1 who would be ashamed to be detected with a religious book or paper in their hands4 ,then1 there are the learned ignorant1 such as our public schools turn out in great numbers each year2 who1 either are above mere religious knowledge-seeking and disdain all that smacks of church and faith2 or1 knowing little or nothing at all1 imagine they possess a world of theological lore and know all that is knowable4 ,these latter are the more to be pitied1 their ignorance doubling back upon itself1 as it were4 ,when a man does not realize his own ignorance1 his case is well nigh hopeless4 ,if learning cannot give faith1 neither can it alone preserve it4 ,learned men1 pillars of the ,church have fallen away4 ,pride1 you will say4 ,yes1 of course1 pride is the cause of all evil4 ,but we have all our share of it4 ,if it works less havoc in some than in others1 that is because pride is or is not kept within bounds4 ,it is necessarily fatal to faith only when it is not controlled by prayer and the helps of practical religion4 ,god alone can preserve our faith4 ,he will do it only at our solicitation4 ,if1 therefore1 some have not succeeded in keeping the demon of pride under restraint1 it is because they refused to consider their faith a pure gift of ,god that cannot be safely guarded without ,god's grace2 or they forgot that ,god's grace is assured to no man who does not pray4 ,the man who thinks he is all-sufficient unto himself in matters of religion1 as in all other matters1 is in danger of being brought to a sense of his own nothingness in a manner not calculated to be agreeable4 ,no man who practised humble prayer ever lost hi faith1 or ever can2 for to him grace is assured4 ,and since faith is nothing if not practical1 since it is a habit1 it follows that irreligion1 neglect to practise what we believe will destroy that habit4 ,people who neglect their duty often complain that they have no taste for religion1 cannot get interested1 find no consolation therein4 ,this justifies further neglect4 ,they make a pretence to seek the cause4 ,the cause is lack of faith2 the fires of ,god's grace are burning low in their souls4 ,they will soon go out unless they are furnished with fuel in the shape of good1 solid1 practical religion4 ,that is their only salvation4 ,ignorance1 supplemented by lack of prayer and practice1 goes a long way in the destruction of faith in any soul1 for two essentials are deficient4 ,disorder1 too1 is responsible for the loss of much faith4 ,luther and ,henry might have retained their faith in spite of their pride1 but they were lewd1 and avaricious2 and there is small indulgence for such within the ,church4 ,not but that we are all human1 and sinners are the objects of the ,church's greatest solicitude2 but within her pale no man1 be he king or genius1 can sit down and feast his passions and expect her to wink at it and call it by another name than its own4 ,the law of ,god and of the ,church is a thorn in the flesh of the vicious man4 ,the authority of the ,church is a sword of ,damocles held perpetually over his head--until it is removed4 ,many a one denies ,god in a moment of sin in order to take the sting of remorse out of it4 ,one gets tired of the importunities of religion that tell us not to sin1 to confess if we do sin4 ,when you meet a pervert who1 with a glib tongue1 protests that his conscience drove him from the ,church1 that his enslaved intelligence needed deliverance1 search him and you will find a skeleton in his closet2 and if you do not find it1 it is there just the same4 ,a renegade priest some years ago1 held forth before a gaping audience1 at great length1 on the reasons of his leaving the ,church4 ,a farmer sitting on the last bench listened patiently to his profound argumentation4 ,when the lecturer was in the middle of his twelfthly1 the other arose and shouted to him across the hall3 ,cut it short1 and say you wanted a wife4 ,the heart has reasons which the reason does not understand4 ,not always1 but frequently1 ignorance1 neglect and vice come to this4 ,the young1 the weak and the proud have to guard themselves against these dangers1 hey work slowly1 imperceptibly1 but surely4 ,two things increase the peril and tend to precipitate matters2 reading and companionship4 ,the ignorant are often anxious to know the other side1 when they do not know their own4 ,the consequence is that they will not understand fully the question2 and if they do1 will not be able to resolve the difficulty4 ,they are handicapped by their ignorance and can only make a mess out of it4 ,the result is that they are caught by sophistries like a fly in a web4 ,the company of those who believe differently1 or not at all1 is also pernicious to unenlightened and weak faith4 ,the example in itself is potent for evil4 ,the ,catholic is usually not a persona grata as a ,catholic but for some quality he possesses4 ,consequently1 he must hide his religion under the bushel for fear of offending4 ,then a sneer1 a gibe1 a taunt are unpleasant things1 and will be avoided even at the price of what at other times would look like being ashamed of one's faith4 ,if ignorant1 he will be silent2 if he has not prayed1 he will be weak2 if vicious1 he will be predisposed to fall4 ,if we would guard the precious deposit of faith secure against any possible emergency1 we must enlighten it1 we must strengthen it1 we must live up to it4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,hope4 ,,the ,first ,commandment bids us hope as well as believe in ,god4 ,our trust and confidence in ,his mercy to give us eternal life and the means to obtain it1--this is our hope1 founded on our belief that ,god is what ,he reveals ,himself to us1 able and willing to do by us as we would have ,him do4 ,hope is the flower of our faith2 faith is the substance of the things we hope for4 ,to desire and to hope are not one and the same thing4 ,we may long for what is impossible of obtaining1 while hope always supposes this possibility1 better1 a probability1 nay1 even a moral certitude4 ,this expectation remains hope until it comes to the fruition of the things hoped for4 ,the desire of general happiness is anchored in the human heart1 deep down in the very essence of our being4 ,we all desire to be happy1 ,we may be free in many things2 in this we are not free4 ,we must have happiness1 greater than the present1 happiness of one kind or another1 real or apparent4 ,we may have different notions of this happiness2 we desire it according to our notions4 ,life itself is one1 long1 painful1 unsatisfied desire4 ,when that desire is centered in ,god and the soul's salvation1 it incontinently becomes hope1 for then we have real beatitude before us1 and all may obtain it4 ,it can be true hope only when founded on faith4 ,not only is hope easy1 natural1 necessary1 but it is essential to life4 ,it is the mainspring of all activity4 ,it keeps all things moving1 and without it life would not be worth living4 ,if men did not think they could get what they are striving after1 they would sit down1 fold their arms1 let the world move1 but they wouldn't4 ,especially is ,christian hope absolutely necessary for the leading of a ,christian life1 and no man would take upon himself that burden1 if he did not confidently expect a crown of glory beyond1 sufficient to repay him for all the things endured here below for conscience's sake4 ,hope is a star that beckons us on to renewed effort1 a vision of the goal that animates and invigorates us2 it is also a soothing balm to the wounds we receive in the struggle4 ,to be without this hope is the lowest level to which man may descend4 ,st4 ,paul uses the term men without hope as the most stinging reproach he could inflict upon the dissolute pagans4 ,to have abandoned hope is a terrible misfortune--despair4 ,this must not be confounded with an involuntary perturbation1 a mere instinctive dread1 a phantasmagoric illusion that involves no part of the will4 ,it is not even an excessive fear that goes by the name of pusillanimity4 ,it is a cool judgment like that of ,cain3 ,my sin is too great that ,i should expect forgiveness4 ,he who despairs1 loses sight of ,god's mercy and sees only ,his stern1 rigorous justice4 ,after hatred of ,god1 this is perhaps the greatest injury man can do to his ,master1 who is ,love4 ,there has always been more of mercy than of justice in ,his dealings with men4 ,we might say of ,him that ,he is all mercy in this world1 to be all justice in the next4 ,therefore while there is life1 there is hope4 ,the next abomination is to hope1 but to place our supreme happiness in that which should not be the object of our hope4 ,men live for pleasures1 riches1 and honors1 as though these things were worthy of our highest aspirations1 as though they could satisfy the unappeasable appetite of man for happiness4 ,greater folly than this can no man be guilty of4 ,he takes the dross for the pure gold1 the phantom for the reality4 ,few men theoretically belong to this class2 practically it has the vast majority4 ,the presumptuous are those who hope to obtain the prize and do nothing to deserve it4 ,he who would hope to fly without wings1 to walk without feet1 to live without air or food would be less a fool than he who hopes to save his soul without fulfiling the conditions laid down by ,him who made us4 ,there is no wages without service1 no reward without merit1 no crown without a cross4 ,this fellow's mistake is to bank too much on ,god's mercy1 leaving ,his justice out of the bargain altogether4 ,yet ,god is one as well as the other1 and both equally4 ,the offense to ,god consists in making ,him a being without any backbone1 so to speak1 a soft1 incapable judge1 whose pity degenerates into weakness4 ,and certainly it is a serious offense4 ,no1 hope should be sensible and reasonable4 ,it must keep the middle between two extremes4 ,the measure of our hope should reasonably be the measure of our efforts1 for he who wishes the end wishes the means4 ,of course ,god will make due allowances for our frailties1 but that is ,his business1 not ours2 and we have no right to say just how far that mercy will go4 ,even though we lead the lives of saints1 we shall stand in need of much mercy4 ,prudence tells us to do all things as though it all depended upon us alone2 then ,god will make up for the deficiencies4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,love ,,of ,,god4 ,,once upon a time1 there lived people who pretended that nothing had existence outside the mind1 that objects were merely fictions of the brain2 thus1 when they gave a name to those objects1 it was like sticking a label in the air where they seemed to be4 ,the world is not without folks who have similar ideas concerning charity1 to whom it is a name without substance4 ,scarcely a ,christian but will pretend that he has the virtue of charity1 and of course one must take his word for it1 and leave his actions and conduct out of all consideration4 ,with him1 to love ,god is to say you do1 whether you really do or not4 ,this is charity of the sounding brass and tinkling cymbal assortment4 ,to be honest about it1 charity or love of ,god is nothing more or less1 practically1 than freedom from1 and avoidance of1 mortal sin4 ,if any one say1 ',i love ,god' and hates his brother1 7or otherwise sins7 he is a liar4 ,strong language1 but straight to the point6 ,the state of grace is the first1 fundamental1 and essential condition to the existence of charity4 ,charity and mortal sin are two things irreducibly opposed1 uncompromisingly antagonistic1 eternally inimical4 ,there is no charity where there is sin2 there is no sin where there is charity4 ,that is why charity is called the fulfilment of the law4 ,on the other hand1 it sometimes happens that humble folks of the world1 striving against temptation and sin to serve the ,master1 imagine they can hardly succeed4 ,true1 they rarely offend and to no great extent of malice1 but they envy the lot of others more advantageously situated1 they think1 nearer by talent and state to perfection1 basking in the sunshine of ,god's love4 ,talent1 position1 much exterior activity1 much supposed goodness1 are1 in their eyes1 titles to the kingdom1 and infallible signs of charity4 ,and then they foolishly deplore their own state as far removed from that perfection1 because forsooth their minds are uncultured1 their faith simple1 and their time taken up with the drudgery of life4 ,they forget that not this gift or that work or anything else is necessary4 ,one thing alone is necessary1 and that is practical love of ,god4 ,nothing counts without it4 ,and the sage over his books1 the wonder-worker at his task1 the apostle in his wanderings and labors1 the very martyr on the rack is no more sure of having charity than the most humble man1 woman or child in the lowest walks of life who loves ,god too much to offend ,him4 ,it is not necessary to have the tongues of men and angels1 or faith that will move mountains1 or the fortitude of martyrs2 charity expressed in our lives and deeds rates higher than these4 ,a thing is good in the eyes of its maker if it accomplishes that for which it was made4 ,a watch that does not tell time1 a knife that does not cut1 and a soul that does not love ,god are three utterly useless things4 ,and why8 ,because they are no good for what they were made4 ,the watch exists solely to tell the hour1 the blade to cut and the soul to love and serve its ,maker4 ,failing in this1 there is no more reason for their being4 ,their utility ceasing1 they themselves cease to exist to a certain extent1 for a thing is really no longer what it was1 when it fails to execute that for which it came into being4 ,charity1 in a word1 amounts to this1 that we love ,god1 but to the extent of not offending ,him4 ,anything that falls short of such affection is something other than charity1 no matter how many tags and labels it may wear4 ,if ,i beheld a brute strike down an aged parent1 ,i would not for a moment think that affection was behind that blow2 and ,i could not conceive how there could be a spark of filial love in that son's heart until he had atoned for his crime4 ,now love is not one thing when directed towards ,god1 and another where man is concerned4 ,the great hypocrisy of life consists in this that people make an outward showing of loving ,god1 because they know full well that it is their first duty2 yet1 for all that1 they do not a whit mend their ways1 and to sin costs them nothing4 ,they varnish it over with an appearance of honesty and decency1 and fair-minded men take them for what they appear to be1 and should be1 and they pass for such4 ,these watches are pretty to look upon1 beautiful1 magnificent1 but they are stopped1 the interior is out of order1 the main-spring is broken1 the hands that run across the face lie4 ,these blades are bright and handsome1 but they are dull1 blunt1 full of nicks1 good enough for coarse and vulgar work1 but useless for the fine1 delicate work for which they were made4 ,the master mechanic and artist of our souls who wants trustworthy timepieces and keen blades1 will not be deceived by these gaudy trinkets1 and will reject them4 ,others may esteem you for this or that quality1 admire this or that qualification you possess1 be taken with their superficial gloss and accidental usefulness4 ,the quality required by ,him who made you is that your soul be filled with charity1 and proven by absence of sin4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,love ,,of ,,neighbor4 ,,the precept1 written in our hearts1 as well as in the law1 to love ,god1 commands us1 at the same time1 to love the neighbor4 ,when you go to confession1 you are told to be sorry for your sins and to make a firm purpose of amendment4 ,these appear to be two different injunctions2 yet in fact and reality1 they are one and the same thing1 for it is impossible to abhor and detest sin1 having at the same moment the intention of committing it4 ,one therefore includes the other2 one is not sincere and true without the other2 therefore one cannot be without the other4 ,so it is with love of ,god and of the neighbor2 these two parts of one precept are coupled together because they complete each other1 and they amount practically to the same thing4 ,the neighbor we are to love is not alone those for whom we naturally have affection1 such as parents1 friends1 benefactors1 etc41 whom it is easy to love4 ,but our neighbor is all mankind1 those far and those near1 those who have blessed us and those who have wronged us1 the enemy as well as the friend2 all who have within them1 as we have1 the image and likeness of ,god4 ,no human being can we put outside the pale of neighborly love4 ,as for the love we bear others1 it is of course one in substance1 but it may be different in degree and various in quality4 ,it may be more or less tender1 intense1 emphatic4 ,some we love more1 others1 less2 yet for all that1 we love them4 ,it is impossible for us to have towards any other being the same feelings we entertain for a parent4 ,the love a good ,christian bears towards a stranger is not the love he bears towards a good friend4 ,the love therefore that charity demands admits a variety of shades without losing its character of love4 ,when it comes to loving certain ones of our neighbors1 the idea is not of the most welcome4 ,what6 ,must ,i love1 really love1 that low rascal1 that cantankerous fellow1 that repugnant1 repulsive being8 ,or this other who has wronged me so maliciously8 ,or that proud1 overbearing creature who looks down on me and despises me8 ,we have said that love has its degrees1 its ebb and flow tide1 and still remains love4 ,the low water mark is this3 that we refuse not to pray for such neighbors1 that we speak not ill of them1 that we refuse not to salute them1 or to do them a good turn1 or to return a favor4 ,a breach in one of these common civilities1 due to every man from his fellow-man1 may constitute a degree of hatred directly opposed to the charity strictly required of us4 ,it is not however necessary to go on doing these things all during life and at all moments of life4 ,these duties are exterior1 and are required as often as a contrary bearing would betoken a lack of charity in the heart4 ,just as we are not called upon to embrace and hug an uninviting person as a neighbor1 neither are we obliged to continue our civilities when we find that they are offensive and calculated to cause trouble4 ,but naturally there must be charity in the heart4 ,we should not confound uncharity with a sort of natural repugnance and antipathy1 instinctive to some natures1 betraying a weakness of character1 if you will1 but hardly what one could call a clearly defined fault4 ,there are people who can forgive more easily than forget and who succeed only after a long while in overcoming strong feelings4 ,in consequence of this state of mind1 and in order to maintain peace and concord1 they prefer the absence to the presence of the objects of their antipathy4 ,of course1 to nourish this feeling is sinful to a degree2 but while striving against it1 to remove prudently all occasions of opening afresh the wound1 if we act honestly1 this does not seem to have any uncharitable malice4 ,now all this is not charity unless the idea of ,god enter therein4 ,there is no charity outside the idea of ,god4 ,philanthropy1 humanity is one thing1 charity is another4 ,the one is sentiment1 the other is love--two very different things4 ,the one supposes natural motives1 the other1 supernatural4 ,philanthropy looks at the exterior form and discovers a likeness to self4 ,charity looks at the soul and therein discovers an image of ,god1 by which we are not only common children of ,adam1 but also children of ,god and sharers of a common celestial inheritance4 ,neither a cup of water nor a fortune given in any other name than that of ,god is charity4 ,there are certain positive works of charity1 such as almsgiving and brotherly correction1 etc41 that may be obligatory upon us to a degree of ,serious responsibility4 ,we must use prudence and intelligence in discerning these obligations1 but once they clearly stand forth they are as binding on us as obligations of justice4 ,we are our brothers' keepers1 especially of those whom misfortune oppresses and whose lot is cast under a less lucky star4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,prayer4 ,,no word so common and familiar among ,christians as prayer4 ,religion itself is nothing more than a vast1 mighty1 universal1 never ceasing prayer4 ,our churches are monuments of prayer and houses of prayer4 ,our worship1 our devotions1 our ceremonies are expressions of prayer4 ,our sacred music is a prayer4 ,the incense1 rising in white clouds before the altar1 is symbolical of prayer4 ,and the one accent that is dinned into our ears from altar and pulpit is prayer4 ,prayer is the life of the ,christian as work is the life of the man2 without one and the other we would starve spiritually and physically4 ,if we live well1 it is because we pray2 if we lead sinful lives1 it is because we neglect to pray4 ,where prayer is1 there is virtue2 where prayer is unknown1 there is sin4 ,the atmosphere of piety1 sanctity1 and honesty is the atmosphere of prayer4 ,strange that the nature and necessity of prayer are so often misunderstood6 ,yet the definition in our ,catechism is clear and precise4 ,there are four kinds of prayer2 adoration1 thanksgiving1 petition for pardon1 and for our needs1 spiritual and bodily4 ,one need be neither a ,catholic nor a ,christian to see how becoming it is in us to offer to ,god our homage of adoration and thanksgiving2 it is necessary only to believe in a ,god who made us and who is infinitely perfect4 ,why1 the very heathens made gods to adore1 and erected temples to thank them1 so deep was their sense of the devotion they owed the ,deity4 ,they put the early ,christians to death because the latter refused to adore their gods4 ,everywhere you go1 under the sun1 you will find the creature offering to the ,creator a homage of worship4 ,he1 therefore1 who makes so little of ,god as to forget to adore and thank ,him becomes inferior to the very pagans who1 sunk in the darkness of corruption and superstition as they were1 did not1 however1 forget their first and natural duty to the ,maker4 ,neglect of this obligation in a man betrays an absence1 a loss of religious instinct1 and an irreligious man is a pure animal1 if he is a refined one4 ,his refinement and superiority come from his intelligence1 and these qualities1 far from attenuating his guilt1 only serve to aggravate it4 ,the brute eats and drinks2 when he is full and tired he throws himself down to rest4 ,when refreshed1 he gets up1 shakes himself and goes off again in quest of food and amusement4 ,in what does a man without prayer differ from such a being8 ,but prayer1 strictly speaking1 means a demand1 a petition1 an asking4 ,we ask for our needs and our principal needs are pardon and succor4 ,this is prayer as it is generally understood4 ,it is necessary to salvation4 ,without it no man can be saved4 ,our assurance of heaven should be in exact proportion to our asking4 ,ask and you shall receive4 ,ask nothing1 and you obtain nothing2 and that which you do not obtain is just what you must have to save your soul4 ,here is the explanation of it in a nutshell4 ,the doctrine of the ,church is that when ,god created man1 ,he raised him from a natural to a supernatural state1 and assigned to him a supernatural end4 ,supernatural means what is above the natural1 beyond our natural powers of obtaining4 ,our destiny therefore cannot be fulfilled without the help of a superior power4 ,we are utterly incapable by ourselves of realizing the end to which we are called4 ,the condition absolutely required is the grace of ,god and through that alone can we expect to come to our appointed end4 ,here is a stone4 ,that that stone should have feeling is not natural1 but supernatural4 ,god1 to give sensation to that stone1 must break through the natural order of things1 because to feel is beyond the native powers of a stone4 ,it is not natural for an animal to reason1 it is impossible4 ,god must work a miracle to make it understand4 ,well1 the stone is just as capable of feeling1 and the animal of reasoning1 as is man capable of saving his soul by himself4 ,to persevere in the state of grace and the friendship of ,god1 to recover it when lost by sin1 are supernatural works4 ,only by the grace of ,god can this be effected4 ,will ,god do this without being asked8 ,say rather will ,god save us in spite of ourselves1 or unknown to ourselves4 ,he who does not ask gives no token of a desire to obtain4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,petitions4 ,,for all spiritual needs1 therefore1 prayer is the one thing necessary4 ,i am in the state of sin4 ,i desire to be forgiven4 ,to obtain pardon is a supernatural act4 ,alone ,i can no more do it than fly4 ,i pray then for the grace of a good confession--,i prudently think myself in the state of grace4 ,were ,i for a moment left to my depraved nature1 to the mercy of my passions1 ,i should fall into the lowest depths of iniquity4 ,the holiest1 saintliest of men are just as capable of the greatest abominations as the blackest sinner that ever lived4 ,if he does not fall1 and the other does1 it is because he prays and the other does not4 ,some people have certain spiritual maladies1 that become second nature to them1 called dominant passions4 ,for one1 it is cursing and swearing2 for another vanity and conceit4 ,one is afflicted with sloth1 another with uncleanness of one kind or another4 ,to discover the failing is the first duty1 to pray against it is the next4 ,you attack it with prayer as you attack a disease with remedies4 ,and if we only used prayer with half the care1 perseverance and confidence that we use medicines1 our spiritual distemper would be short-lived4 ,a person who passes a considerable time without prayer is usually in a bad state of soul4 ,there is probably no one1 who1 upon reflection1 will fail to discover that his best days were those which his prayers sanctified1 and his worst1 those which had to get along without any4 ,and when a man starts out badly1 the first thing he takes care to do is to neglect his prayers4 ,for praying is an antidote and a reminder2 it makes him feel uneasy while in sin1 and would make him break with his evil ways if he continued to pray4 ,and since he does not wish to stop1 he takes no chances1 and gives up his prayers4 ,when he wants to stop1 he falls back on his prayers4 ,this brings us to the bodily favors we should ask for4 ,you are sick4 ,you desire to get well1 but you do not see the sense of praying for it2 for you say1 ,either ,i shall get well or ,i shall not4 ,for an ordinary statement that is as plain and convincing as one has a right to expect2 it will stand against all argument4 ,but the conclusion is not of a piece with the premises4 ,in that case why do you call in the physician1 why do you take nasty pills and swallow whole quarts of vile concoctions that have the double merit of bringing distress to your palate and your purse8 ,you take these precautions because your most elementary common sense tells you that such precautions as medicaments1 etc41 enter for something of a condition in the decree of ,god which reads that you shall die or not die4 ,your return to health or your shuffling off of the mortal coil is subject to conditions of prudence1 and according as they are fulfiled or not fulfiled the decree of ,god will go into effect one way or the other4 ,and why does not your sane common sense suggest to you that prayer enters as just such a condition in the decrees of ,god1 that your recovery is just as conditional on the using of prayer as to the taking of pills8 ,there are people who have no faith in drugs1 either because they have never used any or because having once used them1 failed to get immediate relief4 ,appreciation of the efficacy of prayer is frequently based on similar experience4 ,to enumerate all the cures effected by prayer would be as bootless as to rehearse all the miracles of therapeutics and surgery4 ,the doctor says3 ,here1 take this1 it will do you good4 ,i know its virtue4 ,the ,church says likewise3 ,try prayer1 ,i know its virtue4 ,your faith in it has all to do with its successful working4 ,as in bodily sickness1 so it is in all the other afflictions that flesh is heir to4 ,prayer is a panacea2 it cures all ills4 ,but it should be taken with two tonics1 as it were1 before and after4 ,before3 faith and confidence in the power of ,god to cure us through prayer4 ,after3 resignation to the will of ,god1 by which we accept what it may please ,him to do in our case2 for health is not the greatest boon of life1 nor are sickness and death the greatest evils4 ,sin alone is bad2 the grace of ,god alone is good4 ,all other things ,god uses as means in view of this supreme good and against this supreme evil4 ,faith prepares the system and puts it in order for the reception of the remedy4 ,resignation helps it work out its good effects1 and brings out all its virtue4 ,thus prayer is necessary to us all1 whether we be ,christians or pagans1 whether just or sinners1 whether sick or well4 ,it brings us near to ,god1 and ,god near to us1 and thus is a foretaste and an image of our union with ,him hereafter4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,religion4 ,,as far back as the light of history extends1 it shows man1 of every race and of every clime1 occupied in giving expression1 in one way or another1 to his religious impressions1 sentiments1 and convictions4 ,he knew ,god2 he was influenced by this knowledge unto devotion2 and sought to exteriorize this devotion for the double purpose of proving its truth and sincerity1 and of still further nourishing1 strengthening1 safeguarding it by means of an external worship and sensible things4 ,accordingly1 he built temples1 erected altars1 offered sacrifices1 burnt incense2 he sang and wept1 feasted and fasted2 he knelt1 stood and prostrated himself--all things in harmony with his hopes and fears4 ,this is worship or cult4 ,we call it religion1 distinct from interior worship or devotion1 but supposing the latter essentially4 ,it is commanded by the first precept of ,god4 ,he who contents himself with a simple acknowledgment of the ,divinity in the heart1 and confines his piety to the realm of the soul1 does not fulfil the first commandment4 ,the obligation to worship ,god was imposed1 not upon angels--pure spirits1 but upon men--creatures composed of a body as well as a soul4 ,the homage that ,he had a right to expect was therefore not a purely spiritual one1 but one in which the body had a part as well as the soul4 ,a man is not a man without a body4 ,neither can ,god be satisfied with man's homage unless his physical being cooperate with his spiritual1 unless his piety be translated into acts and become religion1 in the sense in which we use the word4 ,there is no limit to the different forms religion may take on as manifestations of intense fervor and strong belief4 ,sounds1 attitudes1 practices1 etc41 are so many vehicles of expression1 and may be multiplied indefinitely4 ,they become letters and words and figures of a language which1 while being conventional in a way1 is also natural and imitative1 and speaks more clearly and eloquently and poetically than any other human language4 ,this is what makes the ,catholic religion so beautiful as to compel the admiration of believers and unbelievers alike4 ,of course1 there is nothing to prevent an individual from making religion a mask of hypocrisy4 ,if in using these practices1 he does not mean what they imply1 he lies as plainly as if he used words without regard for their signification4 ,these practices1 too1 may become absurd1 ridiculous and even abominable4 ,when this occurs1 it is easily explained by the fact that the mind and heart of man are never proof against imbecility and depravity4 ,there are as many fools and cranks in the world as there are villains and degenerates4 ,the ,church of ,god regulates divine worship for us with the wisdom and experience of centuries4 ,her sacrifice is the first great act of worship4 ,then there are her ceremonies1 rites1 and observances2 the use of holy water1 blessed candles1 ashes1 incense1 vestments2 her chants1 and fasts and feasts1 the symbolism of her sacraments4 ,this is the language in which1 as a ,church1 and in union with her children1 she speaks to ,god her adoration1 praise and thanksgiving4 ,this is her religion1 and we practice it by availing ourselves of these things and by respecting them as pertaining to ,god4 ,we are sometimes branded as idolaters1 that is1 as people who adore another or others than ,god4 ,we offer our homage of adoration to ,god who is in heaven1 and to that same ,god whom we believe to be on our altars4 ,looking through ,protestant spectacles1 we certainly are idolaters1 for we adore what they consider as simple bread4 ,in this light we plead guilty2 but is it simple bread8 ,that is the question4 ,the homage we offer to everything and everybody else is relative1 that is1 it refers to ,god1 and therefore is not idolatry4 ,as to whether or not we are superstitious in our practices1 that depends on what is the proper homage to offer ,god and in what does excess consist4 ,it is not a little astonishing to see the no-creed1 dogma-hating1 private-judgment sycophants sitting in judgment against us and telling us what is and what is not correct in our religious practices4 ,we thought that sort of a thing--dogmatism--was excluded from ,protestant ethics2 that every one should be allowed to choose his own mode of worship1 that the right and proper way is the way one thinks right and proper4 ,if the private-interpreter claims this freedom for himself1 why not allow it to us6 ,we thought they objected to this kind of interference in us some few hundred years ago2 is it too much if we object most strenuously to it in them in these days6 ,it is strange how easily some people forget first principles1 and what a rare article on the market is consistency4 ,the persons1 places and things that pertain to the exterior worship of ,god we are bound to respect1 not for themselves1 but by reason of the usage for which they are chosen and set aside1 thereby becoming consecrated1 religious4 ,we should respect them in a spiritual way as we respect in a human way all that belongs to those whom we hold dear4 ,irreverence or disrespect is a profanation1 a sacrilege4 ,,chapter ,,xxxii4 ,,devotions4 ,,there is in the ,church an abundance and a rich variety of what we call devotions--practices that express our respect1 affection and veneration for the chosen friends of ,god4 ,these devotions we should be careful not to confound with a thing very differently known as devotion--to ,god ,himself4 ,this latter is the soul1 the very essence of religion2 the former are sometimes irreverently spoken of as frills4 ,objectively speaking1 these devotions find their justification in the dogma of the ,communion of ,saints1 according to which we believe that the blessed in heaven are able and disposed to help the unfortunate here below4 ,subjectively they are based on human nature itself4 ,in our self-conscious weakness and unworthiness1 we choose instinctively to approach the throne of ,god through ,his tried and faithful friends rather than to hazard ourselves alone and helpless in ,his presence4 ,devotion1 as all know1 is only another name for charity towards ,god1 piety1 holiness1 that is1 a condition of soul resulting from1 and at the same time1 conducive to1 fidelity to ,god's law and the dictates of one's conscience4 ,it consists in a proper understanding of our relations to ,god--creatures of the ,creator1 paupers1 sinners and children in the presence of a ,benefactor1 ,judge and ,father2 and in sympathies and sentiments aroused in us by1 and corresponding with1 these convictions4 ,in other words1 one is devoted to a friend when one knows him well1 is true as steel to him1 and basks in the sunshine of a love that requites that fidelity4 ,towards ,god1 this is devotion4 ,devotions differ in pertaining1 not directly1 but indirectly through the creature to ,god4 ,no one but sees at once that devotion1 in a certain degree is binding upon all men2 a positive want of it is nothing short of impiety4 ,but devotions have not the dignity of entering into the essence of ,god-worship4 ,they are not constituent parts of that flower that grows in ,god's garden of the soul--charity2 they are rather the scent and fragrance that linger around its petals and betoken its genuine quality4 ,they are of counsel1 so to speak1 as opposed to the precept of charity and devotion4 ,they are outside all commandment1 and are taken up with a view of doing something more than escaping perdition quasi per ignem4 ,for human nature is rarely satisfied with what is rigorously sufficient4 ,it does not relish living perpetually on the ragged edge of a scant1 uncertain meagerness4 ,people want enough and plenty1 abundance and variety4 ,if there are many avenues that lead to ,god's throne1 they want to use them4 ,if there are many outlets for their intense fervor and abundant generosity1 they will have them4 ,devotions answer these purposes4 ,impossible to enumerate all the different practices that are in vogue in the ,church and go under the name of devotions4 ,legion is the number of saints that have their following of devotees4 ,some are universal1 are praised and invoked the world over2 others have a local niche and are all unknown beyond the confines of a province or nation4 ,some are invoked in all needs and distresses2 ,st4 ,blase1 on the other hand is credited with a special power for curing throats1 ,st4 ,anthony1 for finding lost things1 etc4 ,honor is paid them on account of their proximity to ,god4 ,to invoke them is as much an honor to them as an advantage to us4 ,if certain individuals do not like this kind of a thing1 they are under no sort of an obligation to practise it4 ,if they can get to heaven without the assistance of the saints1 then let them do so1 by all means2 only let them be sure to get there4 ,no one finds devotions repugnant but those who are ignorant of their real character and meaning4 ,if they are fortunate enough to make this discovery1 they then1 like nearly all converts1 become enthusiastic devotees1 finding in their devotions new beauties1 and new advantages every day4 ,and it is a poor ,catholic that leaves devotions entirely alone1 and a rare one4 ,he may not feel inclined to enlist the favor of this or that particular saint1 but he usually has a rosary hidden away somewhere in his vest pocket and a scapular around his neck1 or in his pocket1 as a last extreme4 ,if he scorns even this1 then the chances are that he is ,catholic only in name1 for the tree of faith is such a fertile one that it rarely fails to yield fruit and flowers of exquisite fragrance4 ,oh6 of course the lives of all the saints are not history in the strictest sense of the word4 ,but what has that to do with the ,communion of ,saints8 ,if simplicity and naivete have woven around some names an unlikely tale1 a fable or a myth1 it requires some effort to see how that could affect their standing with ,god1 or their disposition to help us in our needs4 ,devotions are not based on historical facts1 although in certain facts1 events or happenings1 real or alleged1 they may have been furnished with occasions for coming into existence4 ,the authenticity of these facts is not guaranteed by the doctrinal authority of the ,church1 but she may1 and does1 approve the devotions that spring therefrom4 ,independently of the truth of private and individual revelations1 visions and miracles1 which she investigates as to their probability1 she makes sure that there is nothing contrary to the deposit of faith and to morals1 and then she gives these devotions the stamp of her approval as a security to the faithful who wish to practise them4 ,a ,catholic or non-,catholic may think what he likes concerning the apparitions of the ,virgin at ,lourdes2 if he is dense enough1 he may refuse to believe that miracles have been performed there4 ,but he cannot deny that the homage offered to ,our ,lady at ,lourdes1 and known as devotion to ,our ,lady of ,lourdes1 is in keeping with religious worship as practised by the ,church and in consonance with reason enlightened by faith1 and so with all other devotions4 ,a vase of flowers1 a lamp1 a4 burning candle before the statue of a saint is a prayer whose silence is more eloquent than all the sounds that ever came from the lips of man4 ,it is love that puts it there1 love that tells it to dispense its sweet perfume or shed its mellow rays1 and love that speaks by this touching symbolism to ,god through a favorite saint4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii4 ,,idolatry ,,and ,,superstition4 ,,the first and greatest sinner against religion is the idolater1 who offers ,god-worship to others than ,god4 ,there are certain attributes that belong to ,god alone1 certain titles that ,he alone has a right to bear1 certain marks of veneration that are due to ,him alone4 ,to ascribe these to any being under ,god is an abomination1 and is called idolatry4 ,the idols of paganism have long since been thrown1 their temples destroyed2 the folly itself has fallen into disuse1 and its extravagances serve only in history to point a moral or adorn a tale4 ,yet1 in truth1 idolatry is not so dead as all that1 if one would take the pains to peruse a few pages of the current erotic literature wherein people see heaven in a pair of blue eyes1 catch inspired words from ruby lips and adore a well trimmed chin-whisker4 ,i would sooner1 with the old-time ,egyptians1 adore a well-behaved cat or a toothsome cucumber than with certain modern feather-heads and gum-drop hearts1 sing hymns to a shapely foot or dimpled cheek and offer incense to divinities1 godlike forms1 etc4 ,the way hearts and souls are thrown around from one to another is suggestive of the national game2 while the love they bear one another is always infinite1 supreme1 without parallel on earth or in heaven4 ,no1 perhaps they do not mean what they say2 but that helps matters very little1 for the fault lies precisely in saying what they do say2 the language used is idolatrous4 ,and a queer thing about it is that they do mean more than half of what they say4 ,when degenerate love runs riot1 it dethrones the ,almighty1 makes gods of clay and besots itself before them4 ,what is superstition and what is a superstitious practice8 ,it is something against the virtue of religion2 it sins1 not by default as unbelief1 but by excess4 ,now1 to be able to say what is excessive1 one must know what is right and just1 one must have a measure4 ,to attempt to qualify anything as excessive without the aid of a rule or measure is simply guesswork4 ,the ,yankee passes for a mighty clever guesser1 outpointing with ease his transatlantic cousin4 ,over there the sovereign guesses officially that devotion to the ,mother of ,god is a superstitious practice4 ,this reminds one of the overgrown farmer boy1 who1 when invited by his teacher to locate the center of a circle drawn on the blackboard1 stood off and eyed the figure critically for a moment with a wise squint2 and then said1 pointing his finger to the middle or thereabouts3 ,i should jedge it to be about thar'4 ,he was candid enough to offer only an opinion4 ,but how the royal guesser could be sure enough to swear it1 and that officially1 is what staggers plain people4 ,now right reason is a rule by which to judge what is and what is not superstitious4 ,but individual reason or private judgment and right reason are not synonyms in the ,english or in any other language that is human4 ,when reasoning men disagree1 right reason1 as far as the debated question is concerned1 is properly said to be off on a vacation1 a thing uncommonly frequent in human affairs4 ,in order1 therefore that men should not be perpetually at war concerning matters that pertain to men's salvation1 ,god established a competent authority which even simple folks with humble minds and pure hearts can find4 ,in default of any adverse claimant the ,catholic ,church must be adjudged that authority4 ,the worship1 therefore1 that the ,church approves as worthy of ,god is not1 cannot be1 superstition4 ,and what is patently against reason1 or1 in case of doubt1 what she reproves and condemns in religion is superstitious4 ,leaving out of the question for the moment those species of superstition that rise to the dignity of science1 to the accidental fame and wealth of humbugs and frauds1 the evil embraces a host of practices that are usually the result of a too prevalent psychological malady known as softening of the brain4 ,these poor unfortunates imagine that the ,almighty who holds the universe in the hollow of ,his hand1 deals with ,his creatures in a manner that would make a full-grown man pass as a fool if he did the same4 ,dreams1 luck-pieces1 certain combinations of numbers or figures1 ordinary or extraordinary events and happenings--these are the means whereby ,god is made to reveal to men secrets and mysteries as absurd as the means1 themselves4 ,surely ,god must have descended from ,his throne of wisdom4 ,strange though it appear1 too little religion--and not too much--leads to these unholy follies4 ,there is a religious instinct in man4 ,true religion satisfies it fully4 ,quack religion1 pious tomfoolery1 and doctrinal ineptitude foisted upon a ,god-hungry people end by driving some from one folly to another in a pitiful attempt to get away from the deceptions of man and near to ,god4 ,others are led on by a sinful curiosity that outweighs their common-sense as well as their respect for ,god4 ,these are the guilty ones4 ,it has been said that there is more superstition--that is belief and dabbling in these inane practices--to-day in one of our large cities than the ,dark ,ages ever was afflicted with4 ,if true1 it is one sign of the world's spiritual unrest1 the decay of unbelief2 and irreligion thus assists at its own disintegration4 ,the ,church swept the pagan world clean of superstition once2 she may soon be called upon to do the work over again4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiv4 ,,occultism4 ,,spiritism as a theory1 a science1 a practice1 a religion1 or--,i might add--a profitable business venture1 is considered an evil thing by the ,church1 and by her is condemned as superstition1 that is1 as a false and unworthy homage to ,god1 belittling ,his majesty and opposed to the ,dispensation of ,christ1 according to which alone ,god can be worthily honored4 ,this evil has many names2 it includes all dabbling in the supernatural against the sanction of ,church authority1 and runs a whole gamut of isms from fake trance-mediums to downright diabolical possession4 ,the craft found favor with the pagans and flourished many years before the ,christian era4 ,wondrous things were wrought by the so-called pythonic spirit2 evidently outside the natural order1 still more evidently not by the agency of ,god1 and of a certainty through the secret workings of the ,old ,boy himself4 ,it was called ,necromancy1 or the ,black ,art4 ,it had attractions for the ,jews and they yielded to some extent to the temptation of consulting the ,python4 ,for this reason ,moses condemned the evil as an abomination4 ,these are his words1 taken from ,deuteronomy3 ,neither let there be found among you any one that consulteth soothsayers1 or observeth dreams and omens2 neither let there be any wizard1 nor charmer1 nor any one that consulteth pythonic spirits or fortune tellers1 or that seeketh the truth from the dead4 ,for the ,lord abhorreth all these things2 and for these abominations ,he will destroy them4 ,the ,black ,art had its votaries during the ,middle ,ages and kept the ,church busy warning the faithful against its dangers and its evils4 ,even so great a name as that of ,albert the ,great has been associated with the dark doings of the wizard1 because1 no doubt1 of the marvelous fruits of his genius and deep learning1 which the ignorant believed impossible to mere human agency4 ,as witchcraft1 it nourished during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries4 ,the excesses to which it gave rise caused severe laws to be enacted against it and stringent measures were taken to suppress it4 ,many were put to death1 sometimes after the most cruel tortures4 ,as is usually the case1 the innocent suffered with the guilty4 ,the history of the early ,new ,england settlers makes good reading on the subject4 ,some people claim that the spiritism of to-day is only a revival of old-time witchery and necromancy1 that it is as prevalent now as it was then1 perhaps more prevalent4 ,only1 as ,father ,lambert remarks1 the witch of to-day instead of going to the stake as formerly1 goes about as ,madam ,so-and-,so1 and is duly advertised in our enlightened press as the great and renowned seeress or clairvoyant1 late from the court of the ,akoorid of ,swat1 more recently from the ,sublime ,porte1 where she was in consultation with the ,sultan of ,turkey1 and more recently still from the principal courts of ,europe4 ,as her stay in the city will be brief1 those who wish to know the past or future or wish to communicate with deceased friends1 are advised to call on her soon4 ,witchcraft is as prevalent as it ever was1 and the witches are as real4 ,they may not have cats on their shoulders or pointed caps1 or broomsticks for quick transit1 but they differ from the witches of the past only in being liberally paid1 instead of liberally punished4 ,the ,church does not deny the possibility of intercourse between the living and the souls of the dead2 she goes farther and admits the fact that such intercourse has taken place1 pointing1 as well she may1 to the ,scriptures themselves wherein such facts are recorded4 ,the lives of her saints are not without proof that this world may communicate with the unknown4 ,and this belief forms the groundwork1 furnishes the basic principles1 of ,spiritism4 ,nevertheless1 the ,church condemns all attempts at establishing such communication between the living and the dead1 or even claiming1 though falsely1 such intercourse4 ,if this is done in the name of religion1 she considers it an insult to ,god1 ,who thereby is trifled with and tempted to a miraculous manifestation of ,himself outside the ordinary channels of revelation4 ,as an instrument of mere human curiosity1 it is criminal1 since it seeks to subject ,him to the beck and call of a creature4 ,in case such practices succeed1 there is the grave danger of being mislead and deceived by the evil spirit1 who is often permitted1 as the instrument of ,god1 to punish guilty men4 ,when resorted to1 as a means of relieving fools of their earnings1 it is sacrilegious2 and those who support such impious humbugs can be excused from deadly sin only on the grounds of lunacy4 ,hypnotism and ,mesmerism differ from ,spiritism in this1 that their disciples account for the phenomena naturally and lay no claim to supernatural intervention4 ,they produce a sleep in the subject1 either as they claim1 by the emanation of a subtile fluid from the operator's body1 or by the influence of his mind over the mind of the subject ,they are agreed on this point1 that natural laws could explain the phenomenon1 if these laws were well understood4 ,with this sort of a thing1 as belonging to the domain of science and outside her domain1 the ,church has nothing whatever to do4 ,this is a theory upon which it behooves men of science to work2 they alone are competent in the premises4 ,but without at all encroaching on their domain1 the ,church claims the right to pronounce upon the morality of such practices and to condemn the evils that flow therefrom4 ,so great are these evils and dangers1 when unscrupulous and ignorant persons take to experimenting1 that able and reliable physicians and statesmen have advocated the prohibition by law of all such indiscriminate practices4 ,crimes have been committed on hypnotized persons and crimes have been committed by them4 ,it is a dangerous power exercised by men of evil mind and a sure means to their evil ends4 ,it is likewise detrimental to physical and moral health4 ,finally1 he who subjects himself to such influence commits an immoral act by giving up his will1 his free agency1 into the hands of another4 ,he does this willingly1 for no one can be hypnotized against his will2 he does it without reason or just motive4 ,this is an evil1 and to it must be added the responsibility of any evil he may be made to commit whilst under this influence4 ,therefore is the ,church wise in condemning the indiscriminate practice of hypnotism or mesmerism2 and therefore will her children be wise if they leave it alone4 ,it is not superstition1 but it is a sin against man's individual liberty over which he is constituted sole guardian1 according to the use and abuse of which he will one day be judged4 ,,chapter ,,xxxv4 ,,christian ,,science4 ,a ,,recently discovered sin against the ,first ,commandment is the worship of ,mrs4 ,eddy1 and it is commonly called ,christian ,science4 ,this sacrilegious humbug was conceived in the brain of an old woman up in ,new ,hampshire and1 like the little demon of error that it is1 it leaped forth1 after a long period of travail1 full-fledged and panoplied1 and on its lips were these words3 ,what fools these mortals be6 ,dame ,eddy gets good returns from the sacrilegio-comic tour of her progeny around the country4 ,intellectual ,boston is at her feet1 and ,boston pays well for its amusements4 ,it is remarkable for an utter lack of anything like ,christianity or science4 ,it is as ,christian as ,buddhism and as scientific as the notions of our early forefathers concerning the automobile4 ,it is a parody on both and like the usual run of parodies1 it is a success4 ,the average man should not attempt to delve down into the mysterious depths of mind and matter which form the basis of this system4 ,in the first place1 it is an impossible task for an ordinary intelligence2 then1 again1 it were labor lost1 for even if one did get down far enough one could get nothing satisfactory out of it4 ,the force of ,eddyism lies in its being mysterious1 incomprehensible and contradictory4 ,these qualities would kill an ordinary system1 but this is no ordinary system4 ,the only way to beat the ,christian ,scientist is to invite him to focus all the energy of his mind on a vulgar lamp-post and engrave thereon the name of the revered ,eddy--this to show the power of mind4 ,then to prove the non-existence of matter1 ask him to consent to your endeavoring to make a material impression on his head with an immaterial hammer4 ,of course this is not what he meant2 but what he did mean will become by no means clearer after the wearisome1 interminable lengths to which he will go to elucidate4 ,the fact is that he does not know it himself1 and no one can give what he does not possess4 ,true philosophy tells us to define terms and never to employ expressions of more than one meaning without saying in what sense we use them4 ,contempt of this rule is the salvation of ,christian ,science1 and that is where we lose4 ,yet there is something in this fad after all4 ,total insanity is never met with outside state institutions1 and these people are at large4 ,the ravings of a delirious patient are often a monstrous mass of wild absurdities2 but1 if you question the patient when convalescent1 you will sometimes be surprised to find they were all founded on facts which had become exaggerated and distorted4 ,there is no such thing as pure unadulterated error4 ,all of which is meant to convey the idea that at the bottom of all fraud and falsehood there is some truth1 and the malice of error is always proportionate with the amount of truth it has perverted4 ,the first truth that has been exaggerated beyond recognition is this1 that a large proportion of human diseases are pure fiction of morbid imaginations1 induced by the power of the mind4 ,that such is the case1 all medical men admit4 ,thus1 the mind may often be used as a therapeutic agent1 and clever physicians never fail to employ this kind of ,christian ,science4 ,mrs4 ,eddy is therefore no more the discoverer of the malade imaginaire than ,moliere4 ,when you' distort this truth and write books proclaiming the fact that all ills are of this sort1 then you have ,eddyism up to date4 ,mrs4 ,eddy gathers her skirts in her hand and leaps over the abyss between some ills and all ills with the agility of a gazelle4 ,yes1 the mind has a wonderful power for healing1 but it will make just as much impression on a broken leg as on a block of granite4 ,so much for the scientific part of the theory4 ,the method of healing of ,jesus ,christ and that of the foundress of ,christian ,science are not one and the same method1 although called by the name of faith they appear at first sight to the unwary to be identical4 ,there is a preliminary act of the intelligence in both2 there is the exercise of the will power2 and a mention of ,god in ,eddyism makes it look like a divine assistance4 ,to the superficial there is no difference between a miracle performed at ,lourdes by ,god at the intercession of the ,blessed ,virgin and a cure effected by the ,widow of ,new ,hampshire hills4 ,yet there is a wide difference1 as wide as the abyss between error and truth4 ,in faith healing1 ,god interposes and alone does the healing4 ,it is a miracle1 a suspension of the ordinary laws of nature4 ,faith is not a cause1 but an essential condition4 ,in ,christian ,science1 it is the mind of the patient or of ,mrs4 ,eddy that does the work4 ,it is ,god only in the sense that ,god is one with the patient4 ,mind is the only thing that exists1 and the human mind is one with the ,mind which is ,god4 ,then again this cure instead of being in opposition to the normal state of things like a miracle1 itself establishes a normal state1 for disease is abnormal and in contradiction with the natural state of man4 ,mental healing1 according to this system sets the machine going regularly2 miracles put it out of order for the moment4 ,christian ,science therefore1 repudiates the healing method of ,jesus by faith and sets up one of its own1 thereby forfeiting all title to be called ,christian4 ,being1 therefore1 neither ,christian nor scientific1 this new cult is nothing but pure nonsense1 like all superstitions2 the product of a diseased mind swayed by the demon of pride1 and should be treated principally as a mental disorder4 ,the chief1 and only1 merit of the system consists in illustrating the truth1 as old as the world1 that when men wander from the ,house where they are fed with a celestial nourishment1 they will be glad to eat any food offered them that has a semblance of food1 even though it be but husks and refuse4 ,man is a religious animal2 take away the true ,god1 and he will adore anything or everything1 even to a cucumber4 ,however limited otherwise1 there is no limit to his religious folly4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvi4 ,,swearing4 ,,thou shalt not take the name of the ,lord1 thy ,god in vain4 ,a name is a sign1 and respect for ,god ,himself1 as prescribed by the ,first ,commandment through faith1 hope1 charity1 prayer and religion1 naturally implies respect for the name that stands for and signifies ,god4 ,your name may1 of itself1 be nothing more than mere sound2 but used in relation to what it represents1 it is as sacred1 and means as much to you1 as your very person1 for whatever is addressed to your name1 whether of praise or blame1 is intended to reach1 and does effectively reach1 yourself1 to your honor or dishonor4 ,you exact therefore of men1 as a right1 the same respect for your name as for your person2 and that is what ,god does in the ,second ,commandment4 ,the name of ,god represents all that ,he is4 ,he who profanes that name profanes a sacred thing1 and is guilty of what is1 in reality1 a sacrilege4 ,to use it with respect and piety is an act of religion which honors ,god4 ,men use and abuse this holy name1 and first of all1 by swearing1 that is1 by taking oaths4 ,in the early history of mankind1 we are told1 swearing was unknown4 ,men were honest1 could trust each other and take each other's word4 ,but when duplicity1 fraud and deception rose out of the corrupt heart of man1 when sincerity disappeared1 then confidence disappeared also1 no man's word was any longer good4 ,then it was that1 in order to put an end to their differences1 they called upon ,god by name to witness the truth of what they affirmed4 ,they substituted ,god's unquestioned veracity for their own questioned veracity1 and incidentally paid homage to ,his truth2 ,god went security for man4 ,necessity therefore made man swear2 oaths became a substitute for honesty4 ,a reverent use of the name of ,god1 for a lawful purpose1 cannot be wrong2 on the contrary1 it is good1 being a public recognition of the greatest of ,god's attributes--truth4 ,but like all good things it is liable to be abused4 ,a too frequent use of the oath will easily lead to irreverence1 and thence to perjury4 ,it is against this danger1 rather than against the fact itself of swearing1 that ,christ warns us in a text that seems at first blush to condemn the oath as evil4 ,the common sense of mankind has always given this interpretation to the words of ,christ4 ,an oath1 therefore1 is a calling upon ,god to witness the truth of what we say1 and it means that we put our veracity on a par with ,his and make ,him shoulder the responsibility of truthfulness4 ,to take an oath we must swear by ,god4 ,to swear by all the saints in the calendar would not make an oath4 ,properly speaking1 it is not even sufficient to simply say3 ,i swear1 we must use the name of ,god4 ,in this matter1 we first consider the words4 ,do they signify a swearing1 by ,god1 either in their natural sense or in their general acceptation8 ,or is there an intention of giving them this signification8 ,in conscience and before ,god1 it is only when there is such an intention that there is a formal oath and one is held to the conditions and responsibilities thereof4 ,bear in mind that we are here dealing for the moment solely with lawful swearing4 ,there are such things as imprecation1 blasphemy1 and general profanity1 of which there will be question later1 and which have this in common with the oath1 that they call on the name of ,god2 the difference is the same that exists between bad and good1 right and wrong4 ,these must therefore be clearly distinguished from religious and legal swearing4 ,there is also a difference between a religious and a legal oath4 ,the religious oath is content with searching the conscience in order to verify the sincerity or insincerity of the swearer4 ,if one really intends to swear by ,god to a certain statement1 and employs certain words to express his intention1 he is considered religiously to have taken an oath4 ,if he pronounces a formula that expresses an oath1 without the intention of swearing1 then he has sworn to nothing4 ,he has certainly committed a sin1 but there is no oath4 ,again1 if a man does not believe in ,god1 he cannot swear by ,him2 and in countries where ,god is repudiated1 all attempts at administering oaths are vain and empty4 ,you cannot call1 to attest the truth of your words1 a being that does not exist1 and for him who does not believe in ,god1 ,he does not exist4 ,the purely legal oath considers the fact and supposes the intention4 ,if you swear without deliberation1 then1 with you lies the burden of proving it2 since the law will allow it only on evidence and will hold you bound until such evidence is shown4 ,when a person is engaged in a serious affair1 he is charitably supposed to know what he is talking about2 if it happens that he does not1 then so much the worse for him4 ,in the case of people who protest beforehand that they are infidels or agnostics1 or who being sworn on the ,new ,testament1 disclaim all belief in ,christ1 there is nothing to be done1 except it be to allow them to attest by the blood of a rooster or by the ,great ,horn ,spoon4 ,then1 whatever way they swear1 there is no harm done4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvii4 ,,oaths4 ,,the first quality of an oath is that it be true4 ,it is evident that every statement we make1 whether simple or sworn1 must be true4 ,if we affirm what we know to be false we lie1 if we swear to what we know to be false1 we perjure ourselves4 ,perjury is a sacrilegious falsehood1 and the first sin against the ,second ,commandment4 ,if1 while firmly believing it to be true1 what we swear to happens to be false1 we are not guilty of perjury1 for the simple reason that our moral certitude places us in good faith1 and good faith guarantees us against offending4 ,the truth we proclaim under oath is relative not absolute1 subjective rather than objective1 that is to say1 the statement we make is true as far as we are in a position to know4 ,all this holds good before the bar of conscience1 but it may be otherwise in the courts where something more than personal convictions1 something more akin to scientific knowledge1 is required4 ,he who swears without sufficient certitude1 without a prudent examination of the facts of the question1 through ignorance that must be imputed to his guilt1 that one takes a rash oath--a sin great or small according to the gravity of the circumstances4 ,it is not infrequently grievous4 ,some oaths1 instead of being statements1 are promises1 sworn promises4 ,that of which we call ,god to witness the truth is not something that is1 but something that will be4 ,if one promises under oath1 and has no intention of redeeming his pledge2 or if he afterwards revokes such an intention without serious reasons1 and fails to make good his sworn promise1 he sins grievously1 for he makes a fool and a liar of ,almighty ,god who acts as sponsor of a false pledge4 ,concerning temperance pledges1 it may here be said that they are simple promises made to ,god1 but not being sworn to1 are not oaths in any sense of the word4 ,then1 again1 to be lawful1 an oath must be necessary or useful1 demanded by the glory of ,god1 our own or our neighbor's good2 and it must be possible to fulfil the promise within the given time4 ,otherwise1 we trifle with a sacred thing1 we are guilty of taking vain and unnecessary oaths4 ,there can be no doubt but that this is highly offensive to ,god1 who is thus made little of in ,his holy name4 ,this is the most frequent offense against the ,second ,commandment1 the sin of profane swearing1 the calling upon ,god to witness the truth of every second word we utter4 ,it betrays in a man a very weak sense of his own honesty when he cannot let his words stand for themselves4 ,it betokens a blasphemous disrespect for ,god ,himself1 represented by that name which is made a convenient tool to further every vulgar end4 ,it is therefore criminal and degrading1 and the guilt thereby incurred cannot be palliated by the plea of habit4 ,a sin is none the less a sin because it is one of a great many4 ,vice is criminal4 ,the victim of a vice can be considered less guilty only on condition of seriously combating that vice4 ,failing in this1 he must bear the full burden of his guilt4 ,are we bound to keep our oaths8 ,if valid1 we certainly are4 ,an oath is valid when the matter thereof is not forbidden or illicit4 ,the matter is illicit when the statement or promise we make is contrary to right4 ,he who binds himself under oath to do evil1 not only does not sin in fulfiling his pledge1 but would sin if he did redeem it4 ,the sin he thus commits may be mortal or venial according to the gravity of the matter of the oath4 ,he sinned in taking the oath2 he sins more grievously in keeping it4 ,the binding force of an oath is also destroyed by fraud and deception4 ,fear may have a kindred effect1 if it renders one incapable of a human act4 ,likewise a former oath may annul a subsequent oath under certain conditions4 ,again1 no man in taking an oath intends to bind himself to anything physically or morally impossible1 or forbidden by his superiors2 he expects that his promise will be accepted by the other party1 that all things will remain unchanged1 that the other party will keep faith1 and that there will be no grave reason for him to change his mind4 ,in the event of any of these conditions failing of fulfilment his intention is not to be held by his sworn word1 and his oath is considered invalidated4 ,he is to be favored in all doubts and is held only to the strict words of his promise4 ,the least therefore we have to do with oaths1 the better4 ,they are things too sacred to trifle with4 ,when necessity demands it1 let our swearing honor the ,almighty by the respect we show ,his holy name4 ,,chapter ,,xxxviii4 ,,vows4 ,,vows are less common than oaths1 and this is something to be thankful for1 since being even more sacred than oaths1 their abuse incidental to frequent usage would be more abominable4 ,the fact that men so far respect the vow as to entirely leave it alone when they feel unequal to the task of keeping it inviolate1 is a good sign--creditable to themselves and honorable to ,god4 ,people have become accustomed to looking upon vows as the exclusive monopoly of the ,catholic ,church and her religious men and women4 ,such things are rarely met with outside monasteries and convents1 except in the case of secular priests4 ',tis true1 one hears tell occasionally of a stray unfortunate who has broken away from a state voluntarily1 deliberately1 chosen and entered upon1 and who struggles through life with a violated vow saddled upon him4 ,but one does not associate the sacred and heroic character of the vow with such pitiable specimens of moral worth4 ,the besom of ,protestant reform thought to sweep all vows off the face of the earth1 as immoral1 unlawful1 unnatural or1 at least1 useless things4 ,the first ,coryphei broke theirs2 and having learned from experience what troublesome things they are1 instiled into their followers a salutary distaste for these solemn engagements that one can get along so well without4 ,from disliking them in themselves1 they came to dislike them in others1 and it has come to this that the ,church has been obliged to defend against the change of immorality an institution that alone makes perfection possible4 ,strange1 this6 ,more sad than strange4 ,first of all1 what is a vow8 ,it is a deliberate promise made to ,god by which we bind ourselves to do something good that is more pleasing to ,him than its omission would be4 ,it differs from a promissory oath in this1 that an oath makes ,god a witness of a promise made to a third party1 while in a vow there is no third party1 the promise being made directly to ,god4 ,in a violated oath1 we break faith with man2 in a broken vow1 we are faithless to ,god4 ,the vow is more intimate than the oath1 and although sometimes the words are taken one for the other1 in meaning they are widely different4 ,resolutions or purposes1 such as we make in confession never to sin again1 or in moments of fervor to perform works of virtue1 are not vows4 ,a promise made to the ,blessed ,virgin or the saints is not a vow2 it must be made directly to ,god ,himself4 ,a promise made to ,god to avoid mortal sin is not a vow1 in the strict sense of the word2 or rather such a promise is outside the ordinary province of the vow1 which naturally embraces works of supererogation and counsel4 ,it is unnecessary and highly imprudent to make such promises under vow4 ,a promise to commit sin is a blasphemous outrage4 ,if what we promise to do is something indifferent1 vain and useless1 opposed to evangelical counsels or generally less agreeable to ,god than the contrary1 our promise is null and void as far as the having the character of a vow is concerned4 ,of course1 in taking a vow we must know what we are doing and be free to act or not to act4 ,if then the object of the vow is matter on which a vow may validly be taken1 we are bound in conscience to keep our solemn engagement4 ,what we forbid ourselves to do may be perfectly lawful and innocent1 but by that vow we forfeit the right we had to do it1 and for us it has become sinful4 ,the peculiar position in which a vow places a man in relation to his fellow-men concerning what is right and wrong1 is the characteristic of the vow that makes it the object of much attention4 ,but it requires something lacking in the outfit of an intelligent man to perceive therein anything that savors of the unnatural1 the unlawful or the immoral4 ,concerning those whom a vow has constituted in a profession1 we shall have a word to say later4 ,right here the folly1 to say nothing stronger1 of those who contract vows without thinking1 must be apparent to all4 ,no one should dare take upon himself or herself such a burden of his or her own initiative4 ,it is an affair that imperiously demands the services of an outside1 disinterested1 experienced party1 whose prudence will well weigh the conditions and the necessity of such a step4 ,without this1 there is no end to the possible misery and dangers the taking of a vow may lead to4 ,if through an act of unthinking foolishness or rash presumption1 you find yourself weighed down with the incubus of a vow not made for your shoulders1 the only way out is to make a clean breast of the matter to your confessor1 and follow his directions4 ,,chapter ,,xxxix4 ,,the ,,professional ,,vows4 ,,the professional vow is a triple one1 and embraces the three great evangelical counsels of perfect chastity1 poverty and obedience4 ,the cloister is necessary for the observance of such engagements as these1 and it were easier for a lily to flourish on the banks of the ,dead ,sea1 or amid the fiery blasts of the ,sahara1 than for these delicate flowers of spirituality to thrive in the midst of the temptations1 seductions and passions of the every day world of this life4 ,necessity makes a practice of these virtues a profession4 ,it is good to be chaste1 good to be obedient1 good to be voluntarily poor4 ,what folly1 then1 to say that it is unlawful to bind oneself by promises of this kind1 since it is lawful to be good--the only thing that is lawful6 ,it is not unlawful1 if you will1 to possess riches1 to enjoy one's independence1 to wed2 but there is virtue in foregoing these pleasures1 and virtue is better than its defect1 and it is no more unlawful to do better than to do good4 ,if it is lawful to contract a solemn engagement with man1 why not with ,god8 ,if it is lawful for a short time1 why not for a long time8 ,if it is lawful for two years1 why not for ten1 and a lifetime6 ,the engagement is no more unlawful itself than that to which we engage ourselves4 ,the zealous guardians of the rights of man protest that1 nevertheless1 vows destroy man's liberty1 and should therefore be forbidden1 and the profession suppressed4 ,it is along this line that the governmental machine is being run in ,france at present4 ,if the vow destroys liberty1 these fanatics are doing what appears dangerously near being the same thing4 ,there is a decided advantage in being your own slave-master over having another perform that service for you4 ,if ,i do something which before ,god and my conscience ,i have a perfect right to do1 if ,i do it with deliberate choice and affection1 it is difficult to see wherein my liberty suffers4 ,again1 if ,i decide not to marry--a right that every man certainly has--and in this situation engage myself by vow to observe perfect chastity--which ,i must do to retain the friendship of ,god--,i do not see how ,i forfeit my liberty by swearing away a right ,i never had4 ,in all cases1 the more difficult an enterprise a man enters upon and pursues to a final issue1 the more fully he exercises his faculty of free will4 ,and since the triple vow supposes nothing short of heroism in those who take it1 it follows that they must use the very plenitude of their liberty to make the thing possible4 ,the cui bono is the next formidable opponent the vow has to contend with4 ,what's the good of it8 ,where is the advantage in leading such an impossible existence when a person can save his soul without it8 ,all are not damned who refuse to take vows4 ,is it not sufficient to be honest men and women8 ,that depends upon what you mean by an honest man4 ,a great saint once said that an honest man would certainly not be hanged1 but that it was by no means equally certain that he would not be damned4 ,a man may do sundry wicked and crooked things and not forfeit his title to be called honest4 ,the majority of ,satan's subjects were probably honest people in their day4 ,the quality of being an honest man1 according to many people1 consists in having the privilege of doing a certain amount of wickedness without prejudice to his eternal salvation4 ,the philosophy of this class of people is summed up in these words3 ,do little and get much2 make a success of life from the standpoint of your own selfishness1 and then sneak into heaven almost by stealth and fraud4 ,that is one way of doing business with the ,lord4 ,but1 there are greater things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy1 ,horatio4 ,human natures differ as much as pebbles on the sea shore4 ,one man's meat has often proven poison to another4 ,in the religion of ,jesus ,christ there is something more than the ,commandments given to ,moses4 ,love of ,god has degrees of intensity and perfection4 ,such words as sacrifice1 mortification1 self-denial have a meaning as they have always had4 ,god gives more to some1 less to others2 ,he demands corresponding returns4 ,these are things ,horatio ignores4 ,yet they are real1 real as his own empty and conceited wisdom4 ,,chapter ,,xl4 ,,the ,,profession4 ,,one of the advantages of the monastic life1 created by vows1 is that it is wholly in keeping with human nature such as ,god created it4 ,men differ in their spiritual complexion more widely even than they do in mental caliber and physical make-up4 ,all are not fitted by character and general condition for the same 'career2 we are cut out for our peculiar tasks4 ,it is the calling of one to be a soldier1 of another to be a statesman1 because each is best fitted by nature for this particular walk of life4 ,the born poet1 if set to put together a machine1 will1 in the majority of cases1 make a sorry mess of the job1 and a bricklayer will usually prove to be an indifferent story-writer4 ,so also one is called to be a good ,christian1 while his brother may be destined for a more perfect life4 ,if there are vocations in the natural life1 why should there not be in the supernatural1 which is just as truly a life8 ,if variety of aptitudes and likes determine difference of calling1 why should this not hold good for the soul as well as for the body and mind8 ,if one should always follow the bent of one's legitimately natural inclinations1 no fault can reasonably be found if another hearkens to the voice of his soul's aspirations and elect a career in harmony with his nature4 ,there are two roads on which all men must travel to their destiny4 ,one is called the way of ,precept1 the other the way of ,counsel4 ,in each the advantages and inconveniences are about equally balanced4 ,the former is wide and level with many joys and pleasures along the way2 but there are many pitfalls and stumbling blocks1 while on one side is a high1 steep precipice over which men fall to their eternal doom4 ,those destined by ,providence to go over this road are spiritually shod for the travel2 if they slip and tumble1 it is through their own neglect4 ,some there are to whom it has been shown by experience--very little sometimes suffices--that they have1 for reasons known alone to ,god1 been denied the shoe that does not slip2 and that if they do not wish to go over the brink1 they must get off the highway and follow a path removed from this danger1 a path not less difficult but more secure for them4 ,their salvation depends on it4 ,this inside path1 while it insures safety for these1 might lead the others astray4 ,each in his respective place will be saved2 if they exchange places1 they are lost4 ,then again1 if you will look at it from another standpoint1 there remains still on earth such a thing as love of ,god1 pure love of ,god4 ,and this love can be translated into acts and life4 ,love1 as all well know1 has its degrees of intensity and perfection4 ,all well-born children love their parents1 but they do not all love them in the same degree4 ,some are by nature more affectionate1 some appreciate favors better1 some receive more and know that more is expected of them4 ,in like manner1 we who are all children of the ,great ,father are not all equally loving and generous4 ,what therefore is more natural than that some should choose to give themselves up heart1 soul and body to the exclusive service of ,god8 ,what is there abnormal in the fact that they renounce the world and all its joys and legitimate pleasures1 fast1 pray and keep vigil1 through pure love of ,god8 ,there is only one thing they fear1 and that is to offend ,god4 ,by their vows they put this misfortune without the pale of possibility1 as far as such a thing can be done by a creature endowed with free will4 ,of course there are those for whom all this is unmitigated twaddle and bosh4 ,to mention abnegation1 sacrifice1 etc41 to such people is to speak in a language no more intelligible than ,sanskrit4 ,naturally one of these will expect his children to appreciate the sacrifices he makes for their happiness1 but with ,god they think it must be different4 ,there was once a young man who was rich4 ,he had never broken the ,commandments of ,god4 ,wondering if he had done enough to be saved1 he came to the ,messiah and put the question to ,him4 ,the answer he received was1 that1 if he were sinless1 he had done well1 but that there was a sanctity1 not negative but positive1 which if he would acquire1 would betoken in him a charity becoming a follower of a ,crucified ,god4 ,christ called the young man to a life of perfection4 ,if thou wilt be perfect1 go1 sell what thou hast1 give to the poor1 then come1 and follow me4 ,it is not known whether this invitation was accepted by the young man2 but ever since then it has been the joy of men and women in the ,catholic ,church to accept it1 and to give up all in order to serve the ,maker4 ,scoffers and revilers of monasticism are a necessary evil4 ,being given the course of nature that sometimes runs to freaks1 they must exist4 ,living1 they must talk1 and talking they must utter ineptitudes4 ,people always do when they discourse on things they do not comprehend4 ,but let this be our consolation3 monks are immortal4 ,they were1 they are1 they ever shall be4 ,all else is grass4 ,,chapter ,,xli4 ,,the ,,religious4 ,,owing to the disturbance over things religious in ,france1 vows and those who exemplify them in their lives are receiving of late a large share of public attention4 ,on this topic1 it seems1 every one is qualified to speak2 all sorts of opinions have been ventilated in the religious1 the non-religious1 and the irreligious press1 for the benefit of those who are interested in this pitiful spasm of ,gallic madness against the ,almighty and ,his ,church4 ,the measure of unparalleled tyranny and injustice1 in which antipathy to religious orders has found expression1 is being favorably and unfavorably commented upon4 ,but since monks1 friars and nuns seldom find favor with the non ,catholic world1 the general verdict is that the religious1 like the anarchist1 must go2 society is afraid of both and is safe from neither4 ,to ,catholics who understand human nature and have read history1 this condition of things is not surprising2 it is1 we might venture to say1 the normal state of mind in relation to things so intensely ,catholic is religious vows4 ,antagonism against monasticism was born the day ,luther decided to take a wife2 and as long as that same spirit lingers on earth we shall expect this antagonism to thrive and prosper4 ,not only that1 but we shall never expect the religious to get a fair hearing for their cause4 ,the hater1 open or covert1 of the habit and cowl is whole-souled or nothing in his convictions4 ,and he believes the devil should be fought with his own weapons4 ,we do not expect all men to think as we do concerning the merits of the religious profession4 ,to approve it without restriction would be to approve the ,church4 ,to find no wrong in it would be indicative of a dangerous ,romish tendency4 ,and we are not prepared to assert that any such symptoms exist to an alarming extent in those who expatiate on religious topics these latter days4 ,there will be differences of opinion on this score1 as on many others1 and one fellow's opinion is as good1 to himself1 as another's4 ,there are even objections1 to many an honest man1 serious objections1 that may be brought up and become legitimate matter for discussion4 ,we take it for granted that intelligent men do not oppose an institution as venerable as monasticism without reasons4 ,contention between people who respect intelligence is always based on what has at least a semblance of truth1 and has for its object to detect reality and label it as distinct from appearance4 ,we go farther1 and admit that there have been abuses in this system of perfection1 abuses that we were the first to detect1 the first to deplore and feel the shame of it4 ,but before we believed it1 we investigated and made sure it was so4 ,we found out very often that the accusations were false4 ,scandalmongers and dishonest critics noted the charges1 but forgot to publish the verdict1 and naturally with the public these charges stand4 ,no wonder then that such tales breed antipathy and hatred among those who are not in position to control facts4 ,a queer feature about this is that people do not give religious credit for being human4 ,that they are flesh and blood1 all agree2 that they should err1 is preposterous4 ,a hue-and-cry goes up when it becomes known that one of these children of ,adam has paid the penalty of being human4 ,one would think an angel had fallen from heaven4 ,we notice in this attitude an unconscious recognition of the sanctity of the religious state2 but we see behind it a ,pharisaic spirit that exaggerates evil at the expense of justice4 ,now1 if the principle that abuse destroys use is applied to all things1 nothing will remain standing1 and the best will go first4 ,corruptio optimi pessima4 ,everything human is liable to abuse2 that which is not1 is divine4 ,religious and laymen1 mortals all1 the only time it is beyond our power to do wrong is when we are dead1 buried1 and twenty-four hours underground4 ,if in life we make mistakes1 the fault lies1 not in our being of this or that profession1 but in being human4 ,whatever1 therefore1 the excesses that religious can be proven guilty of1 the institution itself must not be held responsible1 unless it can be shown that there exists a relation of cause and effect4 ,and whoever reasons otherwise1 abuses the intelligence of his listeners4 ,we desire1 in the name of honesty and fairness1 to see less of that spirit that espies all manner of evil beneath the habit of a religious2 that discovers in convents and monasteries plotting against the ,state in favor of the ,papacy1 the accumulation of untold wealth by oppression and extortion for the satisfaction of laziness and lust1 iniquity of the deepest dye allied to general worthlessness4 ,common sense goes a long way in this world4 ,if it were only a less rare commodity1 and if an effective tribunal could be erected for the suppression of mendacity1 the religious would appear for the first time in history in their true colors before the world1 and light would shine in darkness4 ,,chapter ,,xlii4 ,,the ,,vow ,,of ,,poverty4 ,,one objection to the vow of poverty that has a serious face on it1 and certainly looks wicked1 is that it does not prevent the accumulation of great wealth1 as may be seen in the cases of the ,philippine ,friars and the ,french orders4 ,this is one difficulty2 here is another and quite different3 the wealth of the religious is excessive1 detrimental to the well-being of the people and a menace to the ,state4 ,taken separately1 it is easy to dispose of these charges and to explain them away4 ,but if you put them together in one loose1 vague1 general imputation of avarice1 extortion and injustice1 and hurl the same at a person unable to make distinctions1 the shock is apt to disconcert him for a moment4 ,the first indictment seems to hint at a contradiction1 or at least an incompatibility1 between the profession of poverty and the fact of possessing wealth4 ,we claim that the one does not affect the' other1 that a religious may belong to a rich order and still keep his vow inviolate4 ,the vow in the religious is individual and personal2 the riches collective4 ,it is the physical person that is poor2 the moral being has the wealth4 ,men may club together1 put their means into a common fund1 renounce all personal claim thereto1 live on a meagre revenue and employ the surplus for various purposes other than their needs4 ,the personal poverty of such as these is real4 ,this is the case of the religious4 ,personally they do not own the clothes on their backs4 ,the necessaries of life are furnished them out of a common fund4 ,what remains1 goes through their hands for the glory of ,god and in charity to fellow-man4 ,the employment to which these men devote their lives1 such as prayer1 charity1 the maintenance and conducting of schools and hospitals1 is not lucrative to any great extent4 ,and since very few ,orders resort to begging1 the revenue from capital is the only means of assuring existence4 ,it is therefore no more repugnant for religious to depend on funded wealth than it was for the ,apostolic ,college to have a common purse4 ,the secret reason for this condition of things is that works of zeal rarely yield abundant returns1 and man cannot live on the air of heaven4 ,as to the extent of such wealth and its dangers1 it would seem that if it be neither ill gotten nor employed for illegitimate purposes1 in justice and equity1 there cannot be two opinions on the subject4 ,every human being has a right to the fruit of his industry and activity4 ,to deny this is to advocate extreme socialism and anarchy and1 he who puts this doctrine into practice1 destroys the principle on which society rests4 ,the law that strikes at religious corporations whose wealth accrues from centuries of toil and labor1 may to-morrow consistently confiscate the goods and finances of every other corporation in the realm4 ,if you force the religious out of land and home1 why not force ,morgan1 ,rockefeller ,co41 out of theirs6 ,the justice in one case is as good as in the other4 ,it is difficult to see how the people suffer from accumulated wealth1 the revenues from which are almost entirely devoted to the relief of misery and the instruction of the ignorant4 ,the people are the sole beneficiaries4 ,there is here none of the arrogance and selfishness that usually characterize the possession of wealth to the embitterment of misery and misfortune4 ,the religious1 by their vow and their means1 can share the condition of the poor and relieve it4 ,if there is any institution better calculated to promote the well-being of the common people1 it should be put to work4 ,when the moneyed combinations whose rights are respected1 show themselves as little prejudicial to the welfare of the classes1 the religious will be prepared to go out of existence4 ,everyone is inclined to accept as true the statement1 on record as official1 that the wealth of the ,religious ,orders in ,france is at the bottom of the trouble4 ,we are not therefore a little astonished to learn from other sources that it is rather their poverty1 which is burdensome to the people4 ,the religious are not too rich1 but too poor4 ,they cannot support themselves1 and live on the enforced charity of the laborer4 ,french parents1 not being equal to the task of maintaining monasteries and supporting large families1 limited the number of their children4 ,the population fell off in consequence4 ,the government came to the relief of the people and cast out the religious4 ,and here we have the beautiful consistency of those who believe that any old reason is better than none at all4 ,the religious are too poor1 their poverty is a burden on the people2 the religious are too rich1 their riches are prejudicial to the welfare of the people4 ,one reason is good2 two are better4 ,if they contradict1 it is only a trifling matter4 ,as for us1 we don't know quite where we stand4 ,we can hear well enough1 amid the din of denunciation1 the conclusion that the religious must go2 but we cannot1 for the life of us1 catch the why and wherefore4 ,is it because they are too poor8 or because they are too rich8 or because they are both8 ,we might be justified in thinking3 because they are neither1 but because they are what they are-- religious1 devoted to the ,church and champions of ,her cause4 ,this reason is at least as good as the two that contradict and destroy each other4 ,in this sense1 is monastic poverty a bad and evil thing8 ,,chapter ,,xliii4 ,,the ,,vow ,,of ,,obedience4 ,,what kind of obedience is that which makes religious unwilling to acknowledge any superior but the ,pope8 ,we have been confidently informed this is the ground given in several instances for their removal4 ,and we confess that1 if the words acknowledge and superior are used in certain of the meanings they undoubtedly have1 there is good and sufficient ground for such removal4 ,at the same time we submit that the foregoing phrase is open to different interpretations of meaning1 several of which would make out this measure of repression to be one of rank injustice4 ,the studied misrule and abuse of language serves a detestable purpose that is only too evident4 ,a charge like the above is true and false1 that is to say1 it is neither true nor false2 it says nothing1 unless explained1 or unless you make it say what you wish4 ,it is a sure1 safe1 but cowardly way of destroying an enemy without being obliged to admit the guilt to oneself4 ,now the religious1 and ,catholic laity as well1 never think of acknowledging1 in the full acceptation of the word1 any other spiritual superior than the ,pope1 and there can be nothing in this deserving repression4 ,again1 no ,catholic may consistently with ,catholic principles1 refuse to accept as legitimate the legally constituted authority of the country in which he resides4 ,as to a man's views on the different forms of government1 that is nobody's business but his own4 ,but whether he approves or disapproves in theory1 his life and conduct must conform with the laws justly enacted under the form of ,government that happens to be accepted4 ,to depart from this rule is to go counter to ,catholic teaching1 and no religious order does so without incurring strict censure4 ,the vow of obedience in a religious respects ,caesar as well as ,god4 ,it cannot validly bind one to violate the laws of ,state any more than to violate the law of ,god4 ,this vow does not even concern itself with civil and political matters2 by it the religious alone is affected1 the citizen looks out for himself4 ,but the citizen is already bound by his conscience and the laws of the ,church to respect and obey lawful authority4 ,a good religious is a good citizen1 and he cannot be the former1 if he is not the latter4 ,as a mere ,catholic1 he is more liable to be always found on the side of good citizenship1 because in his religion he is taught1 first of all1 to respect authority on which all his religious convictions are based4 ,there is a natural tendency in a ,protestant1 who will have nothing to do with authority in spiritual matters1 to bring this state of mind over with him into temporary affairs2 being self-willed in greater things1 he is fore-inclined to be self-willed in lesser4 ,the ,catholic and1 for a greater reason1 the religious knows less of this temptation2 and the better ,catholic and religious he is1 the farther removed he is from possible revolt against1 or even disrespect of1 authority4 ,against but one ,order of all those repressed can the charge of insubordination be brought with any show of truth4 ,the ,assumptionists made the mistake of thinking that they could with impunity criticise the doings of the ,government1 just as it is done in ,paris every day by the boulevard press4 ,it is generally conceded that1 considering the well-known attitude of the ,government towards the order1 this was a highly imprudent course for a religious paper to pursue4 ,but their right to do so is founded on the privilege of free speech4 ,it takes very little to find abuse of free speech in the utterances of the clergy or religious in ,france4 ,they are safe only when they are silent4 ,if there were less docility and more defiance in their attitude1 if the ,french ,catholics relied less on ,god and more on man for redress1 they would receive more justice than they have been receiving4 ,the punishment meted out to the religious for their insubordination has had1 we are told1 a doleful effect on the temporal power of the ,pope1 an interesting patch of which has been broken up by the new ,french law4 ,it is a mystery to us how this law can affect the temporal power of the ,pope any more than the political status of ,timbuctoo4 ,it is passably difficult to make an impression on what has ceased to exist these thirty years4 ,we thought the temporal power was dead4 ,this bit of news has been dinned into our ears until we have come to believe4 ,no conference1 synod or council is considered by our dissenting friends without a good strong sermon on this topic4 ,strange that it should resurrect just in time to lose an interesting patch of itself6 ,this is cruelty4 ,why not respect the grave8 ,we recommend the perusal of the obituary of the temporal power written in ,italian politics since the year #ahgj4 ,we believe the tomb is carefully guarded4 ,,chapter ,,xliv4 ,,the ,,vow ,,of ,,chastity4 ,,religious are sometimes called celibates4 ,now1 a celibate1 one of the bachelor persuasion1 is a person who considers himself or herself good enough company in this life1 and chooses single blessedness in preference to the not unmixed joys of wedlock4 ,this alone is sufficient to make one a celibate1 and nothing more is required4 ,religious do not wed2 but1 specifically1 that is all there is in common between them4 ,all celibates are not chaste2 celibacy is not necessarily chastity1 by a large majority4 ,unless something other than selfishness suggests this choice of life1 the word is apt to be a misnomer for profligacy4 ,and one who takes the vow of celibacy does not break it by sinning against the ,sixth ,commandment2 he is true to it until he weds4 ,the religious vow is something more than this4 ,again1 chastity1 by itself1 does not properly designate the state of religious men and women4 ,chastity is moral purity1 but purity is a relative term1 and admits of many degrees4 ,it is perfect or imperfect4 ,there is a conjugal chastity2 while in single life1 it may concern itself with the body1 with or without reference to the mind and heart4 ,chastity reaches its highest form when it excludes everything carnal1 what is lawful as well as what is unlawful1 thoughts and desires as well as deeds4 ,this is the chastity that is proper to religious1 and it is more correctly called virginity4 ,this is the natural state of spirits who have no bodies2 cultivated in the frail flesh of children of ,adam1 it is the most delicate flower imaginable4 ,considering the incessant struggle it supposes in those who take such a vow against the spirit within us that is so strong1 the taking and keeping of it indicate a degree of fortitude little short of heroism4 ,only the few1 and that few relying wholly on the grace of ,god1 can aspire to this state4 ,from a spiritual point of view1 there can be no question as to the superiority of this state of life over all others4 ,the teaching of ,st4 ,paul to the ,corinthians is too plain to need any comment1 not to mention the example of ,christ1 ,his ,blessed ,mother1 ,his disciples and all those who in the course of time have loved ,god best and served ,him most generously4 ,prescinding from all spiritual considerations and looking at things through purely human eyes1 vows of this sort must appear prejudicial to the propagation of the species4 ,in fact1 they go against the law of nature which says3 increase and multiply1 so we are told4 ,if that law is natural as well as positive1 it is certain that it applies to man collectively1 and not individually4 ,it is manifested only in the instinct that makes this duty a pleasure4 ,where the inclination is lacking1 the obligation is not obvious4 ,that which is repugnant is not natural1 in any true sense of the word2 whether this repugnance be of the intellectual or spiritual order1 it matters not1 for our nature is spiritual as truly as it is animal4 ,the law of nature forces no man into a state that is not in harmony with his sympathies and affections4 ,nevertheless1 it must be admitted that to a certain extent the race suffers numerically from an institution that fosters abstention from marriage4 ,to what extent1 is an entirely different question4 ,not all laymen marry4 ,it is safe to say that the vast majority of religious men1 vow or no vow1 would never wed2 so that the vow is not really to blame for their state1 and the consequences thereof4 ,as for women1 statistics show it to be impossible for all to marry since their number exceeds that of men4 ,now1 marriage with the fair sex1 is very often a matter of competition4 ,talent1 beauty1 character1 disposition and accomplishments play a very active role in the acquisition of a husband4 ,considering that the chances of those who seek refuge under the veil are not of the poorest1 since they are the fairest and best endowed of our daughters1 it would seem to follow that their act is a charity extended to their less fortunate sisters who are thereby aided to success1 instead of being doomed to failure by the insufficiency of their own qualifications4 ,be this as it may1 what we most strenuously object to1 is that vows be held responsible for the sins of others4 ,in some countries and sections of countries1 the population is almost stationary in marked contrast to that of others4 ,looking for the cause for this unnatural phenomenon1 there are who see it in the spread of monasticism1 with its vow of chastity4 ,they fail to remark that not numerous1 but large families are the best sign of vigor in a nation4 ,impurity1 not chastity1 is the enemy of the race4 ,instead of warring against those whose lives are pure1 why not destroy that monster that is gnawing at the very vitals of the race1 sapping its strength at the very font of life1 that modern ,moloch1 to whom fashionable society offers sacrifice more abominable than the hecatombs of ,carthage4 ,this iniquity1 rampant wherever the sense of ,god is absent1 and none other1 is the cause which some people do not see because they have good reasons for not wanting to see4 ,it is very convenient to have someone handy to accuse of one's own faults4 ,it is too bad that the now almost extinct race of ,puritans did not have a few monks around to blame for the phenomenon of their failure to keep abreast of the race4 ,if celibacy1 therefore1 means untrammeled vice1 and marriage degenerates into ,new ,englandism1 the world will get along better with less of both4 ,vows1 if they have no other merit1 respect at least the law of ,god1 and this world is run according to that law4 ,,chapter ,,xlv4 ,,blasphemy4 ,,to blaspheme is to speak ill of ,god2 blasphemy is an utterance derogatory to the respect and honor due to ,god4 ,primarily1 it is a sin of the tongue2 but1 like all other sins1 it draws its malice from the heart4 ,thus1 a thought may be blasphemous1 even though the blasphemy remain unexpressed2 and a gesture1 oftentimes more expressive than a word1 may contain all the malice of blasphemy4 ,this impiety therefore may be committed in thought1 in word and in deed4 ,blasphemy addresses itself directly to ,god1 to ,his attributes and perfections which are denied1 or ridiculed2 to ,jesus ,christ and the ,blessed ,sacrament2 indirectly1 through ,his ,mother and ,his saints1 through ,holy ,scripture and religion1 through the ,church and her ministers in their quality of ministers1--all of which1 being intimately and inseparably connected with the idea of ,god1 cannot be vilified without the honor of ,god being affected2 and1 consequently1 all contempt and irreverence addressed to them1 takes on the nature of blasphemy4 ,an indirect sin of blasphemy is less enormous than a direct offense1 but the difference is in degree1 not in kind4 ,all error that affects ,god directly1 or indirectly through sacred things1 is blasphemy whether the error consist in a denial of what is true1 or an attribution of what is false4 ,contempt1 ridicule1 scoffing and sneering1 where are concerned the ,holy and things holy1 are blasphemous4 ,he also blasphemes who attributes to a creature what belongs to ,god alone1 or can be said only of holy things1 who drags down the sacred to the level of the profane4 ,revilings against ,god are happily rare2 when met with1 they are invariably the mouthings of self-styled atheists or infidels whose sanity is not always a patent fact4 ,heretics are usually blasphemous when they treat of anything outside ,jesus ,christ and the ,bible2 and not even ,christ and ,scripture escape1 for often their ideas and utterances concerning both are as injurious to ,god as they are false and erroneous4 ,finally1 despair and anger not infrequently find satisfaction in abusing ,god and all that pertains to ,him4 ,nothing more abominable can be conceived than this evil1 since it attacks1 and is in opposition to1 ,god ,himself4 ,and nothing shows up its malice so much as the fact that blasphemy is the natural product and offspring of hate2 it goes to the limit of human power in revolt against the ,maker4 ,it is1 however1 a consolation to know that1 in the majority of cases1 blasphemy is found where faith is wanting or responsibility absent1 for it may charitably be taken for granted that if the blasphemer really knew what he was saying1 he would rather cut out his tongue than repeat it4 ,so true is it that the salvation of many depends almost as much on their own ignorance as on the grace of ,god4 ,there is a species of blasphemy1 not without its degree of malice1 found sometimes in people who are otherwise ,god-fearing and religious4 ,when ,he visits them with affliction and adversity1 their self-conscious righteousness goes out and seeks ,comparison with prosperous ungodliness1 and forthwith comments on strange fact of the deserving suffering while the undeserving are spared4 ,they remark to themselves that the wicked always succeed1 and entertain a strong suspicion that if they were as bad as others certain things would not happen4 ,all this smacks dangerously of revolt against the ,providence of ,god4 ,job's problem is one that can be solved only by faith and a strong spiritual sense4 ,he who has it not is liable to get on the wrong side in the discussion2 and it is difficult to go very far on that side without finding ,providence at fault and thus becoming guilty of blasphemy4 ,for1 to mention partiality in the same breath with ,god's care of the universe1 is to deny ,him4 ,the daily papers1 a few years ago1 gave public notoriety to two instances of blasphemy1 and their very remarkable punishment1 for it is impossible not to see the hand of ,god in what followed so close upon the offending4 ,a desperate gambler called upon the ,almighty to strike him dumb1 if in the next deal a certain card turned up4 ,it did turn up1 and at the last accounts the man had not yet spoken4 ,another cast from his door a vendor of images and crucifixes with a curse and the remark that he would rather have the devil in his house than a crucifix4 ,the very next day1 he became the father of what came as near being the devil as anything the doctors of that vicinity ever saw4 ,these are not ,sunday-school stories invented to frighten children2 the facts occurred1 and were heralded broadcast throughout the land4 ,despair urged the first unfortunate to defy the ,almighty4 ,in the other 'twas hatred for the ,church that honors the image of ,christ crucified as one honors the portrait of a mother4 ,the blasphemy in the second case reached ,god as effectively as in the first1 and the outrage contained in both is of an order that human language is incapable of qualifying4 ,,chapter ,,xlvi4 ,,cursing4 ,,to bless one is not merely to wish that one well1 but also to invoke good fortune upon his head1 to recommend him to the ,giver of all goods4 ,so1 too1 cursing1 damning1 imprecation1 malediction--synonymous terms-- is stronger than evil wishing and desiring4 ,he who acts thus invokes a spirit of evil1 asks ,god to visit ,his wrath upon the object cursed1 to inflict death1 damnation1 or other ills4 ,there is consequently in such language at least an implicit calling upon ,god1 for the evil invoked is invoked of ,god1 either directly or indirectly4 ,and that is why the ,second ,commandment concerns itself with cursing4 ,thus it will be seen that this abuse of language offends against religion and charity as well4 ,to the malice of calling down evil upon a brother's head is added the impiety of calling upon ,god to do it1 to curse when ,he should be prayed to bless4 ,of course all depends on what is the object of our imprecations4 ,one species of this vice contains blasphemy pure and simple1 that is1 a curse which attains something that refers to ,god in an especial manner1 and as such is cursed4 ,the idea of ,god cannot be separated from that of the soul1 of faith1 of the ,church1 etc4 ,malediction addressed to them reaches ,god1 and contains all the malice of blasphemy4 ,when the malediction falls on creatures1 without any reference to their relationship to ,god1 we have cursing in its proper form with a special malice of its own4 ,directly1 charity alone is violated1 but charity has obligations which are binding under pain of mortal sin4 ,no man can sin against himself or against his neighbor without offending ,god4 ,a curse may be1 and frequently is1 emphasized with a vow or an oath4 ,one may solemnly promise ,god in certain contingencies that he will damn another to hell2 or he may call upon ,god to witness his execrations4 ,the malice of two specific sins is here accumulated1 the offense is double in this one abominable utterance2 nothing can be conceived more horrible1 unless it be the indifferent frequency with which it is perpetrated4 ,the guilt incurred by those who thus curse and damn1 leaving aside the scandal which is thereby nearly always given1 is naturally measured by the degree of advertence possessed by such persons4 ,supposing full deliberation1 to curse a fellow-man or self1 if the evil invoked be of a serious nature1 is a mortal sin4 ,passion or habit may excuse1 if the movement is what is called a first movement1 that is1 a mechanical utterance without reflection or volition2 also1 if the habit has been retracted and is in process of reform4 ,if neither damnation nor death nor infamy nor any major evil is invoked1 the sin may be less grievous1 but sin it always is4 ,if the object anathematized is an animal1 a thing1 a vice1 etc41 there may be a slight sin or no sin at all4 ,some things deserved to be cursed4 ,in damning others1 there may be disorder enough to constitute a venial sin1 without any greater malice4 ,considering the case of a man who1 far removed from human hearing1 should discover too late1 his forgetfulness to leave the way clear between a block and a fast-descending and ponderous ax1 and1 in a fit of acute discomfort and uncontrollable feeling consequential to such forgetfulness1 should consign block1 ax1 and various objects in the immediate vicinity to the nethermost depths of ,stygian darkness3 in such a case1 we do not think there would be sin4 ,on the other hand1 they in whose favor such attenuating circumstances do not militate1 do the office of the demons4 ,these latter can do nothing but curse and heap maledictions upon all who do not share their lot4 ,to damn is the office of the damned4 ,it is therefore fitting that those who cease not to damn while on earth be condemned to damn eternally and be damned in the next life4 ,and if it is true that the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart1 to what but to hell can be compared the inner soul of him whose delight consists in vomiting forth curses and imprecations upon his fellow-men8 ,,chapter ,,xlvii4 ,,profanity4 ,,profanity is not a specific sin4 ,under this general head come all blasphemy1 false1 rash1 unjust and unnecessary oaths1 rash and violated vows1 and cursing3--called profanity1 because in each case the name of ,god is profaned1 that is to say1 is made less holy1 by its application to unworthy objects and in unbecoming circumstances2 profanity1 because it has to do with the ,holy ,name1 and not profanation1 which looks to sacred things4 ,although language lends itself to many devices and is well nigh inexhaustible in its resources1 this category of sins of profanity embraces about all modes of offending against the ,holy ,name1 and consequently against the ,second ,commandment4 ,we have already examined the different species of profanity4 ,but it is not always easy to classify certain utterances and expressions that savour of profanity1 to determine the specific nature of their malice1 especially the guilt incurred by the speaker4 ,first of all1 the terms used are often distorted from their original signification1 or require that words left understood be supplied2 as they stand1 they are often as meaningless to the speaker as to the general uninitiated public4 ,to get at the formal malice of such utterances is still more difficult1 for it becomes necessary to interpret the intentions of the speaker4 ,thus1 in one case1 words that contain no evident insult to ,god may be used with all the vehemence of profanity1 to which guilt is certainly attached2 in another1 the most unholy language may be employed in ignorance of its meaning1 with no evil intent1 the only danger of malice being from habit1 passion or scandal4 ,this brings us to consider certain ejaculatory or exclamatory expressions such as3 ,god6 good ,god6 ,lord6 etc41 employed by persons of very different spiritual complexion4 ,evidently1 these words may be employed in good and in evil part2 whether in one or the other1 depends on the circumstances of their using4 ,they may proceed from piety and true devotion of the heart1 out of the abundance of which the mouth speaks4 ,far from being wrong1 this is positively good and meritorious4 ,if this is done through force of habit1 or is the result of levity1 without the least interior devotion or affection1 it is a mitigated form of profanity4 ,to say the least1 no honor accrues to ,god from such language and such use of ,his name2 and where ,he is concerned1 not to honor ,him is dangerously near dishonoring ,him4 ,if contempt of ,god or scandal result from such language1 the offense may easily be mortal4 ,finally1 excited feelings of passion or wrath vent themselves in this manner1 and here it is still more easy to make it a grievous offending4 ,about the only thing that can excuse from fault is absolute indeliberation4 ,again1 without implying any malediction1 prescinding altogether from the supernatural character of what they represent1 as ejaculations only1 we come across the use of such words as hell1 devil1 damnation1 etc4 ,good ethics condemn such terms in conversation2 hearing them used people may be scandalized1 especially the young2 if one uses them with the mistaken idea that they contain blasphemy1 then that one is formally guilty of blasphemy2 finally1 it is vulgar1 coarse and unmannerly to do so4 ,but all this being admitted1 we do not see any more moral iniquity in the mention of these words than of their equivalents3 eternal fire1 ,satan1 perdition1 etc4 ,we do not advise or encourage the use of such terms1 but it sometimes jars one's sense of propriety to see people hold up their hands in holy horror at the sound of these words1 as if their mention were something unspeakably wicked1 while they themselves would look fornication1 for instance1 straight in the face without a shudder or a blush4 ,profanity is certainly a sin1 sometimes a grievous sin2 but in our humble opinion1 the fiat of self-righteous ,pharisaism to the contrary notwithstanding1 it is a few hundred times oftener no sin at all1 or a very white sin1 than the awful crime some people see in it4 ,if a fellow could quote classical ,mehercule1 and ,shakespearean cuss-words1 he would not perhaps be so vulgar as to say hell4 ,but not having such language at his command1 and being filled with strong feelings that clamor for a good substantial expression1 if he looks around and finds these the strongest and only available ones1 and uses them1--it is necessity and human nature1 we wot1 more than sacrilegious profanity4 ,it were better if his speech were aye1 aye and nay1 nay2 but it does not make it look any better to convict him of the blackest sin on the calendar just because he mentioned a place that really exists1 if it is hot1 and which it is well to have ever before our eyes against the temptations of life4 ,,chapter ,,xlviii4 ,,third ,,commandment ,,the ,,law ,,of ,,rest4 ,,the last of the three ,commandments that refer directly to ,god1 prescribes a rest from toil1 and profane works2 and in commemoration of the mystical repose of the ,lord after the six days' creation1 designates the ,sabbath or seventh day as a day that shall be set apart and made sacred to ,god4 ,the peculiarity of the commandment is that it interferes with the occupations of man1 intrudes upon his individual affairs and claims a worship of works4 ,the others do not go thus far1 and are satisfied with a worship of the heart and tongue1 of affections and language4 ,leaving aside for the moment the special designation of a day devoted to this worship1 the law of rest itself deserves attention4 ,whether the ,saturday or ,sunday be observed1 whether the rest be long or brief1 a day or an hour1 depends entirely on the positive will of ,god4 ,more than this must be said of the command of rest2 that law grows out of our relations with ,god1 is founded in nature1 is according to the natural order of things4 ,this repose means abstention from bodily activity44 ,the law does not go so far as to prescribe stagnation and sloth1 but it is satisfied with such abstention as is compatible with the reasonable needs of man4 ,of its nature1 it constitutes an exterior1 public act of religion4 ,the question is3 ,does the nature of our relations with ,god demand this sort of worship8 ,evidently1 yes4 ,else ,god1 who created the whole man1 would not receive a perfect worship4 ,if ,god made man1 man belongs to ,him2 if from that possession flows a natural obligation to worship with heart and tongue1 why not also of the body8 ,god has a ,maker's right over us1 and without some acknowledgment on the part of the body of this right1 there would be no evidence that such a right existed4 ,there is no doubt but that the law of our being requires of us an interior worship4 ,now1 if that spirit of homage within us is sincere1 it will naturally seek to exteriorize itself2 if it is to be preserved1 it must out4 ,we are not here speaking of certain peculiarly ordered individuals1 but of the bulk of common humanity4 ,experience teaches that what does not come out either never existed or is not assured of a prolonged existence4 ,just as the mind must go out of itself for the substance of its thoughts1 so must the heart go out to get relief from the pressure of its feelings4 ,god commanded this external worship because it alone could preserve internal affections4 ,again1 there are many things which the ordinary man ignores concerning ,god1 which it is necessary for him to know1 and which do not come by intuition4 ,in other words1 he must be taught a host of truths that he is incapable of finding out by himself4 ,education and instruction in religious matters are outside the sphere of his usual occupations4 ,where will he ever get this necessary information1 if he is not taught8 ,and how can he be taught1 if he does not lay aside occupations that are incompatible with the acquisition of intellectual truths8 ,he is therefore forced by the law of his being1 and the obligation he owes his ,maker1 to rest from his every-day labors1 once in awhile1 in order to learn his full duty1 if for nothing else4 ,pagans1 who never knew the law of ,moses1 serve neither ,saturday nor ,sunday2 neither do they give an entire day1 at fixed intervals to the exterior worship of the ,deity1 as we do4 ,but a case will not be found where they did not on certain occasions rest from work in order to offer the homage of their fidelity to their gods1 and to listen1 to instruction and exhortation from their holy men4 ,these pagans follow the natural law written in their souls1 and it is there they discover the obligation they are under to honor ,god by rest from labor and to make holy unto ,him a certain space of time4 ,,chapter ,,xlix4 ,,the ,,day ,,of ,,rest4 ,,the third article of the ,mosaic ,code not only enunciates the law of rest1 but says just how much time shall be given to its observance2 it prescribes neither a week nor a few hours1 but one day in seven4 ,if you have a taste for such things and look well1 you will find several reasons put forth as justifying this special designation of one day in seven4 ,the number seven the ,jews regarded as a sacred number2 the ,romans1 as the symbol of perfection4 ,students of antiquity have discovered that among nearly all peoples this number in some way or other refers to the ,deity4 ,science finds that nature prefers this number2 light under analysis reveals seven colors1 and all colors refer to the seven orders of the solar spectrum2 the human voice has seven tones that constitute the scale of sound2 the human body is renewed every seven years4 ,authorities on hygiene and physiology teach that one day in six is too much1 one day in eight is too little1 but that one day in seven is sufficient and necessary for the physical needs of man4 ,these considerations may or may not carry conviction to the average mind4 ,on the face of it1 they confirm rather than prove4 ,they do not reveal the necessity of a day of rest so much as show its reasonableness and how it harmonizes with nature in its periodicity1 its symmetry and its exact proportion to the strength of man4 ,as for real substantial reasons1 there is but one1--a good and sufficient1-- and that is the positive will of ,god4 ,he said3 keep this day holy2 such is ,his command2 no man should need a better reason4 ,the ,god-given law of ,moses says ,saturday1 ,christians say ,sunday4 ,protestants and ,catholics alike say ,sunday1 and ,sunday it is4 ,but this is not a trifling change2 it calls for an explanation4 ,why was it made8 ,what is there to justify it8 ,on what authority was it done8 ,can the will of ,god1 unmistakably manifested1 be thus disregarded and put aside by ,his creatures8 ,this is a serious question4 ,one of the most interesting things in the world would be to hear a ,protestant ,christian1 on ,protestant grounds1 justify his observance of the ,sunday instead of the ,sabbath1 and give reasons for his conduct4 ,search the ,scriptures4 ,aye1 search from ,genesis to ,revelations1 the ,mosaic prescriptions will hold good in spite of all your researches4 ,instead of justification you will find condemnation4 ,the ,bible1 the ,bible alone theory hardly fits in here4 ,are ,papists the only ones to add to the holy writings1 or to go counter to them8 ,suppose this change cannot be justified on ,scriptural grounds1 what then8 ,and the fact is1 it cannot4 ,it is hardly satisfactory to remark that this is a disciplinary injunction1 and ,christ abrogated the ,jewish ceremonial4 ,but if it is nothing more than this1 how came it to get on the table of the ,law8 ,its embodiment in the ,decalogue makes it somewhat different from all other ceremonial prescriptions2 as it stands1 it is on a par with the veto to kill or to steal4 ,christ abolished the purely ,jewish law1 but he left the ,decalogue intact4 ,christ rose from the dead on ,sunday1 'tis true2 but nowhere in writing can it be found that ,his resurrection on that day meant a change in the ,third ,commandment4 ,in the nature of the event1 there is absolutely no relation between it and the observance of ,sunday4 ,where will our friend find a loop-hole to escape8 ,oh6 as usual1 for the ,sunday as for the ,bible1 he will have to fall back on the old ,church4 ,what in the world could he do without her8 ,he will find there an authority1 and he is obliged to recognize it1 even if he does on ordinary occasions declaim against and condemn it4 ,incidentally1 if his eyes are open1 he will discover that his individually interpreted ,bible has failed most woefully to do its work2 it condemns the ,protestant ,sunday4 ,this day was changed on the sole authority of the ,holy ,roman ,catholic ,church1 as the representative of ,god on earth1 to whose keeping was confided the interpretation of ,god's word1 and in whose bosom is found that other criterion of truth1 called tradition4 ,tradition it is that justifies the change she made4 ,deny this1 and there is no justification possible1 and you must go back to the ,mosaic ,sabbath4 ,admit it1 and if you are a ,protestant you will find yourself in somewhat of a mess4 ,a logical ,protestant must be a very uneasy being4 ,if the ,church is right in this1 why should she not be right in defining the ,immaculate ,conception8 ,and if she errs here1 what assurance is there that she does not err there8 ,how can he say she is right on one occasion1 and wrong on another8 ,what kind of nonsense is it that makes her truthful or erring according to one's fancy and taste8 ,truly1 the reformer blundered when he did not treat the ,sunday as he treated the ,pope and all ,church authority1 for it is papistical to a degree4 ,,chapter ,l4 ,,keeping ,,the ,,lord',s ,,day ,,holy4 ,,the ,third ,commandment bids us sanctify the ,lord's day2 but in what that sanctification shall consist1 it does not say4 ,it is certain1 however1 that it is only by worship1 of one kind or another1 that the day can be properly kept holy to the ,lord2 and since interior worship is prescribed by the ,first ,commandment1 exterior and public worship must be what is called for4 ,then1 there are many modes of worship2 there is no end to the means man may devise of offering homage to the ,creator4 ,the first element of worship is abstention from profane labor2 rest is the first condition of keeping the ,sabbath4 ,the word ,sabbath itself means cessation of work4 ,you cannot do two things at the same time1 you cannot serve ,god and ,mammon4 ,our everyday occupations are not1 of their nature1 a public homage of fidelity to ,god4 ,if any homage is to be offered1 as a preliminary1 work must cease4 ,this interruption of the ordinary business of life alone makes it possible to enter seriously into the more important business of ,god's service1 and in this sense it is a negative worship4 ,yet1 there is also something positive about it1 for the simple fact of desisting from toil contains an element of direct homage4 ,six days are ours for ourselves4 ,what accrues from our activity on those days is our profit4 ,to ,god we sacrifice one day and all it might bring to us1 we pay to ,him a tithe of our time1 labor and earnings4 ,by directing aright our intentions1 therefore1 our rest assumes the higher dignity of explicit1 emphatic religion and reverence1 and in a fuller manner sanctifies the day that is the ,lord's4 ,we should1 however1 guard ourselves against the mistaken notion that sloth and idleness are synonymous of rest4 ,it is not all activity1 but the ordinary activity of common life1 that is forbidden4 ,it were a sacrilegious mockery to make ,god the author of a law that fosters laziness and favors the sluggard4 ,another extreme that common sense condemns is that the physical man should suffer martyrdom while the soul thus communes with ,god1 that promenades and recreation should be abolished1 and social amenities ignored1 that dryness1 gloom1 moroseness and severity are the proper conditions of ,sabbatical observance4 ,in this respect1 our ,puritan ancestors were the true children of ,pharisaism1 and their ,blue ,laws more properly belong in the ,talmud than in the ,constitution of an ,american ,commonwealth4 ,god loves a cheerful giver1 and would you not judge from appearances that religion was painful to these pious witch-burners and everything for ,god most grudgingly done8 ,sighs1 grimaces1 groans and wails1 this is the homage the devils in hell offer to the justice of ,god2 there is no more place for them in the religion of earth than in the religion of heaven4 ,correlative with the obligation of rest is that of purely positive worship1 and here is the difficulty of deciding just what is the correct thing in religious worship4 ,the ,jews had their institutions1 but ,christ abolished them4 ,the ,pagans had their way--sacrifice2 ,protestants have their preaching and hymn-singing4 ,catholics offer a ,sacrifice1 too1 but an unbloody one4 ,later on1 we shall hear the ,church speak out on the subject4 ,she exercised the right to change the day itself2 she claims naturally the right to say how it should be observed1 because the day belongs to her4 ,and she will impose upon her children the obligation to attend mass4 ,but here the precepts of the ,church are out of the question4 ,the obligation1 however1 to participate in some act of worship is plain4 ,the ,first ,commandment charges every man to offer an exterior homage of one kind or another1 at some time or another4 ,the ,third sets aside a day for the worship of the ,divinity4 ,thus the general command of the first precept is specified4 ,this is the time1 or there is no time4 ,with the ,third ,commandment before him1 man cannot arbitrarily choose for himself the time for his worship1 he must do it on ,sunday4 ,public worship being established in all ,christian communities1 every ,christian who cannot improve upon what is offered and who is convinced that a certain mode of worship is the best and true1 is bound by the law to participate therein4 ,the obligation may be greater if he ignores the principles of religion and cannot get information and instruction outside the temple of religion4 ,for ,catholics1 there is only one true mode of public worship1 and that is the ,sacrifice of the ,mass4 ,no layman is sufficient unto himself to provide such an act of religion4 ,he has1 therefore1 no choice1 he must assist at that sacrifice if he would fulfil the obligation he is under of ,sunday worship4 ,,chapter ,,li4 ,,worship ,,of ,,sacrifice4 ,,we ,catholics contend1 and our contention is based on a law of nature that we glean from the history of man1 that sacrifice is the soul of religion1 that there never was a universally and permanently accepted religion--and that there cannot be any such religion--without an altar1 a victim1 a priest1 and a sacrifice4 ,we claim that reason and experience would bear us out in this contention1 even without the example and teaching and express commands of ,jesus ,christ1 who1 in founding a new and the only true religion1 ,himself offered sacrifice and left a sacrifice to be perpetually offered in ,his religion2 and that sacrifice constitutes the high worship we owe to the ,creator4 ,it is our conviction that1 when man came into the presence of the ,almighty1 his first impulse was to speak to ,him1 and his first word was an act of adoration4 ,but human language is a feeble medium of communication with the ,almighty4 ,man talks to man4 ,to talk with ,god1 he sought out another language2 and1 as in the case of ,adam's sons1 he discovered in sacrifice a better and stronger mode of expressing his religious feelings4 ,he therefore offered sacrifice1 and sacrifice became the language of man in his relations with the ,deity4 ,in its simplest definition1 sacrifice is the offering to ,god of a victim1 by one authorized for that task4 ,it supposes essentially the destruction of the victim2 and the act is an eloquent acknowledgment1 in language that is as plain as it possibly can be made1 that ,god is the supreme ,lord of life and death1 that all things that exist come from ,him1 and revert to ,him as to their natural end4 ,the philosophy of sacrifice is that man1 in some manner or other1 had incurred the wrath of the ,almighty4 ,the pagan could not tell hi just what his offense consisted2 but there is nothing plainer than the fact that he considered himself under the ban of ,god's displeasure1 and that sin had something to do with it2 and he feared the ,deity accordingly4 ,we know that original sin was the curse under which he labored4 ,whatever the offense was1 it was in the flesh1 the result of weakness rather than malice4 ,there was something in his nature that inclined to evil and was responsible for sin4 ,the better part tried to serve1 but the inferior man revolted4 ,flesh1 therefore1 was wicked and sinful2 and since all offense must be atoned for1 the flesh should pay the penalty of evil4 ,the wrath of ,god could be appeased1 and sacrifice was the thing that could do it4 ,another thing most remarkable among those who worshiped by sacrifice in the early times1 is that they believed firmly in the reversibility of merit1 that is1 that the innocent could atone for the wicked4 ,somehow1 they acquired the notion that stainless victims were more agreeable to ,god than others4 ,god sanctioned this belief among the ,jews1 and most strikingly on the hill of ,calvary4 ,this being the case1 man being guilty and not having the right to inflict the supreme penalty upon himself1 the natural thing to do was to substitute a victim for himself1 to put the flesh of another in the place of his own and to visit upon it the punishment that was due to himself4 ,and he offered to ,god this vicarious atonement4 ,his action spoke in this wise3 ,my ,god1 ,i am a sinner and deserve ,thy wrath4 ,but look upon this victim as though it were myself4 ,my sins and offenses ,i lay upon its shoulders1 this knife shall be the bolt of ,thy vengeance1 and it shall make atonement in blood4 ,this is the language of sacrifice4 ,as we have said1 it supposes the necessity of atonement and belief in the reversibility of merit4 ,now1 if we find in history1 as we certainly do find1--that all peoples offered sacrifice of this kind1 we do not think we would be far from the truth if we deduced therefrom a law of nature2 and if it is a law of nature1 it is a law of ,god4 ,if there is no religion of antiquity that did not offer sacrifice1 then it would seem that the ,almighty had traced a path along which man naturally trod and which his natural instinct showed him4 ,we believe in the axiom of ,st4 ,augustine3 securus judicet orbis terrarum1 a universally accepted judgment can be safely followed4 ,especially do we feel secure with the history of the chosen people of ,god before us arid its sacrifice ordained by the law2 with the sanction of ,christ's sacrifice in our mind1 and the practice of the divinely inspired ,church which makes sacrifice the soul of her worship4 ,the victim we have is ,jesus ,christ ,himself1 and none other than ,he4 ,he gave us ,his flesh and blood to consume1 with the command to consume4 ,our sacrifice1 therefore1 consists in the offering up of this ,victim to ,god and the consuming of it4 ,upon the ,victim of the altar1 as upon the ,victim of the ,cross1 we lay our sins and offenses1 and1 in one case as in the other1 the sacred blood1 in ,god's eyes1 washes our iniquity away4 ,of course1 it requires faith to believe1 but religion is nothing if it is not whole and entire a matter of faith4 ,the less faith you have1 the more you try to simplify matters4 ,waning faith began by eliminating authority and sacrifice and the unwritten word4 ,now the written word is going the same way4 ,pretty soon we shall hear of the ,decalogue's being subjected to this same eliminating process4 ,after all1 when one gets started in that direction1 what reason is there that he should ever stop6 ,,chapter ,,lii4 ,,worship ,,of ,,rest4 ,,participation in public worship is the positive obligation flowing from the ,third ,commandment2 abstention from labor is what is negatively enjoined4 ,now1 works differ as widely in their nature as differ in form and dimension the pebbles on the sea-shore4 ,there are works of ,god and works of the devil1 and works which1 as regards spirituality1 are totally indifferent1 profane works1 as distinguished from sacred and sinful works4 ,and these latter may be corporal or intellectual or both4 ,work or labor or toil1 in itself1 is a spending of energy1 an exercise of activity2 it covers a deal of ground4 ,and since the law simply says to abstain from work1 it falls to us to determine just what works are meant1 for it is certain that all works1 that is1 all that come under the general head of work1 do not profane the ,lord's day4 ,the legislation of the ,church1 which is the custodian of the ,sunday1 on this head commends itself to all thoughtful men2 while1 for those who recognize the ,church as the true one1 that legislation is authority4 ,the ,church distinguishes three kinds of profane works1 that is1 works that are neither sacred nor iniquitous of their nature4 ,there is one kind which requires labor of the mind rather than of the body4 ,these works tend directly to the culture or exercise of the mind1 and are called liberal works1 because under the ,romans1 freemen or liberi almost exclusively were engaged therein4 ,such are reading1 writing1 studying1 music1 drawing--in general1 mental occupations in whole1 or more mental than corporal4 ,these works the ,church does not consider the law includes in its prohibition1 and they are consequently not forbidden4 ,it is impossible here to enumerate all that enters into this class of works2 custom has something to say in determining what is liberal in our works2 and in investigating1 we must apply to each case the general principle4 ,the labor in question may be gratuitous or well paid2 it may cause fatigue or afford recreation3 all this is not to the point4 ,the question is1 outside the danger of omitting divine service1 scandal or circumstances that might lead to the annoyances and distraction of others--the question is3 does this work call for exercise of the mind more than that of the body8 ,if the answer is affirmative1 then the work is liberal1 and as such it is not forbidden on ,sunday1 it is not considered a profanation of the ,lord's day4 ,on the other extreme are what go by the name of servile works1 which call forth principally bodily effort and tend directly to the advantage of the body4 ,they are known also as works of manual labor4 ,before the days of ,christianity1 slaves alone were thus employed1 and from the word servi or slaves these are called servile works4 ,here again it is the nature of the work that makes it servile4 ,it may be remunerative or not1 recreative or not1 fatiguing or not2 it may be a regular occupation1 or just taken up for the moment2 it may be1 outside cases of necessity1 for the glory of ,god or for the good of the neighbor4 ,if it is true that the body has more part therein than the mind1 then it is a servile work and it is forbidden4 ,of course there are serious reasons that dispense us from our obligation to this law1 but we are not talking about that just at present4 ,the reason of the proscription is1 not that such works are evil1 but that they interfere with the intention we should give to the worship we owe to ,god1 and that1 without this cessation of labor1 our bodily health would be impaired3 these are the two motives of the law4 ,but even if it happened1 in an individual case1 that these inconveniences were removed1 that neither ,god's reverence nor one's own health suffered from such occupations as the law condemns1 the obligation would still remain to abstain therefrom1 for it is general and absolute1 and when there is question of obeying a law1 the subject has a right to examine the law1 but not the motives of the law4 ,we shall later see that there are other works1 called common1 which require activity of the mind and of the body in about an equal measure or which enter into the common necessities of life4 ,these are not forbidden in themselves1 although in certain contingencies they may be adjudged unlawful2 but1 in the matter of servile works1 nothing but necessity1 the greater glory of ,god1 or the good of the neighbor1 can allow us to consider the law non-binding4 ,to break it is a sin1 slight or grievous1 according to the nature of the offense4 ,,chapter ,,liii4 ,,servile ,,works4 ,,but1 if servile works are prohibited on the ,lord's day1 it must be remembered that the ,sabbath was made for man1 and not man for the ,sabbath1 that1 for certain good and sufficient reasons1 the law ceases to oblige2 and1 in these circumstances1 works of a purely servile nature are no longer unlawful4 ,this is a truth ,christ made very clear to the straight-laced ,pharisees of the old dispensation who interpreted too rigorously the divine prohibition2 and certain ,pharisees of the new dispensation1 who are supposed assiduously to read the ,bible1 should jog their memories on the point in order to save themselves from the ridicule that surrounds the memory of their ancestors of ,blue-,law fame4 ,the ,church enters into the spirit of her divine ,founder and recognizes cases in which labor on ,sunday may be1 and is1 more agreeable to ,god1 and more meritorious to ourselves1 than rest from labor4 ,the law certainly does not intend to forbid a kind of works1 specifically servile in themselves1 connected with divine worship1 required by the necessities of public religion1 or needed to give to that worship all the solemnity and pomp which it deserves2 provided1 of course1 such things could not well be done on another day4 ,all ,god's laws are for ,his greater glory1 and to assert that works necessary for the honoring of ,god are forbidden by ,his law is to be guilty of a contradiction in terms4 ,all things therefore needed for the preparation and becoming celebration of the rites of religion1 even though of a servile nature1 are lawful and do not come under the head of this prohibition4 ,the law ceases likewise to bind when its observance would prevent an act of charity towards the neighbor in distress1 necessity1 or pressing need4 ,if the necessity is real and true charity demands it1 in matters not what work1 not intrinsically evil1 is to be done1 on what day or for how long a time it is to be done2 charity overrides every law1 for it is itself the first law of ,god4 ,thus1 if the neighbor is in danger of suffering1 or actually suffers1 any injury1 damage or ill1 ,god requires that we give our services to that neighbor rather than to ,himself4 ,as a matter of fact1 in thus serving the neighbor1 we serve ,god in the best possible way4 ,finally1 necessity1 public as well as personal1 dispenses from obligation to the law4 ,in time of war1 all things required for its carrying on are licit4 ,it is lawful to fight the elements when they threaten destruction1 to save crops in an interval of fine weather when delay would mean a risk2 to cater to public conveniences which custom adjudges necessary1--and by custom we mean that which has at least the implicit sanction of authority1--such as public conveyances1 pharmacies1 hotels1 etc4 ,certain industries run by steam power require that their fires should not be put out altogether1 and the labor necessary to keep them going is not considered illicit4 ,in general1 all servile work that is necessary to insure against serious loss is lawful4 ,as for the individual1 it is easier to allow him to toil on ,sunday1 that is1 a less serious reason is required1 if he assists at divine worship1 than in the contrary event4 ,one can be justified in omitting both obligations only in the event of inability otherwise to provide for self and family4 ,he whose occupation demands ,sunday labor need not consider himself guilty so long as he is unable to secure a position with something like the same emoluments2 but it is his duty to regret the necessity that prevents him from fulfiling the law1 and to make efforts to better his condition from a spiritual point of view1 even if the change does not to any appreciable extent better it financially2 a pursuit equally available should be preferred4 ,neglect in seeking out such an amelioration of situation would cause the necessity of it to cease and make the delinquent responsible for habitual breach of the law4 ,if it is always a sin to engage without necessity in servile works on ,sunday1 it is not equally sinful to labor little or labor much4 ,common sense tells us that all our failings are not in the same measure offensive to ,god1 for they do not all contain the same amount of malice and contempt of authority4 ,a person who resolves to break the law and persists in working all day long1 is of a certainty more guilty than he who after attending divine service fails so far as to labor an hour4 ,the question therefore is1 how long must one work on ,sunday to be guilty of a mortal sin4 ,the answer to this question is3 a notable time2 but that does not throw a very great abundance of light on the subject4 ,but surely a fourth of the whole is a notable part4 ,now1 considering that a day's work is1 not twenty-four hours1 but ten hours1 very rarely twelve1 frequently only eight1 it will be seen to follow that two hours' work would be considered a notable breach of the law of rest4 ,and this is the decision of competent authority4 ,not but that less might make us grievously guilty1 but we may take it as certain that he who works during two full hours1 at a labor considered servile1 without sufficient reason1 commits a mortal sin4 ,,chapter ,,liv4 ,,common ,,works4 ,,there is a third sort of works to be considered in relation to ,sunday observance1 which1 being of their nature neither liberal nor servile1 go by the specific name of common works4 ,this class embraces works of two kinds1 viz41 those which enter into the common1 daily1 inevitable necessities of life1 and those in which the mind and body are exerted in an equal measure4 ,the former are not considered servile because they are necessary1 not in certain circumstances1 but at all times1 for all persons1 in all conditions of life4 ,activity of this kind1 so universally and imperiously demanded1 does not require dispensation from the law1 as in the case of necessary servile works properly so-called2 but it stands outside all legislation and is a law unto itself4 ,these works are usually domestic occupations1 as cooking and the preparation of victuals1 the keeping of the house in becoming tidiness1 the proper care of children1 of beasts of burden and domestic animals4 ,people must eat1 the body must be fed1 life requires attention on ,sunday as well as on the other six days2 and in no circumstances can this labor be dispensed with4 ,sometimes eatables for ,sunday consumption may be prepared on the previous day2 if this is not done1 whether through forgetfulness1 neglect or indifference1 it is lawful on ,sunday to prepare a good table1 even one more sumptuous than on ordinary days4 ,for ,sunday is a day of festival1 and without enthusing over the fact1 we must concede that the words feast and festival are synonymous in human language1 that the ordinary and favorite place for human rejoicing is the table1 and in this man differs not from the other animals of creation4 ,this may not be aesthetic but it is true4 ,in walking1 riding1 games1 etc41 the physical and mental forces of man are called into play in about equal proportion1 or at least1 these occupations can be called neither liberal arts nor manual labor2 all manners of persons engage therein without respect to condition or profession4 ,these are also called common works2 and to them may be added hunting and fishing1 when custom1 rightly understood1 does not forbid them1 and in this region custom most uniformly does so forbid4 ,these occupations are looked upon as innocent pastime1 affording relief to the body and mind1 and in this respect should be likened to the taking of food4 ,for it is certain that sanitary conditions often as imperiously demand recreation as nourishment4 ,especially is this the case with persons given to sedentary pursuits1 confined during the week to shops1 factories and stores1 and whose only opportunity this is to shake off the dull monotony of work and to give the bodies and minds necessary relaxation and distraction4 ,it is not physical rest that such people require so much as healthy movement of a pleasing kind1 and activity that will draw their attention from habitual channels and thus break the strain that fatigues them4 ,under these conditions1 common works are not only allowed1 but they are to be encouraged4 ,but it must not be lost sight of that these pursuits are permitted as long as they remain common works1 that is1 as long as they do not accidentally become servile works1 or go contrary to the end for which they are allowed4 ,this may occur in three different manners1 and when it does occur1 the works known as common are forbidden as servile works4 #a4 ,they must not expose us to the danger of omitting divine service4 ,the obligation to positively sanctify the day remains intact4 ,sin may be committed1 slight or grievous1 according as the danger to which we expose ourselves1 by indulging in these pursuits1 of missing public worship1 is more or less remote1 more or less probable4 #b4 ,these works become illicit when they are excessive1 when too much time is given to them1 when the body receives too large a share of the exercise1 when accompanied by overmuch application1 show or fatigue4 ,in these cases1 the purpose of the law is defeated1 the works are considered no longer common and fall under the veto that affects servile works4 ,an aggravating circumstance is that of working for the sole purpose of gain1 as in the case of professional baseball1 etc4 #c4 ,lastly1 there are exterior circumstances that make these occupations a desecration of the ,lord's day1 and as such evidently they cannot be tolerated4 ,they must not be boisterous to the extent of disturbing the neighbor's rest and quiet1 or detracting from the reverence due the ,sabbath2 they must not entice others away from a respectful observance of the ,lord's day or offer an opportunity or occasion for sin1 cursing1 blasphemy and foul language1 contention and drunkenness2 they must not be a scandal for the community4 ,outside these contingencies of disorder1 the ,sabbath rest is not broken by indulgence in works classified as common works4 ,such activity1 in all common sense and reason1 is compatible with the reverence that ,god claims as ,his due on ,his day4 ,,chapter ,,lv4 ,,parental ,,dignity4 ,,we have done with the three commandments that refer directly to ,god4 ,the second ,table of the ,law contains seven precepts that concern themselves with our relations to ,god1 indirectly1 through the creature2 they treat of our duties and obligations toward the neighbor4 ,as ,god may be honored1 so ,he may be dishonored1 through the works of ,his hand2 one may offend as effectively by disregard for the law that binds us to ,god's creatures as for that which binds us to the ,creator ,himself4 ,since parents are those of ,god's creatures that stand nearest to us1 the ,fourth ,commandment immediately orders us to honor them as the authors of our being and the representatives of divine authority1 and it prescribes the homage we owe them in their capacity of parents4 ,but that which applies to fathers and mothers1 applies in a certain degree to all who have any right or authority to command2 consequently1 this law also regulates the duties of superiors and inferiors in general to one another4 ,the honor we owe to our parents consists in four things3 respect for their dignity1 love for their beneficence1 obedience to their authority and assistance in their needs4 ,whoever fails in one of these requirements1 breaks the law1 offends ,god and sins4 ,his sin may be mortal1 if the quality of the offense and the malice of the offender be such as to constitute ,i serious breach of the law4 ',tis the great fault of our age to underrate parental dignity4 ,in the easy-going world1 preference is given to profligate celibacy over honorable wedlock2 marriage itself is degraded to the level of a purely natural contract1 its bond has lost its character of indissolubility and its obligations are shirked to meet the demands of fashion and convenience4 ,when parents1 unworthy ones1 do not appreciate their own dignity1 how will others1 their children1 appreciate it8 ,and parenthood will never be esteemed while its true nature and sanctity are ignored and contemned2 there is no dignity where the idea of ,god is excluded4 ,after ,god had created man1 ,he left him to work out his destiny in a natural way2 and immediately man assumed towards his offspring the relation that ,god first held towards himself--he assumed the prerogatives of paternity and of authority4 ,all paternity belongs to ,god1 and to ,him alone2 yet man is delegated to that lofty1 quasi-divine function4 ,god alone can create2 yet so near does the parental office approach to the power of creation that we call it pro-creation4 ,tis true1 this privilege man holds in common with the rest of animated nature1 but with this difference3 that the fruit of his loins is a child of ,god1 with an immortal soul1 an heir to heaven where its destiny is to glorify the ,eternal during all eternity4 ,and thus1 man1 in his function of parent1 is as far differentiated from the rest of animal nature as the act by which ,god created man is superior to all ,his other creative acts4 ,if the tempter1 when working out his plan for the fall of our first parents1 had simply and unconditionally said3 ,ye shall be as gods1 his utterance would have in it more truth than he intended1 for the mantle of parenthood that was soon to fall upon them made them like unto ,god4 ,the children that romped around them1 looked up to them even1 almost1 as they were accustomed to look up to the ,creator4 ,and little the wonder1 since to their parents they owed their very existence4 ,as depositaries of authority1 there is no human station1 however exalted1 comparable to theirs4 ,children are not merely subjects1 they belong to their parents4 ,church and ,state1 under ,god1 may see to it that that authority is not abused2 but within the bounds of right1 they are held to respect it2 and their acts that go contrary to the exercise of parental authority are1 by the fact of such opposition1 null and void4 ,before the ,state or ,church1 the family was2 its natural rights transcend theirs1 and this bowing1 as it were1 of all constituted human authority before the dominion of parents is evidence enough of their dignity4 ,god could not be everywhere1 therefore he made parents--fathers and mothers--that is how the pagans used to put it4 ,however theologically unsound this proposition may appear1 it is a beautiful attempt at a great truth1 viz41 that parents towards us stand in ,god's stead4 ,in consequence of this eminent dignity that is theirs1 they deserve our respect4 ,they not only deserve it1 but ,god so ordains it4 ,,chapter ,,lvi4 ,,filial ,,respect4 ,,worthy of honor are they whom the ,lord sees fit to honor4 ,in the exalted station to which they have been called and in the express command made by the ,lord to honor them1 we see evidence of the dignity of parents2 and the honor we owe them for this dignity is the honor of respect4 ,by respect1 we mean the recognition of their superiority1 the reverence1 veneration and awe all well-born men instinctively feel for natural worth that transcends their own1 the deference in tone1 manner and deportment that naturally belongs to such worth4 ,it is much easier to say in what respect does not consist than to define the term itself4 ,if it really exists in the heart--and there it must exist1 to be at all--it will find expression in a thousand different ways1 and will never be at a loss to express itself4 ,books will give you the laws of etiquette and will tell you how to be polite2 but the laws that govern respect are graven on the heart1 and he whose heart is in the right place never fails to read and interpret them correctly4 ,towards all1 at all times and in all places1 he will conform the details of his life with the suggestions of his inner consciousness--this is respect4 ,respect has no substitute2 neither assistance nor obedience nor love can supply it or take its place ,it may happen that children are no longer obliged to help their parents2 they may be justified in not obeying them2 the circumstances may be such that they no longer have love or affection for them2 but respect can never be wanting without serious guilt4 ,the reason is simple3 because it is due in justice1 because it is founded on natural rights that can never be forfeited1 even when parents themselves lose the sense of their own dignity4 ,sinful1 wicked and scandalous parents there have been1 are1 and will be4 ,but just as they do not owe the excellence to any deed of their own1 but to the free choice of the ,almighty1 so it depends not on themselves to forfeit it4 ,god made them parents without respect for their personal worth4 ,he is the custodian of their dignity4 ,good or bad1 they are parents and remain parents4 ,woe unto those who despise the authors of their days6 ,respect overlooks an innocent joke at the expense of a parent1 when absolutely no malice is intended1 when on both sides it is looked upon as a matter of good-natured pleasantry4 ,it brooks humor4 ,not all familiarity breeds contempt4 ,but contempt1 which is directly opposed to respect1 is a sin that is never anything but mortal4 ,it refuses honor1 belittles dignity and considers parents beneath esteem4 ,it is contempt to laugh at1 to mock1 to gibe and insult parents2 it is contempt to call them vile1 opprobrious names1 to tell of their faults2 it is contempt1 and the height of contempt1 to defy them1 to curse them or to strike them4 ,it is bad enough when this sort of thing is directed against an equal2 but when parents are made the objects of contempt1 it acquires a dignity that is infernal4 ,the malediction of ,heaven1 the almighty wrath of ,god follows him or her who despises a parent4 ,we are repeatedly told in ,holy ,writ that such offenders shall die the death4 ,scorn of parents is looked upon as a crime almost on a par with hatred of ,god4 ,pagans frequently punished it with death4 ,among ,christians it is left to the avenging wrath of ,god who is pledged to defend the dignity of ,his delegated paternity4 ,it is not a rare occurrence to see just retribution visited upon parents who in their day were undutiful1 unworthy and unnatural children4 ,the justice of ,heaven often permits it to be done unto us as we do unto others4 ,our children will treat us as we shall have treated our parents2 their hands will be raised against us and will smite us on the cheek to avenge the grandsire's dishonor and tears1 and to make us atone in shame for our sins against our parents4 ,if we respect others1 they will respect us2 if we respect our parents1 our children will respect us4 ,,chapter ,,lvii4 ,,filial ,,love4 ,,he who has a heart1 and has it properly located1 will not fail to love that which is good2 he will have no difficulty in so doing1 it will require neither command nor persuasion to make him do so4 ,if he proves refractory to this law of nature1 it is because he is not like the rest of mortals1 because he is inhuman2 and his abnormal condition is due1 not to nature's mistakes1 but to his own4 ,and no consideration under heaven will be equal to the task of instilling affection into a stone or a chunk of putty4 ,that is good which is desirable1 or which is the source of what is desirable4 ,god alone is absolutely good1 that is to say1 good in ,himself and the cause of all good4 ,created things are good in the proportion of their furnishing us with things desirable1 and are for that reason called relatively good4 ,they confer benefits on one and not perhaps on another4 ,when ,i say3 this or that is good1 ,i mean that it is useful to me1 and is productive of comfort1 happiness and other desirable things4 ,because we are naturally selfish1 our appreciation of what is good depends on what we get out of it4 ,therefore1 it is that a child's first1 best and strongest love should be for its parents1 for the greatest good it enjoys1 the thing of all others to be desired1 the essential condition of all else1 namely its existence1 it owes to its parents4 ,life is the boon we receive from them2 not only the giving1 but the saving in more than one instance1 the fostering and preserving and sustaining during long years of helplessness1 and the adorning of it with all the advantages we possess4 ,nor does this take into account the intimate cost1 the sufferings and labors1 the cares and anxieties1 the trouble and worriment that are the lot of devoted parenthood4 ,it is life spent and given for life4 ,flesh and blood1 substance1 health and comfort1 strength of body and peace of soul1 lavished with unstinted generosity out of the fulness of parental affection--these are things that can never be repaid in kind1 they are repaid with the coin of filial piety and love1 or they remain dead debts4 ,failure to meet these obligations brands one a reprobate4 ,there is not1 in all creation1 bird or beast1 but feels and shows instinctive affection towards those to whom it owes its being4 ,he1 therefore1 who closes his heart to the promptings of filial love1 has the consolation of knowing that1 not only he does not belong to the order of human beings1 but he places himself outside the pale of animal nature itself1 and exists in a world of his own creation1 which no human language is able to properly qualify4 ,the love we owe to our parents is next in quality to that which we owe to ,god and to ourselves4 ,love has a way of identifying its object and its subject2 the lover and the beloved become one1 their interests are common1 their purpose alike4 ,the dutiful child1 therefore1 looks upon its parent as another self1 and remains indifferent to nothing that for weal or for woe affects that parent4 ,love consists in this community of feeling1 concern and interest4 ,when the demon of selfishness drives gratitude out of the heart and the ties of natural sympathy become strained1 and love begins to wane2 when they are snapped asunder1 love is dead4 ,the love of ,god1 of course1 primes all other love4 ,he who loves father or mother more than me1 says the ,saviour1 is not worthy of me4 ,filial love1 therefore1 must not conflict with that which we owe to ,god2 it must yield1 for it draws its force from the latter and has no meaning without it4 ,in normal conditions1 this conflict never occurs2 it can occur only in the event of parents overriding the law that governs their station in life4 ,to make divine love wait on the human is criminal4 ,it may1 and no doubt does1 happen that parents become unlovable beings through disregard for the moral law4 ,and because love is not a commodity that is made to order1 children may be found who justify on these grounds their absence of affection or even their positive hatred for such parents4 ,a drunken parent1 one who attacks the life1 virtue or reputation of his offspring1 a low brute who has neither honor nor affection1 and whose office it is to make home a living hell1 such a one can hardly be loved4 ,but pity is a form of love2 and just as we may never despise a fallen parent1 just so do we owe him or her1 even in the depths of his or her degradation1 a meed of pity and commiseration4 ,there is no erring soul but may be reclaimed2 every soul is worth the price of its redemption1 and there is no unfortunate1 be he ever so low1 but deserves1 for the sake of his soul1 a tribute of sympathy and a prayer for his betterment4 ,and the child that refuses this1 however just the cause of his aversion1 offends against the law of nature1 of charity and of ,god4 ,,chapter ,,lviii4 ,,authority ,,and ,,obedience4 ,,authority means the right to command2 to command is to exact obedience1 and obedience is submission of one's will to that of another1 will is a faculty that adores its own independence1 is ambitious of rule and dominion1 and can hardly bear to serve4 ,it is made free1 and may not bend2 it is proud1 and hates to bend2 some will add1 it is the dominant faculty in man1 and therefore should not bend4 ,every man for himself2 we are born free2 all men are equal1 and no one has the right to impose his will upon another2 we are directly responsible to ,god1 and go-betweens are repudiated by the common sense of mankind1--this is good ,protestant theory and it is most convenient and acceptable to the unregenerate heart of man4 ,we naturally like that kind of talk2 it appeals to us instinctively4 ,it is a theory that possesses many merits besides that of being true in a sense in which only one takes it out of fifty who advocate it4 ,but these advocates are careful--and the reason of their solicitude is anything but clear--to keep within the religious lines1 and they never dare to carry their theory into the domain of political society2 their hard common sense forbids4 ,and they are likewise careful to prevent their children from practicing the doctrine within the realm of paternal authority1 that is1 if they have any children4 ,society calls it anarchy1 and parents call it unnatural cussedness2 in religion it is freedom of the children of ,god6 ,if there is authority1 there must be obedience2 if one has the right to command1 there arises in others the correlative duty and obligation to submit4 ,there is no question of how this will suit us2 it simply does not1 and will not1 suit us2 it is hard1 painful and humiliating1 but it is a fact1 and that is sufficient4 ,likewise1 it is a fact that if authority was ever given by ,god to man1 it was given to the parent2 all men1 ,protestants and anarchists alike1 admit this4 ,the social being and the religious being may reject and repudiate all law1 but the child is subject to its parents1 it must obey4 ,failing in this1 it sins4 ,disobedience is always a sin1 if it is disobedience1 that is1 a refusal to submit in things that are just1 to the express command of paternal authority4 ,the sin may be slight or grievous1 the quality of its malice depending on the character of the refusal1 of the things commanded and of the command itself4 ,in order that the offense may be mortal1 the refusal must be deliberate1 containing an element of contempt1 as all malicious disobedience does4 ,the command must be express1 peremptory1 absolute4 ,and nothing must be commanded done that may not reasonably be accomplished or is not within the sphere of parental jurisdiction or is contrary to the law of ,god4 ,an order that is unreasonable or unlawful is invalid4 ,not only it may1 but it should be1 disregarded4 ,it is not sufficient for a parent1 wishing to oblige under pain of grievous sin1 that he ask a thing done1 that he express his mind on the matter2 he must order it and leave no room to doubt that he means what he says4 ,there may be disobedience without this peremptoriness of command1 but it cannot be a serious fault4 ,it is well also to make certain allowance for the levity and thoughtlessness of youth1 especially in matters whose importance is beyond their comprehension4 ,it is generally admitted that parental authority1 exercised in things that concern good morals and the salvation of the soul1 can scarcely ever be ignored without mortal offending4 ,this means that besides the sin committed--if the prohibition touches matters of sin--there is a sin specifically different and a grievous one1 of disobedience2 by reason of the parental prohibition1 there are two sins1 instead of one4 ,this should be remembered by those who1 against the express command of their parents1 frequent bad companions1 remain on the street at night1 neglect their religious duty1 etc4 ,parents have nothing to say in the choice their children make of a state in life1 that is1 they may suggest1 but must not coerce4 ,this is a matter that depends on personal tastes and the inner voicings of the spirit2 having come to the age of manhood or womanhood1 the party interested knows best what walk of life will make him or her happy and salvation easier4 ,it is therefore for them to choose1 and their choice must be respected4 ,in this they are not bound to obey the will of their parents1 and if disinclined to do so1 should not4 ,,chapter ,,lix4 ,,should ,,we ,,help ,,our ,,parents8 ,,there are few things more evident to natural reason than the obligation children are under to assist their parents when necessity knocks at their door1 and finding them unable to meet its harsh demands1 presses them with the goad of misery and want4 ,old age is weak and has to lean on strength and youth for support2 like childhood1 it is helpless4 ,accidentally1 misfortune may render a parent dependent and needy4 ,in such contingencies1 it is not for neighbors1 friends or relatives to come in and lend a helping hand2 this duty devolves on the offspring1 on them first and on them alone4 ,charity is not alone to prescribe this office of piety4 ,a stronger law than charity has a claim in the matter1 and that is the law of justice4 ,justice demands a quid pro quo1 it exacts a just compensation for services rendered4 ,even though there be no agreement between parents and offspring1 and the former gave without a thought of return1 nature records a contract1 by the terms of which parents in want are entitled to the same support from their children as the latter received from them in the days of their helplessness4 ,those who do not live up to the terms of this natural contract stand amenable to the justice of ,heaven4 ,the obligation follows them during life1 wherever they go2 and they can no more shirk it than they can efface the characters that declare it1 graven on their hearts4 ,nothing but sheer impossibility can dispense them4 ,so sacred and inviolable is this obligation that it passes before that of assisting wife and children1 the necessity being equal2 for filial obligations enjoy the distinction of priority4 ,not even engagements contracted before ,god hold against the duty of relieving parental distress and want1 for vows are of counsel and must yield to the dictates of natural and divine law4 ,of course1 the gravity of this obligation is proportionate to the stress of necessity under which parents labor4 ,to constitute a mortal sin of neglect1 it is not necessary that a parent be in the extreme of privation and beggary4 ,it is not easy to draw the line between slight and grievous offending in this matter1 but if some young men and women examined their conscience as carefully as they do their new spring suits and hats1 they would find material for confession the avowal of which might be necessary to confessional integrity4 ,it has become the fashion with certain of the rising generation1 after draining the family exchequer for some sixteen or eighteen years1 to emancipate themselves as soon as their wages cover the cost of living1 with a little surplus4 ,they pay their board1 that is to say1 they stand towards their parents as a stranger would1 and forgetting the debt their younger years have piled up against them1 they hand over a miserable pittance just enough to cover the expenses of bed and board4 ,this might1 and possibly does1 make them feel big1 but that feeling is a false one1 and the bigness experienced is certainly not in their moral worth1 in many cases such conduct is a prevarication against the law of ,god4 ,this applies with equal force to young women whose vanity overrides the claims of charity and justice1 and who are said to put all their earnings on their backs1 while they eat the bread that another earns4 ,frequently children leave home and leave all their obligations to their parents behind them at home4 ,if their letters are rare1 enclosed checks are still rarer4 ,they like to keep the old folks informed of the fact that it costs a good deal to live away from home4 ,they sometimes come home on a visit2 but these are visits2 and visitors1 even if they do stay quite a while1 do not pay board4 ,but pecuniary assistance is not all2 it is occasionally care and attention an aged parent requires1 the presence of a daughter who prefers the gaiety of the city to the quiet of the old homestead that is imperiously demanded4 ,if the parent be feeble or sick1 the undutiful child is criminally negligent2 the crime is still greater if there be danger through that absence of the parent's dying without religious consolation4 ,i have said nothing of that unnatural specimen of humanity1 sometimes called a loafer1 and by still more ignoble names1 who1 to use a vulgar term1 grubs on his parents1 drinks what he earns and befouls the home he robs1 with his loathsome presence and scandalous living4 ,the least said of him the better4 ,he exists3 'tis already too much said4 ,,chapter ,,lx4 ,,disinterested ,,love ,,in ,,parents4 ,,love seems to resume all the obligations of parents toward their offspring2 certainly1 it directs all their actions1 and they fulfil these obligations ill or well according to the quality of that love4 ,but love is not sufficient2 love is of two kinds1 the right and the wrong2 nothing good comes of an affection that is not properly ordered4 ,in itself1 parental love is natural1 instinctive2 therefore it is not meritorious to any high degree4 ,but there is much merit in the proper kind of parental affection1 because it requires sacrifice4 ,there may be too little love1 to the neglect and misfortune of children4 ,there may be too much1 to their spoiling and utter perversion4 ,again there may be affection that is partial1 that singles out one for caresses and favors to the exclusion of the others2 hence discord and dissensions in the family4 ,the first two forms of inordinate affection are equally bad1 while the last combines both and contains the double evil thereof4 ,it is hard to say which is the worse off1 the child that receives too much or the one that receives too little of that love which to be correct should avoid extremes4 ,parents are apt1 under the sway of natural affection1 to overlook the fact that ,god has rights over the children1 and that the welfare and interests of the children must not be left outside all consideration3 herein lies the root of all the evil that befalls the family through degenerate love4 ,what is commonly1 but improperly1 called love is either pagan fondness or simon-pure egotism and self-love4 ,when a vain person looks into a mirror1 she 7if it be a she7 will immediately fall in love with the image1 because it is an image of herself4 ,and a selfish parent sees in his child1 not another being1 but himself1 and he loves it for himself4 ,his affection is not an act of generosity1 as it should be1 but an act of self-indulgence4 ,he does not seek to please another1 he seeks to please himself4 ,his love1 therefore1 is nothing but concentrated vanity--and that is the wrong kind4 ,such a parent will neglect a less favored child1 and he will so far dote on the corporal and physical object of his devotion as to forget there is a soul within4 ,he will account all things good that flatter his conceit1 and all things evil that disturb the voluptuousness of his attachment4 ,he owns that child1 and he is going to make it the object of his eternal delights1 ,god's rights and the child's own interests to the contrary notwithstanding4 ,this fellow is not a parent2 he is a pure animal1 and the cub will1 one day make good returns for services rendered4 ,a parent with a growing-up family1 carefully reared and expensively educated1 will often lay clever plans and dream elaborate dreams of a golden future from which it would almost be cruelty to awake him4 ,he sees his pains and toils requited a thousand fold1 his disbursements yielding a high rate of interest and the name his children bear--his name--respected and honored4 ,in all this there is scarcely anything blameworthy2 but the trouble comes when the views of the ,almighty fail to square with the parental views4 ,symptoms of the malady then reveal themselves4 ,misfortunes are met with complaints and murmurings against ,providence and the manner in which it runs the cosmic machine4 ,being usually self-righteous1 such parents bring up the old discussion as to the justice of the divine plan by which the good suffer and the wicked prosper in this world4 ,sorrow in bereavement is legitimate and sacred1 but when wounded love vents its wrath on the ,almighty1 the limit is passed1 and then we say3 ,such love is love only in name1 love must respect the rights of ,god2 if it does not1 it is something else4 ,the ,almighty never intended children to be a paying investment2 it belongs to ,him to call children to ,himself as well as parents themselves1 when ,he feels like it4 ,parents who ignore this do not give their children the love the latter have a right to expect4 ,intelligent and ,christian parents1 therefore1 need to understand the true status of the offspring1 and should make careful allowance for children's own interests1 both material and spiritual1 and for the all-supreme rights of ,god in the premises4 ,since true love seeks to do good1 in parents it should first never lose sight of the child's soul and the means to help him save it4 ,without this all else is labor lost4 ,god frowns on such unchristian affection1 and ,he usually sees to it that even in this world the reaping be according to the sowing4 ,the rearing of a child is the making or unmaking of a man or woman4 ,love is the motive power behind this enterprise4 ,that is why we insist on the disinterestedness of parental love1 before touching on the all-important question of education4 ,,chapter ,,lxi4 ,,educate ,,the ,,children4 ,,before reaching the age of reason1 the child's needs are purely animal2 it requires to be fed1 clothed and provided with the general necessities of life4 ,every child has a natural right that its young life be fostered and protected2 the giver must preserve his gift1 otherwise his gift is vain4 ,to neglect this duty is a sin1 not precisely against the fourth1 but rather against the fifth1 commandment which treats of killing and kindred acts4 ,when the mind begins to open and the reasoning faculties to develop1 the duty of educating the child becomes incumbent on the parent4 ,as its physical1 so its intellectual1 being must be trained and nourished4 ,and by education is here meant the training of the young mind1 the bringing out of its mental powers and the acquisition of useful knowledge1 without reference to anything moral or religious4 ,this latter feature-- the most important of all deserves especial attention4 ,concerning the culture of the mind1 it is a fact1 recognized by all1 that in this era of popular rights and liberties1 no man can expect to make anything but a meagre success of life1 if he does that much1 without at least a modicum of knowledge and intellectual training4 ,this is an age in which brains are at a high premium2 and although brains are by no means the monopoly of the cultured class1 they must be considered as non-existent if they are not brought out by education4 ,knowledge is what counts nowadays4 ,even in the most common walks of life advancement is impossible without it4 ,this is one reason why parents1 who have at heart the future success and well-being of their children1 should strive to give them as good an education as their means allow4 ,their happiness here is also concerned4 ,if he be ignorant and untaught1 a man will be frowned at1 laughed at1 and be made in many ways1 in contact with his fellow-men1 to feel the overwhelming inferiority of his position4 ,he will be made unhappy1 unless he chooses to keep out of the way of those who know something and associate with those who know nothing--in which case he is very liable to feel lonesome4 ,he is moreover deprived of the positive comforts and happiness that education affords4 ,neither books nor public questions will interest him2 his leisure moments will be a time of idleness and unbearable tedium2 a whole world--the world of the mind--will be closed to him1 with its joys1 pleasures and comforts which are many4 ,add to this the fact that the ,maker never intended that the noble faculty of the intelligence should remain an inert element in the life of ,his creature1 that this precious talent should remain buried in the flesh of animal nature4 ,intelligence alone distinguishes us from the brute2 we are under obligation to perfect our humanity4 ,and since education is a means of doing this1 we owe it to our nature that we educate ourselves and have educated those who are under our care4 ,how long should the child be kept at school8 ,the law provides that every child attend school until it reaches the age of fourteen4 ,this law appears to be reasonable and just1 and we think that in ordinary circumstances it has the power to bind in conscience4 ,the parent therefore who neglects to keep children at school we account guilty of sin1 and of grievous sin1 if the neglect be notable4 ,outside this provision of the law1 we think children should be kept at school as long as it is possible and prudent to do so4 ,this depends1 of course1 on the means and resources of the parents4 ,they are under no obligation to give to their children an education above what their means allow4 ,then1 the aptitudes1 physical and mental1 of the child are a factor to be considered4 ,poor health or inherited weakness may forbid a too close application to studies1 while it may be a pure waste of time and money to keep at school a child that will not profit by the advantage offered4 ,it is better to put such a child at work as soon as possible4 ,as says the philosopher of ,archey ,road3 ,you may lead a young man to the university1 but you cannot make him learn4 ,outside these contingencies1 we think every child has a right to a common school education1 such as is given in our system under the high school1 whether it be fourteen years of age or over4 ,reading and writing1 grammar and arithmetic1 history and geography1 these are the fundamental and essential elements of a common school education2 and in our time and country1 a modicum of information on these subjects is necessary for the future well-being1 success and happiness of our children4 ,and since parents are bound to care for the future of their children1 we consider them likewise bound to give them such an education as will insure these blessings4 ,,chapter ,,lxii4 ,,educational ,,extravagance4 ,,our public educational system is made up of a grammar and a high school course1 the latter consisting of a four years term of studies1 devoted in part1 to a more thorough grounding in the essentials of education2 the other part--by far the more considerable1 according to the consensus of opinion--is expended on educational frills and vanities4 ,these trimmings are given gratis1 the public bearing the burden of expense1 which foots up to a very respectable total4 ,for a certain class of people--the people of means--this sort of a thing has not many disadvantages2 it is in a line with the future occupation or profession of their offspring4 ,but for the bulk of the children who attend our free schools and on whose parents educational taxes are levied1 it has serious inconveniences1 is not in line with their future occupation or profession1 is not only superfluous1 but detrimental4 ,it is for them so much time lost--precious time1 that were better spent learning a trade or otherwise fitting themselves for their life work4 ,herein therefore we discover a double extravagance3 that of parents who provide unwisely for their children's future and that of the municipality which offers as popular an education that is anything but popular1 since only the few can enjoy it while all must bear the burden alike4 ,there is much in getting a start in life1 in beginning early2 a delay is often a handicap hard to overcome4 ,with very few exceptions1 our children gain their livelihood with their hands and eyes and ears1 and not solely with their brains2 they therefore require title most practical education imaginable4 ,they need intellectual tools to work with1 and not a smattering of science1 botany1 drawing and political philosophy to forget as soon as possible4 ,pure culture studies are not a practical gain for them1 while the time consumed in pursuing these is so much taken away from a thorough training in the essentials4 ,lectures on science1 elementary experiments in chemistry1 kindergarten instructions in water color painting1 these are as much in their place in the education of the average child as an ivory-handled gold pen in the hand that wields the pick-ax4 ,a boy is better off learning a trade than cramming his head full of culture fads2 he is then doing something useful and profitable on which the happiness and success of his life will depend4 ,by the time his companions have done dabbling in science and have come to the conclusion that they are simply being shown how ignorant they are--not a very consoling conclusion after all--he will have already laid the foundation of his career and be earning enough to settle down in life4 ,he may not be able to talk on an infinity of subjects about which he knows nothing at all1 but he will be able to earn his own living1 which is something worth while4 ,if the free high school were more of a business school1 people would get better returns for their money4 ,true1 some would then be obliged to pay for the expensive fads that would be done away with2 but since they alone enjoy these things1 why should others be made to pay for them who cannot enjoy them8 ,why should the poor be taxed to educate the rich8 ,why not give the poor full value for their share of the burden8 ,why not provide them with intellectual tools that suit their condition1 just as the rich are being provided for in the present system8 ,the parochial high school has1 in several places we know of1 been made to serve as a protest against such evils and as an example that has already been followed in more than one instance by the public schools4 ,intelligent and energetic pastors1 knowing full well the conditions and needs of their people1 offer the children a course in business methods as being more suitable1 more profitable and less extravagant than four years spent in acquiring a smattering of what they will never possess thoroughly and never need in their callings in life4 ,it is better to fill young minds with the useful than with the agreeable1 when it is impossible to furnish both4 ,results already bespeak the wisdom of this plan and reflect no small honor on its originators4 ,parents therefore should see to it that their children get the kind of education they need1 the kind that will serve them best in after life4 ,they should not allow the precious time of youth to be whiled' away in trifles and vanities4 ,children have a right3 to be educated in a manner in keeping with their conditions in life1 and it is criminal in parents to neglect the real needs of their children while trying3 to fit them for positions they will never occupy4 ,in the meantime1 let them protest against the extravagance of educational enthusiasts and excessive ,state paternalism4 ,let them ask that the burden of culture studies be put where it belongs1 that is1 on the shoulders of those who are the sole beneficiaries2 and that free popular education be made popular1 that is1 for all1 and not for an elite of society4 ,the public school system was called into existence to do one work1 namely1 to educate the masses3 it was never intended to furnish a college education for the benefit of the rich men's sons at the expense of the poor4 ,as it stands to-day1 it is an unadulterated extravagance4 ,,chapter ,,lxiii4 ,,godless ,,education4 ,,the other defect1 respecting education as found in the public schools of the land1 is that it leaves the soul out of all consideration and relegates the idea of ,god to a background of silent contempt4 ,on this subject we can do no better than quote wisdom from the ,fathers of the ,third ,plenary ,council of ,baltimore4 ,few1 if any1 will deny that a sound civilization must depend upon sound popular education4 ,but education1 in order to be sound and to produce beneficial results1 must develop what is best in man1 and make him not only clever1 but good4 ,a one-sided education will develop a one-sided life2 and such a life will surely topple over1 and so will every social system that is built up of such lives4 ,true civilization requires that not only the physical and intellectual1 but also the moral and religious1 well-being of the people should be improved1 and at least with equal care4 ,it cannot be desirable or advantageous that religion should be excluded from the school4 ,on the contrary1 it ought to be there one of the chief agencies for moulding the young life to all that is true and virtuous1 and holy4 ,to shut religion out of the school1 and keep it for home and the ,church1 is1 logically1 to train up a generation that will consider religion good for home and the ,church1 but not for the practical business of real life4 ,a life is not dwarfed1 but ennobled1 by being lived in the presence of ,god4 ,the avowed enemies of ,christianity in some ,european countries are banishing religion from the schools 7they have done it since7 in order to eliminate it gradually from among the people4 ,in this they are logical4 ,take away religion from the school1 and you take it away from the people4 ,take it away from the people1 and morality will soon follow2 morality gone1 even their physical condition will ere long degenerate into corruption which breeds decrepitude1 while their intellectual attainments would only serve as a light to guide them to deeper depths of vice and ruin4 ,a civilization without religion would be a civilization of 'the struggle for existence1 and the survival of the fittest1' in which cunning and strength would become the substitutes for principle1 virtue1 conscience and duty4 ,one of the things the ,catholic ,church fears least in this country is ,protestantism4 ,she considers it harmless1 moribund1 in the throes of disintegration4 ,it never has1 cannot and never will thrive long where it has to depend on something other than wealth and political power4 ,it has unchurched millions1 is still unchurching at a tremendous rate1 and will end by unchurching itself4 ,the godless school has done its work for ,protestantism1 and done it well4 ,its dearest enemy could not wish for better results4 ,popular education comes more and more to mean popularized irreligion4 ,the future struggles of the ,church will be with ,agnosticism and ,infidelity--the product of the godless public school4 ,and without pretending to be prophets or sons of prophets1 we ,catholics can foresee the day when godless education1 after making bad ,christians1 will make bad citizens4 ,and because no civilization worthy of the name has ever subsisted1 or can subsist1 without religion1 the maintenance of this system of popular and free government will devolve on the product of ,christian education1 and its perpetuity will depend upon the generations turned out of the religious school4 ,the most substantial protest the ,catholic ,church offers against godless education is the system of her parochial schools2 and this alone is sufficient to give an idea of the importance of this question4 ,from headquarters comes the order to erect ,catholic schools in every parish in this land as soon as the thing can be done4 ,this means a tremendous amount of work1 and a tremendous expense4 ,it means a competition on educational grounds with the greatest1 richest and most powerful nation in the world4 ,the game must be worth the candle2 there must be some proportion between the end and the means4 ,the ,catholic ,church has the wisdom of ages to learn from2 and when she embarks on an enterprise of this kind1 even her bitterest enemies can afford to take it for granted that there is something behind it4 ,and there is4 ,there is her very life1 which depends on the fidelity of her children4 ,and her children are lost to her and to ,god unless she fosters religion in her young4 ,let parents share this solicitude of the ,church for the little ones1 and beware of the dangers of the godless school4 ,,chapter ,,lxiv4 ,,catholic ,,schools4 ,,the ,catholic school system all over this land has been erected and stands dedicated to the principle that no child can be properly1 thoroughly and profitably--for itself--educated1 whose soul is not fed with religion and morality while its intelligence is being stocked with learning and knowledge4 ,it is intended1 and made1 to avoid the two defects under which our public school system labors--the one accidental1 the other fundamental--namely1 extravagance and godlessness4 ,the child is taught the things that are necessary for it to know2 catechism and religion take the place of fads and costly frills4 ,the ,catholic school does not lay claim to superiority over another on purely secular lines1 although in many cases its superiority is a very patent fact2 it repudiates and denies charges to the effect that it is inferior1 although this may be found in some cases to be true4 ,it contends that it is equal to1 as good as1 any other2 and there is no evidence why this should not be so4 ,but it does pretend to give a more thorough education in the true sense of the word1 if education really means a bringing out of that which is best in our nature4 ,neither do we hold that such a training as our schools provide will assure the faith and salvation of the children confided to our care4 ,neither church1 nor religion1 nor prayer1 nor grace1 nor ,god ,himself will do this alone4 ,the child's fidelity to ,god and its ultimate reward depends on that child's efforts and will1 which nothing can supply4 ,but what we do guarantee is that the child will be furnished with what is necessary to keep the faith and save its soul1 that there will be no one to blame but itself if it fails1 and that such security it will not find outside the ,catholic school4 ,it is for just such work that the school is equipped1 that is the only reason for its existence1 and we are not by any means prepared to confess that our system is a failure in that feature which is its essential one4 ,that every ,catholic child has an inherent right to such a training1 it is not for one moment permitted to doubt2 there is nothing outside the very bread that keeps its body and soul together to which it has a better right4 ,intellectual training is a very secondary matter when the immortal soul is concerned4 ,and if the child has this right1 there is a corresponding duty in the parent to provide it with such2 and since that right is inalienable1 that duty is of the gravest4 ,hence it follows that parents who neglect the opportunity they enjoy of providing their offspring with a sound religious and moral training in youth1 and expose them1 unprepared1 to the attacks1 covert and open1 of modern indifferentism1 while pursuing secular studies1 display a woeful ignorance of their obligations and responsibilities4 ,this natural right of the child to a religious education1 and the authority of the ,church which speaks in no uncertain accents on the subject go to make a general law that imposes a moral obligation upon parents to send their children to ,catholic schools4 ,parents who fail in this simply do wrong1 and in many cases cannot be excused from mortal offending4 ,and it requires1 according to the general opinion1 a very serious reason to justify non-compliance with this law4 ,exaggeration1 of course1 never serves any purpose2 but when we consider the personal rights of children to have their spiritual life well nurtured1 and the general evils against which this system of education has been judged necessary to make the ,church secure1 it will be easily seen that there is little fear of over-estimating the importance of the question and the gravity of the obligations under which parents are placed4 ,moreover1 disregard for this general law on the part of parents involves contempt of authority1 which contempt1 by reason of its being public1 cannot escape the malice of scandal4 ,even when the early religious education of the child is safeguarded by excellent home training and example and no evil effects of purely secular education are to be feared1 the fact of open resistance to the direction of ,church authority is an evil in itself2 and may be the cause of leading others in the same path of revolt--others who have not like circumstances in their favor4 ,about the only person ,i know who might be justified in not sending his children to ,catholic schools is the crank1 that creature of mulish propensities1 who balks and kicks and will not be persuaded to move by any method of reasoning so far discovered4 ,he usually knows all that is to be learned on the school question--which is a lie2 and having compared the parochial and the public school systems in an intelligent and disinterested manner--which is another--he finds that the ,catholic school is not the place for his children4 ,if his children are like himself1 his conclusion is wisely formed1 albeit drawn from false premises4 ,in him1 three things are on a par2 his conceit1 his ignorance and his determination4 ,from these three ingredients results a high quality of asininity which in moral theology is called invincible ignorance and is said to render one immune in matters of sin4 ,may his tribe decrease6 ,,chapter ,,lxv4 ,,some ,,weak ,,points ,,in ,,the ,,catholic ,,school ,,system4 ,,some parents claim that their children do not learn anything in the ,catholic school4 ,it is good policy always to accept this statement as true in all its parts2 it may be true1 and it is never good to deny the truth4 ,all are not equally endowed with brains in this world4 ,if a child has it dinned into his ears that the school he attends is inferior1 he will come to be convinced of the fact2 and being convinced1 he will set to work verifying it1 in his case1 at least4 ,heredity may have something to do with it2 children are sometimes chips of the old block1--a great misfortune in many cases1 handicapping them in the race of life4 ,it is well1 therefore1 not to claim too much for our schools4 ,we concede the point4 ,another parent thinks that because he went through the public schools and kept the faith in his day1 his children may be trusted to do the same4 ,this objection has a serious front to it4 ,it does seem strange that children should not walk in the footsteps of their worthy parents2 but the fact is1 and facts are stubborn things1 the fact is that they do not always act thus4 ,and they might tell you1 to justify their unseemly conduct1 that the conditions that obtained in life in olden days are not the same as at present2 that there were no parochial schools then to offer a choice in matters of education and that kind ,providence might have taken this into consideration3 that it was the custom in those days for children to imitate the rugged virtues of their parents struggling against necessity on one hand and bigotry on the other2 but that through the powerful influence of money1 the progeny of the persecuted may now hobnob with the progeny of the bigot1 and the association is not always the best thing in the world for the faith and religious convictions of the former1 unless these convictions are well grounded in youth4 ,the parent therefore who kept the faith with less had a very considerable advantage over his child who apparently has more privileges1 but also more temptations and dangers4 ,the objection does not look so serious now4 ,of course there is the question of social standing--a very important matter with some parents of the nouveau riche type4 ,a fop will gauge a man's worth by the size of his purse or the style and cut of the coat he wears4 ,there are parents who would not mind their children's sitting beside a little darkey1 but who do object most strenuously to their occupying the same bench with a dirty little ,irish child4 ,a calico dress or a coat frayed at the edges are certainly not badges of high social standing1 but they are not incompatible with honesty1 purity1 industry and respect for ,god1 which things create a wholesome atmosphere to live in and make the world better in every sense of the word4 ,there is no refinement in these little ones1 to speak of1 not even the refinement of vice4 ,there is something in the air they breathe that kills the germ of vice4 ,the discipline considers sin a worse evil than ignorance of social amenities1 and virtue and goodness as far superior to etiquette and distinction of manners4 ,if a different appreciation of things is entertained1 we grant the inferiority of our schools4 ,but then1 it is so very un-,american1 you know1 to maintain separate schools in opposition to an institution so intensely ,american as our public school system4 ,this state of affairs fosters creed prejudices that it is the duty of every true ,american to help destroy4 ,the age of religious differences is past1 and the parochial school is a perpetual reminder of things of the past that were best forgotten4 ,we deny that the system that stands for no religious or moral training is intensely ,american4 ,this is a ,christian land4 ,if our denial cannot be sustained1 we consider such a system radically wrong and detrimental to the best interests of the country2 and we protest against it1 just as some of us protest against imperialism1 high tariff and monometalism4 ,it is wrong1 bad1 therefore un-,american4 ,we also claim that the ,protestant propaganda that is being carried on under the guise of non-sectarian education is unspeakably unjust and outrageous4 ,protestantism is not a ,state institution in this country4 ,a stranger might think so by the way public shekels are made to serve the purposes of proselytism2 but to make the claim1 in theory1 or in practise1 is to go counter to the laws of this land1 and is un-,american to a degree4 ,that is another un-,americanism we protest against4 ,we teach truth1 not creed prejudices2 we train our children to have and always maintain a strong prejudice for religious truth1 and that kind of prejudice is the rock-bed of all that is good and holy and worth living for4 ,we teach dogma4 ,we do not believe in religion without dogma1 any more than religion without truth4 ,that kind of religion has not been invented1 but it will come in when we have good men without convictions1 parties without principles and geometry without theories4 ,if there is anything un-,american in all this1 it is because the term is misunderstood and misapplied4 ,we are sorry if others find us at odds on religious grounds4 ,the fact of our existence will always be a reminder of our differences with them in the past4 ,but we are not willing to cease to exist on that account4 ,,chapter ,,lxvi4 ,,correction4 ,,among the many things that are good for children and that parents are in duty bound to supply is--the rod6 ,this may sound old-fashioned1 and it unfortunately is2 there is a new school of home discipline in vogue nowadays4 ,slippers have outgrown their usefulness as implements of persuasion1 being now employed exclusively as foot-gear4 ,the lissom birch thrives ungarnered in the thicket1 where grace and gentleness supply the whilom vigor of its sway4 ,the unyielding barrel-stave1 that formerly occupied a place of honor and convenience in the household1 is now relegated1 a harmless thing1 to a forgotten corner of the cellar1 and no longer points a moral but adorns a wood-pile4 ,disciplinary applications of the old type have fallen into innocuous desuetude2 the penny now tempts1 the sugar candy soothes and sugar-coated promises entice when the rod should quell and blister4 ,meanwhile the refractory urchin1 with no fear to stimulate his sluggish conscience1 chuckles1 rejoices and is glad1 and bethinks himself of some uninvented methods of devilment4 ,yes1 it is old-fashioned in these days to smite with the rattan as did the mighty of yore4 ,the custom certainly lived a long time4 ,the author of the ,proverbs spoke of the practise to the parents of his generation1 and there is no mistaking the meaning of his words4 ,he spoke with authority1 too2 if we mistake not1 it was the ,holy ,ghost that inspired his utterances4 ,here are a few of his old-fashioned sayings3 ,spare the rod and spoil the child2 he who loves his child spares not the rod2 correction gives judgment to the child who ordinarily is incapable of reflection2 if the child be not chastised1 it will bring down shame and disgrace upon the head of its parent4 ,it is our opinion that authority of this sort should redeem the defect of antiquity under which the teaching itself labors4 ,there are some things ever ancient1 ever new2 this is one of them4 ,the philosophy of correction may be found in the doctrine of original sin4 ,every child of ,adam has a nature that is corrupted2 it is a soil in which pride in all its forms and with all its cortege of vices takes strong and ready root4 ,this growth crops out into stubbornness1 selfishness1 a horror of restraint1 effort and self-denial2 mischief1 and a spirit of rebellion and destruction4 ,in its native state1 untouched by the rod of discipline1 the child is wild4 ,now1 you must force a crooked tree to grow straight2 you must break a wild colt to domesticate it1 and you must whip a wild boy to make him fit for the company of civilized people4 ,being self-willed1 he will seek to follow the bent of his own inclinations2 without intelligence or experience and by nature prone to evil1 he will follow the wrong path2 and the habits acquired in youth1 the faults developed he will carry through life to his own and the misery of others4 ,he therefore requires training and a substitute for judgment2 and according to the ,holy ,ghost1 the rod furnishes both4 ,in the majority of cases nothing can supply it4 ,this theory has held good in all the ages of the world1 and unless the species has evolved by extraordinary leaps and bounds within the last fifty years1 it holds good to-day1 modern nursery milk-and-honey discipline to the contrary notwithstanding4 ,it may be hard on the youngster--it was hard on us6--but the difficulty is only temporary2 and difficulty1 some genius has said1 is the nurse of greatness1 a harsh nurse1 who roughly rocks her foster-children into strength and athletic proportions4 ,the great point is that this treatment be given in time1 when it is possible to administer it with success and fruit4 ,the ordinary child does not need ,oft-repeated doses2 a firm hand and a vigorous application go a long way1 in most cases4 ,half-hearted1 milk-and-water castigation1 like physic1 should be thrown to the dogs4 ,long threatenings spoil the operation2 they betray weakness which the child is the first to discover4 ,and without being brutal1 it is well that the chastisement be such as will linger somewhat longer in the memory than in the sensibility4 ,the defects that deserve this corrective especially are insubordination1 sulkiness and sullenness2 it is good to stir up the lazy2 it is necessary to instil in the child's mind a saving sense of its own inferiority and to inculcate lessons of humility1 self-effacement and self-denial4 ,it should scourge dishonesty and lying4 ,the bear licks its cub into shape2 let the parent go to the bear1 inquire of its ways and be wise4 ,his children will then have a moral shape and a form of character that will stand them in good stead in after life2 and they will give thanks in proportion to the pain inflicted during the process of formation4 ,,chapter ,,lxvii4 ,,justice ,,and ,,rights4 ,,justice is a virtue by which we render unto every man that which to him is due4 ,among equals1 it is called commutative justice1 the which alone is here in question4 ,it protects us in the enjoyment of our own rights1 and imposes upon us the obligation of respecting the rights of our fellow-men4 ,this1 of course1 supposes that we have certain rights and that we know what a right is4 ,but what is a right8 ,the word itself may be clearer in the minds of many than its definition2 few ignore what a right is1 and fewer still perhaps could say clearly and correctly what they mean by the word4 ,a right is not something that you can see and feel and smell3 it is a moral faculty1 that is1 a recognized1 inviolable power or liberty to do something1 to hold or obtain possession of something4 ,where the right of property is concerned1 it supposes a certain relation or connection between a person and an object2 this may be a relation of natural possession1 as in the case of life or reputation1 a relation of lawful acquisition1 as that of the goods of life1 etc4 ,out of this relation springs a title1 just and proper1 by which ,i may call that object mine1 or you1 yours2 ownership is thereby established of the object and conceded to the party in question4 ,this party is therefore said to have a right to the object2 and the right is good1 whether he is in possession or not thereof4 ,justice respects this right1 respects the just claims and titles of the owner1 and forbids every act injurious thereto4 ,all this pre-supposes the idea of ,god1 and without that idea1 there can be no justice and no rights1 properly so-called4 ,justice is based on the conformity of all things with the will of ,god4 ,the will of ,god is that we attain to everlasting happiness in the next world through the means of an established order of things in this life4 ,this world is so ruled1 and our nature is such1 that certain means are either absolutely or relatively necessary for the attaining of that end2 for example1 life1 reputation1 liberty1 the pursuit of happiness in the measure of our lawful capacity4 ,the obligation therefore to reach that end gives us the right to use these means2 and ,god places in every soul the virtue of justice so that this right may be respected4 ,but it must be understood that the rights of ,god towards us transcend all other rights that we may have towards our fellow-men2 ours we enjoy under the high dominion of ,him who grants all rights4 ,consequently1 in the pursuit of justice for ourselves1 our rights cease the moment they come into antagonism with the superior rights of ,god as found in ,his ,law4 ,no man has a right to do what is evil1 not even to preserve that most inalienable and sacred of all rights1 his right to life4 ,to deny this is to destroy the very notion of justice2 the restrictions of our rights are more sacred than those rights themselves4 ,violation of rights among equals is called injustice4 ,this sin has a triple malice2 it attacks the liberty of fellow-men and destroys it2 it attacks the order of the world and the basis of society2 it attacks the decree and mandate of the ,almighty who wills that this world shall be run on the plan of justice4 ,injustice is therefore directly a sin against man1 and indirectly a crime against ,god4 ,so jealous is ,god of the rights of ,his creatures that ,he never remains satisfied until full justice is done for every act of injustice4 ,charity may be wounded1 and the fault condoned2 but only reparation in kind will satisfy justice4 ,whatever is mine is mine1 and mine it will ever remain1 wherever in this world another may have betaken himself with it4 ,as long as it exists it will appeal to me as to its master and owner2 if justice is not done in this world1 then it will appeal to the justice of ,heaven for vengeance4 ,the six last commandments treat of the rights of man and condemn injustice4 ,we are told to respect the life1 the virtue1 the goods and the reputation of our fellow-men2 we are commanded to do so not only in act1 but also in thought and desire4 ,life is protected by the fifth1 virtue by the sixth and ninth1 property by the seventh and tenth1 and reputation by the eighth4 ,to sin against any of these commandments is to sin against justice in one form or another4 ,the claims1 however1 of violated justice are not such as to exact the impossible in order to repair an injury done4 ,a dead man cannot be brought back to life1 a penniless thief cannot make restitution unless he steals from somebody else1 etc41 etc4 ,but he who finds himself thus physically incapable of undoing the wrongs committed must have at least the will and intention of so doing3 to revoke such intention would be to commit a fresh sin of injustice4 ,the alternative is to do penance1 either willingly in this life1 or forcibly in the purging flames of the suffering ,church in the next4 ,in that way1 some time or other1 justice1 according to the plan of ,god1 will be done2 but ,he will never be satisfied until it is done4 ,,chapter ,,lxviii4 ,,homicide4 ,,to kill is to take life1 human or animal4 ,it was once thought by a sect of crazy fanatics1 that the ,fifth ,commandment applied to the killing of animals as well as of men4 ,when a man slays a man1 he slays an equal2 when he kills an animal1 he kills a creature made to serve him and to be his food2 and raw meat is not always palatable1 and to cook is to kill4 ,everything that moves and lives1 says ,holy ,writ1 shall be unto you as food4 ,the killing therefore herein question is the taking of human life1 or homicide4 ,there can be no doubt but that life is man's best and most precious possession1 and that he has an inborn right to live as long as nature's laws operate in his favor4 ,but man is not master of that gift of life1 either in himself or in others4 ,god1 who alone can give1 alone may take it away4 ,sole master of life1 ,he deals it out to ,his creatures as it pleases ,him2 and whoever tampers with human life intrudes upon the domain of the ,divinity1 violating at the some time the first right of his fellow-man4 ,we have an instinctive horror of blood1 human blood4 ,for the ordinary individual the ,mosaic enactment that forbids murder is almost superfluous1 so deeply has nature graven on our hearts the letter of that law4 ,murder is abominable1 for the very reason that life is precious2 and no reasonable being1 civilized or savage1 dealing death unjustly unto a fellow-man1 can have any other conviction in his soul than that he is committing a crime and incurring the almighty wrath of the ,deity4 ,if such killing is done by a responsible agent1 and against the right of the victim1 the crime committed is murder or unjustifiable homicide4 ,which supposes that there is a kind of homicide that is justifiable1 in seeming contradiction of the general law of ,god and nature1 which specifies no exception4 ,but there is a question here less of exception than of distinction4 ,the law is a general one1 of vast comprehension4 ,is all killing prohibited8 ,evidently no4 ,it is limited to human beings1 in the first place2 to responsible agents1 in the next2 and thirdly1 it involves a question of injustice4 ,what is forbidden is the voluntary and unjust killing of a human being4 ,having thus specified according to the rules of right reasoning1 we find we have a considerable margin left for the taking of life that is justifiable4 ,and the records of ,divine revelation will approve the findings of right reason4 ,we find ,god in the ,old ,law1 while upholding ,his fifth precept1 commanding capital punishment and sanctioning the slaughter of war2 ,he not only approved the slaying of certain persons1 but there are instances of ,his giving authority to kill4 ,by so doing ,he delegated ,his supreme right over life to ,his creatures4 ,whoever sheds human blood1 let his blood be shed4 ,in the ,new ,testament the officer of the law is called the minister of ,god and is said not without cause to carry the sword2 and the sword is the symbol of the power to inflict death4 ,the presence of such laws as that of capital punishment1 of war and of self-defense1 in all the written codes of civilized peoples1 as well as in the unwritten codes of savage tribes1 can be accounted for only by a direct or indirect commission from the ,deity4 ,a legal tradition so universal and so constant is a natural law1 and consequently a divine law4 ,in a matter of such importance all mankind could not have erred2 if it has1 it is perfectly safe to be with it in its error4 ,these exceptions1 if we may call them exceptions1 suppose the victim to have forfeited his right to live1 to have placed himself in a position of unjust aggression1 which aggression gives to the party attacked the right to repel it1 to protect his own life even at the cost of the life of the unjust aggressor4 ,this is an individual privilege in only one instance1 that of self-defence2 in all others it is invested in the body politic or society which alone can declare war and inflict death on a capital offender4 ,of course it may be said that in moral matters1 like does not cure like1 that to permit killing is a strange manner of discouraging the same4 ,but this measure acts as a deterrent2 it is not a cure for the offender1 or rather it is1 and a radical one2 it is intended to instil a salutary dread into the hearts of those who may be inclined to play too freely with human life4 ,this is the only argument assassins understand2 it is therefore the only one we can use against them4 ,,chapter ,,lxix4 ,,is ,,suicide ,a ,,sin8 ,,most people no doubt remember how1 a short time previous to his death1 ,col4 ,robert ,ingersoli1 the agnostic lecturer1 gave out a thesis with the above title1 offering a negative conclusion4 ,some discussion ensued in public print2 the question was debated hotly1 and whole columns of pros and cons were inflicted on the suffering public by the theologues who had taken the matter seriously4 ,we recall1 too1 how1 in the height of the discussion1 a poor devil of an unfortunate was found in one of the parks of the ,metropolis with an empty pistol in his clinched fist1 a bullet in his head and in his pocket a copy of the thesis3 ,is suicide a sin8 ,to a ,christian1 this theorizing and speculation was laughable enough2 but when one was brought face to face with the reality of the thing1 a grim humor was added to the situation4 ,comedy is dangerous that leads to tragedy4 ,the witty part of the matter was this3 ,ingersoli spoke of sin4 ,now1 what kind of an intelligible thing could sin be in the mind of a blasphemous agnostic8 ,what meaning could it have for any man who professes not to know1 or to care1 who or what ,god is8 ,if there is no ,legislator1 there is no ,law2 if no ,law1 then no violation of the ,law4 ,if ,god does not exist1 there can be no offending ,him4 ,eliminate the notion of ,god1 and there is no such thing as sin4 ,sin1 therefore1 had no meaning for ,ingersoli2 his thesis had no meaning1 nothing he said had any meaning4 ,yet1 people took him seriously6 ,and at least one poor wretch was willing to test the truth of the assertion and run his chances4 ,some people1 less speculative1 contend that the fact of suicide is sufficient evidence of irresponsibility1 as no man in his right senses would take his own life4 ,this position is both charitable and consoling2 unfortunately1 certain facts of premeditation and clear mindedness militate so strongly against such a general theory that one can easily afford to doubt its soundness4 ,that this is true in many cases1 perhaps in the majority of cases1 all will admit2 in all cases1 few will admit it4 ,however1 the question here is one of principle1 and not of fact4 ,the prime evil at the bottom of all killing is that of injustice2 but in self-destruction where the culprit and the victim are one and the same person1 there can be no question of injustice4 ,akin to1 and a substitute for1 the law of justice is that of charity1 by which we are bound to love ourselves and do ourselves no harm or injury4 ,the saying charity begins at home means that we ourselves are the first objects of our charity4 ,if therefore we must respect the life of our neighbor1 the obligation is still greater to respect our own4 ,then there is the supreme law of justice that reposes in ,god4 ,we should remember that ,god is the supreme and sole ,master of life4 ,man has a lease of life1 but it does not belong to him to destroy at his own will4 ,he did not give it to himself2 and he cannot take it away4 ,destruction supposes an authority and dominion that does not belong to any man where life is concerned4 ,and he who assumes such a prerogative commits an act of unquestionable injustice against ,him whose authority is usurped4 ,by indirect killing we mean the placing of an act1 good or at least morally indifferent1 from which may result a benefit that is intended1 but also an evil--death--which is not intended but simply suffered to occur4 ,in this event there is no sin1 provided there be sufficient reason for permitting said evil effect4 ,the act may be an operation1 the benefit intended1 a cure2 the evil risked1 death4 ,the misery of ill health is a sufficient reason for risking the evil of death in the hope of regaining strength and health4 ,to escape sure death1 to escape from grave danger or ills1 to preserve one's virtue1 to save another's life1 to assure a great public benefit1 etc41 these are reasons proportionate to the evil of risking life2 and in these and similar cases1 if death results1 it is indirect suicide1 and is in nowise criminal4 ,the same cannot be said of death that results from abuses or excesses of any kind1 such as dissipation or debauchery2 from risks that are taken in a spirit of bravado or with a view to winning fame or lucre4 ,for a still better reason this cannot be said of those who undergo criminal operations3 it is never permitted to do what is intrinsically evil that good may come therefrom4 ,all this applies to self-mutilation as well as to self-destruction2 as parts of the whole1 one's limbs should be the objects of one's charity1 and ,god's law demands that we preserve them as well as the body itself4 ,it is lawful to submit to the maiming process only when the utility of the whole body demands it2 otherwise it is criminal4 ,one word more4 ,what about those who call upon1 and desire death8 ,to desire evil is sinful4 ,yes1 but death is a moral evil when its mode is contrary to the laws of ,god and of nature4 ,thus1 with perfect acquiescence to order of ,divine ,providence1 if one desire death in order to be at rest with ,god1 that one desires a good and meritorious thing and with perfect regularity2 it is less meritorious to desire death with the sole view of escaping the ills and troubles of life2 it would even be difficult to convict one of mortal offending if he desired death for a slight and futile reason1 if there be due respect for the will of ,god4 ,the sin of such desires consists in rebellion against the divine ,will and opposition to the providence of ,god2 in such cases the sin is never anything but grievous4 ,,chapter ,,lxx4 ,,self-,,defense4 ,,the thought is a terrible one--and the act is desperate in itself--of a man1 however justified his conduct may be1 slaying with his own hand a fellow being and sending his soul1 unprepared perhaps1 before its ,maker4 ,but it is a still more desperate thing1 because it strikes us nearer home1 to yield up one's life into the hands of an agent of injustice4 ,there is here an alternative of two very great evils2 it is a question of two lives1 his and mine2 ,i must slay or ,i must die without having done anything to forfeit my life4 ,but the law of charity1 founded in nature1 makes my life more precious to me than his1 for charity begins at home4 ,then1 to save his life1 ,i must give mine2 and he risks his to take mine6 ,i do not desire to kill my unjust aggressor1 but ,i do intend1 as ,i have a perfect right1 to protect my own life4 ,if he1 without cause1 places his existence as an obstacle to my enjoyment of life1 then ,i shall remove that obstacle1 and to do it1 ,i shall kill4 ,again1 a desperate remedy1 but the situation is most terribly desperate4 ,being given law of my being1 ,i can not help the inevitable result of conditions of which ,i am nowise responsible4 ,the man who attacks my life places his own beyond the possibility of my saving it4 ,this1 of course1 supposes a man using the full measure of his rights4 ,but is he bound to do this1 morally8 ,not if his charity for another be greater than that which he bears towards himself1 if he go beyond the divine injunction to love his neighbor as himself and love him better than himself2 if he feel that he is better prepared to meet his ,god than the other1 if he have no one dependent on him for maintenance and support4 ,even did he happen to be in the state of mortal sin1 there is every reason to believe that such charity as will sacrifice life for another1 greater than which no man has1 would wash away that sin and open the way of mercy2 while great indeed must be the necessity of the dependent ones to require absolutely the death of another4 ,the aggression that justifies killing must be unjust4 ,this would not be the case of a criminal being brought to justice or resisting arrest4 ,justice cannot conflict with itself and can do nothing unjust in carrying out its own mandates4 ,the culprit therefore has no grounds to stand upon for his defense4 ,neither is killing justifiable1 if wounding or mutilation would effect the purpose4 ,but here the code of morals allows much latitude on account of the difficulty of judging to a nicety the intentions of the aggressor1 that is1 whether he means to kill or not2 and of so directing the protecting blow as to inflict just enough1 and no more disability than the occasion requires4 ,virtue in woman is rightly considered a boon greater than life2 and for that matter1 so is the state of ,god's friendship in the soul of any creature4 ,then1 here too applies the principle of self-defense4 ,if ,i may kill to save my life1 #a may for a better reason kill to save my soul and to avoid mortal offense4 ,true1 the loss of bodily integrity does not necessarily imply a staining of the soul2 but human nature is such as to make the one an almost fatal consequence of the other4 ,the person therefore who kills to escape unjust contamination acts within his or her rights and before ,god is justified in the doing4 ,we would venture to say the same thing of a man who resorts to this extreme in order to protect his rightly gotten goods1 on these two conditions1 however3 that there be some kind of proportion between the loss and the remedy he employs to protect himself against it2 and that he have well grounded hope that the remedy will be effective1 that it will prevent said loss1 and not transform itself into revenge4 ,and here a last remark is in order4 ,the killing that is permitted to save1 is not permitted to avenge loss sustained2 the law sanctions self-defense1 but not vengeance4 ,if a man1 on the principle of self-defense1 has the right to kill to save his brother1 and fails to do so1 his further right to kill ceases2 the object is past saving and vengeance is criminal4 ,if a woman has been wronged1 once the wrong effected1 there can be no lawful recourse to slaying1 for what is lost is beyond redemption1 and no reason for such action exists except revenge4 ,in these cases killing is murder1 pure and simple1 and there is nothing under ,heaven to justify it4 ,remembering the injunction to love our neighbor as ourself1 we add that we have the same right to defend our neighbor's life as we have to defend our own1 even to protect his or her innocence and virtue and possessions4 ,a husband may defend the honor of his wife1 which is his own1 even though the wife be a party to the crime and consent to the defilement2 but the right is only to prevent1 and ceases on the event of accomplishment1 even at the incipient stage4 ,,chapter ,,lxxi4 ,,murder ,,often ,,sanctioned4 ,,all injury done to another in order to repair an insult is criminal1 and if said injury result in death1 it is murder4 ,here we consider an insult as an attack on one's reputation or character1 a charge or accusation1 a slurring remark1 etc41 without reference to the truth or falsity thereof4 ,it may be objected that whereas reputation1 like chastity and considerable possessions1 is often valued as high as life itself1 the same right exists to defend it even at the cost of another's life4 ,but it must be remembered that the loss of character sustained in consequence of an insult of this kind is something very ephemeral and unsubstantial2 and only to a mind abnormally sensitive can any proportion be perceived between the loss and the remedy4 ,this is especially true when the attack is in words and goes no farther than words3 for sticks and stones will break your bones1 but names will never hurt you1 as we used to say when we were boys4 ,then1 words are such fleeting things that the harm is done1 whatever harm there is1 before any remedy can be brought to bear upon it2 which fact leaves no room for self-defense4 ,in such a case1 the only redress that can be had is from the courts of justice1 established to undo wrongs as far as the thing can be done4 ,the power to do this belongs to the ,state alone1 and is vested in no private individual4 ,to assume the prerogative of privately doing oneself justice1 when recourse can be had to the tribunals of justice1 is to sin1 and every act committed in this pursuit of justice is unlawful and criminal4 ,this applies likewise to all the other cases of self-defense wherein life1 virtue and wealth are concerned1 if the harm is already done1 or if legal measures can prevent the evil1 or undo it4 ,it may be that the justice dealt out by the tribunal1 in case of injury being done to u's1 prove inferior to that which we might have obtained ourselves by private methods4 ,but this is not a reason for one to take the law into one's own hands4 ,such loss is accidental and must be ascribed to the inevitable course of human things4 ,duelling is a form of murder and suicide combined1 for which there can possibly be no justification4 ,the code of honor that requires the reparation of an insult at the point of the sword or the muzzle of a pistol has no existence outside the befogged intelligence of godless men4 ,the duel repairs nothing and aggravates the evil it seeks to remedy4 ,the justice it appeals to is a creature dependent on skill and luck2 such justice is not only blind1 but crazy as well4 ,that is why the ,church anathematizes duelling4 ,the duel she condemns is a hand-to-hand combat prearranged as to weapons1 time and place1 and it is immaterial whether it be to the death or only to the letting of first blood4 ,she fulminates her major excommunication against duellists1 even in the event of their failing to keep their agreement4 ,her sentence affects seconds and all those who advise or favor or abet1 and even those whose simple presence is an incentive and encouragement4 ,she refuses ,christian burial to the one who falls1 unless before dying he shows certain dispositions of repentance4 ,prize fighting1 however brutal and degrading1 must not be put in the category of duelling4 ,its object is not to wipe out an insult1 but to furnish sport and to reap the incidental profits4 ,in normal conditions there is no danger to life or limb4 ,sharkey might stop with the point of his chin a blow that would send many another into kingdom come2 but so long as ,sharkey does the stopping the danger remains non-existent4 ,if1 however1 hate instead of lucre bring the men together1 that motive would be sufficient to make the game one of blood if not of death4 ,lynching1 is another kind of murder1 and a cowardly1 brutal kind1 at that4 ,no crime1 no abomination on the part of the victim1 however great1 can justify such an inhuman proceeding4 ,it brands with the crime of wilful murder every man or woman who has a hand in it4 ,to defend the theory of lynching-is as bad as to carry it out in practice4 ,and it is greatly to be feared that the ,almighty will one day call this land to account for the outrageous performances of unbridled license and heartless cruelty that occur so frequently in our midst4 ,the only plea on which to ground an excuse for such exhibitions of brutality and disrespect for order and justice would be the inability of established government to mete out justice to the guilty2 but this is not even the case1 for government is defied and lawful authority capable and willing to punish is spurned2 the culprit is taken from the hands of the law and delivered over to the vengeance of a mob4 ,however popular the doctrine of ,judge ,lynch may be in certain sections of the land1 it is nevertheless reprobated by the law of ,god and stands condemned at the bar of ,his justice4 ,,chapter ,,lxxii4 ,,on ,,the ,,ethics ,,of ,,war4 ,,in these days1 since we have evolved into a fighting nation1 our young men feel within them the instinct of battle1 which1 like ,job's steed1 when it heareth the trumpet1 saith3 'ha1 ha'2 that smelleth the battle afar off1 the encouraging of the captains1 the shouting of the army4 ,military trappings are no longer looked upon as stage furniture1 good only for ,fourth-of-,july parades and sham manoeuvers4 ,war with us has become a stern reality1 and promises to continue such1 for people do not yield up willingly their independence1 even to a world-power with a providential destiny to fulfil4 ,and since war is slaughter1 it might be apropos to remark on the morality of such killing as is done on the field of battle and of war in general4 ,in every war there is a right side and a wrong side2 sometimes1 perhaps1 more frequently1 there is right and wrong on both sides1 due to bungling diplomacy and the blindness of prejudice4 ,but in every case justice demands the triumph of one cause and the defeat of the other4 ,to determine in any particular case the side of right and justice is a very difficult matter4 ,and perhaps it is just as well that it is so2 for could this be done with truth and accuracy1 frightful responsibilities would have to be placed on the shoulders of somebody2 and we shrink instinctively from the thought of any one individual or body of individuals standing before ,god with the crime of war on his or their souls4 ,therefore it is that grave men are of the opinion that such a tremendous event as war is not wholly of man's making1 but rather an act of ,god1 like earthquakes1 volcanic eruptions and the like2 which things ,he uses as flails to chastise ,his people1 or to bring them to a sense of their own insignificance in ,his sight4 ,be this as it may1 it is nevertheless true that a private individual is rarely1 if ever1 competent to judge rightly by himself of the morality of any given cause1 until such time at least as history has probed the matter and brought every evidence to light4 ,in case1 therefore1 of doubt1 every presumption should favor the cause of one's own country4 ,if1 in my private opinion1 the cause of my country is doubtfully wrong1 then that doubt should yield to the weight of higher authoritative opinion4 ,official or popular judgment will be authority for me2 on that authority ,i may form a strong probable opinion1 at least2 and this will assure the morality of my taking up my country's cause1 even though it be doubtful from my personal point of view4 ,if this cannot be done and one's conscience positively reprove such a cause1 then that one cannot1 until a contrary conviction is acquired1 take any part therein4 ,but he is in no wise bound to defend with arms the other side1 for his convictions are subjective and general laws do not take these into account4 ,who are bound to serve8 ,that depends on the quality of danger to which the commonwealth is exposed4 ,first1 the obligation is for those who can do so easily2 young men1 strong1 unmarried1 with a taste for such adventure as war affords4 ,the greater the general peril1 the less private needs should be considered4 ,the situation may be such as to call forth every able-bodied man1 irrespective of family necessities4 ,to shirk this duty when it is plainly a duty--a rare circumstance1 indeed--is without doubt a sin4 ,obedience to orders is the alpha and omega of army discipline2 without it a cause is lost from the beginning4 ,numbers are nothing compared to order2 a mob is not a fighting machine2 it is only a fair target4 ,the issue of a battle1 or even of a whole war1 may depend on obedience to orders4 ,army men know this so well that death is not infrequently the penalty of disobedience4 ,consequently1 a violation of discipline is usually a serious offense2 it may easily be a mortal sin4 ,war being slaughter1 the soldier's business is to kill or rather to disable1 as many of the enemy as possible on the field of battle4 ,this disabling process means1 of course1 and necessarily1 the maiming unto death of many4 ,such killing is not only lawful1 but obligatory4 ,war1 like the surgeon's knife1 must often lop off much in order to save the whole4 ,the best soldier is he who inflicts most damage on the enemy4 ,but the desire and intention of the soldier should not be primarily to kill1 but only to put the enemy beyond the possibility of doing further harm4 ,death will be the result of his efforts in many cases1 and this he suffers to occur rather than desires and intends4 ,he has no right to slay outside of battle or without the express command of a superior officer2 if he does so1 he is guilty of murder4 ,neither must there be hate behind the aim that singles out a foe for destruction2 the general hatred which he bestows on the opposing cause must respect the individual enemy4 ,it is not lawful to wantonly torture or maim an enemy1 whoever or whatever he may be1 however great his crime4 ,not even the express command of a superior officer can justify such doings1 because it is barbarity1 pure and unmitigated4 ,in war these things are morally just what they would be if they were perpetrated in the heart of peace and civilization by a gang of thugs4 ,these are abominations that1 not only disgrace the flag under which they are committed1 but even cry to ,heaven for vengeance4 ,,chapter ,,lxxiii4 ,,the ,,massacre ,,of ,,the ,,innocents4 ,,herod1 the ,bloody1 slew all under two4 ,a modern ,moloch1 a creature of lust and blood1 disguised often under the cloak of respectability1 stalks through a ,christian land denying the babe the right to be born at all1 demanding that it be crushed as soon as conceived4 ,there is murder and murder2 but this is the most heartless1 cowardly and brutal on the catalogue of crime4 ,it is bad enough to cut down an enemy1 to shoot him in the back2 but when it comes to slaying a victim as helpless as a babe1 incapable of entering a protest1 innocent of all wrong save that of existing2 when even baptism is denied it1 and thereby the sight of ,god for all eternity2 when finally the victim is one's own flesh and blood1 the language of hell alone is capable of qualifying such deeds4 ,do not say there is no injustice4 ,every innocent human being1 at every stage of its existence1 from the first to the last1 born or unborn1 has a natural and inalienable right to live1 as long as nature's laws operate in its favor4 ,being innocent it cannot forfeit that right4 ,god is no exceptor of persons2 a soul is a soul1 whether it be the soul of a pontiff1 a king or a sage1 or the soul of the unborn babe of the last woman of the people4 ,in every case1 the right to live is exactly the same4 ,the circumstances1 regular or irregular1 of its coming into life1 not being of its own making1 do not affect the right in the least4 ,it obeyed the law by which every man is created2 it could not disobey1 for the law is fatal4 ,its presence therefore1 cannot be morally obnoxious1 a crime on its part4 ,whether its presence is a joy or a shame1 that depends solely on the free act of others than itself2 and it is for them to enjoy the privilege or bear the disgrace and burden4 ,that presence may occasion poverty1 suffering1 it may even endanger life2 what if it does6 ,has a person in misfortune the right to strike down another who has had no part in making that misfortune8 ,life does not begin at birth1 but precedes it2 prenatal life is truly life4 ,that which is conceived1 is2 being1 it lives as essentially as a full-grown man in the prime of life4 ,being the fruit of humanity it is human at every instant of its career2 being human1 it is a creature of ,god1 has an immortal soul with the image of the ,maker stamped thereon4 ,and the veto of ,god1 ,thou shalt not kill1 protects that life1 or it has no meaning at all4 ,the psychological moment of incipient life1 the instant marked by the infusion of soul into body1 may furnish a problem of speculation for the savant2 but even when certitude ends and doubt begins1 the law of ,god fails not to protect4 ,no man who doubts seriously that the act he is about to perform is a crime1 and is free to act or not to act1 is anything but a criminal1 if he goes ahead notwithstanding and does the deed4 ,if ,i send a bullet into a man's head doubting whether or not he be dead1 ,i commit murder by that act1 and it matters not at all in point of fact whether said person were really dead or not before ,i made sure4 ,in the matter1 therefore1 which concerns us here1 doubt will not make killing justifiable4 ,the law is3 when in doubt1 do not act4 ,then1 again1 as far as guilt is concerned1 it makes not a particle of difference whether results follow or not4 ,sin1 you know1 is an act of the will2 the exterior deed completes1 but does not make1 the crime4 ,if ,i do all in my power to effect a wrong and fail in the attempt through no fault of my own1 ,i am just as guilty before ,god as if ,i perpetrated the crime in deed4 ,it is more than a desire to commit sin1 which is sinful2 it is a specific sin in itself1 and in this matter1 it is murder pure and simple4 ,this applies with equal force to the agent who does the deed1 to the principal who has it done or consents to its being done1 to those who advise1 encourage1 urge or co-operate in any way therein1 as well as to those who having authority to prevent1 neglect to use it4 ,the stain of blood is on the soul of every person to whom any degree of responsibility or complicity can be attached4 ,if every murderer in this enlightened ,christian land of ours received the rope which is his or her due1 according to the letter of the law1 business would be brisk for quite a spell4 ,it is a small town that has not its professional babe-slaughterer1 who succeeds in evading the law even when he contrives to kill two at one time4 ,he does not like to do it1 but there is money in it1 you know2 and he pockets his unholy blood money without a squirm4 ,don't prosecute him2 if you do1 he will make revelations that will startle the town4 ,as for the unnatural mother1 it is best to leave her to listen in the dead of night to the appealing voice of her murdered babes before the tribunal of ,god's infinite justice4 ,their blood calls for vengeance4 ,,chapter ,,lxxiv4 ,,enmity4 ,,killing is not the only thing forbidden by the ,fifth ,commandment3 thereby are prescribed all forms of enmity1 of which killing is one1 that attack either directly or indirectly1 in thought or desire1 as well as in deed1 the life1 limbs or health of the neighbor4 ,the fifth precept protects the physical man2 everything therefore that partakes of the nature of a design on the body of another is an offense against this commandment4 ,all such offenses are not equally grievous1 but each contains a malice of its own1 which is prescribed under the head of killing4 ,enmity that takes the form of fighting1 assault and battery1 is clearly a breach of the law of ,god4 ,it is lawful to wound1 maim and otherwise disable an assailant1 on the principle of self-defense1 when there is no other means of protecting oneself against attack4 ,but outside this contingency1 such conduct is ruffianism before man1 and sin before ,god4 ,the ,state alone has the right to inflict penalties and avenge wrongs2 to turn this right over to every individual would be destructive of society4 ,if this sort of a thing is unlawful and criminal when there might be some kind of an excuse for it on the ground of injury received1 the malice thereof is aggravated considerably by the fact of there being no excuse at all1 or only imaginary ones4 ,there is another form of enmity or hatred that runs not to blows but to words4 ,herein is evil1 not because of any bodily injury wrought1 of which there is none1 but because of the diabolical spirit that manifests itself1 a spirit reproved by ,god and which1 in given circumstances1 is ready to resort to physical injury and even to the letting of blood4 ,there can be no doubt that hatred in itself is forbidden by this commandment1 for whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer1 according to ,st4 ,john4 ,it matters little1 therefore1 whether such hatred be in deeds or in words2 the malice is there and the sin is consummated4 ,a person1 too weak to do an enemy bodily harm1 may often use his or her tongue to better effect than another could his fists1 and the verbal outrage thus committed may be worse than a physical one4 ,it is not even necessary that the spirit of enmity show itself at all on the outside for the incurring of such guilt as attends the violation of this commandment4 ,it is sufficient that it possess the soul and go no farther than a desire to do harm4 ,this is the spirit of revenge1 and it is none the less sinful in the eyes of ,god because it lacks the complement of exterior acts4 ,it is immoral to nourish a grudge against a fellow-man4 ,such a spirit only awaits an occasion to deal a blow1 and1 when that occasion shows itself1 will be ready1 willing and anxious to strike4 ,the ,lord refuses the gifts and offerings and prayers of such people as these2 they are told to go and become reconciled with their brother and lay low the spirit that holds them2 then1 and only then1 will their offerings be acceptable4 ,even less than this suffices to constitute a breach of the ,fifth ,commandment4 ,it is the quality of such passions as envy and jealousy to sometimes be content with the mere thought of injury done to their object1 without1 even going so far as to desire to work the evil themselves4 ,these passions are often held in check for a time2 but1 in the event of misfortune befalling the hated rival1 there follows a sense of complacency and satisfaction which1 if entertained1 has all the malice of mortal sin4 ,if1 on the contrary1 the prosperity of another inspire us with a feeling of regret and sadness1 which is deliberately countenanced and consented to1 there can be no doubt as to the grievous malice of such a failing4 ,finally recklessness may be the cause of our harming another4 ,it is a sound principle of morals that one is responsible for his acts in the measure of his foreseeing1 and consenting to1 the results and consequences4 ,but there is still another sound principle according to which every man is accountable1 at least indirectly1 for the evil consequences of his actions1 even though they be unforeseen and involuntary1 in the measure of the want of ordinary human prudence shown in his conduct4 ,a man with a loaded revolver in his hand may not have any design on the lives of his neighbors2 but if he blazes away right and left1 and happens to fill this or that one with lead1 he is guilty1 if he is in his right mind2 and a sin1 a mortal sin1 is still a sin1 even if it is committed indirectly4 ,negligence is often culpable1 and ignorance frequently a sin4 ,naturally1 just as the soul is superior to the body1 so evil example1 scandal1 the killing of the soul of another is a crime of a far greater enormity than the working of injury unto the body4 ,scandal comes properly under the head of murder2 but it is less blood than lust that furnishes it with working material4 ,it will therefore be treated in its place and time4 ,,chapter ,,lxxv4 ,,our ,,enemies4 ,,what is an enemy8 ,a personal1 an individual enemy is he who has done us a personal injury4 ,the enemy1 in a general or collective sense1 are they--a people1 a class or party--who are opposed to our interests1 whose presence1 doings or sayings are obnoxious to us for many natural reasons4 ,concerning these latter1 it might be said that it is natural1 oftentimes necessary and proper1 to oppose them by all legitimate means4 ,this opposition1 however lawful1 is scarcely ever compatible with any high degree of charity or affection4 ,but whatever of aversion1 antipathy or even hatred is thereby engendered1 it is not of a personal nature2 it does not attain the individual1 but embraces a category of beings as a whole1 who become identified with the cause they sustain and thereby fall under the common enmity4 ,the law that binds us unto love of our enemy operates only in favor of the units1 and not of the group as a group4 ,hatred1 aversion1 antipathy1 such as divides peoples1 races and communities1 is one1 though not the highest1 characteristic of patriotism2 it may be called the defect of a quality4 ,when a man is whole-souled in a cause1 he will brook with difficulty any system of ideas opposed to1 and destructive of1 his own4 ,anxious for the triumph of what he believes the cause of right and justice1 he will rejoice over the discomfiture of his rivals and the defeat of their cause4 ,wars leave behind an inheritance of hatred2 persecution makes wounds that take a long time to heal4 ,the descendants of the defeated1 conquered or persecuted will-look upon the generations of their fathers' foes as typifying oppression1 tyranny and injustice1 will wish them all manner of evil and gloat over their downfall4 ,such feelings die hard4 ,they spring from convictions4 ,the wounds made by injustice1 fancied or real1 will smart2 and just as naturally will men retain in their hearts aversion for all that which1 for them1 stands for such injustice4 ,this is criminal only when it fails to respect the individual and become personal hate4 ,him who has done us a personal injury we must forgive4 ,pardon drives hatred out of the heart4 ,love of ,god is incompatible with personal enmity2 therefore such enmity must be quelched4 ,he who says he loves ,god and hates his brother is a liar1 according to divine testimony4 ,what takes the place of this hate8 ,love1 a love that is called common love1 to distinguish it from that special sort of affection that we have for friends4 ,this is a general kind of love that embraces all men1 and excludes none individually4 ,it forbids all uncharity towards a man as a unit1 and it supposes a disposition of the soul that would not refuse to give a full measure of love and assistance1 if necessity required it4 ,this sort of love leaves no room for hatred of a personal nature in the heart4 ,is it enough to forgive sincerely from the heart8 ,it is not enough2 we must manifest our forgiveness1 and this for three good reasons3 first1 in order to secure us against self-illusion and to test the sincerity of our dispositions2 secondly1 in order to put an end to discord by showing the other party that we hold no grudge2 lastly1 in order to remove whatever scandal may have been given by our breach of friendship4 ,the disorder of enmity can be thoroughly cured and healed only by an open renewal of the ties of friendship2 and this is done by the offering and acknowledgment of the signs of friendship4 ,the signs of friendship are of two sorts1 the one common1 the other special4 ,common tokens of friendship are those signs which are current among people of the same condition of life2 such as saluting1 answering a question1 dealing in business affairs1 etc4 ,these are commonly regarded as sufficient to take away any reasonable suspicion of hatred1 although1 in matter of fact1 the inference may be false4 ,but the refusal to give such tokens of pardon usually argues the presence of an uncharitable feeling that is sinful2 it is nearly always evidence of an unforgiving spirit4 ,there are certain cases wherein the offense received being of a peculiar nature1 justifies one in deferring such evidence of forgiveness2 but these cases are rare4 ,if we are obliged to show by unmistakable signs that we forgive a wrong that has been done1 we are in nowise bound to make a particular friend of the person who has been guilty of the wrong4 ,we need not go out of our way to meet him1 receive or visit him or treat him as a long lost brother4 ,he would not expect it1 and we fulfil our obligations toward him by the ordinary civilities we show him in the business of life4 ,if we have offended1 we must take the first step toward reconciliation and apologize2 that is the only way we have of repairing the injury done1 and to this we are held in conscience4 ,if there is equal blame on both sides1 then both are bound to the same duty of offering an apology4 ,to refuse such advances on the part of one who has wronged us is to commit an offense that might very easily be grievous4 ,all this1 of course1 is apart from the question of indemnification in case of real damage being sustained4 ,we may condone an offense and at the same time require that the loss suffered be repaired4 ,and in case the delinquent refuse to settle amicably1 we are justified in pursuing him before the courts4 ,justice is not necessarily opposed to charity4 ,,chapter ,,lxxvi4 ,,immorality4 ,,the natural order of things brings us to a consideration of the ,sixth ,commandment1 and at the same time1 of the ,ninth1 as treating of the same matter--a matter so highly immoral as to deserve the specific appellation of immorality4 ,people1 as a rule1 are tolerably well informed on this subject4 ,it is a knowledge acquired by instinct1 the depraved instinct of our fallen nature1 and supplemented by the experiences weaned from the daily sayings and doings of common life4 ,finally1 that sort of journalism known as the yellow1 and literature called pornographic1 serve to round off this education and give it the finishing touches4 ,but1 on the other hand1 if one considers the innocent1 the young and inexperienced1 who are not a few2 and likewise the morbidly curious of sensual tendencies1 who are many1 this matter must appear as a high explosive1 capable of doing any amount of damage1 if not handled with the utmost care and caution4 ,much1 therefore1 must be left unsaid1 or half-said2 suggestion and insinuation must be trusted to go far enough1 in order that1 while the knowing understand1 the ignorant may be secure in the bliss of their ignorance and be not prematurely informed4 ,they1 for whom such language is insufficient1 know where to go for fuller information4 ,parents are the natural teachers2 the boy's father and the girl's mother know what to say1 how and when to say it2 or at least should know4 ,and if parents were only more careful1 in their own way1 to acquaint their children with certain facts when the time comes for it1 much evil would be avoided1 both moral and physical4 ,but there are secrets too sacred even for parents' ears1 that are confided only to ,god1 through ,his appointed minister4 ,catholics know this man is the confessor1 and the place for such information and counsel1 the holy tribunal of penance4 ,these two channels of knowledge are safe2 the same cannot be said of others4 ,as a preliminary1 we would remark that sins1 of the sort here in question as well as all kinds of sin1 are not limited to deeds4 ,exterior acts consummate the malice of evil1 but they do not constitute such malice2 evil is generated in the heart4 ,one who desires to do wrong offends ,god as effectively as another who does the wrong in deed4 ,not only that1 but he who makes evil the food of his mind and ponders complacently on the seductive beauty of vice is no less guilty than he who goes beyond theory into practice4 ,this is something we frequently forget1 or would fain forget1 the greed of passion blinding us more or less voluntarily to the real moral value of our acts4 ,as a consequence of this self-illusion many a one finds himself far beyond his depth in the sea of immorality before he fully realizes his position4 ,it is small beginnings that lead to lasting results2 it is by repeated acts that habits are formed2 and evil grows on us faster than most of us are willing to acknowledge4 ,all manner of good and evil originates in thought2 and that is where the little monster of uncleanness must be strangled before it is full-grown1 if we would be free from its unspeakable thralldom4 ,again1 this is a matter the malice and evil of which very1 very rarely1 if ever1 escapes us4 ,he who commits a sin of impurity and says he did not know it was wrong1 lies deliberately1 or else he is not in his right frame of mind4 ,the ,maker has left in our souls enough of natural virtue and grace to enable us to distinguish right and wrong1 clean and unclean2 even the child with no definite knowledge of the matter1 meeting it for the first time1 instinctively blushes and recoils from the moral hideousness of its aspect4 ,conscience here speaks in no uncertain accents2 he alone does not hear who does not wish to hear4 ,catholic theologians are even more rigid concerning the matter itself1 prescinding altogether from our perception of it4 ,they say that here no levity of matter is allowed1 that is to say1 every violation1 however slight1 of either of these two commandments1 is a sin4 ,you cannot even touch this pitch of moral defilement without being yourself defiled4 ,it is useless therefore to argue the matter and enter a plea of triviality and inconsequence2 nothing is trivial that is of a nature to offend ,god and damn a soul4 ,weakness has the same value as an excuse as it has elsewhere in moral matters4 ,few sins are of pure malice2 weakness is responsible for the damnation of all1 or nearly all1 the lost4 ,that very weakness is the sin1 for virtue is strength4 ,to make this plea therefore is to make no plea at all1 for we are all weak1 desperately weak1 especially against the demon of the flesh1 and we become weaker by yielding4 ,and we are responsible for the degree of moral debility under which we labor just as we are for the degree of guilt we have incurred4 ,finally1 as ,god1 is no exceptor of persons1 ,he does not distinguish between souls1 and sex makes no difference with ,him4 ,in this ,his judgment differs from that of the world which absolves the man and condemns the woman4 ,there is no evident reason why the violation of a divine precept should be less criminal in one human creature than in another4 ,and if the reprobation of society does not follow both equally1 the wrath of ,god does1 and ,he will render unto every one according to his and her works4 ,,chapter ,,lxxvii4 ,,the ,,sink ,,of ,,iniquity4 ,,the malice of lust consists in the abuse of a natural1 a quasi-divine faculty1 which is prostituted to ignoble purposes foreign to the ends by the ,creator established4 ,the lines along which this faculty may be legitimately exercised1 are laid down by natural and divine laws1 destined to preserve ,god's rights1 to maintain order in society and to protect man against himself4 ,the laws result in the foundation of a state1 called matrimony1 within which the exercise of this human prerogative1 delegated to man by the ,creator1 receives the sanction of divine authority1 and becomes invested with a sacred character1 as sacred as its abuse is abominable and odious4 ,to disregard and ignore this condition of things and to seek satisfaction for one's passions outside the domain of lawful wedlock1 is to revolt against this order of creative wisdom and to violate the letter of the law4 ,but the intrinsic malice of the evil appears in the nature of this violation4 ,this abuse touches life2 not life in its being1 but in its source1 in the principle that makes all vitality possible1 which is still more serious4 ,immorality is therefore a moral poisoning of the wells of life4 ,it profanes and desecrates a faculty and prerogative so sacred that it is likened to the almighty power of the ,creator4 ,a manifold malice may attach to a single act in violation of the law of moral purity4 ,the burden of a vow in either party incurring guilt1 whether that vow be matrimonial or religious1 is a circumstance that adds injustice or sacrilege to the crime1 according to the nature of that vow2 and the double guilt is on both parties4 ,if the vow exists in one and the other delinquent1 then the offense is still further multiplied and the guilt aggravated4 ,blood-relationship adds a specific malice of its own1 slight or grievous according to the intimacy of said relationship4 ,fornication1 adultery1 sacrilege and incest--these1 to give to things their proper names1 are terms that specify various degrees of malice and guilt in this matter2 and although they do not sound well or look well in print1 they have a meaning which sensible folks should not ignore4 ,a lapse from virtue is bad2 the habit or vice1 voluntarily entertained1 is infinitely worse4 ,if the one argues weakness1 even culpable1 the other betrays a studied contempt for ,god and the law1 an utter perversion of the moral sense that does not even esteem virtue in itself2 an appalling thralldom of the spirit to the flesh1 an appetite that is all ungodly1 a gluttony that is bestial4 ,very often it supposes a victim held fast in the clutches of unfeeling hoggishness1 fascinated or subjugated1 made to serve1 while serviceable2 and then cast off without a shred of respectability for another4 ,it is an ordinary occurrence for one of these victims to swallow a deadly potion on being shown her folly and left to its consequences2 and the human ogre rides triumphantly home in his red automobile4 ,but the positions may be reversed2 the victim may play the role of seductress1 and displaying charms that excite the passions1 ensnare the youth whose feet are not guided by the lamp of experience1 wisdom and religion4 ,this is the human spider1 soulless and shameless1 using splendid gifts of ,god to form a web with which to inveigle and entrap a too willing prey4 ,and the dead flies1 who will count them6 ,the climax of infamy is reached when this sort of a thing is made1 not a pastime1 but a business1 when virtue is put on the market with its fixed value attached and bartered for a price4 ,there is no outrage on human feeling greater than this4 ,we are all born of woman2 and the sight of womanhood thus degraded and profaned would give us more of a shock if it were less common4 ,the curse of ,god is on such wretches as ply this unnatural trade and live by infamy2 not only on them1 but on those also who make such traffic possible and lucrative4 ,considering all things1 more guilty the latter than the former1 perhaps4 ,active co-operation in evil makes one a joint partner in guilt2 to encourage infamy is not only to sin1 but also to share all the odium thereof2 while he who contributes to the perpetuation of an iniquity of this nature is1 in a sense1 worse than the unfortunates themselves4 ,the civil law which seeks to eliminate the social evil of prostitution by enactment and process1 gives rise1 by enactment and process1 to another evil almost as widespread4 ,divorce is a creature of the law1 and divorce opens the door to concubinage1 legalized if you will1 but concubinage just the same4 ,the marriage tie is intact after as well as before the decree of divorce2 no human power can break that bond4 ,the permission therefore to re-marry is permission to live in adultery1 and that permission is1 of its very nature1 null and void4 ,they who avail themselves of such a permission and live in sin1 may count on the protection of the law1 but the law will not protect them against the wrath of the ,almighty who condemns their immoral living4 ,,chapter ,,lxxviii4 ,,wherein ,,nature ,,is ,,opposed4 ,,certain excesses1 such as we have already alluded to1 however base and abominable in themselves and their effects1 have nevertheless this to their credit that1 while violating the positive law of ,god1 they respect at least the fundamental laws of nature1 according to which the universe is constructed and ordered4 ,to satisfy one's depraved appetites along forbidden but natural lines1 is certainly criminal2 but an unnatural and beastly instinct is sometimes not-satisfied with such abuse and excess2 the passion becomes so blinded as to ignore the difference of sex1 runs even lower1 to the inferior order of brutes4 ,this is the very acme of ungodliness4 ,there are laws on the statute books against abominations of this sort2 and be it said to the shame of a ,christian community1 said laws find an only too frequent application4 ,severe as are the penalties1 they are less an adequate punishment than a public expression of the common horror inspired by the very mention of crimes they are destined to chastise4 ,to attain this depth of infamy is at one and the same time to sin and to receive the penalty of sin4 ,here culminates repeated violence to the moral law4 ,when one is sated with ordinary lusts and is bent on sweeping the whole gamut of mundane experiences and excitations1 that one invariably descends to the unnatural and extraordinary1 and lives a life of protest against nature4 ,st4 ,paul confirms this4 ,according to him1 ,god1 in punishment for sin delivers over people to shameful affections1 to a reprobate sense2 he suffers them to be a hell unto themselves4 ,and nature seldom fails to avenge herself for the outrages suffered4 ,she uses the flail of disease and remorse1 of misery and disgust1 and she scourges the culprit to the verge of the grave1 often to the yawning pit of hell4 ,people shudder at the very thought of such unmentionable things3 but there are circles in society in which such sanctimonious shuddering is a mighty thin veil of hypocrisy4 ,infinitely more common1 and little1 if any1 less unnatural and abominable are the crimes that are killing off the old stock that once possessed the land and making the country dependent for increase of population on the floods of immigration4 ,the old ,puritan families are almost extinct2 ,boston is more ,irish than ,dublin4 ,the phenomenon is so striking here that it is called ,new ,englandism4 ,why are there so few large families outside the ,irish and ,canadian elements8 ,why are there seen so few children in the fashionable districts of our large cities8 ,why this blast of sterility with which the land is cursed8 ,look behind the phenomenon1 and you will find the cause2 and the finding will make you shudder4 ,and if only those shudder who are free from stain1 the shuddering will be scarcely audible4 ,onan and ,malthus as household gods are worse than the gods of ,rome4 ,meanwhile1 the unit deteriorates alongside the family1 being given over to a reprobate sense that is centered in self1 that furnishes1 against all law1 its own satisfactions1 and reaps1 in all justice1 its inevitable harvest of woe4 ,to what extent this vice is common it would serve no purpose to examine2 students of criminology have more than once made known their views on the matter4 ,the character of its malice1 both moral and physical1 needs no comment2 nature is outraged4 ,but it has this among its several features2 the thralldom to which it subjects its victim has nothing outside itself to which it may be compared4 ,man's self is his own greatest tyrant2 there are no tortures so exquisite as those we provide for ourselves4 ,while therefore we reprove the culprit1 we commiserate with the unfortunate victim1 and esteem that there is none more worthy of sympathy1 conditioned1 of course1 on a state of mind and soul on his part that seeks relief and freedom2 otherwise1 it were pity wasted4 ,we have done with this infernal category of sin and filth4 ,yet we would remark right here that for the most part1 as far as they are general and common1 these excesses are the result of one cause2 and that cause is everyday systematic ,godlessness such as our public schools are largely responsible for4 ,this system is responsible for a want of vital ,christianity1 of a lack of faith and religion that penetrates the human fibre and makes ,god and morality a factor in every deed4 ,deprived of this1 youth has nothing to fall back on when the hour of temptation comes2 and when he falls1 nothing to keep him from the bottom of the pit4 ,it is impossible to put this argument in detail before the ,christian and ,catholic parent4 ,if the parent docs not see it1 it is because that parent is deficient in the most essential quality of a parent4 ,nothing but the atmosphere of a religious school can save our youth from being victims of that maelstrom of impurity that sweeps the land4 ,and that alone1 with the rigid principles of morality there inculcated1 can save the parents of to-morrow from the blight and curse of ,new ,englandism4 ,,chapter ,,lxxix4 ,,hearts4 ,,the heart1 the seat of the affections1 is1 after the mind whose authority and direction it is made to obey1 man's noblest faculty2 but it may1 in the event of its contemning reason's dictates1 become the source and fountain-head of inordinate lust and an instrument of much moral disaster and ruin4 ,when the intelligence becomes powerless to command and to say what and when and how the affections shall disport themselves1 then man becomes a slave to his heart and is led like an ass by the nose hither and thither2 and when nature thus runs unrestrained and wild1 it makes for the mudholes of lust wherein to wallow and besot itself4 ,the heart is made to love what is good2 now1 good is real or apparent4 ,love is blind1 and needs reason to discern for it what is good and what is not1 reason to direct its affections into their legitimate channels4 ,but the heart may refuse to be thus controlled1 swayed by the whisperings of ignorant pride and conceit2 or it may be unable to receive the impulse of the reason on account of the unhealthy fumes that arise from a too exuberant animal nature unchastened by self-denial4 ,then it is that1 free to act as it lists1 it accepts indiscriminately everything with an appearance of good1 in which gets mixed up much of that which appeals to the inferior appetites4 ,and in the end it gets lost4 ,again1 the heart is a power for good or evil2 it may be likened to a magazine1 holding within its throbbing sides an explosive deposit of untold energy and puissance1 capable of all things within the range of the human4 ,while it may lift man to the very pinnacle of goodness1 it may also sink him to the lowest level of infamy4 ,only1 in one case1 it is spiritualized love1 in the other1 it is carnal2 in one case it obeys the spirit1 in the other1 the flesh2 in one case its true name is charity1 in the other1 it is animal1 sexual instinct1 and it is only improperly called love4 ,for ,god is love4 ,love therefore is pure4 ,that which is not pure is not love4 ,people who trifle with the affections usually come to woe sooner or later1 sooner rather than later2 affairs of the heart are always morally malodorous affairs4 ,frequently there is evil on one side at least1 in intention1 from the start4 ,the devil's game is to play on the chaste attachment1 and in an unguarded moment1 to swing it around to his point4 ,if the victim does not balk at the first shock and surprise1 the game is won2 for long experience has made him confident of being able to make the counterfeit look like the real2 and it requires1 as a general rule1 little argument to make us look at our faults in their best light4 ,many a pure love has degenerated and many a virtue fallen1 why8 because people forget who and what they are1 forget they are human1 forget they are creatures of flesh and blood1 predisposed to sin1 saturated with concupiscence and naturally frail as a reed against the seductions of the wily one4 ,they forget this1 and act as though theirs were art angelic1 instead of a human1 nature4 ,they imagine themselves proof against that which counts such victims as ,david and ,solomon1 which would cause the fall of a ,father of the desert1 or even of an angel from heaven encumbered with the burden we carry1 if he despised the claims of ordinary common sense4 ,and this forgetfulness on their part1 let it be remembered1 is wholly voluntary and culpable1 at least in its cause4 ,they may not have been attentive at the precise moment that the flames of passion reached the mine of their affections2 but they were well aware that things would come inevitably to such a pass4 ,and when the mine went up1 as it was natural1 what wonder if disaster followed6 ,who is to blame but themselves8 ,people do not play with matches around a powder magazine2 and if they do1 very little consolation comes with the knowledge of their folly when they are being picked up in sections from out of the ruins4 ,of course there are easier victims than these1 such as would not recognize true inter-sexual love if they saw it through a magnifying glass2 everything of the nature of a fancy or whim1 of a sensation or emotion with them is love4 ,love-sick maidens are usually soft-brained1 and their languorous swains1 lascivious4 ,the latter pose as killers2 the former wear their heart on their sleeve1 and are convinced that every second man they meet who treats them gallantly is smitten with their charms and is passionately in love with them4 ,some go in for excitement and novelty1 to break the monotony of virtuous restraint4 ,they are anxious for a little adventure and romance4 ,a good thing1 too1 to have these exploits to narrate to their friends4 ,but they do not tell all to their friends2 they would be ashamed to4 ,if said friends are wise they can supply the deficiencies4 ,and when it is all over1 it is the same old story of the man that did not know the gun was loaded4 ,they therefore who would remain pure must of all necessity keep custody over their heart's affections1 make right reason and faith their guide and make the will force obedience thereto4 ,if wrong attachments are formed1 then there is nothing to do but to eradicate them1 to cut1 tear and crush2 they must be destroyed at any cost4 ,a pennyweight of prudence might have prevented the evil2 it will now take mortification in large and repeated doses to undo it4 ,in this alone is there salvation4 ,,chapter ,,lxxx4 ,,occasions4 ,,occasions of sin are persons1 places or things that may easily lead us into sin3 this definition of the little catechism is simple and clear and requires no comment4 ,it is not necessary that said places or things1 or even said persons1 be evil in themselves2 it is sufficient that contact with1 or proximity to1 them induce one to commit an evil4 ,it may happen1 and sometimes does1 that a person without any evil design whatever become an occasion of sin for another4 ,the blame therefore does not necessarily lie with objects1 but rather with the subject4 ,occasions are of two kinds3 the remote or far and the proximate or near2 they differ in the degree of facility with which they furnish temptation1 and in the quality and nature of such temptation4 ,in the former1 the danger of falling is less1 in the latter it is more1 probable4 ,in theory1 it is impossible to draw the line and say just when an occasion ceases to be proximate and becomes remote2 but in the concrete the thing is easy enough4 ,if ,i have a well-grounded fear1 a fear made prudent by experience1 that in this or that conjuncture ,i shall sin1 then it is a near occasion for me4 ,if1 however1 ,i can feel with knowledge and conviction that ,i am strong enough to overcome the inevitable temptation arising from this other conjunction of circumstances1 the occasion is only remote4 ,thus1 since danger in moral matters is nearly always relative2 what is a remote occasion for one may be a proximate occasion for another4 ,proneness to evil is not the same in us all1 for we have not all the same temperament and the same virtue4 ,two individuals may assist at a ball or a dance or a play1 the one secure from sin1 immune against temptation1 the other a manifold victim of his or her folly4 ,the dance or spectacle may not be bad in itself1 it is not bad in fact for one1 it is positively evil for the other and a near occasion of sin4 ,remote occasions cannot always be avoided1 they are so numerous and frequent2 besides the evil they contain is a purely imaginative1 and therefore negligible1 quantity4 ,there may be guilt however1 in seeking such occasions and without reason exposing ourselves to their possible dangers2 temerity is culpable2 he that loves danger shall perish4 ,with the other kind1 it is different4 ,the simple fact of embracing a proximate occasion of sin is a grievous fault1 even in the event of our accidentally not succumbing to the temptation to which we are exposed4 ,there is an evil in such rashness independent of its consequences4 ,he therefore who persists in visiting a place where there is every facility for sinning and where he has frequently sinned1 does a deed of crime by going there2 and whatever afterwards occurs1 or does not occur1 affects that crime not in the least4 ,the same is true of reading certain books1 novels and love-stories1 for people of a certain spiritual complexion4 ,the same is true of company-keeping1 street-walking1 familiarity and loose conversation4 ,nor can anything different be said of such liberties1 consented to or merely tolerated1 as embracing and kissing1 amorous effusions and all perilous amusements of this nature4 ,when experience shows these things to be fraught with danger1 then they become sinful in themselves1 and can be indulged in only in contempt of the law of ,god and to our own serious spiritual detriment4 ,but suppose ,i cannot avoid the occasion of sin1 cannot remove it4 ,what then8 ,if it is a clear case of proximate occasion of sin1 and all means fail to change it1 then the supposition of impossibility is a ridiculous one4 ,it is paramount to asserting that sin and offense of ,god is sometimes necessary2 and to talk thus is to talk nonsense4 ,sin is a deliberate act of a free will2 mention necessity in the same breath1 and you destroy the notion of sin4 ,there can never be an impossibility of avoiding sin2 consequently1 there can never be an impossibility of avoiding a near occasion of sin4 ,it may be hard1 very difficult2 but that is another thing4 ,but1 as we have already said1 the difficulty is rather within than without us1 it arises from a lack of will power4 ,but hard or easy1 these occasions must nevertheless be removed4 ,let the suffering entailed be what it may1 the eye must be plucked out1 the arm must be lopped off1 to use the ,saviour's figurative language1 if in no other way the soul can be saved from sin4 ,better to leave your father's house1 better to give up your very life1 than to damn your soul for all eternity4 ,but extremes are rarely called for2 small sacrifices often cost more than great ones4 ,a good dose of ordinary1 everyday mortification and penance goes a long way toward producing the necessary effect4 ,an ounce of self-denial will work miracles in a sluggard1 cowardly soul4 ,it would be well on occasion to remember this1 especially when one in such a state is thinking seriously of going to confession3 if he is not prepared to make the required effort1 then he had better stay away until such a time as he is willing4 ,for if he states his case correctly1 he will not receive absolution2 if his avowal is not according to fact1 his confession is void1 perhaps sacrilegious4 ,have done with sin before you can expect to have your sins forgiven4 ,,chapter ,,lxxxi4 ,,scandal4 ,,on only rare occasions do people who follow the bent of their unbridled passions bethink themselves of the double guilt that frequently attaches to their sins4 ,seemingly satisfied with the evil they have wrought unto their own souls1 they choose to ignore the wrong they may have done unto others as a consequence of their sinful doings4 ,they believe in the principle that every soul is personally responsible for its own damnation3 which is true2 but they forget that many elements may enter as causes into such a calamity4 ,we are in nowise isolated beings in this world2 our lives may1 and do1 affect the lives of others1 and influence them sometimes to an extraordinary extent4 ,we shall have1 each of us1 to answer one day for results of such influence2 there is no man but is1 in this sense1 his brother's guardian4 ,there are1 who deny this1 like ,cain4 ,yet we ,icnow that ,jesus ,christ spoke clearly ,his mind in regard to scandal1 and the emphasis ,he lays on ,his anathemas leaves no room to doubt of ,his judgment on the subject4 ,scandal1 in fact1 is murder2 not corporal murder1 which is a vengeance-crying abomination1 but spiritual murder1 heinous over the other in the same measure as the soul's value transcends that of the body4 ,kill the body1 and the soul may live and be saved2 kill the soul and it is lost eternally4 ,properly speaking1 scandal is any word or deed1 evil or even with an appearance of evil1 of a nature to furnish an occasion of spiritual downfall1 to lead another info sin4 ,it does not even matter whether the results be intended or merely suffered to occur2 it does not even matter if no results follow at all4 ,it is sufficient that the stumbling-block of scandal be placed in the way of another to his spiritual peril1 and designed by nature to make him fall2 on him who placed it1 is the guilt of scandal4 ,the act of scandal consists in making sin easier to commit--as though it were not already easy enough to sin--for another4 ,natural grace1 of which we are not totally bereft1 raises certain barriers to protect and defend the weak and feeble4 ,conspicuous among these are ignorance and shame2 evil sometimes offers difficulties1 the ones physical1 the others spiritual1 such as innate delicacy1 sense of dignity1 timidity1 instinctive repugnance for filth1 human respect1 dread of consequences1 etc4 ,these stand on guard before the soul to repel the first advances of the tempter which are the most dangerous2 the ,devil seldom unmasks his heavy batteries until the advance-posts of the soul are taken4 ,it is the business of scandal to break down these barriers1 and for scandal this work is as easy as it is nefarious4 ,for curiosity is a hungering appetite1 virtue is often protected with a very thin veil1 and vice can be made to lose its hideousness and assume charms1 to untried virtue1 irresistible4 ,there is nothing doing for ,his ,satanic ,majesty while scandal is in the field2 he looks on and smiles4 ,there may be some truth in the ,darwinian theory after all1 if we judge from the imitative propensities of the species1 probably an inherited trait of our common ancestor1 the monkey4 ,at any rate1 we are often more easily led by example than by conviction2 example leads us against our convictions4 ,asked why we did this or that1 knowing we should not have done it1 we answer with simian honesty1 because such a one did it1 or invited us to do it4 ,we get over a good many old-fashioned notions concerning modesty and purity1 after listening to the experiences of others2 we forget to be ashamed in the presence of the brazen1 the unabashed and the impudent4 ,we feel partially justified in doing what we see done by ,one to whom we are accustomed to look up4 ,if he acts thus1 we say1 how can it be so very wrong in me2 and if everybody--and everybody sometimes means a very few--if everybody does so1 it cannot be so bad as ,i first imagined4 ,thus may be seen the workings of scandal in the mind and soul of its victim4 ,remembering our natural proneness to carnal indulgence1 it is not surprising that the victims of scandal are so many4 ,but this cannot be taken as an apology for the scandal-giver2 rather the contrary1 since the malice of his sin has possibilities so unbounded4 ,scandal supposes an inducement to commit sin1 which is not the case when the receiver is already all disposed to sin and is as bad as the giver4 ,nor can scandal be said properly to be given when those who receive it are in all probability immune against the evil4 ,some people say they are scandalized when they are only shocked2 if what shocked them has nothing in it to induce them into sinning1 then their received scandal is only imaginative1 nor has any been given4 ,then1 the number of persons scandalized must be considered as an aggravating circumstance4 ,finally1 the guilt of scandal is greater or less according to the helplessness of the victim or intended victim1 and to the sacredness of his or her right to immunity from temptation1 children being most sacred in this respect4 ,of course ,god is merciful and forgives us our offenses however great 'they may be4 ,we may undo a deal of wrong committed by us in this life1 and die in the state of grace1 even after the most abominable crimes4 ,theologically1 therefore1 the idea has little to commend itself1 but it must have occurred to more than one3 how does one feel in heaven1 knowing that there is in hell1 at that moment1 one or many through his or her agency6 ,how mysterious is the justice of ,god to suffer such a state of affairs6 ,and although theoretically possible1 how can anyone count on such a contingency in his or her particular case6 ,if the scandalous would reflect seriously on this1 they would be less willing to take the chances offered by a possibility of this nature4 ,,chapter ,,lxxxii4 ,,not ,,good ,,to ,,be ,,alone4 ,a ,,man may come to discover that the state in which he finds himself placed1 is not the one for which he was evidently intended by the ,maker4 ,we do not all receive the same gifts because our callings are different2 each of us is endowed in accordance and in harmony with the ends of the ,creator in making us4 ,some men should marry1 others may not2 but the state of celibacy is for the few1 and not for the many1 these few depending solely on an abundant grace of ,god4 ,again1 one may become alive to the fact that to remain in an abnormal position means to seriously jeopardize his soul's salvation2 celibacy may1 as for many it does1 spell out for him1 clearly and plainly1 eternal damnation4 ,it is to no purpose here to examine the causes of1 and reasons for1 such a condition of affairs4 ,we take the fact as it stands1 plain and evident1 a stern1 hard fact that will not be downed1 because it is supported by the living proof of habit and conduct2 living and continuing to live a celibate1 taking him as he is and as there is every token of his remaining without any reasonable ground for expecting a change1 this man is doomed to perdition4 ,his passions have made him their slave2 he cannot1 it is morally impossible for him to do so1 remain continent4 ,suppose again that the ,almighty has created the state of wedlock for just such emergencies1 whereby a man may find a remedy for his weaknesses1 an outlet for his passions1 a regulator of his life here below and a security against damnation hereafter2 and this is precisely the case1 for the ends of marriage are not only to perpetuate the species1 but also to furnish a remedy for natural concupiscence and to raise a barrier against the flood of impurity4 ,now1 the case being as stated1 need a ,catholic1 young or--a no longer young--man look long or strive hard to find his path of duty already clearly traced8 ,and in making this application we refer to man1 not to woman1 for reasons that are obvious2 we refer1 again1 to those among men whose spiritual sense is not yet wholly dead1 who have not entirely lost all respect for virtue in itself3 who still claim to have an immortal soul and hope to save it2 but who have been caught in the maelstrom of vice and whose passions and lusts have outgrown in strength the ordinary resisting powers of natural virtue and religion incomplete and half-hearted4 ,these can appreciate their position2 it would be well for them to do so2 the faculty for so doing may not always be left with them4 ,the obligation to marry1 to increase and multiply1 was given to mankind in general1 and applies to man as a whole1 and not to the individual2 that is1 in the common and ordinary run of human things4 ,but the circumstances with which we are dealing are outside the normal1 sphere2 they are extraordinary1 that is say1 they do not exist in accordance with the plan and order established by ,god2 they constitute a disorder resulting from unlawful indulgence and wild impiety4 ,it may therefore be1 and it frequently is the case1 that the general obligation to marry particularize itself and fall with its full weight on the individual1 this one or that one1 according to the circumstances of his life4 ,then it is that the voice of ,god's authority reaches the ear of the unit and says to him in no uncertain accents3 thou shalt marry4 ,and behind that decree of ,god stands divine justice to vindicate the divine right4 ,we do not deny but that1 absolutely speaking1 recourse to this remedy may not be imperiously demanded2 but we do claim that the absolute has nothing whatever to do with the question which is one of relative facts4 ,what a supposed man may do in this or that given circumstance does not in the least alter the position of another real1 live man who will not do this or that thing in a given circumstance2 he will not1 because1 morally speaking1 he cannot2 and he cannot1 simply because through excesses he has forgotten how4 ,and of other reasons to justify non-compliance with the law1 there can be none2 it is here a4 question of saving one's soul2 inconveniences and difficulties and obstacles have no meaning in such a contingency4 ,and1 mind you1 the effects of profligate celibacy are farther-reaching than many of us would suppose at first blush4 ,the culprit bears the odium of it in his soul4 ,but what about the state of those--or rather of her1 whoever she may be1 known or unknown--whom he1 in the order of ,providence1 is destined to save from the precariousness of single life8 ,if it is his duty to take a wife1 whose salvation as well as his own1 perhaps depends on the fulfilment of that duty1 and if he shirks his duty1 shall he not be held responsible for the results in her as well as in himself1 since he could1 and she could not1 ward off the evil8 ,it has come to such a pass nowadays that celibacy1 as a general thing1 is a misnomer for profligacy4 ,making all due allowance for honorable exceptions1 the unmarried male who is not well saturated with spirituality and faith is notoriously gallinaceous in his morals4 ,in certain classes1 he is expected to sow his wild oats before he is out of his teens2 and by this is meant that he will begin young to tear into shreds the ,sixth ,commandment so as not to be bothered with it later in life4 ,if he married he would be safe4 ,finally what kind of an existence is it for any human being1 with power to do otherwise1 to pass through life a worthless1 good-for-nothing nonentity1 living for self1 shirking the sacred duties of paternity1 defrauding nature and ,god and sowing corruption where he might be laying the foundation of a race that may never die8 ,there is no one to whom he has done good and no one owes him a tear when his barren carcass is being given over as food to the worms4 ,he is a rotten link on the chain of life and the curse of oblivion will vindicate the claims of his unborn generations4 ,young man1 marry1 marry now1 and be something in the world besides an eyesore of unproductiveness and worthlessness2 do something that will make somebody happy besides yourself2 show that you passed1 and leave something behind that will remember you and bless your name4 ,,chapter ,,lxxxiii4 ,a ,,helping ,,hand4 ,,the moralist is usually severe1 and the quality of his censure is merciless1 when he attempts to treat the unwholesome theme of moral deformity2 and all his efforts are mere attempts1 for no human language can do full justice to such a theme1 or fully express the contempt such excesses deserve4 ,it is just1 then1 that1 when he stands in the presence of the moral leper who blushes not for his degradation1 he flay with the whip of scorn and contempt1 scourge with anathema and brand him with every stigma of infamy1 in order that the load of opprobrium thus heaped upon his guilty head may at least deter the clean from such defilement4 ,but1 if guilt is always guilt1 the quality of guilt is varied4 ,just as all virtue is not equally meritorious1 so to other sources than personal unworthiness may often be traced moral debility that strives against natural causes1 necessary conditions of environment and an ever-present and ever-active influence for evil4 ,a fall does not always betoken profound degradation nor a stain1 acute perversity of the will4 ,those therefore who wrestle manfully with the effects of regretted lapses or weaknesses1 who fight down1 sometimes perhaps unsuccessfully1 the strong tendencies of a too exuberant animal nature1 who strive to neutralize an influence that unduly oppresses them1--against these1 guilty though they may have been1 is not directed the moralist's unmeasured censure4 ,his reproaches in such cases tend less to condemn than to awake to a sense of moral responsibility2 earnestness in pointing out remedy and safeguards takes the place of severity against wilfulness4 ,for he knows that not a few sentences of condemnation ,christ writes on the sands1 as ,he did in a celebrated case1 and many an over-zealous accuser he has confounded1 like the villainous ,pharisees whom ,he challenged to show a hand white enough to be worthy to cast the first stone4 ,evidently such pity and commiseration should not serve to make vice less unlovely and thus undo the very work it is intended to perform4 ,it should not have the characteristics of certain books and plays that pretend to teach morality by exposing vice in all its seductiveness4 ,over-sensitive and maudlin sympathy is as ridiculous as it is unhealthy2 its tendency is principally to encourage and spoil4 ,but a judicious1 discreet and measured sympathy will lift up the fallen1 strengthen the weak and help the timorous over many a difficulty4 ,it will suggest1 too1 the means best calculated to insure freedom from slavery of the passions4 ,the first of these is self-denial1 which is the inseparable companion of chastity2 when they are not found together1 seldom does either exist4 ,and by self-denial is here meant the destruction of that eternal r reference for self1 that is at the bottom of all uncleanness1 that makes all things1 however sacred1 subservient to one's own pleasures1 that considers nothing unlawful but what goes against the grain of natural impulse and natural appetites4 ,there may be other causes1 but this self-love is a primary one4 ,say what you will1 but one does not fall from his own level2 the moral world is like the physical2 if you are raised aloft in disregard for the laws of truth1 you are going to come down with a thud4 ,if you imagine all the pleasures of life made for you1 and become lawful because your nature craves for them1 you are taking a too high estimate of yourself2 you are going before a fall ,he who takes a correct measure of himself1 gets his bearings in relation to ,god1 comes to realize his own weak points and several deficiencies1 and acknowledges the obligations such a state of affairs places upon him1 that one may sin1 but he will not go far4 ,he may fall1 because he is human1 because strength sufficient to guard us against the assaults of impurity is not from us1 but from ,god4 ,the spirit of humility1 therefore1 which makes known to him his own insufficiency1 must be fortified with the spirit of faith which makes him ask for support through prayer4 ,it is faith that makes prayer possible1 and living faith1 the spirit of faith1 that makes us pray aright4 ,this kind of prayer need not express itself in words2 it may be a habit1 a long drawn out desire1 an habitual longing for help coupled with firm confidence in ,god's mercy to grant our request4 ,no state of soul however disordered can long resist such a power1 and no habit of evil but in time will be annihilated by it4 ,the man or woman who undertakes to keep himself or herself pure1 or to rise out of a habit of sin without the liberal use of divine supplication has in hand a very ungrateful task1 and he or she will realize it before going far4 ,and unless that prayer is sincere and heartfelt1 a prayer full of faith that will not entertain the thought of failure1 every effort will be barren of results4 ,you must speak to ,god as to one near you1 and remember that ,he is near you all the time4 ,then there are the sacraments to repair every breach and to heal every wound4 ,penance will cleanse you1 communion will adorn and equip you anew4 ,confession will give you a better knowledge of yourself every time you go2 the ,food of ,god will strengthen every fibre of your soul and steel you against the seductions that otherwise would make you a ready victim4 ,don't go once a year1 go ten1 twenty times and more1 if necessary1 go until you feel that you own yourself1 that you can command and be obeyed4 ,then you will not have to be told to stop2 you will be safe4 ,,chapter ,,lxxxiv4 ,,thou ,,shalt ,,not ,,steal4 ,,the ,seventh ,commandment is protective of the right of property which is vested in every human being enjoying the use of reason4 ,property means that which belongs to one1 that which is one's own1 to have and to hold1 or to dispose of1 at one's pleasure1 or to reclaim in the event of actual dispossession4 ,the right of property embraces all things to which may be affixed the seal of ownership2 and it holds good until the owner relinquishes his claim1 or forfeits or loses his title without offense to justice4 ,this natural faculty to possess excludes every alien right1 and supposes in all others the duty and obligation to respect it4 ,the respect that goes as far as not relieving the owner of his goods is not enough2 it must safeguard him against all damage and injury to said goods2 otherwise his right is non-existent4 ,all violations of this right come under the general head of stealing4 ,people call it theft1 when it is effected with secrecy and slyness2 robbery1 when there is a suggestion of force or violence4 ,the swindler is he who appropriates another's goods by methods of gross deception or false pretenses while the embezzler transfers to himself the funds entrusted to his care4 ,petty thieving is called pilfering or filching2 stealing on a large scale usually has less dishonorable qualificatives4 ,boodling and lobbying are called politics2 watering stock1 squeezing out legitimate competition1 is called financiering2 wholesale confiscation and unjust conquest is called statesmanship4 ,give it whatever name you like1 it is all stealing2 whether the culprit be liberally rewarded or liberally punished1 he nevertheless stands amenable to ,god's justice which is outraged wherever human justice suffers4 ,of course the sin of theft has its degrees of gravity1 malice and guilt1 to determine which1 that is1 to fix exactly the value of stolen goods sufficient to constitute a grievous fault1 is not the simplest and easiest of moral problems4 ,the extent of delinquency may be dependent upon various causes and complex conditions4 ,on the one hand1 the victim must be considered in himself1 and the amount of injury sustained by him2 on the other1 justice is offended generally in all cases of theft1 and because justice is the corner stone of society1 it must be protected at all hazards4 ,it is only by weighing judiciously all these different circumstances that we can come to enunciate an approximate general rule that will serve as a guide in the ordinary contingencies of life4 ,thus1 of two individuals deprived by theft of a same amount of worldly goods1 the one may suffer thereby to a much greater extent than the other2 he who suffers more is naturally more reluctant to part with his goods1 and a greater injustice is done to him than to the other4 ,the sin committed against him is therefore greater than that committed against the other4 ,a rich man may not feel the loss of a dollar1 whereas for another less prosperous the loss of less than that sum might be of the nature of a calamity4 ,to take therefore unjustly from a person what to that person is a notable amount is a grievous sin4 ,it is uniformly agreed that it is a notable loss for a man to be unduly deprived of what constitutes a day's sustenance4 ,this is the minimum of grievous matter concerning theft4 ,but this rule will evidently not hold good applied on a rising scale to more and more extensive fortunes2 for a time would come when it would be possible without serious guilt to appropriate good round sums from those abundantly blessed with this world's goods4 ,the disorders necessarily attendant on such a moral rule are only too evident2 and it is plain that the law of ,god cannot countenance abuses of this nature4 ,justice therefore demands that there be a certain fixed sum beyond which one may not go without incurring serious guilt2 and this1 independent of the fortune of the person who suffers4 ,theologians have fixed that amount approximately1 in this country1 at five dollars4 ,this means that when such a sum is taken1 in all cases1 the sin is mortal4 ,it is not always necessary1 it is seldom necessary1 that one should steal this much in order to offend grievously2 but when the thief reaches this amount1 be his victim ever so wealthy1 he is guilty of grave injustice4 ,this rule applies to all cases in which the neighbor is made to suffer unjustly in his lawful possessions2 and it effects all wrongdoers whether they steal or destroy another's goods or co-operate efficaciously in such deeds of sin4 ,it matters not whether the harm be wrought directly or indirectly1 since in either case there may be moral fault2 and it must be remembered that gross negligence may make one responsible as well as malice aforethought4 ,the following are said to co-operate in crime to the extent of becoming joint-partners with the principal agent in guilt3 those in whose name the wrong is done1 in obedience to their orders or as a result of any other means employed2 those who influence the culprit by suggesting motives and reasons for his crime or by pointing out efficient means of arriving thereat2 those who induce others to commit evil by playing on their weaknesses thereby subjecting them to what is known as moral force2 those who harbor the thief and conceal his stolen property against their recovery2 those whose silence is equivalent to approbation1 permission or official consent2 those finally who before1 during or after the deed1 abstain from performing a plain duty in preventing1 deterring or bringing to justice the guilty party4 ,such persons as the foregoing participate as abettors in crime and share all the guilt of the actual criminals2 sometimes the former are even more guilty than the latter4 ,the ,tenth ,commandment which forbids us to covet our neighbor's goods1 bears the same relation to the ,seventh as the ,ninth does to the ,sixth4 ,it must1 however1 be borne in mind that all such coveting supposes injustice in desire1 that is1 in the means by which we desire to obtain what is not ours4 ,to wish for1 to long ardently for something that appeals to one's like and fancy is not sinful2 the wrong consists in the desire to acquire it unjustly1 to steal it1 and thereby work damage unto the neighbor4 ,it is a natural weakness in man to be dissatisfied with what he has and to sigh after what he has not2 very few of us are free from this failing4 ,but so long as our cravings and hankerings are not tainted with injustice1 we are innocent of evil4 ,,chapter ,,lxxxv4 ,,petty ,,thefts4 ,a ,,question may arise as to petty thefts1 venial in themselves1 but oft repeated and aggregating in the long run a sum of considerable value3 how are we to deal with such cases8 ,should peculations of this sort be taken singly1 and their individual malice determined1 without reference to the sum total of injustice caused2 or should no severe judgment be passed until such a time as sufficient matter be accumulated to make the fault grievous8 ,in other words1 is there nothing but venial sin in thefts of little values1 or is there only one big sin at the end8 ,the difficulty is a practical one4 ,if petty thefts are committed with a view to amass a notable sum1 the simple fact of such an intention makes the offense a mortal one4 ,for1 as we have already remarked in treating of the human act1 our deeds may be1 and frequently are1 vitiated by the intention we have in performing them4 ,if we do something with evil intent and purpose1 our action is evil whether the deed in itself be indifferent or even good4 ,here the intention is to cause a grave injustice2 the deed is only a petty theft1 but it serves as a means to a more serious offense4 ,the act therefore takes its malice from the purpose of the agent and becomes sinful in a high degree4 ,as to each repeated theft1 that depends again on the intention of the culprit4 ,if in the course of his pilferings he no longer adverts to his first purpose and has no intention in stealing beyond that of helping himself to a little of his neighbor's goods1 he is guilty of nothing more than a venial sin4 ,if1 however1 the initial purpose is present at every act1 if at every fresh peculation the intention to accumulate is renewed explicitly or implicitly1 then every theft is identical with the first in malice1 and the offender commits mortal sin as often as he steals4 ,thus the state of soul of one who filches after this fashion is not sensibly affected by his arriving at a notable sum of injustice in the aggregate4 ,the malice of his conduct has already been established2 it is now completed in deed4 ,a person who thievishly appropriates small sums1 but whose pilferings have no moral reference to each other1 will find himself a mortal offender the moment his accumulated injustices reach the amount we have qualified as notable1 provided he be at that moment aware of the fact1 or even if he only have a doubt about the matter4 ,and this is true whether the stolen sums be taken from one or from several persons4 ,even in the latter case1 although no one person suffers serious damage or prejudice1 justice however is seriously violated and the intention of the guilty party is really to perpetrate grave injustice4 ,however1 such thefts as these which in the end become accumulative1 must of their nature be successive and joined together by some bond of moral union1 otherwise they could never be considered a4 whole4 ,by this is meant that there must not exist between the different single thefts an interruption or space of time such as to make it impossible to consider reasonably the several deeds as forming one general action4 ,the time generally looked upon as sufficient to prevent a moral union of this kind is two months4 ,in the absence therefore of a specific intention to arrive at a large amount by successive thefts1 it must be said that such thefts as are separated by an intervening space of two months can never be accounted as parts of one grave injustice1 and a mortal sin can never be committed by one whose venial offenses are of this nature4 ,of course if there be an evil purpose1 that alone is sufficient to establish a moral union between single acts of theft however considerable the interval that separates them4 ,several persons may conspire to purloin each a limited amount4 ,the circumstance of conspiracy1 connivance or collusion makes each co-operator in the deed responsible for the whole damage done2 and if the amount thus defrauded be notable1 each is guilty of mortal sin4 ,we might here add in favor of children who take small things from their parents and of wives who sometimes relieve their husbands of small change1 that it is natural that a man be less reluctant to being defrauded in small matters by his own than by total ,strangers4 ,it is only reasonable therefore that more latitude be allowed such delinquents when there is question of computing the amount to be considered notable2 perhaps the amount might be doubled in their favor4 ,the same might be said in favor of those whose petty thefts are directed against several victims instead of one1 since the injury sustained individually is less4 ,the best plan is to leave what does not belong to one severely alone4 ,in other sins there may be something gained in the long run1 but here no such illusion can be entertained1 for the spectre of restitution1 as we shall see1 follows every injustice as a shadow follows its object1 and its business is to see that no man profit by his ill-gotten goods4 ,,chapter ,,lxxxvi4 ,,an ,,oft ,,exploited1 ,,but ,,specious ,,plea4 ,,it is not an infrequent occurrence for persons given to the habit of petty thefts and fraud1 to seek to justify their irregular conduct by a pretense of justice which they call secret compensation4 ,they stand arraigned before the bar of their conscience on the charge of niching small sums1 usually from their employers2 they have no will to desist2 they therefore plead not guilty1 and have nothing so much at heart as to convince themselves that they act within their rights4 ,they elaborate a theory of justice after their ideas1 or rather1 according to their own desires2 they bolster it up with facts that limp all the way from half-truths to downright falsities2 and thus acquit themselves of sin1 and go their way in peace4 ,a judge is always lenient when he tries his own case4 ,secret compensation is the taking surreptitiously from another of the equivalent of what is due to one1 of what has been taken and is kept against all justice1 in order to indemnify oneself for losses sustained4 ,this sort of a thing1 in theory at least1 has a perfectly plausible look1 nor1 in fact1 is it contrary to justice1 when all the necessary conditions are fulfilled to the letter4 ,but the cases in which these conditions are fulfilled are so few and rare that they may hardly be said to exist at all4 ,it is extremely difficult to find such ,a case1 and nearly always when this practice is resorted to1 the order of justice is violated4 ,and if common sense in the case of any given individual fail to show him this truth1 we here quote for his benefit an authority capable of putting all his doubts at rest4 ,the following proposition was advanced3 ,domestic servants who adjudge themselves underpaid for services rendered1 may appropriate to themselves by stealth a compensation4 ,this proposition has received the full weight of papal condemnation4 ,it cannot be denied that it applies to all who engage their services for hire4 ,to maintain the contrary is to revolt against the highest authority in the ,church2 to practise it is purely and simply to ,sin4 ,a case is often made out on the grounds that wages are small1 work very hard and the laborer therefore insufficiently remunerated4 ,but to conclude therefrom the right to help oneself to the employer's goods1 is a strange manner of reasoning1 while it opens the door to all manner of injustice4 ,where is there a man1 whatever his labor and pay1 who could not come to the same conclusion8 ,who may not consider himself ill-paid8 ,and who is there that really thinks he is not worth more than he gets8 ,there is no limit to the value one may put on one's own services2 and he who is justified to-day in taking a quarter of a dollar1 would be equally justified to-morrow in appropriating the whole concern4 ,and then what becomes of honesty1 and the right of property8 ,and what security can anyone have against the private judgment of his neighbor8 ,and what about the contract according to the terms of which you are to give your services and to receive in return a stipulated amount8 ,was there any clause therein by which you are entitled to change the terms of said contract without consulting the other party interested8 ,you don't think he would mind it4 ,you don't think anything of the kind2 you know he will and does mind it4 ,he may be generous1 but he is not a fool4 ,but ,i make up for it4 ,i work overtime1 work harder1 am more attentive to my work2 and thereby save more for my employer than ,i take4 ,here you contradict yourself4 ,you are therefore not underpaid4 ,and if you furnish a greater amount of labor than is expected of you1 that is your business and your free choice4 ,and the right you have to a compensation for such extra labor is entirely dependent on the free will of your employer4 ,people usually pay for what they call for2 services uncalled for are gratuitous services4 ,to think otherwise betokens a befuddled state of mind4 ,but ,i am forced to work harder and longer than we agreed4 ,then it is up to you to remonstrate with your employer1 to state the case as it is and to ask for a raise4 ,if he refuses1 then his refusal is your cue to quit and go elsewhere4 ,it means that your services are no longer required4 ,it means1 at any rate1 that you have to stand the cut or seek to better your condition under other employers4 ,it is hard6 ,of course it is hard1 but no harder than a great many other things we have to put up with4 ,if my neighbor holds unjustly what belongs to me1 or if he has failed to repair damages caused1 to recover my losses by secret compensation has the same degree of malice and disorder4 ,the law is instituted for just such purposes2 you have recourse thereto4 ,you may prosecute and get damages4 ,if the courts fail to give you justice1 then perhaps there may be occasion to discuss the merits of the secret compensation theory4 ,but you had better get the advice of some competent person before you attempt to put it in practice2 otherwise you are liable to get into a bigger hole than the one you are trying to get out of4 ,sometimes the bold assertion is advanced that the employer knows perfectly that he is being systematically robbed and tolerates it4 ,it is incumbent on this party to prove his assertion in a very simple way4 ,let him denounce himself to his employer and allow the truth or falsity thereof hang on the result4 ,if he does not lose his job inside of twenty-four hours after the interview1 he may continue his peculations in perfect tranquillity of conscience4 ,if he escapes prosecution through the consideration of his former employer1 he must take it for granted that the toleration he spoke of was of a very general nature1 the natural stand for a man to take who is being robbed and cannot help it4 ,to justify oneself on such a principle is to put a premium on shrewd dishonesty4 ,,chapter ,,lxxxvii4 ,,contumely4 ,,the ,eighth ,commandment concerns itself with the good name of the neighbor2 in a general way1 it reproves all sins of the tongue1 apart from those already condemned by the ,second and ,sixth commandments1 that is to say1 blasphemous and impure speech4 ,it is as a weapon against the neighbor and an instrument of untruth that the tongue is here considered4 ,by a good name is here intended the esteem in which a person is held by his fellow-men4 ,call it reputation1 character1 fame1 renown1 etc41 a good name means that the bearer is generally considered above reproach in all matters of honesty1 moral integrity and worth4 ,it does not necessarily imply that such esteem is manifested exteriorly by what is technically known as honor1 the natural concomitant of a good name2 it simply stands for the knowledge entertained by others of our respectability and our title to honor4 ,a good name is therefore one thing2 honor is another4 ,and honor consists precisely in that manifestation on the part of our fellows of the esteem and respect in which they hold us1 the fruit of our good name1 the homage rendered to virtue1 dignity and merit4 ,as it may therefore be easily seen1 these two things--a good name and honor--differ as much as a sign differs from the thing signified4 ,the ,eighth ,commandment protects every man's honor2 it condemns contumely which is an attack upon that honor4 ,contumely is a sign of contempt which shows itself by attempting to impair the honor one duly receives2 it either strives to prevent that honor being paid to the good name that naturally deserves it1 or it tries to nullify it by offering just the contrary1 which is contumely1 more commonly called affront1 outrage1 insult4 ,now1 contumely1 as you will remark1 does not seek primarily to deprive one of a good name2 which it nearly always succeeds in doing1 and this is called detraction2 but its object is to prevent your good name from getting its desert of respect1 your character supposedly remaining intact4 ,the insult offered is intended to effect this purpose4 ,again1 all contumely presupposes the presence of the party affronted2 the affront is thrown in one's face1 and therein consists the shocking indecency of the thing and its specific malice4 ,it must be remembered that anger1 hatred1 the spirit of vengeance or any other passion does not excuse one from the guilt of contumely4 ,on the other hand1 one's culpability is not lessened by the accidental fact of one's intended insults going wide of the mark and bearing no fruit of dishonor to the person assailed4 ,to the malice of contumely may1 and is often1 added that of defamation1 if apart from the dishonor received one's character is besmirched in the bargain4 ,contumely against parents offends at the same time filial piety2 against ,god and ,his saints1 it is sacrilegious2 if provoked by the practice of religion and virtue1 it is impious4 ,if perpetrated in deed1 it may offend justice properly so called2 if it occasion sin in others1 it is scandalous2 if it drive the victim to excesses of any kind1 the guilt thereof is shared by the contumelious agent4 ,sometimes insult is offered gratuitously1 as in the case of the weak1 the old1 the cripple and other unfortunates who deserve pity rather than mockery2 the quality of contumely of this sort is brutal and fiendish4 ,others will say for justification3 ,but he said the same1 he did the same to me4 ,can ,i not defend myself8 ,that depends on the sort of defense you resort to4 ,all weapons of defense are not lawful4 ,if a man uses evil means to wrong you1 there is no justification1 in ,christian ethics1 for you to employ the same means in order to get square1 or even to shelter yourself from his abuse4 ,the eye-for-eye principle is not recognized among civilized and ,christian peoples4 ,this gross violation of personal respect may be perpetrated in many ways2 any expression of contempt1 offered to your face1 or directed against you through a representative1 is contumely4 ,the usual way to do this is to fling vile epithets1 to call opprobrious names1 to make shameful charges4 ,it is not always necessary that such names and epithets be inapplicable or such charges false1 if1 notwithstanding1 the person in question has not thereby forfeited his right to respect4 ,in certain circumstances1 the epithet fool may hold all the opprobriousness of contumely3 thief and drunkard and others of a fouler nature may be thus malicious for a better reason4 ,an accusation of immorality in oneself or in one's parents is contumelious in a high degree4 ,our mothers are a favorite target for the shafts of contumely that through them reach us4 ,abuse is not the only vehicle of contumely2 scorn1 wanton ridicule1 indecent mockery and caricature that cover the unfortunate victim with shame and confusion serve the purpose as well4 ,to strike one1 to spit on one and other ignoble attacks and assaults belong to the same category of crime4 ,the malice of contumely is not1 of course1 equal in all cases2 circumstances have a great deal to do in determining the gravity of each offense4 ,the more conspicuous a person is in dignity and the more worthy of respect1 the more serious the affront offered him2 and still more grave the offense1 if through him many others are attainted4 ,if again no dishonor is intended and no offense taken1 or could reasonably be taken1 there is no sin at all4 ,there may be people very low on the scale of respectability as the world judges respectability2 but it can never be said of a man or woman that he or she cannot be dishonored1 that he or she is beneath contempt4 ,human nature never forfeits all respect2 it always has some redeeming feature to commend it4 ,,chapter ,,lxxxviii4 ,,defamation4 ,,defamation differs from contumely in that the one supposes the absence1 the other1 the presence1 of the person vilified2 and again1 in that the former asperses the reputation of the victim while the latter attacks the honor due or paid to said reputation4 ,a good name is1 after the grace of ,god1 mans most precious possession2 wealth is mere trash compared with it4 ,you may find people who think otherwise1 but the universal sentiment of mankind stigmatizes such baseness and buries it under the weight of its opprobrium4 ,nor is it impossible that honor be paid where a good character no longer exists2 but this is accidental4 ,in the nature of things1 reputation is the basis of all honor2 if you destroy character1 you destroy at the same time its fruit1 which is honor4 ,thus will be seen the double malice of defamation4 ,to defame therefore is to lessen or to annul the estimation in which a person is held by his fellow-men4 ,this crime may be perpetrated in two different manners3 by making known his secret faults1 and this is simple detraction2 and by ascribing to him faults of which he is innocent1 and this is calumny or slander4 ,thus it appears that a man's character may suffer from truth as well as from falsehood4 ,truth is an adorable thing1 but it has its time and place2 the fact of its being truth does not prevent it from being harmful4 ,on the other hand1 a lie1 which is evil in itself1 becomes abominable when used to malign a fellow-man4 ,there is one mitigating and two aggravating forms of defamation4 ,gossip is small talk1 idle and sufficiently discolored to make its subject appear in an unfavorable light4 ,it takes a morbid pleasure in speaking of the known and public faults of another4 ,it picks at little things1 and furnishes a steady occupation for people who have more time to mind other people's business than their own4 ,it bespeaks small-ness in intellectual make-up and general pusillanimity4 ,that is about all the harm there is in it1 and that is enough4 ,libel supposes a wide diffusion of defamatory matter1 written or spoken4 ,its malice is great because of its power for evil and harm4 ,tale-bearing or backbiting is what the name implies4 ,its object is principally to spread discord1 to cause enmity1 to break up friendships2 it may have an ulterior purpose1 and these are the means it employs4 ,no limit can be set to its capacity for evil1 its malice is especially infernal4 ,it is not necessary that what we do or say of a defamatory nature result1 as a matter of fact1 in bringing one's name into disfavor or disrepute2 it is sufficient that it be of such a nature and have such a tendency4 ,if by accident the venomous shaft spend itself before attaining the intended mark1 no credit is due therefore to him who shot it2 his guilt remains what it was when he sped it on its way4 ,nor is there justification in the plea that no harm was meant1 that the deed was done in a moment of anger1 jealousy1 etc41 that it was the result of loquacity1 indulged in for the simple pleasure of talking4 ,these are excuses that excuse not4 ,there are those who1 speaking in disparagement of the neighbor1 speak to the point1 directly and plainly2 others1 no less guilty1 do it in a covert manner1 have recourse to subterfuge and insinuation4 ,they exaggerate faults and make them appear more odious1 they put an evil interpretation on the deed or intention2 they keep back facts that would improve the situation2 they remain silent when silence is condemnatory2 they praise with a malignant praise4 ,a mean1 sarcastic smile or a significant reticence often does the work better than many words and phrases4 ,and all this1 as we have said1 independently of the truth or falsehood of the impression conveyed4 ,listeners share the guilt of the defamers on the principle that the receiver is as bad as the thief4 ,this supposes of course that you listen1 not merely hear2 that you enjoy this sort of a thing and are willing and ready to receive the impression derogatory to the neighbor's esteem and good name4 ,of course1 if mere curiosity makes us listen and our pleasure and amusement are less at the expense of the neighbor's good name than excited by the style of the narrator or the singularity of the facts alleged1 the fault is less2 but fault there nevertheless is1 since such an attitude serves to encourage the traducer and helps him drive his points home4 ,many sin who could and should prevent excesses of this kind1 but refrain from doing so2 their sin is greater if1 by reason of their position1 they are under greater obligations of correction4 ,although reputation is a priceless boon to all men1 there are cases wherein it has an especial value on account of the peculiar circumstances of a man's position4 ,it not infrequently happens that the whole success of a man's life depends on his good name4 ,men in public life1 in the professions1 religious and others similarly placed1 suffer from defamation far more than those in the ordinary walks of life2 and naturally those who injure them are guilty of more grievous wrong4 ,and it goes without saying that a man can stand an immoral aspersion better than a woman4 ,in all cases the malice is measured by the injury done or intended4 ,,chapter ,,lxxxix4 ,,detraction4 ,,to absolve oneself of the sin of detraction on the ground that nothing but the truth was spoken is1 as we have seen1 one way of getting around a difficulty that is no way at all4 ,some excuses are better than none1 others are not4 ,it is precisely the truth of such talk that makes it detraction2 if it were not true1 it would not be detraction but calumny--another and a very different fault4 ,it would be well for such people to reflect for a moment1 and ask themselves if their own character would stand the strain of having their secret sins and failings subjected to public criticism and censure1 their private shortcomings heralded from every housetop4 ,would they1 or would they not1 consider themselves injured by such revelations8 ,then it would be in order for them to use the same rule and measure in dealing with others4 ,he who does moral evil offends in the sight of ,god and forfeits ,god's esteem and friendship4 ,but it does not follow that he should also forfeit the esteem of his fellow-men4 ,the latter evil is nothing compared with the first2 but it is a great misfortune nevertheless4 ,if a man's private iniquity is something that concerns himself and his ,god1 to the exclusion of all others1 then whosoever presumes to judge and condemn him trespasses on forbidden ground1 and is open to judgment and condemnation himself before his ,maker4 ,all do not live in stone mansions who throw stones4 ,if there is a mote in the neighbor's eye1 perhaps there is a very large piece of timber in your own4 ,great zeal in belaboring the neighbor for his faults will not lessen your own1 nor make you appear an angel of light before ,god when you are something very different4 ,if you employed this same zeal towards yourself1 you would obtain more consoling results1 for charity begins at home4 ,one learns more examining one's own conscience than dissecting and flaying others alive4 ,it may be objected that since detraction deals with secret sins1 if the facts related are of public notoriety1 there is no wrong in speaking of them1 for you cannot vilify one who is already vilified4 ,this is true2 and then1 again1 it depends4 ,first1 these faults must be of public notoriety4 ,a judicial sentence may make them such1 but the fact that some1 many1 or a great many know and speak of them will not do it4 ,the public is everybody1 or nearly everybody4 ,do not take your friends for the public1 when they are only a fraction thereof4 ,if you do you will find out oftener than it is pleasant that your sins of detraction are sins of slander2 for rumors are very frequently based on nothing more substantial than lies or distorted and exaggerated facts set afloat by a calumniator4 ,even when a person has justly forfeited1 and publicly1 the consideration of his fellowmen1 and it is not1 therefore1 injurious to his character to speak of his evil ways1 justice may not be offended1 but charity may be1 and grievously4 ,it is a sin1 an uncharity1 to harp on one's faults in a spirit of spite1 or with the cruel desire to maintain his dishonor2 to leave no stone unturned in order to thoroughly blacken his name4 ,in doing this you sin against charity1 because you do something you would not wish to have done unto you4 ,justice itself would be violated if1 even in the event of the facts related being notorious1 you speak of them to people who ignore them and are not likely ever to come to a knowledge of them4 ,if you add1 after telling all you know about a poor devil1 that he did penance and repaired his sin1 you must not imagine that such atonement will rehabilitate him in the minds of all4 ,men are more severe and unforgiving than ,god4 ,grace may be recovered1 but reputation is a thing which1 once lost1 is usually lost for good4 ,something of the infamy sticks2 tears and good works will not1 cannot wash it away4 ,he1 therefore1 who banks too much on human magnanimity is apt to err2 and his erring constitutes a fault4 ,but ,i confided the secret to but one person2 and that one a dear friend1 who promised to keep it4 ,yes1 but the injured party has a right to the estimation of that one person1 and his injury consists precisely in being deprived of it4 ,besides1 you accuse yourself openly4 ,either what you said was void of all harm1 or it was not4 ,in the one case1 why impose silence6 ,in the other1 why not begin yourself by observing the silence you impose upon others6 ,your friend will do what you did1 and the ball you set rolling will not stop until there is nothing left of your victim's character4 ,of course there are times when to speak of another's faults is derogatory neither to justice nor to charity2 both may demand that the evil be revealed4 ,a man to defend himself may expose his accuser's crookedness2 in court his lawyer may do it for him1 for here again charity begins at home4 ,in the interests of the delinquent1 to effect his correction1 one may reveal his shortcomings to those who have authority to correct4 ,and it is even admitted that a person in trouble of any kind may without sin1 for the purpose of obtaining advice or consolation1 speak to a judicious friend of another's evil ways4 ,zeal for the public good may not only excuse1 but even require that the true character of a bad man be shown up and publicly censured4 ,its object is to prevent or undo evil1 to protect the innocent2 it is intended to destroy an evil influence and to make hypocrisy fly under his own colors4 ,immoral writers1 living or dead1 corrupt politicians and demagogues1 unconscionable wretches who prey on public ignorance1 may and should be1 made known to the people1 to shield them is to share their guilt4 ,this should not be done in a spirit of vengeance1 but for the sole purpose of guarding the unwary against vultures who know no law1 and who thrive on the simplicity of their hearers4 ,,chapter ,,xc4 ,,calumny4 ,,to the malice of detraction calumny adds that of falsehood4 ,it is a lie1 which is bad2 it is a report prejudicial to the character of another1 which is worse2 it is both combined1 out of which combination springs a third malice1 which is abominable4 ,all the more so1 since there can exist no excuse or reason in the light of which this sin may appear as a human weakness4 ,because slander is the fruit of deliberate criminal spite1 jealousy and revenge1 it has a character of diabolism4 ,the calumniator is not only a moral assassin1 but he is the most accomplished type of the coward known to man4 ,if the devil loves a cheerful liar1 he has one here to satisfy his affections4 ,this crime is one that can never be tolerated1 no matter what the circumstances2 it can never be justified on any grounds whatsoever2 it is intrinsically evil1 a sin of injustice that admits no mitigation4 ,when slander is sworn to before the courts1 it acquires a fourth malice1 that of irreligion1 and is called false testimony4 ,it is not alone perjury1 for perjury does not necessarily attack the neighbor's good name2 it is perjured calumny1 a crime that deserves all the reprobation it receives in this world--and in the next4 ,to lie outright1 deliberately and with malice aforethought1 in traducing a fellow-man1 is slander in its direct form2 but such conditions are not required to constitute a real fault of calumny4 ,it is not necessary to be certain that what you allege against your neighbor be false2 it is sufficient that you be uncertain if it be true4 ,an unsubstantiated charge or accusation1 a mere rumor given out as worthy of belief1 a suspicion or doubt clothed so as to appear a certainty1 these contain all the malice and all the elements of slander clearly characterized4 ,charity1 justice and truth alike are violated1 guilt is there in unquestioned evidence4 ,whatever subterfuge1 equivocation or other crooked proceeding be resorted to1 if mendacity in any form is a feature of the aspersions we cast upon the neighbor1 we sin by calumny1 purely and simply4 ,some excuse themselves on the plea that what they say1 they give out for what it is worth2 they heard it from others1 and take no responsibility as to its truth or falsehood4 ,but here we must consider the credulity of the hearers4 ,will they believe it1 whether you do or not8 ,are they likely to receive it as truth1 either because they are looking for just such reports1 or because they know no better8 ,and whether they believe it or not1 will they1 on your authority1 have sufficient reason for giving credence to your words8 ,may it not happen that the very fact of your mentioning what you did is a sufficient mark of credibility for others8 ,and by so doing1 you contribute to their knowledge of what is false1 or what is not proven true1 concerning the reputation of a neighbor4 ,for it must be remembered that all imprudence is not guiltless1 all thoughtlessness is not innocent of wrong4 ,it is easy to calumniate a person by qualifying him in an off-hand way as a thief1 a blackleg1 a fast-liver1 etc4 ,it is easy1 by adding an invented detail to a statement1 to give it an altogether different color and turn truth into falsehood4 ,but the easiest way is to interpret a man's intentions according to a dislike1 and1 by stringing in such fancies with a lot of facts1 pass them on unsuspecting credulity that takes all or none4 ,if you do not think well of another1 and the occasion demand it1 speak it out2 but make it known that it is your individual judgment and give your reasons for thus opining4 ,the desperate character of calumny is that1 while it must be repaired1 as we shall see later1 the thing is difficult1 often impossible2 frequently the reparation increases the evil instead of diminishing it4 ,the slogan of unrighteousness is3 ,calumniate1 calumniate1 some of it will stick6 ,he who slanders1 lies2 he who lies once may lie again1 a liar is never worthy of belief1 whether he tells the truth or not1 for there is no knowing when he is telling the truth4 ,one has the right to disbelieve the calumniator when he does wrong or when he tries to undo it4 ,and human nature is so constructed that it prefers to believe in the first instance and to disbelieve in the second4 ,you may slander a community1 a class as well as an individual4 ,it is not necessary to charge all with crime2 it is sufficient so to manipulate your words that suspicion may fall on any one of said class or community4 ,if the charge be particularly heinous1 or if the body of men be such that all its usefulness depends on its reputation1 as is the case especially with religious bodies1 the malice of such slander acquires a dignity far above the ordinary4 ,the ,church of ,god has suffered more in the long centuries of her existence from the tongue of slander than from sword and flame and chains combined4 ,in the mind of her enemies1 any weapon is lawful with which to smite her1 and the climax of infamy is reached when they affirm1 to justify their dishonesty1 that they turn ,rome's weapons against her4 ,there is only one answer to this1 and that is the silence of contempt4 ,slander and dollars are the wheels on which moves the propaganda that would substitute ,gospel ,christianity for the superstitions of ,rome4 ,it is slander that vilifies in convention and synod the friars who did more for pure ,christianity in the ,philippines in a hundred years than the whole nest of their revilers will do in ten thousand4 ,it is slander that holds up to public ridicule the congregations that suffer persecution and exile in ,france in the name of liberty1 fraternity1 etc4 ,it is slander that the long-tailed missionary with the sanctimonious face brings back from the countries of the ,south with which to regale the minds of those who furnish the ,bibles and shekels4 ,and who will measure the slander that grows out of the dunghill of ,protestant ignorance of what ,catholics really believe6 ,,chapter ,,xci4 ,,rash ,,judgment4 ,,the ,eighth ,commandment is based on the natural right every fellow-man has to our good opinion1 unless he forfeits it justly and publicly4 ,it forbids all injury to his reputation1 first1 in the estimation of others1 which is done by calumny and detraction2 secondly1 in our own estimation1 and this is done by rash judgment1 by hastily and without sufficient grounds thinking evil of him1 forming a bad opinion of him4 ,he may be1 as he has a right to be1 anxious to stand well in our esteem as well as in the esteem of others4 ,a judgment1 rash or otherwise1 is not a4 doubt1 neither is it a suspicion4 ,everybody knows what a doubt is4 ,when ,i doubt if another is doing or has done wrong1 the idea of his or her guilt simply enters my mind1 occurs to me and ,i turn it over and around1 from one side to another1 without being satisfied to accept or reject it4 ,i do not say3 yes1 it is true2 neither do ,i say3 no1 it is not true4 ,i say nothing1 ,i pass no judgment2 ,i suspend for the moment all judgment1 ,i doubt4 ,a doubt is not evil unless there be absolutely no reason for doubting1 and then the doubt is born of passion and malice4 ,and the evil1 whatever there is of it1 is not in the doubt's entering our mind-- something beyond our control2 but in our entertaining the doubt1 in our making the doubt personal1 which supposes an act of the will4 ,stronger than doubt is suspicion4 ,when ,i suspect one1 ,i do not keep the balance perfectly even between yes and no1 as in the case of doubt2 ,i lean mentally to one side1 but do not go so far as to assent one way or the other4 ,having before me a person who excites my suspicion1 ,i am inclined to think him guilty on certain evidence1 but ,i fear to judge lest ,i should be in error1 because there is evidence also of innocence4 ,if my suspicion is based on good grounds1 it is natural and lawful2 otherwise it is rash and sinful2 it is uncharitable and unjust to the person suspected4 ,a suspicion often hurts more than an accusation4 ,doubt and suspicion1 when rash1 are sinful2 but the malice thereof is not grave unless they are so utterly unfounded as to betoken deep-seated antipathy and aversion and a perverse will2 or unless in peculiar circumstances the position of the person is such as to make the suspicion gravely injurious and not easily condoned4 ,there is guilt in keeping that suspicion to oneself2 to give it out in words is calumny1 whether it be true or not1 simply because it is unfounded4 ,in a judgment there is neither doubt nor suspicion2 ,i make my own the idea presented to my mind4 ,the balance of assent1 in which is weighed1 the evidence for and against1 is not kept even1 nor is it partially inclined2 ,it goes down with its full weight1 and the party under consideration stands convicted before the tribunal of my judgment4 ,i do not say1 ,i wonder if he is guilty2 nor he most likely is guilty2 but3 he is guilty--here is a deliberate judgment4 ,henceforth my esteem ceases for such a person4 ,translated in words such a judgment is not calumny because it is supposedly founded in reason2 but it is detraction1 because it is injurious4 ,such a judgment1 without any exterior expression1 is sinful if it is rash4 ,and what makes it rash8 ,the insufficiency of motive on which it is based4 ,and whence comes the knowledge of such sufficiency or insufficiency of motive8 ,from the intelligence1 but mostly from the conscience4 ,that is why many unintelligent people judge rashly and sin not1 because they know no better4 ,but conscience nearly always supplies intelligence in such matters and ignorance does not always save us from guilt4 ,an instinct1 the wee voice of ,god in the soul1 tells us to withhold our judgment even when the intelligence fails to weigh the motives aright4 ,to contemn this voice is to sin and be guilty of rash judgment4 ,in the language of ordinary folks1 not always precise and exact in their terms1 an opinion is frequently a judgment1 to think this or that of another is often to judge him accordingly4 ,the suspicions of suspicious people are at times more than suspicions and are clearly characterized judgments4 ,to render a verdict on the neighbor's character is a judgment1 by whatever other name it is called2 all that is necessary is to come to a definite conclusion and to give the assent of the will to that conclusion4 ,when the conduct of the neighbor is plainly open to interpretation1 if we may not judge immediately against him1 neither are we bound to give him the benefit of the doubt2 we may simply suspend all judgment and await further evidence4 ,in our exterior dealings this suspicion should not affect our conduct1 for every man has a right to be treated as an honest man and does not forfeit that right on the ground of a mere probability4 ,this1 however1 does not prevent us from taking a cue from our suspicion and acting guardedly towards him4 ,this does not mean that we adjudge him dishonest1 but that we deem him capable of being dishonest1 which is true and in accordance with the laws of prudence4 ,neither are we bound to overlook all evidence that points to a man's guilt through fear of judging him unfavorably4 ,it is not wrong to judge a man according to his merits1 to have a right opinion of him1 even when that opinion is not to his credit4 ,all that is necessary is that we have good reason on ,which to base that opinion4 ,if a neighbor does evil in our presence or to our knowledge he forfeits1 and justly1 our good opinion2 he is to blame1 and not we4 ,we are not obliged to close our eyes to the truth of facts1 and it is on facts that our judgments are formed4 ,,chapter ,,xcii4 ,,mendacity4 ,,to lie is to utter an untruth1 with full knowledge that it is an untruth4 ,the untruth may be expressed by any conventional sign1 by word1 deed1 gesture1 or even by silence4 ,its malice and disorder consists in the opposition that exists between our idea and the expression we give to it2 our words convey a meaning contrary to what is in our mind2 we say one thing and mean another4 ,if we unwittingly utter what is contrary to fact1 that is error2 if we so clumsily translate our thoughts as to give a false impression of what we mean1 and we do the best we can1 that is a blunder2 if in a moment of listlessness and inattention we speak in a manner that conflicts with our state of mind1 that is temporary mental aberration4 ,but if we knowingly give out as truth what we know is not the truth1 we lie purely and simply4 ,in misrepresentations of this kind it is not required that there be a plainly formulated purpose of deceiving another2 an implicit intention1 a disposition to allow our words to run their natural course1 is sufficient to give such utterances a character of mendacity4 ,for1 independently of our mental attitude1 it is in the nature of a lie to deceive2 an intention1 or rather a pretense to the contrary1 does not affect that nature4 ,the fact of lying presupposes that we intend in some manner to practise deception2 if we did not have such a purpose we would not resort to lying4 ,if you stick a knife into a man1 you may pretend what you like1 but you did certainly intend to hurt him and make him feel badly4 ,nor has any ulterior motive we may have in telling an untruth the power to change its nature2 a lie is a lie1 no matter what prompted it4 ,whether it serves the purpose of amusement1 as a jocose lie2 or helps to gain us an advantage or get us out of trouble1 as an officious lie2 or injures another in any way1 as a pernicious lie3 mendacity is the character of our utterances1 the guilt of willful falsehood is on our soul4 ,a restriction should1 however1 be made in favor of the jocose lie2 it ceases to be a lie when the mind of the speaker is open to all who listen and his narration or statement may be likened to those fables and myths and fairy tales in which is exemplified the charm of figurative language4 ,when a person says what is false and is convinced that all who hear him know it is false1 the contradiction between his mind and its expression is said to be material1 and not formal2 and in this the essence of a lie does not consist4 ,a lie is always a sin2 it is what is called an intrinsic evil and is therefore always wrong4 ,and why is this8 ,because speech was given us to express our thoughts2 to use this faculty therefore for a contrary purpose is against its nature1 against a law of our being1 and this is evil4 ,the obnoxious consequences of falsehood1 as it is patent to all1 constitute an evil for which falsehood is responsible4 ,but deception1 one of those consequences1 is not in itself and essentially1 a moral fault4 ,deception1 if not practised by lying and therefore not intended but simply suffered to occur1 and if there be grave reason for resorting to this means of defense1 cannot be put down as a thing offensive to ,god or unjustly prejudicial to the neighbor4 ,but when deception is the effect of mendacity1 it assumes a character of malice that deserves the reprobation of man as it is condemned by ,god4 ,and this is another reason why lying is essentially an evil thing1 and can never1 under any circumstances be allowed or justified4 ,this does not mean that lying is always a mortal sin4 ,in fact1 it is oftener venial than mortal4 ,it becomes a serious fault only in the event of another malice being added to it4 ,thus1 if ,i lie to one who has a right to know the truth and for grave reasons2 if the mendacious information ,i impart is of a nature to mislead one into injury or loss1 and this thing ,i do maliciously2 or if my lying is directly disparaging to another2 in these cases there is grave malice and serious guilt4 ,but if there is no injustice resulting from a lie1 ,i prevaricate against right in lying1 but my sin is not a serious offense4 ,this is a vice that certainly deserves to be fought against and punished always and in all places1 especially in the young who are so prone thereto1 first because it is a sin2 and again1 because of the social evils that it gives rise to4 ,there is no gainsaying the fact that in the code of purely human morals1 lying is considered a very heinous offense that ostracizes a man when robbery on a large scale1 adultery and other first-degree misdemeanors leave him perfectly honorable4 ,this recalls an instance of a recent courtroom4 ,a young miscreant thoroughly imbued with pharisaic morals met with a bold face1 without a blush or a flinch1 accusations of misconduct1 robbery and murder2 but when charged with being a liar1 he sprang at his accuser in open court and tried to throttle him4 ,his fine indignation got the best of him2 he could not stand that4 ,among pious-minded people two extreme errors are not infrequently met with4 ,the one is that a lie is not wrong unless the neighbor suffers thereby2 the falsity of this we have already shown4 ,according to the other1 a lie is such an evil that it should not be tolerated1 not one lie1 even if all the souls in hell were thereby to be liberated4 ,to this we answer that we would like to get such a chance once2 we fear we would tell a whopper4 ,it would be wicked1 of course2 but we might expect leniency from the just ,judge under the circumstances4 ,,chapter ,,xciii4 ,,concealing ,,the ,,truth4 ,,the duty always to tell the truth does not imply the obligation always to tell all you know2 and falsehood does not always follow as a result of not revealing your mind to the first inquisitive person that chooses to put embarrassing questions4 ,alongside1 but not contrary to1 the duty of veracity is the right every man has to personal and professional secrets4 ,for a man's mind is not public property2 there may arise at times circumstances in which he not only may1 but is in duty bound to withhold information that concerns himself intimately or touches a third person2 and there must be a means to protect the sacredness of such secrets against undue curiosity and inquisitiveness1 without recourse to the unlawful method of lying4 ,silence is not an effective resource1 for it not infrequently gives consent one or the other way2 the question may be put in such a manner that affirmation or negation will betray the truth4 ,to what then shall one have recourse8 ,let us remark in the first place that ,god has endowed human intelligence with a native wit1 sharpness and cunning that has its legitimate uses1 the exercise of this faculty is evil only when its methods and ends are evil4 ,used along the lines of moral rectitude strategy and tact for profiting by circumstances are perfectly in order1 especially when one acts in the defense of his natural rights4 ,and if this talent is employed without injustice to the neighbor or violence to the law of ,god1 it is no more immoral than the plain telling of truth2 in fact it is sometimes better than telling the truth4 ,but it must be understood that such practices must be justified by the circumstances4 ,they suppose in him who resorts thereto a right to withhold information that overrides the right of his interrogator4 ,if the right of the latter to know is superior1 then the hiding of truth would constitute an injustice1 which is sinful1 and this is considered tantamount to lying4 ,and if the means to which we resort is not lying1 as we have defined it1 that is1 does not show a contradiction between what we say and what we mean1 then there can be no fear of evil on any side4 ,now1 suppose that instead of using a term whose signification is contrary to what my mind conceives1 which would be falsehood1 ,i employ a word that has a natural double meaning1 one of which is conform to my mind1 the other at variance4 ,in the first place1 ,i do not speak against my mind2 ,i say what ,i think2 the word ,i use means what ,i mean4 ,but the other fellow6 that is another matter4 ,he may take his choice of the two meanings4 ,if he guesses aright1 my artifice has failed2 if he is deceived1 that is his loss4 ,i do him no injustice1 for he had no right to question me4 ,if my answer embarrasses him1 that is just what ,i intended1 and ,i am guilty of no evil for that2 if it deceives him1 that ,i did not intend but willingly suffer2 ,i am not obliged to enter into explanations when ,i am not even bound to answer him4 ,of the deception1 he alone is the cause2 ,i am the occasion1 if you will1 but the circumstances of his inquisitiveness made that occasion necessary1 and ,i am not responsible4 ,this artifice is called equivocation or amphibology2 it consists in the use of words that have a natural double meaning2 it supposes in him who resorts to it the right to conceal the truth1 a right superior to that of the tormentor who questions him4 ,when these conditions are fulfilled1 recourse to this method is perfectly legitimate1 but the conditions must be fulfilled4 ,this is not a weapon for convenience1 but for necessity4 ,it is easy to deceive oneself when it is painful to tell the truth4 ,therefore it should be used sparingly3 it is not for every-day use1 only emergencies of a serious nature can justify its employ4 ,another artifice1 still more delicate and dangerous1 but just as legitimate when certain conditions are fulfilled1 is what is known as mental restriction4 ,this too consists in the employ of words of double meaning2 but whereas in the former case1 both meanings are naturally contained in the word1 here the term employed has but one natural signification1 the other being furnished by circumstances4 ,its legitimate use supposes that he to whom the term is directed should either in fact know the circumstances of the case that have this peculiar significance1 or that he could and should know them4 ,if the information drawn from the answer received is insufficient1 so much the better2 if he is misinformed1 the fault is his own1 since neither genuine falsehood nor evident injustice can be attributed to the other4 ,an example will illustrate this better than anything else4 ,take a physician or lawyer1 the custodian of a professional secret1 or a priest with knowledge safeguarded by the seal of the confessional4 ,these men either may not or should not reveal to others unconcerned in the matter the knowledge they1 possess4 ,there is no one but should be aware of this1 but should know that when they are questioned1 they will answer as laymen1 and not as professionals4 ,they will answer according to outside information1 yes or no1 whether on not such conclusion agree with the facts they obtained under promise of secrecy4 ,they simply put out of their mind as unserviceable all professional knowledge1 and respond as a man to a man4 ,their standing as professional men puts every questioner on his guard and admonishes him that no private information need be expected1 that he must take the answer given as the conclusion of outside evidence1 then if he is deceived he has no one to blame but himself1 since he was warned and took no heed of the warning4 ,again we repeat1 the margin between mental restriction and falsehood is a safe1 but narrow one1 the least bungling may merge one into the other4 ,it requires tact and judgment to know when it is permissible to have recourse to this artifice and how to practise it safely4 ,it is not a thing to be trifled with4 ,in only rare circumstances can it be employed1 and only few persons have the right to employ it4 ,,chapter ,,xciv4 ,,restitution4 ,a ,,peculiar feature attaches to the sins we have recently treated1 against the ,fifth1 ,sixth1 ,seventh1 and ,eighth commandments4 ,these offenses differ from others in that they involve an injury1 an injustice to our fellow-man4 ,now1 the condition of pardon for sin is contrition2 this contrition contains essentially a firm purpose that looks to the future1 and removes in a measure1 the liability to fall again4 ,but with the sins here in question that firm purpose not only looks forward1 but backward as well1 not only guarantees against future ill-doing1 but also repairs the wrong criminally effected in the past4 ,this is called restitution1 the undoing of wrong suffered by our neighbor through our own fault4 ,the firm purpose to make restitution is just as essential to contrition as the firm purpose to sin no more2 in fact1 the former is only a form of the latter4 ,it means that we will not sin any more by prolonging a culpable injustice4 ,and the person who overlooks this feature when he seeks pardon has a moral constitution and make-up that is sadly in need of repairs2 and of such persons there are not a few4 ,justice that has failed to protect a man's right becomes restitution when the deed of wrong is done4 ,restitution therefore that is based on the natural right every man has to have and to hold what is his1 to recover it1 its value or equivalent1 when unduly dispossessed1 supposes an act of injustice1 that is1 the violation of a strict right4 ,this injustice1 in turn1 implies a moral fault1 a moral responsibility1 direct or indirect2 and the fault must be grievous in order to induce a grave obligation4 ,now1 it matters not in the least what we do1 or how we do it1 if the neighbor suffer through a fault of ours4 ,if any human creature sustains a loss to life or limb1 damage to his or her social or financial standing1 and such injury can be traced to a moral delinquency on our part1 we are in conscience bound to make good the loss and repair the damage done4 ,to do evil is bad2 to perpetuate it is immeasurably worse4 ,to refuse to remove the evil is to refuse to remove one's guilt2 and as long as one persists in such a refusal1 that one remains under the wrath of ,god4 ,restitution concerns itself with things done or left undone1 things said or left unsaid2 it does not enter the domain of thought4 ,consequently1 just as an accident does not entail the necessity of repairing the injury that another sustains1 neither does the deliberate thought or desire to perpetrate an injustice entail such a consequence4 ,even if a person does all in his power to effect an evil purpose1 and fails1 he is not held to reparation1 for there is nothing to repair4 ,as we have said more than once1 the will is the source of all malice in the sight of ,god2 but injustice to man requires material as well as formal malice2 sin must have its complement of exterior deed before it can be called human injustice4 ,we deem it unnecessary to dwell upon the gravity of the obligation to make restitution4 ,the balance of justice must be maintained exact and impartial in this world1 or the ,almighty will see that it is done in the next4 ,the idea that ,god does not stand for justice destroys the idea that ,god exists4 ,and if the precept not to commit injustice leaves the guilty one free to repair or not to repair1 that precept is self-contradictory and has no meaning at all4 ,if a right is a right1 it is not extinguished by being violated and if justice1 is something more than a mere sound1 it must protect all rights whether sinned against or not4 ,it might be convenient for some people to force upon their conscience the lie that restitution is of counsel rather than of precept1 under the plea that it is enough to shoulder the responsibility of sin without being burdened with the obligation of repairing it1 but it is only a soul well steeped in malice that will take seriously such a contention4 ,neither is restitution a penance imposed upon us in order to atone for our faults2 it is no more penitential in its nature than are the efforts we make to avoid the faults we have fallen into in the past4 ,it atones for nothing2 it is simply a desisting from evil4 ,when this is done and forgiveness obtained1 then1 and not till then1 is it time to think of satisfying for the temporal punishment due to sin4 ,naturally it is much more easy to abstain from committing injustice than to repair it after it is done4 ,it is often very difficult and very painful to face the consequences of our evil ways1 especially when all satisfaction is gone and nothing remains but the hard exigencies of duty4 ,and duty is a thing that it costs very little to shirk when one is already hardened by a habit of injustice4 ,that is why restitution is so little heard of in the world4 ,it is a fact to be noted that the ,catholic ,church is the only religious body that dares to enforce strictly the law of reparation4 ,others vaguely hold it1 but rarely teach it1 and then only in flagrant cases of fraud4 ,but she allows none of her children to approach the sacraments who has not already repaired1 or who does not promise in all sincerity to repair1 whatever wrong he may have done to the neighbor4 ,employers of ,catholic help sometimes feel the effects of this uncompromising attitude of the ,church2 they are astonished1 edified and grateful4 ,we recall with pleasure an incident of an apostate going about warning people against the turpitudes of ,rome and especially against the extortions of her priests through the confessional4 ,he explained how the benighted papist was obliged under pain of eternal damnation to confess his sins to the priest1 and then was charged so much for each fault he had been guilty of4 ,an incredulous listener wanted to know if he1 the speaker1 while in the toils of ,rome had ever been obliged thus to disgorge in the confessional1 and was answered with a triumphant affirmation4 ,at which the wag hinted that it would be a good thing not to be too outspoken in announcing the fact as his reputation for honesty would be likely to suffer thereby1 for he knew1 and all ,catholics knew1 who were those whose purse the confessor pries open4 ,,chapter ,,xcv4 ,,undoing ,,the ,,evil4 ,,whenever a person1 through a spirit of ,police or grossly culpable negligence1 becomes responsible for serious bodily injury sustained by another1 he is bound1 as far as in him lies1 to undo the wrong and repair the injustice committed4 ,the law of personal rights that forbade him to lay violent hands on another1 now commands that the evil be removed by him who placed it4 ,true1 physical pain and tortures cannot be repaired in kind2 physical injury and disability are not always susceptible of adequate reparation4 ,but there is the loss incurred as a result of such disability1 and this loss may affect1 not one alone1 but many4 ,death1 too1 is of course absolutely irreparable4 ,but the killing of the victim in nowise extinguishes the obligation of reparation4 ,the principal object is removed2 but there remain the loss of wages1 the expenses necessitated by illness and death2 there may be a family dependent on the daily toil of the unfortunate and made destitute by his removal4 ,one must be blind indeed not to see that all these losses are laid at the door of the criminal1 a direct result of his crime1 foreseen1 too1 at least confusedly1 since there is a moral fault2 and these must be made good1 as far as the thing is possible1 otherwise the sin will not be forgiven4 ,slander must be retracted4 ,if you have lied about another and thereby done him an injury1 you are bound in conscience to correct your false statement1 to correct it in such a manner as to undeceive all whom you may have misled4 ,this retraction must really retract1 and not do just the contrary1 make the last state of things worse than the first1 which is sometimes the case4 ,prudence and tact should suggest means to do this effectively3 when1 how and to what extent it should be done1 in order that the best results of reparation may be obtained4 ,but in one way or another1 justice demands that the slanderer contradict his lying imputations and remove by so doing the stain that besmirches the character of his victim4 ,of course1 if it was by truth and not falsehood1 by detraction and not calumny1 that you assailed and injured the reputation of another1 there is no gainsaying the truth2 you are not justified in lying in order to make truth less damaging4 ,the harm done here is well nigh irreparable4 ,but there is such a thing as trying to counteract the influence of evil speech by good words1 by mentioning qualities that offset defects1 by setting merit against demerit2 by attenuating as far as truth will allow the circumstances of the case1 etc4 ,this will place your victim in the least unfavorable light1 and will1 in some measure1 repair the evil of detraction4 ,scandal must be repaired1 a mightily difficult task2 to reclaim a soul lost to evil through fatal inducements to sin is paramount1 almost1 to raising from the dead4 ,it is hard1 desperately hard1 to have yourself accepted as an angel of light by those for whom you have long been a demon of iniquity4 ,good example6 ,yes1 that is about the only argument you have4 ,you are handicapped1 but if you wield that argument for good with as much strength and intensity as you did for evil1 you will have done all that can be expected of you1 and something may come of it4 ,the wrong of bodily contamination is a deep one4 ,it is a wrong1 and therefore unjust1 when it is effected through undue influence that either annuls consent1 or wrings it from the victim by cajolery1 threat1 or false promise4 ,it becomes immeasurably aggravated when the victim is abandoned to bear alone the shame and burdensome consequences of such injustice4 ,matrimony is the ordinary remedy2 the civil law will force it2 conscience may make it an obligation1 and does make it1 unless1 in rare cases1 there be such absolute incompatibility as to make such a contract an ineffective and ridiculous one1 an inefficient remedy1 or none at all4 ,when such is the case1 a pecuniary compensation is the only alternative4 ,a career has been blasted1 a future black with despair stares the victim in the face1 if she must face it unaided2 a burden forced upon her that must be borne for years1 entailing considerable expense4 ,the man responsible for such a state of affairs1 if he expects pardon for his crime1 must shoulder the responsibility in a manner that will repair at least in part the grave injustice under which his victim labors4 ,if both share the guilt1 then both must share the burden4 ,if one shirks1 the other must assume the whole4 ,the great victim is the child4 ,that child must get a ,christian bringing-up1 or some one will suffer for it2 its faith must be safeguarded4 ,if this cannot be done at home1 then it must be placed where this can be done4 ,if it is advantageous for the parent or parents that their offspring be raised in ignorance of its origin1 it is far more advantageous for the child itself4 ,let it be confided to good hands1 but let the money necessary for its support be forthcoming1 since this is the only way to make reparation for the evil of its birth4 ,i would add a word in regard to the injustice1 frequent enough1 of too long deferring the fulfilment of marriage promises4 ,for one party1 especially1 this period of waiting is precarious1 fraught with danger and dangerous possibilities4 ,her fidelity makes her sacrifice all other opportunities1 and makes her future happiness depend on the fulfilment of the promise given4 ,charms do not last forever2 attractions fade with the years4 ,if affection cools1 she is helpless to stir up the embers without unmentionable sacrifice4 ,there is the peril4 ,the man who is responsible for it1 is responsible for a good deal4 ,he is committing an injustice2 there is danger of his not being willing to repair it1 danger that he may not be able to repair it4 ,his line of duty is clear4 ,unless for reasons of the gravest importance1 he cannot in surety of conscience continue in a line of conduct that is repugnant alike to natural reason and common decency1 and that smacks of moral make-up that would not bear the scrutiny of close investigation4 ,,chapter ,,xcvi4 ,,paying ,,back4 ,a ,,man who has stolen1 has nothing more urgent and imperative to perform1 on this side of eternity1 than the duty of refunding the money or goods unjustly acquired1 or the value thereof4 ,he may possibly consider something else more important2 but if he does1 that man has somehow unlearned the first principles of natural honesty1 ignores the fundamental law that governs the universe1 and he will have a difficult time convincing the ,almighty that this ignorance of his is not wholly culpable4 ,the best and only thing for him to do is to make up his mind to pay up1 to disgorge his ill-gotten goods1 to make good the losses sustained by his neighbor through his fault4 ,he may1 or may not1 have profited to any great extent by his criminal proceedings2 but there is no doubt that his victim suffered injustice2 and that precisely is the root of his obligation4 ,the stolen goods may have perished in his hands and he have nothing to show2 the same must be said of the victim the moment his possessions disappeared2 with this difference1 however1 that justice was not violated in one case1 and in the other1 it was4 ,the lawful owner may be dead1 or unfindable among the living2 but wherever he may be1 he never intended that the thief should enjoy the fruit of his crime4 ,the latter's title1 vitiated in its source1 cannot be improved by any circumstance of the owner's whereabouts4 ,no one may thrive on one's own dishonesty4 ,you say this is hard2 and in so saying1 you lend testimony to the truth of the axiom that honesty is the best policy4 ,there is no one but will agree with you2 but such a statement1 true though it be1 helps matters very little4 ,it is always hard to do right2 blame ,adam and ,eve for it1 and think of something more practicable4 ,but must ,i impoverish myself8 ,not to the extent of depriving yourself of the necessaries of life4 ,but you must deprive yourself to the extent of settling your little account1 even if you suffer something thereby4 ,but how shall ,i be able to refund it all6 ,you may never be able to refund it all2 but you may start in immediately and do the best you can2 resolve to keep at it2 never revoke your purpose to cancel the debt4 ,in case your lease of life expires before full justice is done1 the ,almighty may take into consideration your motives and opportunities4 ,they do say that hell is paved with good intentions2 but these intentions are of the sort that are satisfied with never coming to a state of realization4 ,but ,i shall lose my position1 be disgraced1 prosecuted and imprisoned4 ,this might happen if you were to write out a brief of your crime and send the same1 signed and sworn to1 to your employer4 ,but this is superfluous4 ,you might omit the details and signature1 enclose the sum and trust luck for the rest4 ,or you might consult your spiritual adviser2 he might have had some experience in this line of business4 ,the essential is not that you be found out1 but that you refund4 ,it may happen that several are concerned in a theft4 ,in this case1 each and every participant1 in the measure of his guilt1 is bound to make restitution4 ,guilt is the object1 restitution is the shadow2 the following is fatal4 ,to order or advise the thing done2 to influence efficaciously its doing2 to assist in the deed or to profit knowingly thereby1 to shield criminally the culprit1 etc41 this sort of co-operation adds to the guilt of sin the burden of restitution4 ,silence or inaction1 when plain duty would call for words and deeds to prevent crime1 incriminates as well as active participation1 and creates an obligation to repair4 ,there is more4 ,conspiracy in committing an injustice adds an especial feature to the burden of restitution4 ,if the parties to the crime had formed a preconcerted plan and worked together as a whole in its accomplishment1 every individual that furnished efficient energy to the success of the undertaking is liable1 in conscience1 not for a share of the loss1 but for the sum total4 ,this is what is called solidarity2 solidarity in crime begets solidarity in reparation4 ,it means that the injured party has a just claim for damages1 for all damages sustained1 against any one of the culprits1 each one of whom1 in the event of his making good the whole loss1 has recourse against the others for their share of the obligation4 ,it may happen1 and does1 that one or several abscond1 and thus shirk their part of the obligation2 the burden of restitution may thus be unevenly distributed4 ,but this is one of the risks that conspirators in sin must take2 the injured party must be protected first and in preference to all others4 ,no ,catholic can validly receive the sacrament of penance who refuses to assume the responsibility of restitution for injustices committed1 and who does not at least promise sincerely to acquit himself at the first favorable opportunity and to the extent of his capacity4 ,this means that only on these conditions can the sin be forgiven by ,god4 ,that man is not disposed sufficiently to receive absolution who continually neglects opportunities to keep his promise2 who refuses to pay any1 because he cannot pay all2 who decides to leave the burden of restitution to his heirs1 even with the wherewith to do so4 ,it is better not to go to confession at all than to go with these dispositions2 it is better to wait until you can make up your mind4 ,,chapter ,,xcvii4 ,,getting ,,rid ,,of ,,ill-,,gotten ,,goods4 ,,it may happen that a person discover among his legitimately acquired possessions something that does not in reality belong to him4 ,he may have come by it through purchase1 donation1 etc42 he kept it in good faith1 thinking that he had a clear title to it4 ,he now finds that there was an error somewhere1 and that it is the property of some one else4 ,of course1 he is not the lawful owner1 and does not become such by virtue of his good faith2 although1 in certain given circumstances1 if the good faith1 or ignorance of error1 last long enough1 a title may be acquired by prescription1 and the possessor become the lawful owner4 ,but we are not considering the question of prescription4 ,it is evident1 then1 that our friend must dispossess himself in favor of the real owner1 as soon as the latter comes upon the scene and proves his claim4 ,but the possessor may in all innocence have alienated the goods1 destroyed or consumed them2 or they may have perished through accident or fatality4 ,in the latter case1 nothing remains to refund1 no one is to blame1 and the owner must bear the loss4 ,even in the former case1 if the holder can say in conscience that he in nowise became richer by the possession and use of the goods in question1 he is not bound to make restitution4 ,if1 however1 there be considerable profits1 they rightly belong to the owner1 and the possessor must refund the same4 ,but the question arises as to how the holder is to be compensated for the expenditure made in the beginning and in good faith when he purchased the goods which he is now obliged to hand over to another4 ,impartial justice demands that when the rightful owner claims his goods1 the holder relinquish them1 and he may take what he gets1 even if it be nothing4 ,he might claim a compensation if he purchased what he knew to be another's property1 acting in the interests of that other and with the intention of returning the same to its owner4 ,otherwise1 his claim is against the one from whom he obtained the article1 and not against him to whom he is obliged to turn it over4 ,he may1 if he be shrewd enough1 anticipate the serving of the owner's claim and secure himself against a possible loss by selling back for a consideration the goods in question to the one from whom he bought them4 ,but this cannot be done after the claim is presented2 besides1 this proceeding must not render it impossible for the owner to recover his property2 and he must be notified as to the whereabouts of said property4 ,this manoeuvre works injustice unto no one4 ,the owner stands in the same relation to his property as formerly2 the subsequent holder assumes an obligation that was always his1 to refund the goods or their value1 with recourse against the antecedent seller4 ,the moment a person shirks the responsibility of refunding the possessions1 by him legitimately acquired1 but belonging rightfully to another1 that person becomes a possessor in bad faith and stands towards the rightful owner in the position of a thief4 ,not in a thousand years will he be able to prescribe a just title to the goods4 ,the burden of restitution will forever remain on him2 if the goods perish1 no matter how1 he must make good the loss to the owner4 ,he must also disburse the sum total of profits gathered from the illegal use of said goods4 ,if values fluctuate during the interval of criminal possession1 he must compute the amount of his debt according to the values that prevailed at the time the lawful owner would have disposed of his goods1 had he retained possession4 ,finally1 there may be a doubt as to whether the object ,i possess is rightfully mine or not4 ,i must do my best to solve that doubt and dear the title to ownership4 ,if ,i fail1 ,i may consider the object mine and may use it as such4 ,if the owner turn up after the prescribed time1 so much the worse for the owner4 ,an uncertainty may exist1 not as to my proprietorship1 but as to whom the thing does belong4 ,if my possession began in good faith and ,i am unable to determine the ownership1 ,i may consider myself the owner until further developments shed more light on the matter4 ,it is different when the object was originally acquired in bad faith4 ,in such a case1 first1 the ill-gotten goods can never be mine2 then1 there is no sanction in reason1 conscience or law for the conduct of those who run immediately to the first charitable institution and leave there their conscience money2 or who have masses said for the repose of the souls of those who have been defrauded1 before they are dead at all perhaps4 ,my first care must be to locate the victim2 or1 if he be certainly deceased or evidently beyond reach1 the heirs of the victim of my fraud4 ,when all means fail and ,i am unable to find either the owner or his heirs1 then1 and not till then1 may ,i dispose of the goods in question4 ,i must assume in such a contingency as this1 that the will of the owner would be to expend the sum on the most worthy cause2 and that is charity4 ,the only choice then that remains with me is1 what hospital1 asylum or other enterprise of charity is to profit by my sins1 since ,i myself cannot be a gainer in the premises4 ,it might be well to remark here that one is not obliged to make restitution for more than the damages call for4 ,earnestness is a good sign1 but it should not blind us or drive us to an excess of zeal detrimental to our own lawful interests4 ,when there is a reasonable and insolvable doubt as to the amount of reparation to be made1 it is just that such a doubt favor us4 ,if we are not sure if it be a little more or a little less1 the value we are to refund1 we may benefit by the uncertainty and make the burden we assume as light as in all reason it can be made4 ,and even if we should happen to err on the side of mercy to ourselves1 without our fault1 justice is satisfied1 being fallible like all things human4 ,,chapter ,,xcviii4 ,,what ,,excuses ,,from ,,restitution4 ,,those who do not obtain full justice from man in this world will obtain it in the next from ,god4 ,if we do not meet our obligations this side of the tribunal of the just ,judge1 ,he will see to it that our accounts are equitably balanced when the time for the final reckoning comes4 ,this supposes1 naturally1 that non-fulfilment of obligations is due on our part to unwillingness--a positive refusal1 or its equivalent1 wilful neglect1 to undo the wrongs committed4 ,for right reason and ,god's mercy must recognize the existence of a state of unfeigned and hopeless disability1 when it is impossible for the delinquent to furnish the wherewithal to repair the evils of which he has been guilty4 ,when this condition is permanent1 and is beyond all remedy1 all claims are extinguished against the culprit1 and all losses incurred must be ascribed to an act of ,god1 as the coroner says4 ,for no mart can be held to what is impossible4 ,chief among these moral1 as well as legal1 bankrupts is the good-for-nothing fellow who is sorry too late1 who has nothing1 has no hopes of ever having anything1 and who therefore can give nothing4 ,you cannot extract blood from a beet1 nor shekels from an empty purse4 ,then a man may lose all his belongings in a catastrophe1 and after striving by labor and economy to pay off his debts1 may see himself obliged to give up the task through sickness1 misfortune or other good causes4 ,he has given all he has1 he cannot give more4 ,even though liabilities were stacked up mountain-high against him1 he cannot be held morally responsible1 and his creditors must attribute their losses to the misfortune of life--a rather unsubstantial consolation1 but as good a one as the poor debtor has4 ,there are other cases where the obligations of restitution are not annulled1 but only cancelled for the time being1 until such a time as circumstances permit their being met without grave disaster to the debtor4 ,the latter may be in such a position that extreme1 or great1 want would stare him in the face1 if he parted with what he possesses to make restitution4 ,the difficulty here is out of all proportion with the injustice committed for1 after all1 one must live1 and charity begins at home1 our first duty is toward ourselves4 ,the creditors of this man have no just claim against him until he improves his circumstances2 in the meantime1 the burden of responsibility is lifted from his shoulders4 ,the same must be said when the paying off of a debt at any particular time1 be it long or short1 would cripple a man's finances1 wipe out his earnings to such an extent as to make him fall considerably below his present position in life4 ,we might take a case during the late coal famine1 of a man who1 in order to fill his contracts of coal at six dollars a ton1 would be obliged to buy it at fifteen and twenty dollars a ton2 and thereby sacrifice his fortune4 ,the thing could not be expected1 it is preposterous4 ,his obligee must wait and hope for better times4 ,a man's family is a part of himself4 ,therefore the payment of a just debt may be deferred ,in order to shield from want parents1 wife1 children1 brothers or sisters4 ,life1 limb and reputation are greater possessions than riches2 consequently1 rather than jeopardize these1 one may1 for the time1 put aside his obligations to make restitution4 ,all this supposes1 of course1 that during the interval of delay the creditor does not suffer inconveniences greater than1 or as great as1 those the debtor seeks to avoid4 ,the latter's right to defer payment ceases to exist the moment it comes into conflict with an equal right of the former to said payment4 ,it is against reason to expect that1 after suffering a first injustice1 the victim should suffer a second in order to spare the guilty party a lesser or an equal injury4 ,preference therefore must be given to the creditor over the debtor when the necessity for sacrifice is equal1 and leniency must be refused when it becomes cruelty to the former4 ,outside these circumstances1 which are rare indeed1 it will be seen at once that the creditor may act an unjust part in pressing claims that accidentally and temporarily become invalid4 ,he has a right to his own1 but he is not justified in vindicating that right1 if in so doing1 he inflicts more damage than equity calls for4 ,the culprit has a right not to suffer more than he deserves1 and it is mock justice that does not respect that right4 ,if the creditor does suffer some loss by the delay1 this might be a circumstance to remember at the final settlement but for the present1 there is an impediment to the working of justice1 placed by the fatal order of things and it is beyond power to remove it4 ,,chapter ,,xcix4 ,,debts4 ,,before closing our remarks1 necessarily brief and incomplete1 on this subject1 so vast and comprehensive1 we desire in a few words to pay our respects to that particular form of injustice1 more common perhaps than all others combined1 which is known as criminal debt1 likewise1 to its agent1 the most brazen impostor and unconscionable fraud that afflicts society1 the man who owes and will not pay4 ,more people suffer from bad debts than from stealing and destruction of property4 ,it is easier to contract a debt1 or to borrow a trifle1 than to steal it outright2 it is safer1 too4 ,imprudence is one of the chief characteristics of this genus of iniquity4 ,i would sooner owe you this than cheat you out of it3 this1 in word or deed1 is the highly spiritual consolation they offer those whom they fleece and then laugh at4 ,the wilful debtor is1 first of all1 a thief and a robber1 because he retains unjustly the lawful possessions of another4 ,there is no difference between taking and keeping what belongs to the neighbor4 ,the loss is the same to a man whether he is robbed of a certain amount or sells goods for which he gets nothing in return4 ,the injustice is the same in both cases1 the malice identical4 ,he therefore who can pay his debts1 and will not1 must be branded as a thief and an enemy to the rights of property4 ,the debtor is guilty of a second crime1 of dishonesty and fraud against his fellow-man1 by reason of his breaking a contract1 entered upon with a party in good faith1 and binding in conscience until cancelled by fulfilment4 ,when a man borrows or buys or runs an account on credit1 he agrees to return a quid pro quo1 an equivalent for value received4 ,when he fails to do so1 he violates his contract1 breaks his pledge of honor1 obtains goods under false pretense4 ,even if he is sincere at the time of the making of the contract1 the crime is perpetrated the moment he becomes a guilty debtor by repudiating1 in one way or another1 his just debts4 ,now1 to injure a person is wrong2 to break faith with him at one and the same time is to incur guilt of a double dye4 ,there is likewise an element of contumely and outrage in such dishonest operations2 the affront offered the victim is contemptible4 ,men have often been heard to say1 after being victimized by imposture of this sort3 ,i do not mind the loss so much1 but ,i do object to being treated like a fool and a monkey4 ,one's feelings suffer more than one's purse4 ,especially is this the case when the credit is given or a loan made as a favor or service1 intended or requested1 only to be requited by the blackest kind of ingratitude4 ,and let us not forget the extent of damage wrought unto worthy people in hard circumstances who are shut out from the advantages of borrowing and buying on credit by the nefarious practices of dishonest borrowers and buyers4 ,a burnt child keeps away from the fire4 ,a man1 after being defrauded palpably a few times1 acquires the habit of refusing all credit2 and he turns down many who deserve better1 because of the persecution to which he is subjected by rogues and scoundrels4 ,every criminal debtor contributes to that state of affairs and shares the responsibility of causing honest people to suffer want through inability to get credit4 ,and who are the persons thus guilty of a manifold guilt8 ,they are those who borrow and buy knowing full well they will not pay1 pile debt upon debt knowing full well they cannot pay4 ,others1 who do not repudiate openly their obligations1 put off paying indefinitely for futile reasons3 hard times1 that last forever2 ships coming in1 whose fate is yet unlearned2 windfalls from rich relatives that are not yet born1 etc42 and from delay to delay they become not only less able1 but less willing1 to settle their accounts4 ,sometimes you meet a fellow anxious to square himself for the total amount2 half his assets is negotiable1 the other half is gall4 ,he threatens you with the alternative of half or none2 he wants you to accept his impudence at the same figures at which he himself values it4 ,and this schemer usually succeeds in his endeavor4 ,others there are who protest their determination to pay up1 even to the last cent2 their dun-bills are always kept in sight1 lest they forget their obligations2 they treasure these bills1 as one treasures a thing of immense value4 ,but they live beyond their means and income1 purchase pleasure and luxury1 refuse to curtail frivolous expenses and extravagant outlay4 ,and in the meantime their debts remain in status quo1 unredeemed and less and less redeemable1 their determination holds good1 apparently2 and the creditor breaks commandments looking on and hoping4 ,some do violence to their thinking faculty by trying to find justification1 somehow1 for not paying their debts4 ,the creditor is dead1 they say2 or he has plenty and can well afford to be generous4 ,an attempt is often made at establishing a case of occult compensation1 its only merit being its ingenuity1 worthy of a better cause4 ,all such lame excuses argue a deeper perversity of will1 a malice well-nigh incurable2 but they do not satisfy justice1 because they are not founded on truth4 ,a debt has a character of sacredness1 like all moral obligations2 more sacred than many other moral obligations1 because this quality is taken directly from the eternal prototype of justice1 which is ,god4 ,you cannot wilfully repudiate it therefore without repudiating ,god4 ,you must respect it as you respect ,him4 ,your sins and your debts will follow you before the throne of ,god4 ,god alone is concerned with your sins2 but with your debts a third party is concerned4 ,and if ,god may easily waive ,his claims against you as a sinner1 a sterner necessity may influence ,his judgment of you as a debtor1 through respect for the inviolable rights of that third party who does not forgive so readily4 ,,the ,,end4 ,,standard ,,catholic ,,books ,,published ,,by ,,benziger ,,brothers ,,cincinnati3 #cdc ,,main ,,st4 ,,new ,,york3 #cf-ch ,,barclay ,,st4 ,,chicago3 #bad-baf ,w4 ,,monroe ,,st4 ,books marked net are such where ten per cent1 must be added for postage4 ,thus a book advertised as net1 #a4jj1 will be sent postpaid on receipt of #a4aj4 ,books not marked net will be sent postpaid on receipt of advertised price4 ,,miscellaneous ,,books ,,abandonment ,,to ,,divine ,,providence4 ,,caussade4 net1 #j #ej ,,adoration ,,of ,,the ,,blessed ,,sacrament4 ,,tesniere4 net1 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,,book4 net1 #a #jj ,,clergyman',s ,,handbook ,,of ,,law4 ,,scanlan4 net1 #a #ce ,,come1 ,,let ,,us ,,adore4 ,,hammer4 #j #ge ,,commandments ,,and ,,sacraments1 ,,instructions ,,on ,,the4 ,,liguori4 ,paper1 #j4ae3 ,cloth1 #j #ce ,,compendium ,,juris ,,canonici4 ,,smith4 net1 #b #jj ,,compendium ,,sacrae ,,liturgiae4 ,,wapelhorst4 net1 #b #ej ,,compendium ,,juris ,,regularium4 ,,bachofen4 net1 #b #ej ,,concordance ,,of ,,holy ,,scriptures4 ,,williams4 net1 #c #ej ,,confessional1 ,,the4 ,,wirth4 net1 #a #jj ,,consecranda4 ,,schulte4 net1 #a #ej ,,correct ,,thing ,,for ,,catholics4 ,,bugg4 net1 #j #ge ,,counsels ,,of ,,st4 ,,angela4 net1 #b #jj ,,data ,,of ,,modern ,,ethics ,,examined4 ,,ming4 net1 #b #jj ,,devotions ,,to ,,the ,,sacred ,,heart ,,for ,,the ,,first ,,friday ,,of ,,every ,,month4 ,,huguet4 net1 #j #dj ,,devotion ,,to ,,the ,,sacred ,,heart ,,of ,,jesus1 ,,the4 ,,noldin4 net1 #a #be ,,dignity ,,and ,,duties ,,of ,,the ,,priest4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #ej ,,divine ,,grace4 ,,wirth4 net1 #a #fj ,,divine ,,office4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #ej ,,dogmatic ,,theology1 ,,outlines ,,of4 ,,hunter4 ,vol4 ,i1 ,,ii1 ,,iii4 ,each1 net1 #a #ej ,,ecclesiastical ,,dictionary4 ,,thein4 net1 #e #jj ,,education ,,of ,,our ,,girls4 ,,shields4 net1 #a #jj ,,elements ,,of ,,eccles4 ,,law4 ,vols4 ,i1 ,,ii1 ,,iii4 ,,smith4 ,each1 net1 #b #ej ,,encyclical ,,letters ,,of ,,pope ,,leo ,,xiii1 ,,the ,,great4 net1 #b #be ,,eucharistic ,,christ1 ,,the4 ,,tesniere4 net1 #a #be ,,eucharistic ,,lilies4 ,,maery4 #a #jj ,,explanation ,,of ,,bible ,,history4 ,,nash4 net1 #a #fj ,,explanation ,,of ,,the ,,commandments4 ,,rolfus4 net1 #a #jj ,,explanation ,,of ,,the ,,creed4 net1 #a #jj ,,explanation ,,of ,,the ,,gospels ,,and ,,catholic ,,worship4 ,,lambert4 ,paper1 #j4bj2 ,cloth1 #j #ej ,,explanation ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,sacraments4 ,,rolfus4 net1 #a #jj ,,explanation ,,of ,,the ,,mass4 ,,cochem4 net1 #a #be ,,explanation ,,of ,,the ,,our ,,father ,,and ,,the ,,hail ,,mary4 net1 #j #ge ,,explanation ,,of ,,the ,,prayers ,,and ,,ceremonies ,,of ,,the ,,mass4 ,,lanslots4 net1 #a #be ,,explanation ,,of ,,the ,,salve ,,regina4 ,,liguori4 net1 #j #ge ,,extreme ,,unction4 #j #aj ,,flowers ,,of ,,the ,,passion4 #j #ej ,,for ,,frequent ,,communicants4 ,per #ajj1 #c #jj ,,four ,,last ,,things4 ,,cochem4 net1 #j #ge ,,general ,,confession ,,made ,,easy4 ,,konings4 #j #ae ,,general ,,introduction ,,to ,,the ,,study ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,scriptures4 ,,gigot4 net1 #b #ej ,,general ,,introduction ,,to ,,the ,,study ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,scriptures4 ,abridged4 ,,gigot4 net1 #a #ej ,,general ,,principles ,,of ,,the ,,religious ,,life4 ,,verheyen4 net1 #j #cj ,,gentleman4 ,a4 ,,egan4 net1 #j #ge ,,gift ,,of ,,the ,,king1 ,,the4 #j #fj ,,glories ,,of ,,divine ,,grace4 ,,scheeben4 net1 #a #fj ,,glories ,,of ,,mary4 ,vols4 ,i and ,,ii4 ,,liguori4 ,each1 net1 #a #ej ,,glories ,,and ,,triumphs ,,of ,,the ,,catholic ,,church1 ,,the4 #b #jj ,,god1 ,,christ ,,and ,,the ,,church4 ,,hammer4 #b #jj ,,goffine',s ,,devout ,,instructions4 #a #jj ,,golden ,,sands4 #c vols4 ,each1 net1 #j #ej ,,great ,,means ,,of ,,salvation4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #ej ,,great ,,supper1 ,,the4 ,,coube4 net1 #a #be ,,greetings ,,to ,,the ,,christ ,,child4 #j #fj ,,growth ,,and ,,development ,,of ,,the ,,catholic ,,school ,,system ,,in ,,the ,,united ,,states4 ,,burns4 net1 #a #ge ,,guide ,,for ,,sacristans4 net1 #j #he ,,harmony ,,of ,,the ,,religious ,,life4 ,,heuser4 net1 #a #be ,,helps ,,to ,a ,,spiritual ,,life4 ,,schneider4 net1 #a #be ,,hidden ,,treasure4 ,,blessed ,,leonard4 ,paper1 #j4ae2 cloth1 #j #ce ,,history ,,of ,,american ,,college4 ,,brann4 net1 #b #jj ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,catholic ,,church4 ,,alzog4 #c vols4 net1 #h #jj ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,catholic ,,church4 ,,brueck4 #b vols4 net1 #c #jj ,,history ,,of ,,economics4 ,,dewe4 net1 #a #ej ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,mass4 ,o',,brien4 net1 #a #be ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,protestant ,,reformation4 ,,cobbet4 net1 #j #ge ,,holy ,,eucharist ,,and ,,frequent ,,and ,,daily ,,communion4 ,o',,connell4 net1 #j #fj ,,holy ,,eucharist4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #ej ,,holy ,,hour4 ,,keiley4 #j #aj ,,holy ,,sacrifice ,,of ,,the ,,mass ,,worthily ,,celebrated1 ,,the4 net1 #a #ej ,,holy ,,viaticum ,,of ,,life ,,as ,,of ,,death4 ,,dever4 net1 #j #ge ,,homilies ,,for ,,the ,,whole ,,year4 #f vols4 ,,bonomelli-,,byrne4 net1 #g #ej ,,how ,,to ,,comfort ,,the ,,sick4 ,,krebs4 net1 #a #be ,,how ,,to ,,make ,,the ,,mission4 #j #aj ,,incarnation1 ,,birth1 ,,and ,,infancy ,,of ,,christ4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #ej ,,index ,,to ,,liguori ,,works4 net1 #j #aj ,,in ,,heaven ,,we ,,know ,,our ,,own4 net1 #j #fj ,,instructions ,,for ,,first ,,communicants4 ,,schmitt4 net1 #j #fj ,,instructions ,,on ,,marriage1 ,,popular4 ,,girardey4 ,paper4 #j4ae2 ,cloth1 #j #ce ,,instructions ,,to ,,parents1 ,,popular4 ,,girardey4 ,paper1 #j4ae2 ,cloth1 #j #ce ,,instructions ,,on ,,prayer1 ,,popular4 ,,girardey4 ,paper1 #j4ae2 ,cloth1 #j #ce ,,interior ,,of ,,jesus ,,and ,,mary4 ,,grou4 #b vols4 net1 #b #jj ,,jesus ,,living ,,in ,,the ,,priest4 ,,miller-,,byrne4 net1 #b #jj ,,lady1 ,a4 ,,bugg4 net1 #j #ge ,,laws ,,of ,,the ,,saviour4 #j #fj ,,lessons ,,of ,,the ,,saviour4 #j #fj ,,letters ,,of ,,st4 ,,alphonsus ,,liguori4 #e vols4 ,each1 net1 #a #ej ,,life ,,of ,,the ,,blessed ,,virgin4 ,,rorner-,,brennan4 net1 #a #be ,,life ,,of ,,christ4 ,,businger-,,brennan4 net1 #aj #jj ,,life ,,of ,,christ4 ,,cochem-,,hammer4 net1 #a #be ,,life ,,of ,,pope ,,pius ,x4 #b #jj ,,life ,,of ,,st4 ,,catharine ,,of ,,sienna4 #a #jj ,,life ,,of ,,sister ,,anne ,,katharine ,,emmerich4 ,,mcgowan4 net1 #a #ge ,,life ,,of ,,ven4 ,,crescentia ,,hoss4 net1 #a #be ,,light ,,for ,,new ,,times4 ,,fletcher4 net1 #j #fj ,,lives ,,of ,,the ,,saints ,,for ,,children4 ,,berthold4 #j #fj ,,lives ,,of ,,the ,,saints1 ,,pictorial1 ,,shea4 #c #jj ,,lives ,,of ,,the ,,saints1 ,,short4 ,,donnelly4 #j #fj ,,lives ,,of ,,the ,,saints1 ,,little ,,pictorial4 #a #be ,,lover ,,of ,,souls1 ,,the4 ,,brinkmeyer4 net1 #a #jj ,,lourdes4 ,,clarke4 net1 #a #jj ,,manual ,,of ,,moral ,,theology4 ,,slater4 ,vols4 ,i and ,,ii4 ,each1 net1 #b #ge ,,manual ,,of ,,theology ,,for ,,the ,,laity1 ,a4 ,,geibrmann4 ,paper1 #j4be2 ,cloth1 #j #fj ,,marriage ,,delegation ,,blanks ,,in ,,book ,,form4 net1 #j #ej ,,marriage ,,notification ,,blanks ,,in ,,book ,,form4 net1 #j #ej ,,mary ,,the ,,queen4 ,,religious ,,of ,,the ,,society ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,child ,,jesus4 #j #fj ,,mary1 ,,help ,,of ,,christians4 ,,hammer4 #b #jj ,,means ,,of ,,grace4 ,,rolfus-,,brandle4 #c #jj ,,meditations ,,for ,,every ,,day4 ,,baxter4 net1 #a #ej ,,meditations ,,for ,,every ,,day4 ,,hamon4 #e vols4 net1 #e #jj ,,meditations ,,for ,,every ,,day4 ,,vercruysse4 #b vols4 net1 #c #ej ,,meditations ,,for ,,every ,,day ,,of ,,month4 ,,nepveu-,,ryan4 net1 #j #ge ,,meditations ,,for ,,monthly ,,retreats4 net1 #a #jj ,,meditations ,,for ,,retreats4 ,,st4 ,,fr4 ,,de ,,sales4 net1 #j #ge ,,meditations ,,for ,,the ,,use ,,of ,,the ,,secular ,,clergy4 #b vols4 ,,chaignon4 net1 #d #ej ,,meditations ,,on ,,the ,,life1 ,,the ,,teachings1 ,,and ,,the ,,passion ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ4 ,,ilg4 #b vols4 net1 #c #ej ,,on ,,the ,,month ,,of ,,our ,,lady4 ,,ferran4 net1 #j #ge ,,meditations ,,on ,,the ,,passion4 #j #ej ,,meditations ,,on ,,the ,,last ,,words ,,of ,,our ,,lord ,,on ,,the ,,cross4 ,,perraud4 net1 #j #ej ,,meditations ,,on ,,the ,,sufferings ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ4 ,,perinaldo4 net1 #j #ge ,,middle ,,ages4 ,,shahan4 net1 #b #jj ,,miscellany4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #ej ,,moments ,,before ,,the ,,tabernacle4 ,,russell4 net1 #j #ej ,,month1 ,,little1 ,,of ,,the ,,souls ,,in ,,purgatory4 net1 #j #be ,,month ,,of ,,may1 ,,little4 net1 #j #b,s ,,month1 ,,new1 ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,angels4 net1 #j #be ,,moral ,,briefs4 ,,stapleton4 net1 #a #be ,,more ,,spiritual ,,readings4 ,,madame ,,cecilia4 net1 #a #be ,,mores ,,catholici2 ,,or1 ,,ages ,,of ,,faith4 ,h4 ,,kenelm ,,digby4 #d vols4 net1 #be #jj ,,moral ,,principles ,,and ,,medical ,,practice4 ,,coppens4 net1 #a #jj ,,my ,,first ,,communion4 ,,buchmann4 net1 #j #ge ,,my ,,prayer-,,book3 ,,happiness ,,in ,,goodness4 ,,lasance4 ,cloth1 #a4be2 ,leather1 #a #ge ,,new ,,testament4 #bdmo4 ,flexible cloth1 net1 #j4ah2 ,leather4 net1 #j4ej ,,new ,,testament4 ,illustrated4 net1 #j #fj ,,new ,,testament4 7,india ,paper47 net1 #j #ge ,,new ,,testament4 #abmo4 ,cloth1 net1 #j4ge2 ,leather1 net1 #a #ej ,,off ,,to ,,jerusalem4 ,,benziger4 net1 #j #ej ,,our ,,own ,,will4 ,,allen4 net1 #j #he ,,outlines ,,of ,,new ,,testament ,,history4 ,,gigot4 net1 #a #ej ,,outlines ,,of ,,sermons ,,for ,,young ,,men ,,and ,,young ,,women4 ,,schuen4 net1 #b #jj ,,paradise ,,on ,,earth4 ,,natale4 net1 #j #dj ,,parish ,,census ,,book4 net1 #c #ej ,,parish ,,combination ,,records ,,for ,,small ,,parishes1 net1 #c #ge ,,parish ,,priest ,,on ,,duty1 ,,the4 ,,heuser4 net1 #j #fj ,,passion ,,and ,,death ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #ej ,,pastoral ,,theology4 ,,stang4 net1 #a #ej ,,patron ,,saints4 ,vols4 ,i1 ,,ii1 ,,iii4 ,,mannix4 ,each1 #j #fj ,,patron ,,saints4 ,,mannix4 ,each1 #j #aj ,st4 ,agnes1 ,st4 ,aloysius1 ,st1 ,anne1 ,st4 ,anthony1 ,st4 ,blase1 ,st4 ,bernard1 ,st4 ,bridget1 ,st4 ,catherine1 ,st4 ,cecilia1 ,st4 ,charles1 ,st4 ,clare1 ,st4 ,elizabeth1 ,st4 ,francis ,xavier1 ,st4 ,helena1 ,st4 ,joseph1 ,st4 ,louis1 ,st4 ,margaret1 ,st4 ,martin of ,tours4 ,st4 ,michael1 ,st4 ,monica1 ,st4 ,patrick1 ,st1 ,philip ,neri1 ,st4 ,rose of ,lima1 ,st4 ,teresa4 ,,pearls ,,from ,,faber4 ,,brunowe4 net1 #j #ej ,,perfect ,,religious4 ,d',,orleans ,,de ,,la ,,motte4 net1 #a #jj ,,pew ,,collection ,,and ,,receipt ,,book4 net1 #a #jj ,,philosophia ,,morali1 ,,de4 ,,russo4 net1 #b #jj ,,political ,,and ,,moral ,,essays4 ,,rickaby4 net1 #a #ge ,,practical ,,catholic4 ,,palau-,,ryan4 #j #fj ,,praxis ,,synodalis4 net1 #j #ge ,,preaching4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #ej ,,preparation ,,for ,,death4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #ej ,,priest ,,in ,,the ,,pulpit4 ,,schuech4 net1 #a #ge ,,principles1 ,,origin ,,and ,,establishment ,,of ,,the ,,catholic ,,school ,,system ,,in ,,the ,u4 ,s4 ,,burns4 net1 #a #ge ,,private ,,retreat ,,for ,,religious4 ,,geiermann4 net1 #a #ej ,,pulpit ,,sketches4 ,,lambert4 net1 #a #be ,,rights ,,of ,,our ,,little ,,ones4 ,,conway4 #j #aj ,,queen',s ,,festivals1 ,,the4 #j #fj ,,reasonableness ,,of ,,catholic ,,ceremonies ,,and ,,practices4 ,,burke4 ,paper1 #j4ae2 ,cloth1 #j #ce ,,registrum ,,baptismorum4 net1 #c #ej ,,registrum ,,confirmatorum4 net1 #b #ej ,,registrum ,,defendorum4 net1 #b #ej ,,registrum ,,matrimoniorum4 net1 #c #ej ,,registrum ,,neo-,,communicantium4 net1 #b #ej ,,registrum ,,seu ,,liber ,,status ,,animarum4 ,large edition1 net1 #c #ej ,pocket edition1 net1 #j #be ,,religious ,,state1 ,,the4 ,,liguori4 net1 #j #ej ,,retreats ,,for ,,sisters1 ,,two4 ,,wirth4 net1 #a #jj ,,rituale ,,compendiosum4 net1 #j #ij ,,rosary1 ,,the4 ,,garesche4 net1 #j #ej ,,rosary1 ,,the ,,crown ,,of ,,mary1 ,,the4 #j #aj ,,rules ,,of ,,life ,,for ,,the ,,pastor ,,of ,,souls4 ,,slater-,,rauch4 net1 #a #be ,,sacramentals4 ,,lambing4 ,paper1 #j4bj2 ,cloth1 #j #ej ,,sacred ,,heart ,,book4 ,,lasance4 #j #ge ,,sacred ,,heart ,,studied ,,in ,,the ,,sacred ,,scriptures4 ,,saintrain4 net1 #b #jj ,,st4 ,,anthony4 ,,anecdotes ,,and ,,examples4 ,,keller4 net1 #j #ge ,,st4 ,,anthony4 ,,the ,,saint ,,of ,,the ,,whole ,,world4 ,,ward1 net1 #j #ge ,,saint ,,francis ,,of ,,assisi3 ,,social ,,reformer4 ,,dubois4 net1 #a #jj ,,sanctuary ,,boys' ,,illustrated ,,manual4 ,,mccallen4 net1 #j #ej ,,secret ,,of ,,sanctity4 ,,crasset4 net1 #a #jj ,,sermons ,,for ,,children ,,of ,,mary4 ,,callerio4 net1 #a #ej ,,sermons ,,for ,,children',s ,,masses4 ,,frassinetti4 net1 #a #ej ,,sermons ,,for ,,sundays4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #ej ,,sermons ,,for ,,the ,,sundays ,,and ,,chief ,,festivals ,,of ,,the ,,eccles4 ,,year4 #b vols4 ,,pottgeisser4 net1 #c #jj ,,sermons ,,from ,,the ,,latins4 ,,baxter4 net1 #b #jj ,,sermons1 ,,funeral4 ,,wirth4 ,vols4 ,i and ,,ii4 ,each1 net1 #a #jj ,,sermons1 ,,hukolt4 ,complete ,edition4 #ab vols4 ,each1 #b #ej ,,sermons1 ,,lenten4 ,,wirth4 net1 #b #jj ,,sermons1 ,,new ,,and ,,old4 ,,wirth4 #h vols4 ,each1 net1 #b #jj ,,sermons ,,on ,,the ,,blessed ,,sacrament4 ,,scheurer-,,lasance4 net1 #a #ej ,,sermons ,,on ,,the ,,devotion ,,to ,,the ,,sacred ,,heart4 ,six4 ,,bierbaum4 net1 #j #ge ,,sermons1 ,,short1 ,,for ,,low ,,masses4 ,,schouppe4 net1 #a #be ,,sermons1 ,,short4 ,,hunolt4 #e vols4 7,,wirth47 ,each1 net1 #b #jj ,,short ,,history ,,of ,,moral ,,theology4 ,,slater1 net1 #j #ej ,,short ,,stories ,,on ,,christian ,,doctrine4 net1 #a #jj ,,simple ,,instructions ,,for ,,first ,,communion4 ,per #ajj1 net1 #c #jj ,,socialism ,,and ,,christianity4 ,,stang4 net1 #a #jj ,,socialism3 ,,its ,,theoretical ,,basis ,,and ,,practical ,,application4 ,,cathrein4 net1 #a #ej ,,socialism1 ,,religion ,,and ,,characteristics ,,of4 ,,ming1 net1 #a #ej ,,socialism1 ,,morality ,,of ,,modern4 ,,ming4 net1 #a #ej ,,special ,,introduction ,,to ,,the ,,study ,,of ,,the ,,old ,,testament4 ,part ,i4 ,,gigot4 net1 #a #ej ,,special ,,introduction ,,to ,,the ,,study ,,of ,,the ,,old ,,testament4 ,part ,,ii4 ,,gigot4 net1 #b #jj ,,spirago',s ,,method ,,of ,,christian ,,doctrine4 ,,messmer4 net1 #a #ej ,,spiritual ,,considerations4 ,,buckler4 net1 #a #be ,,spiritual ,,despondency ,,and ,,temptations4 ,,michel4 net1 #a #be ,,spiritual ,,exercises ,,for ,a ,,ten ,,days' ,,retreat4 ,,smetana4 net1 #a #jj ,,spiritual ,,pepper ,,and ,,salt4 ,,stang4 ,paper1 #j4be2 ,cloth1 #j #fj ,,spirit ,,of ,,sacrifice ,,and ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,sacrifice ,,in ,,the ,,religious ,,state4 ,,giraud-,,thurston4 net1 #b #jj ,,spoiling ,,the ,,divine ,,feast4 ,,zulueta4 ,per #ajj1 #c #jj ,,stories ,,for ,,first ,,communicants4 ,,keller4 net1 #j #ej ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,divine ,,child4 ,,lings4 #j #fj ,,stories ,,of ,,the ,,miracles ,,of ,,our ,,lord1 ,,the4 #j #fj ,,striving ,,after ,,perfection4 ,,bayma1 net1 #a #jj ,,sunday-,,school ,,director',s ,,guide4 ,,sloan4 net1 #j #ej ,,sunday-,,school ,,teacher',s ,,guide4 ,,sloan4 net1 #j #ej ,,sure ,,way ,,to ,a ,,happy ,,marriage4 ,paper1 #j4ae2 ,cloth1 #j #ce ,,talks ,,with ,,the ,,little ,,one ,,about ,,the ,,apostles' ,,creed4 #j #fj ,,theory ,,and ,,practice ,,of ,,the ,,confessional4 ,,schieler-,,heuser4 net1 #c #ej ,,thoughts ,,and ,,affections ,,on ,,the ,,passion ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,for ,,every ,,day ,,in ,,the ,,year4 ,,bergamo4 net1 #b #jj ,,thoughts ,,and ,,counsels ,,for ,,catholic ,,young ,,men4 ,,wirth4 net1 #a #be ,,training ,,of ,,children4 ,,madame ,,cecilia4 net1 #j #ge ,,true ,,politeness1 ,,letters ,,on4 ,,demore4 net1 #j #ge ,,true ,,spouse ,,of ,,christ4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #be ,,true ,,spouse ,,of ,,christ4 ,vols4 ,i and ,,ii4 ,,liguori4 ,each1 net1 #a #ej ,,veneration ,,of ,,the ,,blessed ,,virgin4 ,,rohner-,,brennan4 net1 #a #be ,,victories ,,of ,,the ,,martyrs4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #ej ,,visit ,,to ,,europe ,,and ,,the ,,holy ,,land4 ,,fairbanks4 #a #ej ,,vocations ,,explained4 #j #aj ,,way ,,of ,,the ,,cross4 ,paper1 #j #je ,,way ,,of ,,the ,,cross4 ,,eucharistic ,,method4 #j #aj ,,way ,,of ,,the ,,cross4 ,,method ,,of ,,st4 ,,francis ,,assisi4 #j #aj ,,way ,,of ,,the ,,cross4 ,,method ,,jesuit ,,father4 #j #aj ,,way ,,of ,,the ,,cross4 ,,method ,,st4 ,,alphonsus ,,liguori4 #j #aj ,,way ,,of ,,salvation ,,and ,,perfection4 ,,liguori4 net1 #a #ej ,,way ,,of ,,interior ,,peace4 ,,brucker4 net1 #a #ej ,,what ,,catholics ,,have ,,done ,,for ,,science4 ,,breknan4 net1 #a #be ,,what ,,the ,,church ,,teaches4 ,,drury4 ,paper1 #j4be2 ,cloth1 #j #fj ,,what ,,times6 ,,what ,,morals6 ,,semple4 ,paper1 net1 #j #ae ,,with ,,christ1 ,,my ,,friend4 ,,sloan4 net1 #j #ge ,,with ,,god4 ,,lasance4 ,cloth1 #a4be2 ,leather1 #a #ge ,,young ,,man',s ,,guide4 ,,lasance4 ,cloth1 #j4ge2 ,leather1 #a #be ,,novels ,,agatha',s ,,hard ,,saying4 ,,rosa ,,mulholland4 #a #be ,,back ,,to ,,the ,,world4 ,,champol4 net1 #a #ce ,,bit ,,of ,,old ,,ivory1 ,a4 net1 #j #ej ,,black ,,brotherhood4 ,,garrold4 net1 #a #ce ,,bond ,,and ,,free4 ,,connor4 net1 #j #ge ,,but ,,thy ,,love ,,and ,,thy ,,grace4 ,,finn4 #a #jj ,,carroll ,,dare4 ,,waggaman4 #a #be ,,circus ,,rider',s ,,daughter4 ,,brackel4 #a #be ,,connor ,d',,arcy',s ,,struggles4 ,,bertholds4 #a #be ,,corinne',s ,,vow4 ,,waggaman4 #a #be ,,daughter ,,of ,,kings4 ,,hinkson4 #a #be ,,dion ,,and ,,the ,,sybils4 ,m4 ,,keon4 #a #be ,,double ,,knot4 net1 #j #fj ,,fabiola4 ,,wiseman4 #abmo4 ,illustrated edition1 #j4ge2 ,non-illustrated edition #j #ej ,,fabiola',s ,,sisters4 ,,clarke4 #a #be ,,fatal ,,beacon4 ,,brackel4 #a #be ,,faustula4 ,,ayscough4 net1 #a #ce ,,forgive ,,and ,,forget4 ,,lingen4 #a #ej ,,friendly ,,little ,,house4 net1 #j #ej ,,hearts ,,of ,,gold4 ,,edhor4 #a #be ,,heiress ,,of ,,cronenstein4 ,,hahn-,,hahn4 #a #be ,,her ,,blind ,,folly4 ,,holt4 #a #be ,,her ,,father',s ,,daughter4 ,,hinkson4 #a #be ,,idols4 ,,navery4 #a #be ,,in ,,the ,,days ,,of ,,king ,,hal4 ,,taggart4 #a #be ,,in ,,god',s ,,good ,,time4 ,ross4 net1 #j #ge ,,kind ,,hearts ,,and ,,coronets4 ,,harrison1 #a #be ,,lady ,,of ,,the ,,tower4 net1 #j #ej ,,let ,,no ,,man ,,put ,,asunder4 ,,marie4 #a #jj ,,light ,,of ,,his ,,countenance4 ,,harte4 net1 #j #ge ,,little ,,cardinal4 ,,parr4 #a #be ,,linked ,,lives4 ,,douglas4 #a #ej ,,marcella ,,grace4 ,,rosa ,,mulholland4 #a #be ,,mariae ,,corolla4 ,,hill4 net1 #a #be ,,melchior ,,of ,,boston4 ,,earls4 #a #jj ,,mighty ,,friend4 ,l',,ermite4 net1 #a #ej ,,mirror ,,of ,,shalott4 ,,benson4 #a #ej ,,miss ,,erin1 ,,francis #a #be ,,monk',s ,,pardon4 ,,navery4 #a #be ,,mr4 ,,billy ,,buttons4 ,,lecky4 #a #be ,,my ,,lady ,,beatrice4 ,,cooke4 net1 #j #ge ,,not ,a ,,judgment4 ,,keon4 #a #be ,,one ,,afternoon ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 net1 #j #fj ,,other ,,miss ,,lisle4 ,,martin4 net1 #j #ge ,,out ,,of ,,bondage4 ,,holt4 #a #be ,,outlaw ,,of ,,camargue4 ,,de ,,lamothe4 #a #be ,,passing ,,shadows4 ,,yorke4 #a #be ,,passion ,,flowers4 ,,hill4 net1 #a #be ,,pere ,,monnier',s ,,ward4 ,,lecky4 #a #be ,,pilkington ,,heir4 ,,sadlier4 #a #be ,,prisoner',s ,,years4 ,,clarke4 net1 #a #ce ,,prodigal',s ,,daughter4 ,,bugg4 #a #jj ,,red ,,inn ,,at ,,st4 ,,lyphar4 ,,sadlier4 #a #be ,,road ,,beyond ,,the ,,town4 ,,earls4 #a #be ,,romance ,,of ,a ,,playwright4 ,,bornier4 #a #jj ,,rose ,,of ,,the ,,world4 ,,martin4 net1 #j #ge ,,round ,,table ,,of ,,german ,,catholic ,,novelists4 #a #ej ,,round ,,table ,,of ,,french ,,catholic ,,novelists4 #a #ej ,,round ,,table ,,of ,,american ,,catholic ,,novelists4 #a #ej ,,round ,,table ,,of ,,irish ,,and ,,english ,,catholic ,,novelists4 #a #ej ,,round ,,the ,,world ,,series4 ,vol4 ,i4 #a #jj ,,round ,,the ,,world ,,series4 ,vol4 ,,ii4 #a #jj ,,round ,,the ,,world ,,series4 ,vol4 ,,iii4 #a #jj ,,round ,,the ,,world ,,series4 ,vol4 ,,iv4 #a #jj ,,round ,,the ,,world ,,series4 ,vol4 ,v4 #a #jj ,,round ,,the ,,world ,,series4 ,vol4 ,,vi4 #a #jj ,,round ,,the ,,world ,,series4 ,vol4 ,,vii4 #a #jj ,,round ,,the ,,world ,,series4 ,vol4 ,,viii4 #a #jj ,,round ,,the ,,world ,,series4 ,vol4 ,,ix4 #a #jj ,,round ,,the ,,world ,,series4 ,vol4 ,x4 #a #jj ,,ruler ,,of ,,the ,,kingdom4 ,,keon4 #a #be ,,secret ,,of ,,the ,,green ,,vase4 ,,cooke4 net1 #j #ge ,,senior ,,lieutenant',s ,,wager4 net1 #j #fj ,,shadow ,,of ,,eversleigh4 ,,lansdowne4 net1 #j #ge ,,so ,,as ,,by ,,fire4 ,,connor4 net1 #j #ge ,,soggarth ,,aroon4 ,,guinan4 #a #be ,,son ,,of ,,siro4 ,,copus4 #a #ej ,,songs ,,and ,,sonnets4 ,,egan4 #a #jj ,,story ,,of ,,cecilia4 ,,hinkson4 #a #be ,,stuore4 ,,earls4 #a #jj ,,tempest ,,of ,,the ,,heart4 ,,gray4 #a #be ,,test ,,of ,,courage4 ,,ross4 net1 #j #ge ,,that ,,man',s ,,daughter4 ,ross4 #a #be ,,their ,,choice4 ,,skinner4 #a #jj ,,through ,,the ,,desert4 ,,sienkiewicz4 net1 #a #ce ,,trail ,,of ,,the ,,dragon4 #a #jj ,,training ,,of ,,silas4 ,,devine4 #a #be ,,true ,,story ,,of ,,master ,,gerard4 ,,sadlier4 #a #be ,,turn ,,of ,,the ,,tide4 ,,gray4 net1 #j #ge ,,unbidden ,,guest4 ,,cooke4 net1 #j #ge ,,under ,,the ,,cedars ,,and ,,stars4 ,,sheehan4 net1 #b #jj ,,unravelling ,,of ,a ,,tangle4 ,,taggart4 #a #be ,,up ,,in ,,ardmuirland4 ,,barrett4 net1 #a #be ,,vocation ,,of ,,edward ,,conway4 ,,egan4 #a #be ,,wargrave ,,trust4 ,,reid4 #a #be ,,way ,,that ,,led ,,beyond4 ,,harrison4 #a #be ,,wedding ,,bells ,,of ,,glendalough4 ,,earls4 net1 #a #ce ,,when ,,love ,,is ,,strong4 ,,keon4 #a #be ,,woman ,,of ,,fortune4 ,,reid4 #a #be ,,world ,,well ,,lost4 ,,robertson4 #j #ge ,,juveniles ,,althea4 ,,nirdlinger4 #j #fj ,,adventure ,,with ,,the ,,apaches1 ,,an4 ,,ferry4 #j #de ,,as ,,gold ,,in ,,the ,,furnace4 ,,copus4 #j #he ,,as ,,true ,,as ,,gold4 ,,mannix4 #j #de ,,armorer ,,of ,,solingen4 ,,herchbnbach4 #j #de ,,bell ,,foundry1 ,,the4 ,,schaching4 #j #de ,,berkleys1 ,,the4 ,,wight4 #j #de ,,best ,,foot ,,forward4 ,,finn4 #j #he ,,between ,,friends4 ,,aumerle4 #j #he ,,black ,,lady1 ,,the4 ,,schmid4 #j #be ,,bistouri4 ,,melandri4 #j #de ,,blissylvania ,,post-,,office4 ,,taggart4 #j #de ,,bob-,o'-,,link4 ,,waggaman4 #j #de ,,boys ,,in ,,the ,,block4 ,,egan4 #j #be ,,brownie ,,and ,i4 ,,aumerle4 #j #he ,,bunt ,,and ,,bill4 ,c4 ,,mulholland4 #j #de ,,buzzer',s ,,christmas4 ,,waggaman4 #j #be ,,by ,,branscome ,,river4 ,,taggart4 #j #de ,,cake1 ,,the1 ,,and ,,the ,,easter ,,eggs4 ,,schmid4 #j #be ,,canary ,,bird1 ,,the1 ,,and ,,other ,,tales4 ,,schmid4 #j #de ,,captain ,,ted4 ,,waggaman4 #j #fj ,,cave ,,by ,,the ,,beech ,,fork1 ,,the4 ,,spalding4 #j #he ,,charlie ,,chittywick4 ,,bearne4 #j #he ,,children ,,of ,,cupa4 ,,mannix4 #j #de ,,children ,,of ,,the ,,log ,,cabin4 ,,delamare4 #j #he ,,clare ,,loraine4 ,,lee #j #he ,,claude ,,lightfoot4 ,,finn4 #j #he ,,college ,,boy4 ,a4 ,,yorke4 #j #he ,,cupa ,,revisited4 ,,mannix4 #j #de ,,daddy ,,dan4 ,,waggaman4 #j #de ,,dear ,,friends4 ,,nirdlinger4 #j #fj ,,dimpling',s ,,success4 ,c4 ,,mulholland4 #j #de ,,dollar ,,hunt1 ,,the4 ,e4 ,g4 ,,martin4 #j #de ,,ethelred ,,preston4 ,,finn4 #j #he ,,every-,,day ,,girl1 ,,an4 ,,crowley4 #j #de ,,fatal ,,diamonds4 ,,the4 ,,donnelly4 #j #be ,,five ,o',,clock ,,stories4 #j #ge ,,flower ,,of ,,the ,,flock4 ,,egan4 #j #he ,,for ,,the ,,white ,,rose4 ,,hinkson4 #j #de ,,freddy ,,carr',s ,,adventures4 ,,garrold4 #j #he ,,freddy ,,carr ,,and ,,his ,,friends4 ,,garrold4 #j #he ,,fred',s ,,little ,,daughter4 ,s4 ,t4 ,,smith4 #j #de ,,godfrey ,,the ,,little ,,hermit4 ,,schmid4 #j #be ,,golden ,,lily1 ,,the4 ,,hinkson4 #j #de ,,great ,,captain1 ,,the4 ,,hinkson4 #j #de ,,guild ,,boys ,,of ,,ridingdale4 ,,bearne4 #j #he ,,haldeman ,,children1 ,,the4 ,,mannix4 #j #de ,,harmony ,,flats4 ,,whitmire4 #j #he ,,harry ,,dee4 ,,finn4 #j #he ,,harry ,,russell4 ,,copus4 #j #he ,,heir ,,of ,,dreams1 ,,an4 ,o',,malley4 #j #de ,,his ,,first ,,and ,,last ,,appearance4 ,,finn4 #a #jj ,,hop ,,blossoms1 ,,the4 ,,schmid4 #j #be ,,hostage ,,of ,,war4 ,,bonesteel4 #j #de ,,how ,,they ,,worked ,,their ,,way4 ,,egan4 #j #he ,,in ,,quest ,,of ,,the ,,golden ,,chest4 ,,barton4 #a #ae ,,inundation1 ,,the1 ,,and ,,other ,,tales4 ,,herchenbach4 #j #de ,,jack4 #j #de ,,jack ,,hildreth ,,on ,,the ,,nile4 ,,taggart4 #j #he ,,jack ,o',,lantern4 ,,waggaman4 #j #de ,,juniors ,,of ,,st4 ,,bede',s4 ,,bryson4 #j #he ,,juvenile ,,round ,,table4 ,first ,series4 #a #jj ,,juvenile ,,round ,,table4 ,second ,series4 #a #jj ,,juvenile ,,round ,,table4 ,third ,series4 #a #jj ,,klondike ,,picnic1 ,a4 ,,donnelly4 #j #he ,,lamp ,,of ,,the ,,sanctuary4 ,,wiseman4 #j #be ,,legends ,,and ,,stories ,,of ,,the ,,child ,,jesus ,,from ,,many ,,lands4 ,,lutz4 #j #ge ,,little ,,apostle ,,on ,,crutches4 ,,delamare4 #j #de ,,little ,,girl ,,from ,,back ,,east4 ,,roberts4 #j #de ,,little ,,missy4 ,,waggaman4 #j #de ,,loyal ,,blue ,,and ,,royal ,,scarlet4 ,,taggart4 #j #he ,,madcap ,,set ,,at ,,st4 ,,anne',s4 ,,brunowe4 #j #de ,,making ,,of ,,mortlake4 ,,copus4 #j #he ,,marks ,,of ,,the ,,bear ,,claws4 ,,spalding4 #j #he ,,mary ,,tracy',s ,,fortune4 ,,sadlier4 #j #de ,,master ,,fridolin4 ,,giehrl4 #j #be ,,melor ,,of ,,the ,,silver ,,hand4 ,,bearne4 #j #he ,,milly ,,aveling4 ,s4 ,t4 ,,smith4 #j #he ,,more ,,five ,o',,clock ,,stories4 #j #ge ,,mostly ,,boys4 ,,finn4 #j #he ,,my ,,strange ,,friend4 ,,finn4 #j #be ,,mystery ,,of ,,cleverly4 ,,barton4 #j #he ,,mysterious ,,doorway4 ,,sadlier4 #j #de ,,mystery ,,of ,,hornby ,,hall4 ,,sadlier4 #j #he ,,nan ,,nobody4 ,,waggaman4 #j #de ,,ned ,,rieder4 ,,wehs4 #j #he ,,new ,,boys ,,at ,,ridingdale4 ,,bearne4 #j #he ,,new ,,scholar ,,at ,,st4 ,,anne',s4 ,,brunowe4 #j #he ,,old ,,charlmont',s ,,seed ,,bed4 ,s4 ,t4 ,,smith4 #j #de ,,old ,,mill ,,on ,,the ,,withrose4 ,,spalding4 #j #he ,,old ,,robber',s ,,castle4 ,,schmid4 #j #be ,,our ,,lady',s ,,lutenist4 ,,bearne4 #j #he ,,overseer ,,of ,,mahlbourg4 ,,schmid4 #j #be ,,pancho ,,and ,,panchita4 ,,mannix4 #j #de ,,pauline ,,archer4 ,,sadlier4 #j #de ,,peril ,,of ,,dionysio4 ,,mannix4 #j #de ,,percy ,,wynn4 ,,finn4 #j #he ,,petronilla4 ,,donnelly4 #j #he ,,pickle ,,and ,,pepper4 ,,dorsey4 #j #he ,,pilgrim ,,from ,,ireland4 ,,carnot4 #j #de ,,playwater ,,plot4 ,,waggaman4 #j #fj ,,poverina4 ,,buckenham4 #j #he ,,queen',s ,,page4 ,,hinkson4 #j #de ,,queen',s ,,promise4 ,,waggaman4 #j #fj ,,race ,,for ,,copper ,,island4 ,,spalding4 #j #he ,,recruit ,,tommy ,,collins4 ,,bonesteel4 #j #de ,,ridingdale ,,flower ,,show4 ,,bearne4 #j #he ,,romance ,,of ,,the ,,silver ,,shoon4 ,,bearne4 #j #he ,,rose ,,bush1 ,,the4 ,,schmid4 #j #be ,,sea-,,gulls ,,rock4 ,,sandeau4 #j #de