New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-29
THE EVILS OF SLOTu.
The R CAErch II 81 Francis &drf lRo
dH

]M fset rdtSn ~ NH'''" - ,a,isaSc, 80
At the Catholic Church of st. Francis Xavier
the Rev Father d. Merrill, the pastor. preached dis
course upon evils Of sloth taking his text from the
passage in New Testament where the Lord is SAID TO
call laboers to vineyard. He asserted that the law
of labor applied 10 ali mankind to all nature God
took man at his creation placed him In Paradise, and
made him a gardener. He desired that he should be
occupied usefully, prominent means OF happiness,
and upon his fall he condemned him to labor by the
sweat of bis brow punishment. The law OF labor
was thus continued in force after the fall, and pro-
longed after the Christian dspensatOn. 1t was SAID
eff man will not work, neither shall he eat" and IN
doing So he simply follows the example OF the entire
universe. All things active; not an atom is idle
Our Lord said. MY father workeh Away and also
WORK" 81; toiled tentmaker. and ST. Alphonsus
bound himself by heroic vow never to pass an instant
Idcuess All the saints, i'll fact, abored Win their
hands Labor Is honorable. IL is the law OF nature,
and dlcness l. the root of every vice 1t Is fallOw
hcld from which springs every weed and useless herb
sOth Is uIwilIngness TO work. and spiritual sioth Is
M indifference to eXertion for tie welfare of the soul
Spiritual good lies Only through cooperation with Divine
God cannot save us unless we ala nun III uoihR
80 by energetcaly resisting temptation. Ii is III
the time Of dleness that the enemy tenpts us There
an old proyerb in the Church that but one devil
devils tempted the monk VINO was idle. Our Lord bids
to sleep. lest be caught like the unwlse VIZ
lamps 1t may appear difficult to take the first step
toward the salvation OF our souls but that once taKe
David was shtiGg enemies Of Israel and leading an
active e he served the Lord and walked IN righteous
path but soon as he became Idle he ie INTO iepea
lion and CRIME. His wise Solomon, also while 0ccn.
pied building the Temple or Jerusalem, led lie OF
righteousness; but when ideness beset him, he
became stepped In vice. samson, also, WINE
following the Lord, was strong but abandon
ing himself TO idleness his locks were cut,
aud his great strength 'orsook him. St. Andrew com
planned he the early Christians were prosecuted
their lives devoted to God, but when heathen
persecution OF the Church ceased they sunk into dso
bedence OF Gods laws Carthage was once grand but
through its ideuess Will never save his soul
unless be goes frequently to the sacrament he might
the blessed mother OF God and by abstanlng from
evil. man should make confession at least once q
week at hour OF day or night that ne may na time
IT, where is the priest wuo would not rise at any
hour OF the night to hear confession IL often occurs
that man steadily 10 confession for while but
suddenly sloth oyertakes him, and he disappears
When asked the reason, he Is apt 10 say " father,
fs into SIN and became discouraged! lie Ieu because
OF soth which makes feel as II there was no use IN
trying TO mend their hives God Is always ready ~ re-
ceve the returned pentent. Our strength comes from
on H. but the devil through soth, tells us there is no
use IN STRIVING Thus slOth 10 our perpetual enemy.
The spirit NAV williD but the flesh is weak Inc
It. Men often coming TO confession that they
have time for IL. They are overwoIkeu anu mus
snatch their few moments OF leisure Ior rcreaton'
Women plead their household cares as an excuse
and announce themselves as equally DereIt OF uae.
This is simply sloth and God do0ms me sfuggard 10
perdton, aud he who would be saved should use CON
slant labor constant perseverance, ana constant enor
We attach great value 10 making living Chrls-
ian should sacrifice everything 10 his God We sheuId
feel ready be burned at the stake TO suffer the pangs
of famine sacrifice all goods OF this world IL men
labor 1oyfuy in his vineyard. In this mouth. conse-
Grated the heart Of Jesus, men should resolve " 81 la
Dor Jacob worship seven years for the possession
Of Rachel When the seven years expired ne i9uno tnat
lie to work again seven years. but pued himself
earnestly " his task aud reached nik happaness Goa
wishes that should thus snctify our souls by enopt