The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-11-15
The Little Sisters Of the Poor,
AN ELOQUENT TRIBUTE TO ELOQUENT v1R-
TUES.

Mr.. Veuilot, of the Unicsrs of Paris,
pays the following tribute to the "Little
Sisters of the Poor"
| The Little Sisters take 10 those who have
no friends, no children, no strength, or who
have been abandoned by their children,
and whose strength is leaving them. They
gather them together and prevent their
perishing. Literally do they make them
selves the daughters of these forsaken ones;
| they lodge them, they cothe them, they
toTe them and this care and this love they
give them until they die-for they would
think they had done nothing for these dear
old people if they did not follow them, with
the constant prayer of faith and works,
even beyond the grave.
Every one who has seen them is the wit
ness of this. They live, work, suffer, die;
they make vows Of poverty, chastity, obe-
dience and hospitality, to serve Jesus Christ
in the persons of the poor, living and dead.
They give their youth and their liberty to
acquire this glory, and the only reward of
long probation is the ability to make
perpetual VOW. They 60 wherever obedi
as they would any other. In these magni
ficent hearts, native land is only personal
love.
10 each house of the Little Sisters of the
Poor, certain number of collectors start
every day that God creates, and in every
"odthCI tuIouSHOuG Vic Cltys tuty 20
gathering the bread of the day. The 9TH
ers remain at the service of the inmates of
the house both day and night. In this
manner they DOW feed between fifteen
thousand and sixteen thousand souls. Ev-
cry day the house is twice bankrupt. After
the morning meal nothing remains for sup
per, and after supper there is nothing left
for the next day.
The Little Sisters have no wages; each
one collects her own food each one has paid
her entrance fee to the institution, and fur
nished her own poor trousseau. They have
nothing Individually, sleep in a dormitory,
and even their clothes are common prop.
erty. Their poverty is perfect. A Little
Sister of the Poor does not own her prayer
book, nor her veil, nor even the pin that
fastens it. Her blue stockings and patched
dress have belonged to others before che
got them, and others will wear them after
her. 1t is only when she takes the habit
that she puts on the noble cloak of her Or
der, the large mantle with it's hood, which
will be thereafter her true cloister and the
impossible wall behind which she will in
silence cross the street and taverse the
world.
When she has labored we'll /; when she
has given her days, her nights, her fatigues
when she has received with equal thank
fulness the mite of the Christian. the insult
aud even the blow of the free thinker (for
even their old men sometimes strike them
at first), then the Little Sister is buried in
the cloak which has been garment of labor,
humility, and glorious servitude, garment
of God.
The Little Sister distributes her wealth,
and the remains of the remains will be her
portion. She purchases these with her life,
and takes as little as will support life when
Others are helped she helps herself; when
nothing is left she goes to bed supperless
when all are covered, if she finds in their
poor store torn blanket or a ragged piece
of carpet, she takes it for the winter nights.
The poor want for nothing; the Sisters live
without furniture, without bed, often with
out bread.
Finally, the Congregation of the Little
Sisters is ornament of the Christian
world, particular honor to France which
produced this charming flower, this deli
cious and nourishing fruit, and gives it to
the world. AS an organization it is a com
pletc miracle. What can one ina CINE more
beautiful, more amiahte, more useful, more
austere, yet mere teoder, in word more
clearly marked with the Christian stamp ?
This society of Christian Virgins Fl rst
bloomed amid the corruption and dirt of
the present age, to prove that nothing has
been lost of She glorious sap of times past,
that Christian France still lives and yields |
her generous fruits. A few wretched ones
think they can destroy them. They may |
do SO ; moment snffices, and the folly and |
cowardice of the day give them hopes of
success.