The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-10-03
The Old Folks a. Hems.

4beauty SO peculiarly it's own that it is diHcult
10 name one excelling any of the others, but
the work undertaken by the Little Sisters OF
the Poor seems truly to be one of the most sub
lime which the heart of man, inspired by the
grace of God, has ever conceived.
q All other labors undertaken for the love oi
AGod contain, as it were, the germ of some
&esrthly hope, are sweetened by some earthly
reward: this alone has no reeompenss in the
Spresent aud no hope TO cheer the future of thi.
anfe.
d Our readers are aware that the Little Sister,
aof the Poor devote themselves to the care ,oi
\ the aged poor of both sexes, but perhaps they
do not realize all that this charity embraces
Hnor understand all of it's beauty and subimity
q It would almost seem that an aversion, or q,
1Sleast an indifference, to the old aud infrm, ii
Nnatural TO man; for even among the most
4civilized nations, the old are treated with
%careless contempt amounting almost to un
8kindness. Even in the bosoms of some families
1--WE see the aged parent put aside from the
flowing circle of home eDjoyments, and treated
to as little attention as appearances before the
world will allow.
Who does not dread the approach of old age
(which, while it robs one of strength, beauty
Sand gratitudef
The Divine command, Honor thy father
land thy mother" was, no doubt, necessa Y 30
seusure fer the to:teriDg form and the imbt ellie
Smind that reverence which, given without q
3thocght to the strong and active parent, is
forgotten towards the querUlous and aiiine
soctogeuaria
j Tie aucients c!asaed the aged and inirm
swith slaves, eripples and children. In their
Elysium there was no place for these; only
sbeEoes, the valiant and the strong, enjoyed its
! pleasant bowers.
I Bat the Catholic Church teaches lessons of
soye learned from her Divine Founder, and pro-
! 5vides here on earth blissful home for every
sform of human need or suffering; and nowhere
Sdo We see this truth more tenderly exemplifedI
! than by the Little Sisters of the Poor.
3 In our city, fifteen women have charge of
Sone hundred and forty old people, men and
women. These fifteen Sisters clothe, feed ]
nurse and care for all these helpless poor bs
sbe2giDg,
1t was during a recent visit to the home of
the old people in our city that we exclaimed y
i Can any charity surpass this, and is there
one with SO Ii tie hope and SO much toilfn
Those generous souls who watch over orphans
are at least encouraged by a visible result of
good. They see the friendIess child become a.
useful member of society, capable Of support,
Ing itself and assisting Others. They see the
offspring, perhaps, of vicious parents grow to
be noble, virtuous man, and the gratitude of,
] those whom they have reared in honor, often
sreturns " after many days" to reward their
Earnest e&orts.
IL ia the with 70 ha III
helpless sick, the suffering poor /; there is al
ways something to hope for, to look forward
/ to, even in this world but what earthly re-
ward is expected by those who take the old
under their care, and who, because of the help
siessness and poverty of their charge, must evenI
I beg for the daily bread with which to nourishI
4 stheni Those under their charge are old and
Suuinterestirg, all feeling is dead within then,
sthey can never be better or stronger than they
are, all they wish is food and sleep, and the
future in this world offers them nothing but al
grave. And yet, with sweet smiles and cheer
ful hearts, these Sisters toll day aud night to-
make few short years easy aud comfortable
for those who are hurryipg on towards the!
Eternal years.
Admirable Providence of God! Wonderful
charity of man! Every day, here in our midst
over hundred and fifty persons, in one in
ss-titution alone, are fed by aims. How do the
Sisters mauagef Their own simple answer i'll
4 the only one we can give: God is good!"
Since their establishment in our city, some
five or six years ago, they have never been
without food for their old people, although
often they do not know where the next meal
will be found and not only have they procured
for them food, clothing and other comforts
but they have been enabled to build q large
brick edifce, three stories high, for their &C.
IcomnedatioD. This building, which, by the
way, is only one-half the proposed plan, is al
ready more than filledSwith patients. Ore oil
the Sisters Informed Us that twenty old men,
under charge of two Sisters, are obliged toI
sleep away from the Hone, in wooden build.
ing belonging to the institution. While ex-
amining the beds, we noticed a care andI
thoughtfnlness on the part of the Sisters which
can only be inspired by a Religion of love.
Each of these beds had two mattresses "be
3cauEe the old T,aoD1a Daofl