Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-09-16

ple OF God, blesses everything ana con-
socrates them % his honor aud glory.
Besides, she knows that all things were
yitiatod by the evil one when he tempt
ed our iirst parents, using them as in
struments and Inducements TO sin. Our
Mother the Catholic Church, by her
blessings, exercises and prayers, takes
AL these things from the power OF Satan
aud re.estabishes them to the end for
which they were created, namely, TO
help man 10 serve his God and Him only
to sdorei
Bat though this corner stone has not
to serve Tor building consecrated to
the worship of God, still It's purposes or
the ends for which it will be erected are
not less sacred, since that very Divine
Legislator that has taught as TO love
God above all things, has also impressed
upon us to love our neighbors as our
solves. Beneiicenee, then, and charity
tosards our brethren have increased or
diminished in proportion that our love
for our Lord has been more or less in-
tense. OF Christ's mortal career. We
found recorded In the Gospel that "He
passed by, doing good to all and curing
The sick, " aud the Catholic Church, that
has followed In every century her Di-
vine Masters footsteps, has passed by
also doing good to all and attending to
the sick. So Religion aud Beneticence
are the Oldest daughters of this venera-
bic matron. They are as two sisters
that, embracing one another, have passed
by, pointing up with their finger to
Heaven, for which We were created,
aud scattering with open hand aims and
consolation to the poor and afflicted.
As early as the Apostolic ages we see
that charity towards all, especially to.
ward the sick, was practised IN large
scale. Of the Apostles We read that one
OF their missions was to lay their hands
over the sick and cure them. The first
miracle recorded after tho ascension of
our Lord is the curing of tho lame there
at the gate OF the Temple, worked by st.
Peter and st. John. II the seven dea-
cons are ordained, it is that the widows
aud poor should not be neglected, and
that the Apostles might be let free to
preach tue word OF God. However,
they never forget their mission OF char
ity. st. Paul states that when tho
Apostles in Jerusalem dismissed himself
aud Barnabas, upon thoir first mission
among the Gentles, amongst whom no
care was taken Of the destitute. the holy
Apostles gave them one special injunc-
tion: "Only that we should be mindful
OF the poor; which same thing also | was
careful to do. Testiics st. Paul in his
epistle to the Galatians: "li Eneas is
lying ON his bed for eight years, Peter
will say to him: 'Eneas, the Lord jesus
Christ healeth thee; arise and tako thy
bed, aud Immediately he arose. Ii Dor
cas- lays in her death bed, surrounded
by hundreds nf widows whom she has
relieved during life. Peter, moved to
tears ut the crymg OF these poor widows,
uses his power aud commands her to
arise. And that woman Tabitha, full OF
good works and aims, dies, arises from
tho dead to continue her works OF char
ity towards the poor and sick. The
very aprons and handkerchicfs OF St.
Paul will have the power to cure the
sick, and the shadowIng Of st. Peter
passing by will be able to cure
the sick that are lying in their beds in
the streets of tho city. IL is true that
the power of working miracles in favor
OF the sick is now more limited, still we
cannot deny that at Lourlcs nowadays,
as in another. Piscine. those who are
lucky enough to plunge themselves in
those healing waters, lind relief to their
bodily diseases; but, with miracles or
without miracles. the spirit OF the
Church has been the same in all ages,
namely, to attend to the sick and relieve
thein In their distress. Without men
tioniug those plans of benevolence that
took rise at the celebration of the holy
sacrifice there at the early ages, and by
which the wealthy deposited funds in the
hands of the Bishop that he might aid
the orphans, widows, the sick and the
needy, those who are in chains, strang-
ers and travellers, in q word, all the indi-
gent of his flock. As st. Justin, the
marty, asserts, without mentioning the
agapes or bamkets where the poor were
fed-or Chapels of Mercy established in
every quarter OF large cities to distrib-
ute funds to aged people or illprovided
widows, learning under the great exam
Piles Of charity practised by st. John,
Chrysostom. st. Augustine and st. Ath-
anasius; the hospitals for the sick, asy-
lums for orphans, homes for the poor,
refugees for the aged and asylums for in
fants and foundlings which the Church
established under the tutelage of Con-
stantine the Great, we come to the
Twelfth century, when we see hospitals
erected hero and there as per Marin, to
teach people that they were no more un-
der the servitude of Paganism, that
abandoned the sick, but under the sweet
yoke of the gospel. that says, "thc poor
you have them always amongst you. y
Amongst the religious orders for attend
ing the sick, we could mention that of
the Holy Ghost, founded at Mostpelles,
and under whose care Inocent Ill. erect
cd at Rome an hospital that to this day
shows the charity of the Popes towards
the sick. There 1916 beds are found
ready to receive those that apply for ad-
mission, and where l2l 200 Roman dol
lars are spent annually to relieve the
distressed. Soon after, Adalardo, Count
Of Flanders, near Linguedoc, erects an
hospital that becomes one of the most
famous of France, and where the poor
and pilgrims were entertained. In the
Sixteenth century appears st. Jerome
Encitiam, who received under the man
tie of his charity the orphans, the sick
and the erring sinner. While in Spain
the Ven Bernardino de 0brcger estab
fishes the order of Brothers Iufirmarians
Soon after Carmlo OF Lelis founded an
order OF priests to assist the dying, fol-
lowed by another charitable order for
burying the dead. But, must pause
before the great apostle of charity, st.
Vincent Of Paul. Born in 1876, in Poy,
see him loaded with chains to free a
poor prisoner. He erects II hospital for
the galley prisoners; inspires other
priests with his zeal and establishes the
Lazzirusity, who dedicated themselves
to give missions amongst the poor; he
plants the Associates of Charity to sue
cor the poor OF each parish; the Ladies'
of the Cross, to educate girls and other
ladies for the sick. Paris owes to him
three hospitals. But to his eternal hon
or is enough to say that he is the foun-
der of the Sisters of Charity, known
amongst civilized nations as well as by
barbarians. Ii | were not afraid on this
solemn occasion to offend their modesty
could tell you of thousands of deeds to
their honor, but if keep silent, a voice
will come out from thousands of hospi-
tails; the voice of the sick and dying;
pressing these Angels of Charity amidst
the turmoil of the war, amidst the shots
of the cannon, hear the sobbing of the
dying soldier while he raises his hands
to heaven, and his last dying words, his
"GOd bless you, Sister," that il the sol
lers and the sick would keep still, the
voices of thousands of orphans cared for
by them would sing hymn of gratitude
that would make the very angels rejoice.
But see that my Imagination has
brought me too far, or rather brings me
back from where started, close by this
corner stone. Why this corner stone is
| blessed to-day to serve as foundation