The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-08-18


ness. g 1arity should b the b isis Of eli
Extra,t from the devotional
system the ind lsaos Of the sacred gift OF
bcotherly love. and the whole religious
fabric will dissipste issslf for this love
implies the very essence OF christianity.
The brotherhood Of man is an element in,
the fruitful derelopm ant Of christian
charity which embraces the ideal prin-
ciples Of ell Religious aspire ioas. De
stroy it, and religion becomes mockery.
One Of the primary objects Of n an should
be the love Of neighbor as contained in
the real aft sction Of the brotherhood, and
the love of self as developed in the
christian character moulded from the
practical principles of moral quity. The
love Of man and the practical principles
leading osach love, Is one of the con-
stituent elements Of the religions Of every
truly christian character. Herein are
contained the three great virtnes-Faith,
Hope, Charity; the greatestsof which is:
Charity. Now charity is contained in no
one idea, but is universal. In it's pertec-
ton 1t embraces all men. 1t recognizes
no line of demarkation. For the erring,
conscious or UNCONSCIOUS, it has it's need
of sympathy. To the heavy laden, tits as
soothing as the gentle zsphyrs of mid
summer eve. To the oppressed, it's as
the bracing breezss of an autumnal twl-
light. As the lilies neither reap nor
spin, but unfold their halo of grace,
charm aud loneliness to the qualification
of all natures gestures, so charity as
slmilates the swset JUNCTION of it's pres
encs to all who come it's way regardless
OF color or custom, racs or faction, re
]i1ion or sect. Time has not changed
the sauties of it's coantensncs, nor does
advanced age weaken it's stature. Its
loneliness fades not with the waning day
as the beauties of the twilight sky, but
as the sun tits ever glorious risen, shed
ding Joy DER tho soa of man. 1t cherishes
neither envy nor hatred. Pride and
covetousness it despises; malice it alb.
hors. 1t Injuries no man. Calumny,
treac cry and hypocrisy it roundly re-
jects. Truth and justice are it's emblems.
It visits the sick, buries the dead, weeps
with the grief-stricken, rejoioes with the
glad indiscriminately. lis jealous OF it's
own beauty, but it breathes notthe mag
influence of others nor does it cherish
hatred, ridicule or despite for the real or
seeming defects of another. lis the
music of the soul striving to create har.
mony among all men. Such is christi.
anity pure and simple. Where charity
is wanting christianity is absent. The
lofty domes of the religious structure
lend no charm to the art of love, but the
soft soothing chimes of the cathedral
spire entice the weary wayfarer to the
of light and grace wherein lies
hidden the whispering spirit Of eternal
charity inviting to the banquet hall all
humanity. The image of A. P. Aism pre-
sents to view very different landscape.
Behold with pity aod heart feeling sym
pathy the thorny passage of is journey
hence It is dramatically opposed to
charity, and is destructive of social hap
piness. It's as limited and contra ,ted as
charity is universal Like the irrational
animal, it's destiny is the pursuit of one
single end. The everlasting journey of
one narrow pathway. 1t cherishes It's |
own existence, crying chaos to those it !
opposes. To fondle it's Own hopes and |
hobbies, to satisfy it's own desire, to &C.
complish it's own personal ambitions is |
it's potent, inglorious cod. To 1t. sacri-
Zee is an unkao WI quality, justice
charity myth. Self-aggran-
dizement constitutes the very essence OF
this human affection. It narrows the |
mind, warps the reason, overpo wers the
will, darkens the understanding and
dwarfs the worry soul of an. 1t clings |
to the one antique idea
whence it sprung. Like the forlorn hope
Of a disappointed spinster, it withers,
droops and-scarcely dies-snarling out |
q haggard, miscarried existenoe at vari-
ance with the world. It tends to dis
the whole social system by it's
custom Of social, civil, polit-
ical and religious discrimination in favor |
Of it's own class. IT'S Stubborn, envious,
even to Consciousness, ever |
plotting, planning, scheming to expound
it's narrow methods, it sacrifices truth for
virtue for vice, manhood for
self exsltation. Respectfully,