The Irish standard., 1897-02-20
Young Girl Pupils Give to the
World Their Idea of the
Great Ones.
One Selects Blessed Thomas More.
Another Ebtaham
Lincoln,
Father Damien and Mary Queen
of Scots Among the Idea
lized Spirits.

-:
The Catholic Standard and Times has
received the following in Hero Con-
test" which it inaugurated some time
ago for youthful students:
BLESSED THOMAS MORE.
Gladstone is worthy of a high place
among my heroes, but he is yet Of cur
rent history. In search of a hero cer-
tainly Carlyle's estimate Of an ideal one
would be neither safe nor true. If
asked to name my hero in history-re-
calling a Caesar, a Napoleon, a Richie
lieu, Wolsey, a Washington and ether
names on the glorious roll, one CLEANS
amid them for me with the steady, clear
light of far-off planet. My hero is
Blessed Thomas More. Easy is it to
tell why l like, nay, love him, this noble
figure, this illustrious soul, this great
genius, looking from the silent walls OF
time in a picture replete with beauty
and with the expression of a faithful
heart and a lofty mind. History por
trays him as son, husband, father,
friend, statesman and martyr; all these
varied phases of life he filled with love,
tenderness, reverence, integrity and de-
votion, for he combined all that was
honorable, chivalrous and just to
strengthen the soul when right, honor or
duty demanded his services.
We catch more than a glimpse OF him
in his early home, his manhood and
the crowded and significant period OF
his maturer years. Can anything he
more pleasing than the boy at the home
of Cardinal Morton? There we recog-
nize the intellect and heart Of the More
at court and the More at Chelsea. AS
we image him with his kind and
thoughtful face, his bright smile and
gentle manly bearing, we do not Won
der that in after years he stood the test
of devotion to his faith. For More's
character was we'll balanced. Unlike
Richelieu and WoIsey, he never allowed
ambition or the fulfl}ment Of office to
genius enriched with the learning o. his
time, More added an inherent lovs OF
virtue which enabled him to dignity the
exalted station of Lord High Chancellor
of England during the reign Of Henry
VIII.
At this period he was more than
statesman. Not only had he the firm
ness of Cato and the justice OF Aris-
tides, but the strength of the Christian
martyr Deeply attached to the doc
trines OF the church for which he was
to place his head on the martyrs block,
he lived amid the splendors OF court
without corruption, and his life at Chel-
sea was one of sweetest simplicity.
There he passed his time paying rever-
ence to his parents and playing with
and instructing his children. Cheer
fulness endeared him to all; his home
was the resort of the famous and
learned, who delighted to spend the
evenings in his society. In the tender
lines of our poet:
None knew him but to love him, .@
None named him but to praise.
In the midst of astonishing worldly
fame earned by his genius and great
ness, More had a just estimate OF eter-
nity. He refused the oath Of suprem-
acy. In prison he answered entreaties
to preserve his life by compliance, thus: 1
Glow many years do you think
have to live?" q
more than twenty"
"Ah, should I exchange eternity Tor
twenty years."
More, like Roger Baco.1, was, beyond
his age, a seer whose intellect was not
bounded by the horizon Of his time. .
The wisest laws of England today were
originated by blessed Thomas More
But his crowning act was his last-tnla1
Of laying down his life for the Christian sta
heritage" the faith which lad enriched, 4
strengthened and moulded him into tho.
greatest and noblest man OF England
history.
Truly could More reverse the sentt--.s
ment of the great Wolsey, we'll might !.
he say: Ss 3sS sI@s.
I served my God better than my kinG,
And now he has net abandoned me lNs
this supreme moment. ssssss
Elizabeth MagDalene Dolan,
Aged
st. ,Joseph,s Acaaemy, Richmond !. VI u
ls,E
ABRAHAM LINCOLN. sS;.sssl ..s