The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-24

Moreover. as experience shows, these
monitions and impulses Of the Holy Spirit
are for the most part felt through the
medium of the aid and light OF an sx-
ternal teaching authority. To quote st.
Augustine: He (the Holy Spirit CO.
operates to the fruit gathered from the
good trees, since He externally waters and
cultivates them by the outward ministry
of men, and yet of himself bestows the
inward increase.'-De Gratia Christi, chap
ter xix. This, indeed, belongs to the or
binary law of Gods loving pE-+idence, that
as he has decreed that men for the most
part shall be saved by the ministry also
of men. so has He wished that those whom
He calls TO the higher planes of holiness
should be led thereto by men; hence st.
Chrysostom declares we are taught of God
through the fundamentally of men,
Homily ]. In inscribaltar.
''Of this a striking example is given US
in the very first days of the church. For
though Saul, intent upon blood and slaugh-
ter had heard the voice of our Lord
himself, and had asked. What dost thou
wish me to do?' yet was he hidden to
enter Damascus and search for Ananias.
there told to thee what thou must do
Nor can we leave out of consideration the
truth that those who are striving after
perfection, since by that fact they walk in
no beaten or weIl-known path, are the
most liable to stray, and hence have
greater need than others of a teacher and
guide. Such guidance has ever obtained
in the church; it has been the universal
teaching of those who through the ages
have been eminent for wisdom and sane
tity-and hence to reject it would be to
commit oneself to belief at once rash and
dangerous.
"a thorough consideration Of this point,
in the supposition that no exterior guide is
granted such souls, will make US see the
difficulty of locating or determining The
direction and application Of that more
abundant influx Of the Holy Spirit, so
greatly extolled by innovators. To prac-
tice virtue there is absolute need of the
assistance of the Holy Spirit, yet we find
those who are fond Of novelty. giving an
unwarranted Importance to the natural
virtues, as though they better responded
to the customs and necessities Of the time,
and that, having these as his outfit man
becomes both more ready to act and more
strenuous in action. 1t is not easy to I'M
derstand how persons possessed Of Chris
tian wisdom can either prefer natural to
supernatural views or attribute to them a
greater efficacy and fruitfulness. Can ii
be that nature conjoined with grace IS
weaker than when left to herself? Can ii
be that those men illustrious for sanctity.
whom the church distinguishes and openly
pays homage to, were defcient-came short
in the order Of nature and its endowments
because they excelled in Christian
strength? And although 1t be allowed al
times to wonder at acts worthy of admir-
alton which are the outcome Of natural
virtue, is there anyone at all endowed
simply with an outfit OF natural virtue? Is
there anyone not tried by mental anxiety,
and this in no light degree? Yet ever to
master such, as also to preserve 1t in its
entirety, the law of the natural order re-
quires an assistance from on high. These
single notable acts to which we have al
luded will frequently upon close investi-
cation be found to exhibit the appearance
rather than the reality of virtue Grant
that it is virtue. unless we would run in
vain and be unmindful of that eternal
bliss which a good God in His mercy has
destined for US, of what avail are natural
virtues unless seconded by the gift o1
Divine grace? Hence st. Augustine we,
says: Wonderful is the strength, and
swift the course but outside the true path
For as the nature Of man, owing TO the
primal fault. is inclined 70 evil and dis,
honor, yet by the help Of grace is raised
up. IS borne along with a new greatnes:
and strength, so. too. virtue. which is no.
the product of nature alone. but Of grace
also. is made fruitful unto everlasting life
and takes on a more strong and abiding
| character. This over-esteem Of natura
virtue finds a method Of expression in as
/ suming to divide all virtues into active
/ and passive and It is alleged that, where
/ as passive virtue found better place in pas
/ times. our age Is to be characterized by IN
/ active That such a division and distinc
/ ton cannot be maintained is patent-fo
| there is not, or can there be, mercy pas
! sive virtue Virtue says st. Thoma
! Aquinas 'designates the perfection Of SOM
/ faculty. but the end OF such faculty IS al
act and an act OF virtue IS naught els
! than the good use Of free wiir-acting
/ that IS TO say. under the grace OF Co
/ II the &C. be one Of supernatural virtue
/ He alone could wish that some Christiol
| virtues be adapted 70 certain times an
/ different ones for other times who IS IN
! mindful Of the apostles words: 'Tha
/ those whom He fore knew. He predestinet
/ 20 be made conforTnable 70 the image o
/ His Son. Romans S.Is Christ IS n
teacher and the example Of all sanctty
and 20 His standard must ali those cor
( form who wish for eternal life. NOT doe
] Christ know any change as the ages pass
I for he Is yesterday and today and III
( same for ever'-Hebrews 1873 To the ne
Of ell ages vas the precspt given: 'eIar,
/ OF ne. because I an meek and humble @
/ he5-t-'-Na,t. z-29
TO every age has He been made mani
fest % Us as obedisnt even unto death
in every age the apostles dictum has 1t
force. Those who are Christ's have cruel
Z f=6 their flesh with is vices ard co1cu
( piscences' Would 70 God that more now
( adays pract!ced these virtues = he dsgTe
I Of he saints q past tines. who n hFSn.I
itv. obedience and se.f-vestraint wer
powerful Sin word ard 81 deed'--o In
great Advantage not only OF religion. but Q
Tia state and the public welfare
From this disregard q The evangsiica
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