The record-union., 1899-06-23

vint to the CALLING yoke-like laws Of
Bismarck. Bismarck Is dead, un-
mourned The prosecutions have ceased
and many rights have been restored to
the Catholics in Germany; While En-
peror Williams actions are certain har-
bingers of much good to come. France
was at this time rent asunder by the
wiles Of plotting a3heists banded to-
gether in nefarious Necrecy; but once
again has she felt q renewal Of vigor,
| return of the missionary spirit that
| effected the evangeiizing OF, this con-
ttuent Italy, these many Years, has
been controlled hx just such forces as
made a mockery Of government in
France; her position. however, places in
bold reMef the power exerted by the
Pope; he wields now a greater influence
for morality than has been welded by
any other Pope since the time of Henry
VIII.
The nations of the East have learned
to look with respect upon the Pope's ad-
vances and his diplomacy has won them
+ over, many of them, not only to irradi-
cate some existing evils directed against
the advance of religion but he has even.
indeed, gained from them not few
concessions, substantial encouragements
to the jealous missionaries in the ORR
ent.
The blessed Leo knows his people
throughout the world not as separated
by the space of seas and Of continents
but as present; not as mere abstrnc-
tions, but as real, as objects Of his low
ing care.
He is a prisoner in the Vatican. But
oil hn Vofi fik1oy V1nr vat
marks the confines of his knowledge
when he comes to Judge of men and
their affairs Europe is at hand; he
may judge of it by his personal exper-
ience there. sBut how?" we may ask.
'is he to judge of US and our affairs
of America ?" Here, truly, Is shown
the master mind; he has studied our
history our laws, our usages; he has
come as it were, in spirit, and lived as
one of us, to know us, our hopes, ana
our aspirations; he has found the
American people lovers of justice and
of truth and despisers of sham and
fallacy-a fertile field, indeed, for the
sowing of the seed of Christ's church
which shall yield an abundance far be-
yond the most sanguine hopes of the
sewers when the cleaners shall come in
the golden harvest of the future. Thou,
o church in America, most dearly
cherished child of Leo, his blessing Is
upon thee thy mission of love and
peace is assured.
The Impetus he has given towards
increasing piety, the chief object of the
church-how he has earnestly recon-
mended the Third Order Of ST. Francis
to us ALL how he has made st. Thomas
! Aquinas the PATTON of the schools, how
he has reeomme ended OUT country with
/ its noble aspirations and grand desti-
nies to the special protection Of the Vir-
| gin Mother-with all these we are famil-
| lar; they are a part of our daily life.
| Let us review the three great char
acters of our times in Europe. Glad
stone in England, Bismarck in Germa-
ny, Pope Leo in Italy, Gladstone, the
admirer of our own immortal George
Washington, and renowned as the sup
porter of the commons rights, was a
spurner of empty mobiles titles that
| would have only debased 1.-The grand
old man. Bismarck, a man of gen.
ius and Of iron will, unlike Gladstone,
| fawned at nobility's feet, and made its
advancementp paramount to, the peoples.
Pope Leo, by birth al npblemnn, in
character and in mind fit associate Of
the gods, is at heart commoner, a
democrat, above all, an humble, noble
follower in the footsteps of Him who
walked by sweet Galilee. Gladstone,
loved by all who may know his hon
cred name, and especially by the CRATE
full Irishman;. Bismarck, despised by
those whom he should have had to love
him; Pope Leo, respected even by his
enemies, all things, at all times to all
men.
The immortal Virgil begins his great
epic poem thus: ARMS and the hero /
sing.'' The majestic strain that Is
sounded there overshadows, by its lyric
power, the deeds of the hero. The
scenes there depicted tell of other, OF
by-gone days. But it remains to some
poet of these Or of future TIMES to sing
of worthier deeds and Of worthier hero
mot 'arms and the hero" but peace
and the hero. Until such "a poet arise,
there yet remains this grand poem un-
written, this sweet song unsung-the
life of Leo XIII.