Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1901-12-14

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the miser, will see man starving, will
see him in misery and poverty, and yet
will go by without being moved. Avarice
is the worst vice for this reason. All
other vices disappear with age of the
man; when he gets old his impetuosity
leaves him; the love Of the world and its
pleasures leave him, but avarice-no. 1t
has grip upon him and will not let him
go. Instead of disappearing like other
vices, it will increase and draw him to
the damned, where he belongs. Avarice
fills the lonely road with robbers, fami-
lies with discomfort, business marts with
frauds, the courts with perjurers, the
homes of the poor with biting hunger
and misery, the eyes of the orphan and
the widow with burning tears, the pris-
ons with criminals and hell with its
damned. This avarice is a terrible sin.
hope that none of you are even touched
by this. l know you are not; you are
doing your level best according to your
means to take the place of Divine Provi-
dence in looking after the poor, for God
must take care of them and He puts them
under your charge. The miser is very
much like pig. pardon the comparison.
but it is a fact The pig is of no earthly
use while he lives, only when he is dead;
so is the miser, only when he is dead is
he benefit to somebody; the heirs take
his property, the worms take his body
and the devil takes his soul There must
be charity. Charity we must exercise, and
you have made it your work. Christ has
made it correct demand. Look at
almost every page of the Bible, you will
find a command, "Give aims to the
poor" Christ himself has said it. He is
our great model. The greatest saints have
loved the poor, and it is a remarkable
fact that as man advances in the love of
God he will advance in love for the poor.
Where true piety and faith reign there is
no poverty, and wherever poverty is
known it is relieved. There must be
something added. 1t must be discrimi-
mating charity. You know that there are
great many people who do charity but
really do very little good. 1t is not
merely to help the poor, but help them
so that they can help themselves. St.
Paul, the great apostle, says, II see some
amongst you walk disorderly and work
not at all" So he commands them in
quietness to work and eat their own
bread. Now St. Paul was filled with
charity, but here he indicates your work,
exactly what you are called upon to do,
not merely give them temporary charity,
but help them so they can earn their own
bread; not give to those "that walk dis
orderly" but see that they are able to
help themselves and to earn their own
bread, as st. Paul says. Now surely the
purposes of this society must appeal
strongly to the heart of every Catholic,
and can it be possible that this society
can be of no interest to your Should
that not be of interest to you in which
the Holy Father interests himself SO
muchp Has he not blessed your society
with many indulgences1 Is that not of
interest to you which St. Paul commands,
which our Lord himself has done7 He
went about doing good, and if you want
to be disciple of Christ you must follow
his example. If you look ON at the
misery to be seen in families of the poor;
if you can and will not help them, then
surely there will be judgment to you who
are without charity to the poor. You
know Christ is going to make that the
criterion-the standard by which He will
| Judge mentor that awful hour will come
when He calls every one to his judgment
seat, for He says He will condemn those
who have not charity. 81 was hungry
and you gave me not to eat; was naked
and you clothed me not; l was sick,
etc, etc. Depart from me into everlast-
ing fire. " Be good Vincentians, there
fore, exhort you, for this will come to
us all. Be true to the purposes of your
society, not merely give them temporary
relief, but see that you help them so that
they may eat their own bread. Look not
for the praises of the world, for Our Lord
said, "And they have their reward"
exhort you not only to have love of
charity, love Of the poor, but be perna-
nent members of this society, for you are
men, not little children-little children
must be coaxed with candy. ] notice
some of the members taking their names
off the list. Perhaps they we're not
coaxed enough. ! regard that as super
fluous. You are men; you are acting
with conviction. You are doing a glori-
GUS work; keep ON doing 1t, for the
time will come when you will stand be-
fore Christ and he will recognize you as
a Vincentian, as one Of his disciples.