The Irish standard., 1901-01-12

orally occupy the same room and eat
at the same table with them. The
mother is the visible guardian angel
OF her child, and seldom loses sight
of him. She is, therefore, the best
calculated to instruct her child, as she
can avail herself Of every little cir
cumstance that presents itself and
draw therefrom a moral lesson.
1t is fact worthy Of notice that the
most distinguished men who have
adorned the church by their virtues
or who have served their country by
meritorious actions We're men who had
the happiness of receiving from pious
mothers early principles of morality.
Witness st. Louis, King of France,
who owes his greatness as king and
his virtues as a saint, next to God,
to his mother Blanche. Though oc-
cupied during the minority Of her son
with the affairs Of state, she had time
to devote to the religious training of
her son. 81 love you tcnderly," she
said to her child, but sooner would
1 see you a corpse at my feet than
that you would tarnish your soul with
a mortal SIM If Queen Blanche
would by So much attention to her
sons instruction, notwithstanding her
weighty occupation Of state, surely
other mothers cannot excuse them
selves for want of time from dis
charging similar duty toward their
offspring.
Washington, the father of his coun-
try, is another example in point. He
exhibited during his public life in an
exalted degree the natural virtues of
heroic courage, love of truth, great
magnanimity, pure patriotism and Il
singular disinterestedness. And he
glories in confessing that he is indebt-
ed for these virtues to the early in
structions of his excellent mother
Let parents, and especially mothers,
bear in mind that to them is confided
the most tender portion Of our Lords
vineyard. which OH that account
should be cultivated With greater care.
On them devolvcs the duty Of direct
ing the susceptible and plant minds Of
their children, and of instilling into
the youthful hearts of these the doc
trine of salvation.
Priests, it is true, are the divinity
commissioned teachers of the church;
but their labors will bear little fruit
without the cooperation of the par
ents. 1t is theirs to plant the seed
Of the word of God in the virgin soil,
and when Il more experienced hand is
required to cultivate it the ministers
of God will not be wanting in labors
to bring it to perfection.
Parents, l cNhort you in the name
of the holy religion you profess, In
the name of your country which eX-
poets you to rear up, not scourges OF
society, but honorable and law-abid-
ing members, l ask you in the name
of that God who requires you to have
your offspring fed with the healthy
nourishment of sound doctrine. l ask
you in the name of your own eternal
salvation, and of the souls committed
to your charge, for which you will
have to render strict account, to pro-
vide for your children at home n
sound religious and moral education.
"lf any have not care of his own,
and especially those of his house, he
hath denied the >faith, and is worse
than an infidel."
l exhort you, also to cooperate as
far as possible with the clergy in their
efforts to establish and maintain Cath
Ole parochia] schools. And then what
subject of joy and consolation 1T
will be to you in your declining years
when you reflect that you will leave
after YOU children who will inherit
not only your name, but also your VIZ
tues and your faith. How gratifying
it will be to you to hope that when you
are gone, when the place you now oc'
cupy in church shall be vacated by
YOU it will be filled by your sons ana
daughters, who will perpetuate your
memory. And your children when they
enter the temple of God and recall to
mind that to you under God they owe
not only their life, but their faith
will remember you with gratitude
'They will rise up and call you bles
sed." -
JAMES CARDINAL GIBBONS.