The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-01-18

the source of his sorrows and joys the
Keynote to his dealings with the clergy
ana laity, the secret of his marvellous
endurance and patience.
OF his Sanctity | have little to say
tonight. To dwell on it at length would
be but Furnishing gold or painting the
lily. 1t is feature of his life appar-
ent to priests and people alike. His
klhdneSs, however. is best appreciated
by those who have had the privilege
or his Intimate acquaintance. Kindness
Is an excellent quality in a priest: in
Bishop it should be the immediate
jewel of his soul. Kindness is the es-
sence of charity, and charity is the
essence of religion Charity is pa
tient, is kind what is the real
good? p asked the poet of himself in
musing mood.
.,0rder,'' said the law court;
,,Anowledge," said the school;
Truth said the wise man:
! Pleasure said the fool:
| Beauty.' said the page;
freedom, said the dreamer;
| Home" said the sage:
Fame" said the soldier;
Equality" the seer.
Spake my heart full sadly,
The answer is not here
Ihen within my bosom,
Softly this | heard:
Each heart holds the secret,
Kindness is the word
Kindness is the word. Kindness is
the real good; and our guest" pos
essses it in an eminent degree. He is
Klndness personified. And if he has
erred at all, it is rather on the side
OF kindness and of mercy than on the
side of Justice. Where is the priest in
his diocese who can say that he ever
refused him moderate relaxation from
MS missionary laoors? Which of them
mas not found in him a father and a
TREND! What reasonable request of
their has he left unregarded. The no.
Die sisters of his diocese who have left
rather and mother, and brother and
sister to walk in the footsteps of the
Lamb, find in him their triiest friend.
10 the poor his hand and his heart
are ever open. To the orphan he is
nought but a kindly father. while his
tender solicitude in providing for the
wants of the sick and the distressed is
Well-nigh proverbial
Outside of his official duties. bishop
Matz has had little direct intercourse
With the laity of his diocese. He has
never descended to petty articles in
order to win their admiration or ap-
plause. He is not one of those who
would
Pluck bright glory from the pale
faced moon, 80
Or dive into the bottom of the deep.
Where fathom-like could never touch |
the ground,
And drag up drowned honor by the
locks
Simply because to his humble mind
aphemeral glory is devoid of charm and |
is not worth the effort. Being of |
naturally retiring disposition, he is
misunderstood, but /, and l
Lhlnk every priest here, can bear tes-
t1mOny to the fact that deep down in
their hearts the Catholics of Colorado.
even those who differ most from his
policy, have profound Ivspec; and ven
eration for their bishop. AS for his old
)arishioners in Georgetown and Dem
'er, they have ever been his warmest
ind staunchest friends and never
speak of him but in words of deepest |
Affection and regard.
To infiict punishment in any form is
ieeply repugnant to his feelings. 1t is
his strange work, his work that is
70 strange to him. If at times he was
compelled to be severe. it was because
lis conscience dictated severity as the
nly course consistent with duty. 1t
vas. because he chose to obey God
ather than man, because having at
leart the glory of God and the inter
0NN
Wn personal feelings and popularity.
Perhaps the best compliment that
ould be paid to Bishop Matz was that
hose who differed most from his views
ever for moment questioned his sim !
Gritty. Ihey may not have always ap- {
roved of the directness of his meth l
ds. They may have preferred to see in I
hem some traces of that fine Italian
and, which knows how to mingle so !
armoniousy the suaviter in modo
nth the fortiter in re, but they were !
onstrained to admit that he con- |
ended for principle which in his in ]
lost heart he believed to be right. 5
Whsn our bishop was raised to the t
dignity, he was yet in his :
drly prime. He had before him a +
romising future. He had many of t
hose qualifications which would ap- +
cal to popular favor OF a fine physi- S
ne and commanding presence. he was S
Dung and vigorous, he was genial and ?
i1abie, he was good theolOgian and I
matchiess linguist At an age when I
'any clertcs are but assistant priests, n
6 was made the chief pastor of dio-
1se which was growing by leaps and '
onhds, ana promised in the near fu- r
Ire to be one of the fairest portions L
the vineyard of the Lord. n n
With all Of these advantages. nat r
raj and acquired, Bishop Matz might I,
aslly have become a popular idol. Had =
listened to the seductive allure ~
ents of materialism as from it's null :.
PIE heights 1t pointed out to him the \
eaSureS 1t was ready to bestow if a,
lly, kneeling down, he would adore it. p
lie story of his life might have been p
fferent today. But, no; true to the
stincts of his divine master. he -,
,urned the tempter, and. having joy a,
It before him. he took up the cross.
e fought materialiSm at every step
I'd in its greatest strongholds. He
ught it in the school, he fought il
the polls; he fought it in the pulpit; -
, fought it in the press -
In this noble combat. he was. no ~
,ubt. often subjected to the virulent y
iticism of Mrs. Grundy and of her r.
cen eyed sisters, caIumny and de- :,
action More than once. too, did the NJ
sslnSs of that ny-headed monster W.
lbiic opinion, CRATE on his ears. But in
pported by mena conScia recti. he' u
ver for moment f1nched from his n,
lrpose. and it Is we'll for himself and y
T the diocese of Denver that he did +,
i. The individual who is ever trim ca
ing his sails to catch the breath of r.
hemeral appreciation may put forth in
1lh lie SnoTe amid the SaIVeS of ar as
lery and the huzzas of thousands. Jr
I he is most assuredly gliding along w
g smooth waves of mediocrity to the al
TT of oblivion. if not ingloriously TN
landed in the midst of his voyage. A
shop, above all. could never be a, reed
AIKEN by the wind. He is a pillar of tn
2 Church. and should not be a wealth Je
cock TO indicate the shifting of every
nd of doctrine or4opinion. He has
giants strength neFTis-it always tyr an
ny in. him to use itEfke giant WI