Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1905-05-20
CHRISTIAN MANHOOD.
Address by Father Jones to the
Catholic Order of Foresters.

the Catholic Order of Foresters,
Wednesday evening May 18th, 1905
This above all, To thine own
self be true; and it must follow, as
the night the day, thou canst not
not then be false to any man."
Our true self is what we are in
our day and generation, SO as most
to benefit the world amid which His
design has placed us. Let each
man Of US learn to be, and set him
self n.anfully to be an.
''Active door, noble liver,
Strong to labor, sure to conquer,
and we shall rot only fill our place
we'll in Church and State, but help
to our utmost to make the present
age hold a glorious place in the
annals Of the world.
The great need of the present day
is men of great character. And by
character I mean the firm habitual
disposition to truthfulness, honor.
integrity generosity and resolute
energy of purpose, without which
no man ever was or can be true
man. These qualities are formed in
the child by teaching and still more
by the example of his parents.
Truthfulness, integrity and goodness
form the essence of manly character,
or as a distinguished writer has it,
inbred loyalty unto virtue which
can serve her without a livery. He
is strong to do good, strong to resist
evil and strong to bear up under
difficulty and misfortune.
And speaking Of honor, the bright
crown of all manly character the poet
but expressed the sentiment Of the
church in these lines:
The purest treasure mortal times
afford
Is-spotless reputation,-that away,
Men are but gilded loan, painted
clay.
A jewel in ten-times barred up chest
Is bold spirit in a loyal breast
Mine honor is my life; both grow in
Take honor from me and life is done.
But we must not confound what is
here called honor with mere fame;
there were and there are many of the
noblest souls, who are AS careless of
what men may think of them as they
are Jealous of the testimony of
their own conscience and anxious to
stand we'll in the secret judgement
of the All seeing God.
There is nothing that cannot be
endured, save dishonor, says the
great St. Martin of the Fourth
century observe therefore your own
actions and do not be careless about
them because they are hidden from
the public eye; for it matters but
little that none behold them, since
you are a witness to them yourself.
IT is the pr ecious quality of great
soul, not be vacillatiug, but ever
consistent with ones self and fearless
" hopeful of the end of life.
The Catholic conception of honor
is spotless integrity in the sight of
God, much more even than an un-
stained reputation in the judgement
of the world. The former is the sure
foundation of the latter and it is
chiefly about it that every true man
should be concerned. If we are
without reproach before our own
conscience and in the presence of
God. there can be but little fear for
our good name among men.
Supreme and loving reverence for
the divine majesty, and the tilial fear
of rendering ones self displeasing to
Him,-suc is the habitual sense Of
the christian soul that helps to keep
it free from every secret stain. 1t is
the fear of the Lord under another
name. And where ir possesses the
heart of man, it is impossible that it
should not preserve his outward life
from voluntary strain. The purity
and hardness of the diamond belong
to the very first particles which unite
at it's hearts core; the others which
the mysterious laws OF the Creator
attrack around these to increase and
perfect the beauteous crystalline
mass must needs share the qualities
of the former. The light which fills
it. the perfect purity which
fives even that light its highest
value. belonged to the very heart of