The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-12-03
SOME n0ITOES 0N COINS
Interesting and Instructive De
 vices Used by Popes.
'E PLURlBUs UNuM
First Placed on g Copper Coin
 Made at a Private Mint.

LH6 lIOllO III GOu " IL et7' Oii e' United States coin. He says that to put such motto on coins, or to use it in any kindred manner, not only does no good but does positive harm, and is in fact irreverence which comes dangerously near to saerilege."
 The President, however, is not the only head of a government who in re- cent years has caused the removal of the motto on the coin of his country. The statesmen who are ruling France, in the earlier part of this year, de- creed that the exhortation ''Dieu pro- tege Ia France" (God protect France) shall not appear oh the coin of the French Republic to be minted hence- forth, as it does on the present coins. The explanation for Frances action in the matter may be found in the fact that the European republic is at present under the absolute regime of radicals and anti-religionists, who have relegated everything pertaining to the Bible or religion to the back ground President Roosevelts action, according to a statement given out at she White House, was In spired by feel ings of reverence for the words Tn God We Trust" and his opinion that the placing of the same on coin tends to cheapen it.
 Tn this connection it may be of in- terest to know that for centuries the Popes expressed in Biblical phrases
 4.. NF fzl1 a tsi tty and kindness In the legends stamped on their coins. These coins have been out of circulation for long time, but the Popes evidently believed that the instruments of charity should be re- garded as preaching a sermon on char ity It would be impossible to relate here more than q few of these brief sermons which the Popes preached to the people over whom they ruled and which undoubtedly contributed to the exercise of the virtue of charity which was thus so universally inclilcated The legends CT inscriptions are all in Lat in, and each almost fills the reverse side of the pieces whether gold or silver. There is no one wickeder than the mtser' is the pronouncement made by a gold scudo Cor crown) of Pope Innocent X1, who filled the Papal chair from 1676 to 1889 Another coin of the same Pontiff, a half scudo in value, says, The nliser will not be filled" and still another bears the phrase "Thc things preserved perish. ! Pope Clement XI (1700-1721) issued a silver coin on which it is said, Silver
 kills many" and on a golden scudo he offers this counsel: "Obey net the empire of gold" Do not desire mon ey,' is another counsel of his, and the suggestive phrase Tt is not for ava rice is seen upon another of these coins. Care follows increasing wealth" cries out a coin of Pope Alexander VII.
 And of how little use money will be
 when the curtain falls on life is brought home to the minds of most men by the warning that speaks from coins Of Innocent XI: "They will not profit thee In the day of judgment" The pontiflcate of Innocent XI, though only thirteen years in duration, seems to have been rich in the variety and beauty of the sayings on the coins is- sued. He that loves gold will not be saved" is the motto on a, golden crown, and another reads, "He who trusts riches will fail" The Pontiff asks: What doth it avail a man? What doth it avail a fool?" and the ques-
 ton, meeting you on a coin, has a special directness that one cannot avoid.
 Innocent XII speaks touchingly to
 those whose hearts are fixed on the ac- cumulation of wealth when, on coin
 of about two francs nominal value, he
 says. Let 1t not be to thy perdition.' ''
 And the effect of avarice on the mind
 is admirably suggested by the words
 of another coin of the same Pope Money has no color for the avari-
 cious" The money grabbed is univer- sally denounced, "Who is poor? The
 miser,' is the question and answer
 which another coin gives. What l
 have I give to thee" is the phrase on
 another coin on which is represented
 St Peter healing the lame man The l nearer & the coin may not be able to
 heal otherwise than by giving what he
 has. Another pertinent question is ask | ed on one of these pieces of money, i But these things which thou hast
 gathered, whose will they be?" Such I a question must raise serious consid- teratiens in the minds of thoughtful men.
 But the owners of money are recon-
 fnended to bestow 1t we'll Clement XI
 on a golden Julius says, Let it abound to the glory of God" When
 rightly employed money may do much good, and this Is declared by Clement x on the coin which bears this pro- nouncen1ent, Tt dimipishes evil and
 increases good" And on another coin
 a generous glver is described, "He hath opened his hand to the needy"
 Do not forget the poor" is the rec ommendation on the coins of two pom tiffs. A piece of the value of three
 ponny-bit bears this inscription, "A little to the just" and on much
 smaller coin is the truism, Tt hurts
 less" " Forbid that I should glory save
 in Thee" was the motto on the coin
 or medal of Plus x, which was made
 a memorial of the battle of Lepanto.
 "He who gives to the poor will not wait" is a consoling reflection, as it
 suggests that the reward of the just
 will be bestowed soon on the charita- ble man "Use moderately like man, J
 is a saying that awakens universal re- , sponse.
 i "That it may be given" tells the
 purpose for which the coin was struck
 that is to say. to be passed on to