The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-12-25
SERMON PREACHED BY
FATHER RICHARDSON
At the Esperanto Interna-
tional Congress in the City
of Barcelona Before 1t Was
Set Attire by Anarchist
When Arrested the Infa-
nous Ferrer Declared He
Was a Delegate--No Benefit
From the Discourse.

From the Discourse.
"a new commandment I give unto
you: That you love one another as
have loved you, that you also love one
another.'-St. John 1884.
A new commandment! Why docs
Christ, why does the Goldman call
this commandment new? From the
beginning through the entire Scrip
lures does not God remind mankind
that they are brethren Eek unos .St-
guine," made of one and the same
blood? Even with pagans do we not
from time to time meet with chosen
men, with poets and philosophers who
maintain that truth? Remember the
words of the Latin poet: Homo sum,
nihil humani me alienum esse puto"'4
4 am man, and consider nothing
human as Indifferent to ME. Yes, bN
| If in theory love for mankind Was
known, practically, however, it hSd
no existence whatever, and this cofn-i
mandment of Christ must therefore
seem like a new commandment. IT,
| If it was new when Christ pro-
claimed it two thousand years ago, it
is certain that from that moment, IL
became the chief foundation of the
New Testament. No Christian has
ever yet dared to deny that that CONF
mand is q true law, made, obligatory
IN. the true reiiEi6n6s Ma sl(lses!
though that law is accepted theoret-
ically, is it practically obeyed by the
Christian world?
What signifies, for example, the
army in which brothers fight against
brothers, wound them cruelty, kill
them willingly? What means that
mutual hatred to which at times they
dare to give the name OF patriotism
but which is only contemplate inn
itation of that noble virtue-a despic-
able Chauvinism; masked selfshness?
Beloved brethren, sometimes the
just man might be tempted to lose
courage, become pessimist. and ex-
claim sorrowfully: Men are incorrig-
ible! But no! dear Christian bretl1-
rem, fellow-thinkers, Esperantists!
Before the view which presents it.
self to our eyes today, let us joyfully
exclaim: "Sursum cordial" Lift ur
your hearts! The will of Christ will
finally be fulfilled. At some time OF
other the entire human race will obey
the holy precept Of Christ: Love ye
one another.
But if we wish to stop those evils
it is necessary first to seek thei,
cause.-the roots of hatred among
men.
I Undoubtedly the chief among these
roots is self1shness, the excess of q
quality which exists in every human
being, namely, the instinct of self.
preservation. This quality is not pos.
i
1t becomes scK1shness, when every
one thinks about himself and is read,
to sacrifice everything in order tt
crafty his passions and vicious in
clinations. then peace and mutual Low.
become impossible, and the world to-
often resembles a hell.
Without religion, without the con.
viction that men are truly brethren
born Of one and the same Father Low,
and human peace were impossible. be-
cause it would not be logical o.
beasts. do lions and tigers, by evolu
ton, by means of progress, gradual!
| become less savage, less cruel? Ger
tainly not. They behave quite we'll
quite naturally when they kill and de
YOUR animals weaker than themselves
If at any time the wicked world sue
ceeds in making men believe that tn
, various tribes of men are not trul.
and really brethren but merely tn
: result Of natural evolution from vari
Gus species Of animals, then men wouI,
quite logically conclude that tn
. strongest, the most intelligent amon1s
. them, would have the same right t
use and enslave the lower tribes an,
treat them as they do horses and dogs
Hence the great means to conquL
selfishness is religion, the true religion
, of Christ.
/ But there is another cause Of hatred