The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-06-01
TRIBUTE TO HEROES ] S;
Continued From Paee~1

Gods own heart? Yes, alas, and the
pages OF history TEEN with examples
OF heroes who conquered cities and
sub]ugated nations but who sue
cumbed miserably to their own pas
sions. But not only is the struggle
with the heart; the conquest of self,
an arduous undertaking.; it is a
struggle of long duration.
Stolssel, that gallant defender of
Port Arthur, was praised the world
over because of his long and glorious
defense OF that stronghold. But his
struggle fades to insignifcance when
we read of that long and bloodv thirty
years war. The war against passion
lasts an entire lifetime. It begins
with the attainment of the use of
reason and ends only with death. It
blighted the life of the boy Absalom
when his prospects of long and use-
full life were about to open. Tt
dragged to perdition from the very
company of Jesus the apostle Judas
in LIES prime, and in the winter of a
long and brilliant career, when his
gray hairs should have been the evil
dences of self victory; it brought
lsrael's wisest monarch, Solomon, to
miserable destruction. It is mans re-
lentless foe and will dog our steps
from the moment we enter life's arena
till we are pushed out again through
the portals of death. every man, {"
says st. James, is tempted, being
drawn away by his own concupiscence
and allures." We may also judge the
excellence of victory by the reward
which is attached to it. The reward
of self victory surpasseth all things.
What is this reward, so great and
glorious? Is it crown of gold and
silver and precious stones? No, such
a crown is perishable. Is it
triumphant arch erected to perpetuate
our memory or is it a monument in
the hall of fame? It is Infinitely more
than all this. St. Peter tells US that
when the Prince of Pastors shall ap-
pear you shall receive never fading
crown of glory, and St. Paul reminds
us that "eye hath not seen nor ear
heard, neither hath it entered the
heart OF man to conceive, what things
God hath prepared for him. "And it
is an everlasting reward. The reward
OF earthly victory is often of short
duration. It is grounded on the SEN
timent of the heart. But the heart is
tickle, indeed. Passion and prejudice
sway it at will. Like the ther-
mometer, it rises or falls in proper
| ton to the fervor or GOODNESS of
human esteem. A few years ago the
great George Dewey was the idol of
the American heart. An arch of
triumph was erected to grace his
glorious homecoming and a beautiful
home was prepared and presented to
! him. But the cement was scarcely
dry between the stones of his
triumphant arch when fckle-hearted
people had turned from him in cold
ness and scorn.
Not so the reward of self victory.
It is called the crown of life for the
very reason that it will never be
taken from us. "Blessed is the man
that endureth temptation, for when he
hath been proved he shall receive the
if6A S1H
promised to them that love Him. {"
'Be thou faithful unto death and I
| shall give thee the crown of life. {"
How great and amiable will the self
conquerer appear before God since
He who rewards US according to our
deeds will give so great and lasting a
reward.
Brethren, is not such victory
worthy of our best endeavors? en-
doubleday it is. Then bear in mind
that to gain it two things are neces-
sary-divine grace and our own CO.
operation. Without grace you can do
nothing towards gaining it. And, on
the contrary, without our own CO.
operation grace is useless. The
sword is useless without the hand to
WELD it. So, too, is grace without
our own hearty cooperation and our
free will without the aid of divine
grace to direct and strengthen it.
Hence, we should endeavor to obtain
this necessity by praying for it:
"Ask and it shall be given you"
"All things whatsoever you ask in
prayer, believing, you shall receive. )"
We ought to pray with confidence in
cessantly, often during the day when
we can drop into the chair and
whisper an aspiration to Jesus in the
Tabernacle, but especially during the
holy sacrifice of the mass. For by
invoking the name of God in this con-
flict with self heavenly assistance will
be given us. Secondly, we should
! -. l.