The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-12-14

can fair play and a square deal TO
all.
CATHOLIC FARMERS AND
The APPROACHING WINTER
written for The Catholic Bulletin by
Rev. J. Gmeiner.)
"All nature feels the renovating force
Of winter, only to the thought1ess eve
In ruin seen. The frost-contracted
globe
Draws in abundant vegetable soul,
And gathers vigor for the coming year.
A stronger glow sits on the lively
cheek of rudy fire.
Thomson: Seasons.
For farmers the winter is time of
comparative rest, enabling them to
gain new strength for the gradually
returning season of work. Of course,
there are many things to be done
every day of the year on farms; but,
after all, during winter, and especially
during the long winter evenings, peo-
pie on farms have a good many hours
of leisure. How to spend them profit
ably is matter well worth consider
ing. Time is money" and it may be
great deal more.
First of all, people on farms should
have, during the winter, a time Of
comparative rest for their bodies; but
it would be wrong to spend that time
in idleness. Winter affords a splendid
opportunity for people on farms to pro-
mote their intellectual advancement.
Many of the people of Iceland are
said to be among the best and most
Intellectually advanced on earth; and
the reason is that they. make good use
of their almost continuous winters.
Our Catholic farmers might do we'll to
profit by their example.
Winter, then, is splendid time for
our Catholic farmers to do some read
ing. What, then, ought they to read
Seek We first the kingdom of God -
is the advice and command of Our
Saviour. In every Catholic home there
ought to be a small library of books
for religious instruction, and among
such books there are two that should
have prominent place: the ordinary
Catechism and the Bible history COM
monty used in schools.
1t would certainly be good thing
if every Catholic, no matter how old
he may be, would read over the Cate.
chism carefully once year. Do not
think that the Catechism is only for
children. It contains a short sum
mary of Catholic doctrine which every
Catholic should not only know but OF
which he ought to be continually re
minded. Of course, each one is ex.
pected to hear a sermon every week
But how many doctrinal subjects there
are that may not be spoken of during
the year, or if spoken of, be sufficiently
understood at the moment. A careful
reading of the Catechism every year
would certainly remedy such defects.
There are great numbers of grown
up Catholics who would be shocked il
; told that they do not know theil
Catechism. Yet every pastor of ex
perience knows that this is the case
Therefore the Catholicism should be
carefully read over every year, espe
cially during the long winter.
Next to the Catechism read the Bible
history, the history of the foundation
of Gods kingdom on earth. And final
ly subscribe for and read good Cath
Ollie paper in order to keep well in
: formed on what is going on in Gods
kingdom, the Catholic Church, at pres
, ent The readers of "The Catholic
Bulletin" are doing this. But, in addt
ton to reading it themselves, they
ought to advise and encourage theil
Catholic neighbors to become sub
scribers to this paper. They woult
thereby make themselves propagators
of Catholic truth.
Having complied with the advice
Seek We first the kingdom of God,
our Catholic farmers should turn theil
attention to the things of this world
their earthly cares and labors, and pre-
pare for the return of work on the
farms.
/ All wide-awake farmers nowadays
! read one or other good farm paper
There are SO many of these published
three in st. Paul and Minneapolis
that it would be difficult to recommend
any one in particular. During the sea
son of outdoor labor one mainly works
with his hands; but a farmer Wht
} works only with his hands and no
with his head also will soon find tina
| he is left behind by his more intelli
gent neighbors. AS the improvement
, of agriculture is of vast Importance
to the welfare of the whole country
both the state and national govern
= I'll g.