The Irish standard., 1913-11-08


other; serve the poor, the wretched
the slave Of sin and vice. That W,
do SO. however. inspiration is needed
motive is needed. But whence in tn,
philosophy Of secularism will com,
inspiration and motive? Is 1t from
the emotion the sight of misery be
stirs? This Is momentary, quick, ex
hausted by fatigue in the server, b.
ingratitude in the served. Is 1t from
the chart of a renewed human race
This Is vision Of merest possibili
ties. soon losing through repeated
failures its brightness of color. Il
it from the personal interest involved
in the welfare of others? Persona
interest lies too often in injury tt
or in carelessness of the welfare O
others; and at best the advantage.
to come from service given to others
especially when those others are un
able or unwilling to return service
for service, are too slight or too re
mote to wrest from the human breas
the sacrifice, the self-denial withou,
which charity is sounding brass OF
tinkling cymbal.
Would we know what becomes o.
social charity where secularism holds
full sway? Then we go back t.
Greece and Rome of pagan ages
where one-half the population were
the slaves. depending Tor very life
on the whim Of relentless masters
where womanhood and childhood
were without respect, where the or
phan and the infirm were loathed
where physical strength and aIbund
ant pelf were sole recipients Of honor
and reverence. Secularism is moi
tested to its Just dement's in our
present social conditions. Christian
practices still are strong in our world
Christian teachings still invigorate
our humanity. But time opens room
to the Logic Of philosophers; in a
broadened and unconflned field Of in
fluences, secularism will not fail ia
revive the spirit, II not the exact
form, OF olden paganism.
Social charity. strong in command
and in sacrifice, SO much needed in
the life, Of humanity, 80 loudly called
for by those needs, Is born Of re.
ligion: 1t flowers or withers. as dow.
ers or withers religion. Social chart.
ty, heroic in devotion, heavenly in
the sweetness Of its fragrance, in the
abundance Of its gifts. capable of heal.
ing tho cores Of humanity, of wrench.
ing it from misery and sin, laying no
stress on human gratitude, no hope
on human reward-it is the daughter
Of religion. It springs into life and
vigor from the conviction that God
commands and rewards the giving of
ones self to the succor of poverty
and Of suffering, from the deep in
sight ci 2 soul beholding the Incar-
nate God IA ths, thirsty and the hun
ey to whom WI 'proher food and
drinF. in the naked whom we clothe,
in the ignorant whom We instruct, in
the victim Of any and every i'll whom
we solaoe and heal.
| Ii social Justice the goal? Social
Justice is the consequence of social
charity; 1t issues from the same prin'
c!ple. A primordial right of every
man is the right to live; the Creator
in putting him on earth gives him
the right. He i to live, however
from the fruits Of his labor. To find
in those fruits sufhciency for a be
fitting livelihood. Sis the normal condi
tton to which every human being IL
entitled. This much secured, each
one receives further shares of the
common inheritance, proportional tc
talent. industry and the vigilant use
Of opportunities. Hence inequality in
society: hence the peril Of over
reaching cupidity on the one hand
Of discomfort and jealousy on the
other; and hence tho peril Of con
tontion and warfare. That men be
brought to respect the rights of others
when those rights presupposes a dim
mutation Of ones own gain, or re
4uire calmness of resignation in ones
own inferior lot. Is the problem Of
human society. Secularism does moi
solve the problem. Let each man be
the separate atom Of matter; let each
one have no other conscience but
such as matter begets; let each one
be concerned in the other only SO
much as one grain Of dust is con
cerned in another grain, as the one
and the other move in the general
mass, without slightest care in the
one fol the movement Of the other
the strife is one Of might, not one Of
right. Nought else will still the fury