Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-27

scholarship IN the University OF Ia
Qua until the day when he died
crowned with the triple diadem of
eanctity, erudition and supreme au-
thority, we behold in him the qualities
of noble Christian MANHOOD high
and holy ambition to be of service to
his fellow men in the paths of beneyo-
lence and courtesy, devotion to duty
united with energy and fidelity, gem
uine goodness of mind and heart ac-
companied by unswerving honesty,
industry and integrity. These were
natural gifts inherited from Chris
tian parents and nurtured in that
hottest of sanctuaries. a truly Chris
tian home. These qualities were SUI
pernaturalized by loving loyalty to
Christ our Lord, as the supreme
teacher. saviour, lawgiver model and
judge of mankind, and they found ex-
preston in self sacrificing zeal In the
service of others for Christ's sake and
in heartfelt humility which caused
him to rely in every emergency on the
help>whieh cometh down from above
from the Father of Light
To such man high Offices of re-
sponsibility and dignity were only so
many instruments and opportunities
for exercising those natural and eu-
pernatural qualities which the inf1u-
ence of the Catholic home and school
had ingrained in the very fibre of his
being. 1t is not surprising that he
was model priest, bishop and Pope.
The character of the man would have
made him successful in any vocation
or In any office. Whatsoever his hand
found to do he did with his might,
conscious only of doing his duty to
the best of his ability and leaving
events to the providence of God.
Given a man of his character, united
with the intellectual ability which he
possessed and this in turn cultivated
by assiduous study and fervent
prayer, what wonder is there that In
every position he was called on to fill
results were attained and access
achieved? Having been ordained
priest, what was there for him to do
but to strive with might and main to
be such a priest as Christ, the great
High Priest, expected him to be? If
ne knew no thought of self, II he
toiled with unremitting and whole
hearted zeal to win souls for Christ,
If he exerted every power of mind and
body to teach, sanctify and save
souls, especially the souls of the little
ones of Christ, the masses Of the peo-
pie and their children-for what else
had,he received the chalice of saliva
tionSand the yoke of the Divine Mas
ter? And when he was summoned to
bear a weightier burden whether at
Mantua, or in Venice, or In Rome, did
he cease to be priest? Was he I'M
der less obligation to labor with I'M
ceasing energy to restore all things
in Christi Was this not his plain
duty, and Il he did not fulfil it as fully
as God gave him the strength to fulfil
L. 49, -
to his VOWS and an object of scorn to
himself and to every man Of like high
and noble character as a man? Such
were the principles that animated
Plus x.
In Mantua he found the people Sc
duced by the flattering Inducements
of Socialism. In Venice he had to
contend with false liberalism. In
Rome he found that men eminent in
scholarship in the eyes Of the world
were making their so-ca1led scientific
attainments the measure and cri-
terion of the eternal truths of Gods
divine revelation to mankind. What
credit was due to him, he would have
asked, IL to each of these evils in turn
as they came under his notice he OPP
posed the sound doctrines and the sa-
cred discipline which not only he, but
every priest and bishop, have solemnly
vowed to uphold unto death. To a
man like Plus X, penetrated with
divine faith, permeated with ardent
love of Christ and of those for. whom
Christ suffered and died, his whole
soul consecrated to the duties of the
priesthood of Christ, his duty was
plain as day, and to such a man to
knoW his duty was to fulfil it. He
was thus the exemplar of Christian
manhood for all Christians
Results Of His Life.
THE consequence was that
throughout his career he has given
us living example of good and
true priest. And this we believe to
be the highest tribute we can pay to
man. For the ideal of thetrue priest
is the most exalted, his vocation the
most sublime, his office the most
holy, his duties the most spiritual,
and his mission the most important
and most sacred that can be assigned
to a human being. A priests sphere
of labor is threefold, in the domain of
religion, education and charity. In
the domain of religion Plus x. exert
ed his great intellectual abilities to
the utmost, but it was not so much
by precept as by example that he in
fiuenced men. Every detail of his
life and very incident of his career
proved that he was first and above
ali good and virtuous man. a de-
vout and Jealous priest and bishop.
whose one aim was to promote among
all men and women the knowledge.
love and service of Jesus Christ, our
Lord. In the domain of education he
showed himself absolutely untiring in
his efforts to foster and promote the
religious education of all the people
through the medium of gospel preach
ing, of Catholic schools and Of the
Catholic press and of good reading
in the homes OF the people. In the
domain of charity he was so con-
spicuous that he has been called the
Pope of the poor. 1t seemed as IL his
chief characteristic was large
minded and generous hearted benev-
nlence that caused him TO desire for