Saint Mary's beacon., 1914-01-08

chief interests ef their feilow-man
and so are powerless TO help him.
But more numerous than these
well-meaning but misguided work
ers are those who lack the second
qualification; those who cannot be
depended on to seek their neighbors
welfare-no, nor their own true
good either-whether they under
stand il rightly or not. The cry
today Il for men of loyalty, men
who can be depended on; not for
brains, talent, ingenuity, wit, these
can be found everywhere, but for
that sodality of character which is
founded on true wisdom. Far and
from the Rttermost coasts is the
price of it. We do not look for
record-breakers TO run our trains,
but for men who will realize that
on the precaution of an instant de-
pends the lives of hundreds. 1t il
the incaDacity of our house-servants
that wrinkles the housewives brow
with care; it is their lack of steadi-
ness, the fact that so few can be de-
pended on even for the smallest ser
/ =
;,dulterated. for banks that will not
fail. for police that are incorrupt.
And this cry becomes more in
sistent as the interests at stake are
more vital and more in jeopardy.
will lend any boy my pocket knife,
but will entrust my typewriter or
violin only to the man who knows
the value of those articles. and will
not abuse them; and my business
will put only i'm the hands of a man
OF incorruptible integrity. Not
brains but character, is the crying
need of the business world of TODAY.
There are plenty of clever boys
hanging around Wall street, said an
experienced New York broker To me
few years ago, plenty who are
shrewd and apt; but you must search
far TO find one who il reliable'-iD
other words bow of character. You
remember the striking answer which
the late Mr.. J. Pierpon, Morgan
gave when his hammers questioned
him rs to the true basis of credit.
He did not look for wealth he said,
in the person to whom he would adj.
vance large sums of money, bnt in.
tegrity of character; and he would
give credit to man of character
who was penniless, if interpret his
words rightly, where he would re.
fuse it to an unreliable millionaire.
| will not put my life itself, nor the
life of one of my family in charge OF
a physician who is a theorist or Z
dreamer; nor will | entrust that su-
preme temporal good to man whose
integrity has even for n moment
been questioned. The interests
guarded by the doctor or lawyer
are too vital, too easily endangered
to be entrusted to any but
men of soundest judgment
and unquestioned loyalty to their
clients need. If the witness on
whose testimony depends my reputa-
ton, dearer to me than life itself.
is true Holy Name man, | know
that he is guided by principle
which brands a false oath rs the
vilest of sins, and bids him shed his
life blood rather than wreck his soul
and his neighbors fair name by the
unspeakable malice of perjury. And
If the Judge on whose decision the
interests of thousands of Christ s
poor may depend, is a Knight of
Columbus, we know that his noble
order has taught him the infiexible
principles of justice, and looks to
him to fulfill it.
What must be the clearness of
vision and The steadfastness OF 10y,
atty demanded, when not the COM
fort, or the temporal welfare, or the
lives, or the reputation Of an indi-
vidual are at stake; no, not alone
the welfare of single city or state.
but of a whole country: When the
welfare is endangered by powerful
and worldwide enemies-when the
means of defense are inadequ uate.
when all depends on the foresight,
the ability, and the character of one
man, one among millions: Genius
and talent alone will never avail in
the situation. There is need of the
invincible strength of the spirit
that strength which must he yours.
honored Sir Knights and men of
the Holy Name Society, because on
you depends the welfare of your
country; and by the manhood of
our Catholic men will she stand or
fall.
DO you feel unequal to tn. task !:
Do you think that / exaggerate the
need of character: Remember that
centennial which You recently SO
gloriously celebrated; these pageants