The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-10-16
SCANDAL.

Scandal is the name given to all sins
which injure the souls of others. 1t
is "a stone of stumbling or a rock
of offense." 1t is hard to exaggerate
the enormity of this sim The murder
of the body is not so bad as the muir
der of the soul, yet scandal tends to
the murder of the soul, says the
catholic Universe of Cleveland.
The river of scandal Injuries the
Almighty by depriving Him of the
glory and service which belongs to
Him by robbing Him of the love and
service of His creatures. The scandal
giver cooperates with him who goes
about as roaring lion seeking whom
he may devour." 1t is no wonder that
our Lord says: Scandals must come,
but woe to him through whom they
come" He continues: Tt were better
for him that milestone were hanged
about his neck, and he were cast into
the sea, than that he should scandalize
one of these little ones Est. Luke
XVII: ~ Retribution will be de-
manded: "The wicked man shall die
in his iniquity, but will require his
blood at thy hands, Czech. III: 49,.
Some men are diabolical in actually
plotting and planning against the in
nocence of others, because like the
devil, they hate good. Sometimes it
is done by weakness and without any
generalization. Amendment cannot be
too quickly or too thoroughly made.
1t may be well to know that there
are nine ways by which persons may
share or cooperate in the sins of
others. These ways are: BY counsel,
or suggestion to sin; by command or
by using authority over others to
make them commit sin; by consent;
by provocation; by praise and 1attery;
by concealment; by partnership; by
silence and by defending the Ill done.
Scandal may be given innocently.
as, for instance, when on account of
ill health person may have a dispen-
sation to eat meat on fast day. Ii
opportunity presents itself a person so
dispensed ought to make that ex-
PLANTATION. Then again on account of
ignorance or weakness some may
take scandal when that is done which
is perfectly lawful. This is the
scandal of weak brethren"
There are some Protestants, who
have prejudices They have exagger-
ated notions of Sunday observance
and consider it sinful to play the
piano, or to toss ball or to have any
amusement on Sunday. AS far as
possible we should try not to increase
their prejuidces against the Church.
Then there is ''pharisaical scandal, =
as when the Pharisees were scandal
lied at the actions of our Lord, as
the healing of the bed-ridden man on
the Sabbath. Our Lord rebuked them,
saying: "If you have an OK or an ass
fall into pit on the Sabbath day will
you not Immediately draw him out on
the Sabbath day." We ought to re-
member that scandal may be given by
omission as well as by commission,
as when persons in authority fail to
perform duties incumbent on them.
Parents may give scandal by failing
properly to instruct their children or
by not keeping them from bad COM
pany or bad reading, or when they
permit them to take situations in
which faith or morals will be endan-
gered, or who do not firmly correct
their faults and failings. We need
scarcely refer to the times that par
ents actually give scandal by bad
language, by instigating their children
to lie or to steal. Teachers and others
in positions or authority should re-
member their responsibilities along
these and similar lines.
Good example is opposed to scandal.
Our Lord teaches us this duty when
He says: Let your light shine before
men that they may see your good
works and glorify your Father who is
in heaven" Then the prophet Daniel
says: "They that instruct many to
justice shall shine as stars for all
eternity" Daniel xfi:3.
The Lord has left two important
Offices to each of us, namely, to give
glory to Him and to give good example
to our neighbors. There is no one so
humble or in such a lowly station OF
life as to be unable to give good ex-
ample. The good example of the lowly
and their consistent lives have often
served as the guiding lights leading
others to the Church as the wonderful
star led the Wise Men to the stable
of Bethlehem.
st. Gregory says: "A large portion
of mankind is more moved to the de-
sire of heavenly things by example
than by argument. :.