The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-01-02
CHARITY IN THE AGES Or FAITH

LA ED OF TIE Ml0O&E AGES
BETTER AND MORE SCIENTIFIC
THAN MODERN CHARITABLE
ENDEAvoR.
The loving care of the poor shown
by the great religious orders Of the
Middle Ages is acknowledged, says 10
seph Husslein, S. j., writing in the
Queens Work, even by the most
rationalistic historians. The wealth
of the monasteries was the dowry. of
all in need. Modern philanthropists
affect to scott at the charity there dis
pensed as unscientific. 1t was the
most scientific because the most
Christian of all methods Of assisting
our neighbor. 1t provided with equal
love for the spiritual and the temporal
needs of the poor. It left no misery
unrelieved. It did still more. 1t sane
titled the giver himself. Modern
philanthropy can never hope even re-
motely to achieve its results.
Only less devoted to the poor were
many of the guilds of this period.
Whatever their specific object they all
insisted upon the obligation Of char
ity. The principle which guided them
evidently was that, as the individual
is bound to observe the divine pre-
cept of almsgiving, so the society, or
group of individuals should not con-
slider itself dispensed from at least
the spirit of this law.
AneIo-saxon Prescriptions.
Most interesting, however, are the
provisions made in this regard by the
ecclesiastical authorities in the Anglo
Saxon days of England, before the
time of the Norman Conquest. Every
source was made contributory to the
common fund of charity. A thousand
rills were costantly emptying from
every side into the great stream of
ecclesiastical aims which, like some
mighty river, watered the entire land.
Even war itself was made to yield IN
one-third of it's spoil, and aYarice was
not exempted: LET him that col
lecteth immoderate wealth." Arch
bishop Egbert naively prescribed, "for
his want of wisdom, give the third
part to the poor" (Thorpe's collec-
ton of Anglo-saxon laws, II, 1922
The "Penitential" and Confession
ais" drawn up by the Anglo-Saxon
prelates for their clergy abound in
directions regarding aims. Catholics
of today might profitably take to heart
the regulations there given for Lent
and for the other fast days of the year.
Whether the faithful tasted, or
whether they were exempted from
this obligation, they could not escape
the law of bestowing their largesses
of charity. They were taught, indeed,
to give them at all times, but in par.
ticular on the prescribed days of pen.
ance. Modern Catholics too often for.
get that if they are excused from the
letter of the law, which ordains fast
ing, they are to remember all the
more the spirit of the law which
should urge them to daily works oil
self-abnegation and charity.
ut is daily needful for every man
that he gives his aims to the poor,
reads the regulation in the Ecclesias
teal Institutes. "Yet when we fast
then ought we to give greater aims
than on other days; because the meat
and the drink which we should then
use if we did not fast, we ought tc
distribute to the poor" Ibid. 1917
1t was not necessary, of course, to
give the actual meat and drink; but
it's equivalent. Christians, in brief
were not to practice thrift by fasting
For those, however, who did not fast
the law was no less exacting. "But
let him." directs Archbishop Theodore
who can not fast give aims to the
poor according to his means; that II
for every day penny, or two, OF
three, ETC." Ibid. ST. 1t Is to b.
understood, we may add as a caution
that money then had far more thar
ten times it's present value. Elsewhere
likewise we find the same ruling tina
where fasting was impossible it wal
to be committed into an offering o.
money made in the true penitentia
spirit.
Church TIthes.
The great means, however, fol
securing an unfailing fund for the sup
port of all the poor and sick AND
needy of every kind was the institu
ton of the much-decried and little
understood 1.-THE of the Church. Alike
under the laws of Ethelred, Edgar anC
Archbishop Egbert we find exactl!
the same division of this regular in
come intended for the beauty of thu
House of God, for the maintenance b
it's servants, and for the poor of thu
entire land. 1t will be sufficient tt
quote Archbishop Egbert's ordinance
with which the other laws perfectl.
agree.
"The priests" he directs, "are Il
take the tithes of the people, and Il
make written list of the names o
the givers, and according to the AL
thority of the canons they are TO di
vide them in the presence of men tina
fear God. The first part they are t
take for the adornment of the Church
the second they are, in all humility
mercifully to distribute, with thei
own hands, for the use of the poo
/ and strangers; the third part, how
ever, the priests may reserve 70
Il @hav,hca1uac (Thi6