The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-03-10

property, that we do no injury to IL,
and that we treat every one justly and
honestly in business and social inter.
course. These duties bind under pain
of mortal sin. Greedy and selfish men
find different pretexts to excuse sins
against justice or even to justify
them; God, however, does not change
His laws, and Furnishes the sins of in
justice, even when men have fallen so
low as to call injustice justice and evil
good" l consider it my duty to warn
those who are blessed with an album
dance of earthly goods against two
sins of injustice which are frequently
committed in this part of the coun-
try.
Here an usurious rate of interest is
often asked, causing poor people com
PEELED to secure loans to go deeper and
deeper into debt until they finally lose
all their property. The fact that poor
people are willing to pay a high rate
of interest does not justify the high
rate, for the poor are compelled there
to by their very poverty. We Catho'
lies should endeavor to counteract this
evil; this is most successfully done if
Catholic money lenders will be salts
fed with a modest profit. In this way
sound public opinion will be created
and usury will gradually disappear
A second grievous offense against
justice is often committed by raising
artificially the price of land. Thus
poor people are compelled by circum
stances to pay an exorbitant price for
land. In this way land spectators in
short time become immensely rich
the buyers, however, must suffer and
labor for years to secure their homes
/ call attention to these great social
evils because unprincipled men justify
such transactions under the pretext OF
Business"
We Catholics of western North Da
kota are numerous enough to influence
public opinion and to correct the pub
lie conscience in regard to these mat
tiers. Let us, therefore, in a decisive
way oppose every injustice against oul
fellow men; let us also take a firm
stand against every dedication of mate
rial success. The more new settlers
will be helped to establish their new
homes without suffering any oppres
sions, the more will this country de
velop for the welfare of the entire PEG
pie.
5. Justice and charity make it &
| duty of parents to provide for the tenn
poral welfare of their children. Mos
parents in this diocese have for tha
very reason faced the hardships of {
pioneer country. Now, having beer
blessed by God in their labors, lie
them and their children never forge
that economy, industry, simple ant
plain life, together with great kind
ness and charity towards their neigh
Dor, and, most of all, solid fear of thu
Lord God, must be the foundations TO,
every family and every individual
| Alas, how many sons of rich parents
have within a short time lost all thei
wealth because they did not possess
these foundations.
6. God wills that in the use and ad
ministration of temporal goods we b.
guided by the laws of charity. TIL
world often speaks of charity, but
when it rejects Christian principles
its love is generally only sentimental
ity and selfishness. For us Christian
Jesus Christ must be the example an
motive of charity. His love for us e1
ceeds all knowledge, with eterna
love He has loved us and having con
passion on us, He has drawn us
HIMSELF" His love embraces all me
of all times, for He has redeemed a.
men and wills that all men be mad
"Partakers Of His divine nature;;" Hi
love is SO unselfish that "He humble
Himself for us unto death, even t
the death of the cross" This love c
Christ should be our model and GU
motive in the use of temporal good:
Whatever we do for our fellow mel
we do for Jesus Christ; this is Hi
teaching. On the great Judgment da
He will say to His elect: Come Y,
blessed of my Father, possess tn
kingdom prepared for you from tn
foundation of the world For l wa
hungry and you gave me to eat;
was thirsty and you gave me to drink
| was a stranger and you took me in
sick and you visited me; l was i
prison and you came to me.-Amel
| say to you, as long as you did it t
one of these my least brethren, 20
did it to me-" Math. Is, 81, etc. No
to the Apostles He said: "Whosoeve
shall give you to drink a cup of waite
IN my name, because you belong t
Christ, Amen, l say to you, he sha
not lose his reward" Marc. 8, 40.
is important that we impress upon on
minds the words: "In my name, b,
cause you belong to Christ" Ever
human being belongs to Christ, bein
redeemed through His precious bloot
therefore, whatever we do to GU
fellow men, we do to Jesus Chris
We must endeavor to see Jesus Chris
in every human being. This ais
holds true in the use of tempors
goods; for only then when they al
really used for Jesus Christ, do the
receive their true value and dignity
Temporal goods are used for Jesu
; Christ directly in building and beaut
| Tying churches and nr0yidine fO,, th