The sun., 1919-09-14

GUM, no wonder you have won the
hearts of all civilized nations! i
Cardinal Mercier's love for the poor
is deep and strong. By sharing in
their privations he feels himself drawn
still nearer to Christ and to them. His
private life is one of austere indulgence.
A couple of years before the war
broke out Malines was startled by a
word that flew around the city: mo
servant girl in a decent family would
be given so shabby a room to sleep in
as that of our Cardinal" The fact is,
an electrician having to place some
wires in the Archbishop's house was
obliged to pass through the Cardinals
bedroom. Struck with its utter sim
plicity and being alone, he took the
liberty to inspect ia small room
with whitewashed walls, cheap iron
cot, no springs to it, only planks on
which lay a sack filled with straw;
two kitchen chairs of unvarnished
deal, a clothes press and a washstand
of the same coarse material: curtain
less windows; not a rug on the bare,
implanted floor.
Such was the room of the Cardinal
"a Prince of the Church. The Arch
bishops Palace contains a stately
apartment for each of his Suffragan
Bishops-always ready to receive
them. Why did he assign this room
to himself? No need to ask-did not
Christ'say He had not a stone wherein
10 lay His head? Did He not say:
Go, sell whatsoever thou hast and
give TO the poor and thou shalt have
treasure in heaven; and follow me"
MARK X. 21.) Cardinal Mercier-a
follower OF Christ-follows Him closely
indeed.
There Is not a shadow of ostenta-
ton in this practice of poverty-Holy
Poverty as the Church calls it-a vir-
tue that has been dear to all the
saints. Absolute sincerity is stamped
ON every word and deed OF this truly
great man-as simple as p child with
all his greatness. A few lines from
the Rev. Father Stillmans in his lit
tie sketch OF the Cardinal. published
in January, 1915, delineates him truly.
Cardinal Mercier," he says. lis a
wonderful man--familiar with the
greatest problems. yet concerned with
the smallest details; honored as few
men have been. yet simple as a child;
working from early morning until far
into the night. yet always having time
to listen to every one. He Is known
to the whole of Belgium as a living
saint-kindness and readiness persona
fed"
Needless TO say the fare of such a
man is of the humblest-as many a
chance guest has discovered. One day
shortly after he became Archbishop,
two priests from a part of the coun-
try where good fish is rare happened
to call on him just as he was sitting
down TO dinner. He invited them to
share his meal, 1t was Friday. As
they crossed the threshold one wills
pered to the other: "Say-we're in
luck-a dainty fish dinner!" To their
surprise the menu consisted of pea
soup, potatoes and "stockfish," that Is,
dried cod. the cheapest and commonest
fish on the Belgian market. For des-
sert "tarte aux prunes," a coarse,
heavy prune pie reiished by the Bel
gian workingman. To crown the feast
water only was on the table until the
Cardinal ordered beer for his two
guests.
Now when Belgian family has
fallen into the direst poverty its case
Ia not stated in detail-all that people
say to express the worst Is, els
boivent de Peau!" (They drink
waterD The universal drink. with
large percentage OF exquisite and
costly wines. is beer, The mild Belgian
beer that can intoxidlts no one. In