The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-08-24
BY REV. D. J. OUILLAN

thropy. which Chief Justice Taft once
admirably e~pithetized as organized
emotion; and 1t must not be forgotten
that such cases also constitute the
blessed field of labor for genuine char
ity-the aid of the afflicted poor by
those who humbly claim the right to
Christlike poverty and vow themselves
permanently to practice it.
Throughout history-whether his
tory be religious, social, political, or
economic-the recurrent romance OF
the lowly wildly and wonderfully rich,
is the most consistent solo theme.
Fairy-tale books are stuffed with such
metamorphoses, and fairy tales tell
more truths of the story OF humankind
than many learned histories. II is this
I, very fact of the rich having once been
poor that is the basic and most violent
argument against them; but its recoil
is obvious: II is as direct and convinc-
ing n proof of the brotherhood OF man
as the fact that the children OF both
rich and poor have the same brands
OF measles.
1t is amazing how the one sa~tisfac-
| tory doctrine of the balance between
rich and poor is persistently misun-
derstood-the doctrine Of Christ. The
| Church is denounced in the same sem
tence as the protector of the rich and
| the protege of the, rich; yet all the
| Church has ever done Is to offer con-
| ISOLATION to the rich and poor on the
/ same terms-the doing OF their duty.
| The church has always taught and
teaches now the beatitude OF patient
poverty and the blessing of beneficent
wealth. The Church will always teach
these things because they are not only
of the essence of salvation, but OF the
essence of w~ell-ordered society. The
Church will always condemn the an
archie who, as d rule, are the
lazy or the demented poor, just as the
Church will always condemn the sell
fish rich who provoke anarchy. None
the less, the Church will ever insist
on the rights of both, with emphasis
on the rights of the poor; for the rich
can usually emphasize their own.
Brothers Of the Same Family
The most fragrant wrong done TO the
rich is the refusal on the part Of the
very vocal poor to accept Them as
brothers Of the same human family.
They are scorned and hated n gain
only the comfort they pay Tor, the
most precious material comfort, the
knowledge that they rest well in the
minds of men, Is denied them. But
IL it is exceedingly difficult for the
rich man to enter the kingdom OF
Heaven, and we know that he faces
an awful handicap, 1t is not iyuaran-
teed that mere poverty provides an
escape from hell. The rich may well
be blinded by their riches while the
poor have the gospel preached to them
In brief, the virtue Of charity, which
Is the final test of human nature that
is true to itself, is nowhere better
known than among those who know
the lack OF c~harity-the poor. For thu
rich, charity must indeed be charity
before II is a virtue. Yet the spiritua
pride OF poverty is as much a snare II
!, the soul as the material pride o
wealth. For, while 1t Is exceedingi.
!, doubtful that the camel, no matte'
how athletic, a pass through tn
, eve of a needle, 1t is none the les
: doubtful that the beam can ever b
removed from the eye that is habitual
: ly green with envy.