moves on, no one regrets your ill-luck. It is still the old cry, "The King is dead, long live the King; " another is the idol of the hour.

against you, all is lost: the world world is a stage and men are actors, is most forcibly brought to your notice by the passing events of the day. The aspirations of the human mind, the corruptions of government, the intrigues of statesmen, the defalcations of public servants, the general desire to acquire power, accumulate filthy lucre without

Pure air is deemed necessary to support life, and essential in the dissemination of morality, so much so, that philanthropists constantly ser- giving the equivalent honest labor, monize on the curse imposed on the all these considerations cannot fail to community by poorly ventilated and impress you with the necessity there badly constructed houses, while yearly each session of the legislature considers a series of bills to aid them in their good intentions.

exists for those bound by the saving bond of Catholic faith, to try and cement that tie of brotherly love the more firmly, by association, by an earnest coöperation to stem the tide of pollution and iniquity swelling so strongly, and apparently able to sweep every vestige of truth and virtue from your midst.

bound as you should be in works of benevolence and charity-show an example worthy of imitation. Go forth armed with the Ithurial spear of grace, the touch of which will discover the lurking foe and drive him away disarmed and crestfallen.

All are forgetful of the fact that the polluted atmosphere is due principally to the moral condition of man, who either from apathy produced by irresolution; from ignorance, the result of parental indifference; from pride, Show therefore, possessing as you do the effects of the Grundian edict so the authority founded on the promise firmly established in society, or more made that even the gates of hell shall frequently from an inordinate ambition not prevail against the Church, and to assert a self-constituted independence which gives temporarily a fine appearance for the edification of kindred spirits, but finally presents to society the prodigal, an emaciated spectacle vainly attempting to return. Too late has the resolution been formed and the onward step taken, he meets not with the The secret of success lies in the kind indulgent father prepared with motto of the ancients, "Nosce teipout-stretched hands and a fatted calf to sum." Know thyself. welcome the wanderer from truth, duty, and home-no, in the place of that kind father stands the eternal judge, whose authority in the heyday of life and health was despised, now ready to confirm the sentence proclaimed at the dawn of the world's formation, that nothing defiled shall enter the mansions of everlasting bliss.

The truth of the remark, that this

Study thoroughly the state of your affairs, like a skilful mariner take soundings as you sail in the frail bark of life toward the broad ocean of worldly experience. Remember, that your mission is a peculiar one, that you stand alone, friendless.

You must be self-reliant. "Know thyself."

History, both ancient and modern,

presents many striking examples of sought to thrust his self-constituted, fickleness of man, the rashness of his but admitted dearly bought control, enterprises, in success or defeat al- against the infallible authority of the ways the same unsatisfied, restless Vatican. His power was set aside, being, ever intent on schemes, seek- Waterloo and St. Helena tell the tale, ing self-aggrandizement, whether in and Chiselhurst has received the dying the capacity of an Alexander, mourn- breath of the last of his race likely ing over no more worlds to conquer; ever to wear the imperial purple, leading, Cæsar-like, thundering legions while the authority of Rome has never to repress and destroy the liberty failed, never ceases, ever continues old of his fellow-creatures, or brandishing in years, young in vigor. the bloody dagger of a Brutus exulting in his achievements-it matters not, human frailty is the same wherever the divine authority is not known or acknowledged.

The world has witnessed the careers of her Attilas and Napoleons, but knows them no more.

So will it be, before many of you here present shall have received upon The cry of the rabble at the dawn of your brows the winter chaplet of years. the French revolution, "On to the The despot of Germany will have Bastille," is the same to-day, when the passed. Bismarck will have vanished, bloodthirsty followers of the red flag only to be traced by the vandalism of clamored for the life of the Archbishop war, marked in streaks of blood, deof Paris-a sacrifice which God vastation, confiscation, and ruin. His deemed necessary to permit, to show power for evil lost. this material age of scepticism and doubt that communistic sins required to be effaced in the blood of a saintly prelate.

You can still turn your eyes toward the Eternal City, to gaze with rapture on the benign countenance of the Father, the Universal Church brilliant Yes, human nature, debased man with serene and heavenly smiles, as he intoxicated with power, struts back- dispenses graces untold and forgiveward and forward, flaunting his sup- ness unmeasured to his enemies by that posed authority in the face of the authority descended from the throne world, upheld, it may be, by a hungry, of God, and not to be relinquished unidle, dishonest rabble, as was Mirabeau, til the archangel's summons shall bring when he exclaimed to the King's all mankind to the presence of the deputy, who requested the Citizen As- Supreme Judge, who will demand a sembly to disperse, "Go, tell your true record of how power was used master, that we sit here by the power of and by what authority. the people, and we are only to be driven out by the bayonet."

He says not we are here by authority; no, for they had none, and by the bayonet they were driven out, first by Lafayette, and finally by the Corsican, who in turn, inebriated with power,

Reflect, as you turn the pages of history, that temporary notoriety is always in the inverse ratio of permanent celebrity. That which strikes the vulgar and ignorant is not calculated to endure the cool examination of intelligence, and that which satisfies the

intelligent few is not understood by Dressed in a little brief authority: the vulgar multitude.

Most ignorant of what he's most assured-
His glassy essence, like an angry ape,
Plays such fantastic tricks before high
Heaven

As make the angels weep: who with our
spleens,

Would all themselves laugh mortal.

Every seven or ten years has its vulgar prodigy, but the pantheon of universal history rejects all these popular idols, and consecrates none but truly original minds applied to subjects of substantial and universal Society requires your aid in the interest based on undoubted authority. dissemination of correct views relative From this you can readily infer, to the duty of man toward man. that in this great city, where the in- Your influence for good is unlimited, ducements to political preferences are your sphere of usefulness not conso many and success at times so easily tracted or curtailed. attained, there exists great but unseen. danger of moral destruction and to the intelligent Catholic young men of correct principles there should exist a natural abhorrence to affiliate

Your efforts to aid and encourage one another in well-doing, to show by example that the teachings of wisdom and morality are not mere theories, but in your hands practical evidences of what Catholic young men can do for

"Where lowborn baseness wafts perfume themselves and the good of the community at large.

to pride."

By acting in this manner the popuDanger truly there is, and you are lar voice and fashionable ideas in fully aware of the nature and character favor of infidelity to word and to of political life and its vicissitudes honor, with the demand for the repuof fortune. I cannot but believe diation of every obligation due on the that the great Shakespeare had a part of manhood, from a financial act to politician as an abuser of authority the annihilation of the solemnity of under mental dissection when, in the marriage tie, will have no effect "Measure for Measure," he causes on your course, and you may be able Isabella to exclaim,

O, it is excellent

To have a giant's strength: but it is tyrannous

To use it like a giant.

Could great men thunder

As Jove himself does, Jove would ne'er be quiet,

to check the onward career of many good but misguided young men who are thus acting of their own perverted volition without the slightest semblance of authority. You may hear it said: Very well, but liberty, glorious liberty; you are Americans and by the nature of birth must indorse the cry of

your

For every pelting, petty officer
Would use his heaven for thunder: nothing liberty.

but thunder.

Merciful Heaven!

Thou rather, with thy sharp and sulphurous.
bolt,

Splitt'st the unwedgeable and gnarled oak,
Than the soft myrtle; but man, proud man,

True, when it is liberty by authority, not license by usurpation.

"When once," says Bossuet, "we have found the means to catch the multitude by the bait of liberty, it

follows blindly, provided it only hears science and civilization; hope, that has the name."

Another distinguished writer says: "Separate the idea of liberty from that of its end, which is our individual perfecting the good of society and the glory of God, and what is left you under this name? Nothing but a savage instinct."

Woe to him who sees in liberty only a means of oppressing the liberty of others! Woe to him who loves only his own.

Even in the present day you may say of it what La Fontaine has said of true friends: "Nothing more common than the name, nothing more rare than the thing."

Character in your case is power; you cannot therefore afford to listen even aside for a moment to the alarms raised from time to time, for the purpose of getting your attention diverted from the legitimate object you have in view. That object so beautifully expressed in your formula of initiation, the obligation due by works of mercy toward the suffering members.

produced reliance on the goodness of God and stimulates you to further action; whilst Charity, the guardian angel of poor humanity, is the connecting link in your great work of benevolence and fellowship.

Take charity from society, and disorder, bloodshed, discord, and hatred will enter; chaos will ensue, and the efforts toward justice will prove fruitless.

Persevere, and as Schiller sweetly sings,

Have love, not love alone for one!
But man as man thy brother call,
And scatter like the circling sun
Thy charities on all.

Then grave these lessons on thy soul,
Strength when life's surges maddest roll,
Hope, Faith, and Love-and thou shalt find
Light when thou else wert blind.

Again you are reminded to persevere. The duty you owe to God calls on you to fervently express your love for the good you have been able to perform, and the duty you owe society demands from you the example of inHerein your authority has given you dependently and firmly rejecting every Faith; that, in the language of Wen- doctrine and idea contrary to Catholic ninger, has bestowed upon the world faith.

The heart is like a plant in the tro- | some in rocky crevices, some by river pics, which all the year round bears courses, some among mossy stones, some flowers, ripens seeds, and lets them fly. by warm hedges, and some in garden It is shaking off memories and drop- and open field, so it is with our experiping associations. The joys of last year ences of life that sway and bow us are ripe seeds that will come up in joy either with joy or sorrow. They plant again next year. Thus the heart is everything round us with heart seeds. planting in every nook and corner; and Thus a house becomes sacred. Every as the wind which prostrates plants is room has a thousand memories; every only a sower sowing seeds, planting door and window associations.

ST. JOHN.

I'm growing very old! This weary head
That hath so often leaned on Jesus' breast,
In days long past that seem almost a dream,
Is bent and hoary with the weight of years.
These limbs that followed Him-my Master—oft
From Galilee to Juda, yea, that stood

Beneath the Cross, and trembled with His groans,
Refuse to bear me even through the streets,
To preach unto my children. E'en my lips
Refuse to form the words my heart sends forth;
My ears are dull; they scarcely hear the sobs
Of my
dear children gathered round my couch;
My eyes so dim, they cannot see their tears.
God lays His hand upon me; yea, His Hand,
And not His rod. That gentle hand I felt
All those three years, so often pressed in mine
In friendship such as passed a woman's love.

I'm old! So old I cannot recollect

The faces of my friends, and I forget
The words and deeds that make up daily life;
But that dead face, and every word He spoke,
Grow more distinct as others fade away,
So that I dwell with Him and holy dead
More than with living.

Some seventy years

I was a fisher by the sacred sea,

It was at sunset! How the tranquil tide
Kissed dreamily the pebbles! How the light
Crept up the distant hills, and in its wake
Soft purple shadows kissed the dewy fields,
And then He came and called me; then I gazed
For the first time on that sweet face.

Those eyes

From out of which, as from a window, shone

Divinity, looked in my inmost soul,

And lighted it forever. There His words