CARDINAL MORAN ON THE OBLIGATIONS OF CAPITAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 5, 31 October 1890, Page 31

CARDINAL MORAN ON THE OBLIGATIONS OF CAPITAL.

DUBING an address recently delivered by him, the Cardinal-Arch-bishop of Sydney spoke a 8 follows, as repotted by the Freeman 's Journal:^ Daring the past few weeks the thought must have forced itself upon them that the spirit of Christianity, wiih all its benign and efficacious influence, was most unhappily missing in the relations, of late bo much embittered, between what was called capital and labour. The peace aod prosperity of a community did not rest on its wealth. Tbe wealth of CrsMus did not secure happiness, unless with the possession of wealth was associated the Christian spirit which would enable a man to use that wealth rightly. As with individuals so it was with a community, and it was essential to the welfare of a country that there should be a Christian influence in tbe operations of capital. If they were guided by the Christian spirit of which he had spoken they would be ever mindful of the great principles of Christianity — in the first place to love and serve God, and in the second place to love our neighbours ac ourselves. If not guided by these two principles a man, though be possessed, 8u to speak, all the wealth|in the world, would only experience discontent, discomfort, and unrest ; certainly he would taste of no true happiness. In the case of such a man money became an idol, enthroned in hiß heart and in bis mmd — an idol, to the worship of which he became every day more and more enslaved, and wealth, instead of bringing happiness to tbe possessor or those around him, was only a source of trouble, and uneasiness, and anxiety. Oa the other band, when wealth, in the form of capital, was used in accordance with the principles to which he (the Cardinal) had referred, it became a source of benefit, of happiness, and of blessing, alike to those whose hands disbursed it and those who, in the ways of life, received it for their labour, for their skill, and for their ingenuity. If the principles of Christianity were observed and followed there * would be lees clamouriDg for law and order, there would be fewer appeals to jus'ice and equity in their sternest and coldcßt forms, and m«re resort to, more reliance on kindness and charity, and these Ohristia 1 methods were ofien efficacious wh re justice and equity as reognised by the world, failed in the settlement of disputes and in tbe re-establishment of social relations which had been rudely disturbed by misunderstanding aDd quarrels. He might; be permitted to give them an illustration of the practice of charity. Some years ago, when be wm io Italy, tbe vineyards in a certain part of tbe country.

were visited by a disease which robbed the peasants of the fruits of their year's work. la strict justice, as understood by the world, these poor men would have been obliged to pay their year's rent to the proprietor, though they had not made a penny by their labour. An appeal to equity might have released them from the obligation of paying their rent but would still have left them in a siate of poverty and temporary ruin The proprietor of the vineyards, however, acted on Christian principles ; he put justice and so-uallecl equity on one side, and adopted tbe suggestions of kindness and compassion. As the result of Christian influence the proprietor of the immense holding not only sent his unfortunae tenants a receipt in full for their years rent, but also made a gift to every tenant of £20 to tide over his difficulties and make a fresh start. It was to be earnestly hoped that in the settlement of the great question now agitating the public mind, the methods of reconciliation would be extended so as to embrace not only justice and <quity, but kindness and charity. It was essential to the true advancement of this favoured land that tbe social life of its people should be quickened by the Christian spirit springing from the recognition and the practice of the principles of which he had spoken, and which he hoped would be adopted and employed in the present crisis for the benefit of all classes of tbe community.