Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 8 January 1920, Page 3

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR. Jan. 11, Sunday. Sunday within the Octave of the Epiphany. „ 12, Monday.—Within the Octave of the Epiphany. ~ 13, Tuesday. — Octavo of the Epiphany. „ 14, Wednesday.—St. Hilary, Bishop and Doctor. „ 15, Thursday.St. Paul, Hermit. „ 16, Friday. St. Marcellus, Pope and Martyr. „ 17, Saturday.—St. Anthony, Abbot. St. Hilary, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor. . "The illustrious doctor of the churches,” as St. Hilary is styled by St. Augustine, was born at Poictiers, in France, of a very distinguished family. Brought up in idolatry’ ho received the grace of conversion shortly after reaching manhood. Having been appointed Bishop of his native city, he distinguished himself as well by his learned confutation of the Arian heretics as by his constancy in bearing the ill-treatment he had to endure at their hands. St. Hilary died in 365. St. Anthony, Abbot. St. Anthony was a native of Upper Egypt. Ho was left by his father in the possession of considerable wealth, but, as soon as practicable, he made over his property to the poor, and retired into the desert, where for many years he led a life of considerable austerity. He died iii 356, at the ago of 105.

GRAINS OF GOLD GRATIA PLENA. O Virgin mild. Scarce more than child, }et peerless woman grown ! O fairest one (Except thy Son) From seed in Eden sown! All fearful thou. With blushing brow, Didst shrink from Gabriel's praise. But wo repeat The "greeting sweet; It ripples through our days, A love-song low (It must ho so, The heart's full fount brims o'er). * And thou dost smile On us the while; So more and more and more. Wo sinners dare, O Lady fair, To praise thee to thy face In childlike way (Love must have play): Hail, Alary, full of grace! —O.M.C., in Arc Marin. REFLECTIONS. Some men and women are living a strenuous life, but the things they are strenuous about is none of their business. They are busybodies in other men’s matters. Godliness is manly. Those who imagine that they would bo losing some elements of manliness by becoming godly are mistaken. No ungodly man is truly manly. Secret kindnesses done to mankind are as beautiful as secret injuries are detestable; to bo invisibly good is as godlike as to be invisibly evil is diabolical. Religion and education should ever go hand-in-hand, as it is only by their union that the highest type of manhood can be developed. There may be only two or three opportunities in a lifetime of proving oneself brave, but every hour of every day one may have the satisfaction of knowing that he is not a coward. ~ Apathy is imbecility. The measure of the emotion of which one is capable is the measure of the power of thought and self-devotion to which ho may attain. In the highest and most energetic natures feeling is most profound. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” No other aristocracy has this privilege. Blessed, indeed, are they in whose lives there is no shame, in whose souls no taint of envy, in whose hearts no stain of sin. The blessings that fall to the pure in heart are many, yet Jesus named but —the blessing par excellence, the privilege of seeing God. —Charles C. Girelius.