fig-tree, and every tree that brought not forth good fruit, should be cut down and cast into the fire. "Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently!" Heaven grant that this awful threat may never be realized in the case of any of the souls that the Lord has confided to my care! Would to God there was not even one slothful person among us! But, alas! it is not one, but many we have in our midst, who seldom or never think of God and their salvation; who have no taste, no zeal, no care but for temporal things; who run after these with the greatest speed, while they are slow, sluggish and heavy in pursuit of the most important of all affairs,-that of their eternal salvation; who are never ready, never disposed, when there is a question of taking part in a good work; who neglect the duties of their state, fail to comply with the commandments of God and His Church, because they find them hard and difficult, or who observe them only against their will. Alas! too many are the Christians who are slothful with respect to God and their souls! What a multitude who suffer the days consecrated to the Lord to pass by unprofitably! Who content themselves with hearing a low mass, through human respect or custom; who assist at it with distracted minds, without devotion and without prayer, always finding the service too long, and fearing lest the minister of God should ascend the pulpit to address them some few words of exhortation; so great is their desire to hasten back to their business, their amusements, their wordly pleasures, or their sinful gratifications in the tippling shops and taverns! Is not the number of those unworthy and criminally slothful Christians very great, who, though heaping sin upon sin, and swallowing down iniquity like water, yet are not in the least disturbed at their unhappy state, and delay their conversion without scruple? They resist the voice of the Holy Ghost calling them to repentance; they return not to God, but go on amusing themselves in the paths of vice, and when they present themselves, as they one day must, at the door of the bridegroom's house, must they not expect to hear Him say: "I know you not?" They lay up for themselves a treasure of wrath against the day of wrath; and when shall that day come? perhaps it will be to-morrow!

These also should be reckoned among the slothful,-who shun and hate those courageous people who reproach and reprimand them for their sins. The Holy Ghost marks them, so to speak, with the

seal of reprobation, for He says: "The man that with a stiff neck despiseth him that reproveth him, shall suddenly be destroyed."* Such a one sneers and laughs at simple and devout persons, mocks their piety, and turns into ridicule the religious exercises which they practice but the Scriptures tell us that there is in hell a class of miserable wretches, who reproach themselves with having mocked at the just and considered as a folly the regular life which these led on earth. Eternally shall they repeat, with unutterable grief: "We fools esteemed their life madness, and their end without honor; behold, how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints."

Very grievous, my Brethren, are the sins which spring from Sloth it produces forgetfulness of God, of salvation and eternity; it begets contempt for the commandments, for the word of God, and for the practices of piety,-it keeps men in the way of perdition,it is the mother of hard-heartedness and of final impenitence. It is therefore with reason that a holy father calls Sloth the bed and pillow of the devil, and that the Holy Ghost compares it to a wild and uncultivated ground, full of bad weeds, and whose entire surface is covered with thorns. It is a dismal solitude, for the soul in which it prevails possesses no virtue;-it is a dreary desert, full of horrors, for sin abounds there. Surely, my Brethren, you will dread and shun Sloth, since you wish to please God and gain heaven. Thank God, there are in this world many fervent Christians,—many excellent models of every virtue. No doubt, the days in which we live are evil, still there is a goodly number of people, who endeavor to fulfill God's holy will. I set them before you as an example for your imitation. Yes, my Brethren, imitate these true Christians, who piously and fervently assist at the prayers of the Church, who glory in the cross of Jesus Christ, who delight to come frequently to purify their souls in the salutary waters of penance, and to receive strength by partaking of the bread of angels in the holy Eucharist. Imitate these true disciples of the Saviour, who are meek and humble of heart, who readily forgive their enemies, who love their neighbors, and have compassion for the afflicted and the poor. Imitate these devout parents who take

good care of their families, who rear up their children in a Christian manner, assiduously watching over their domestics, and establishing the reign of religion and virtue in the hearts of all under their charge. Imitate them, be like them, laborious, be like them, vigilant, and employ in a holy and worthy manner, the days of your life, the number of which is fixed, and for the good or bad use of which you must shortly render an account. Let us carefully husband those precious moments which so rapidly glide away, and which shall never more return. Let us be servants faithfully and constantly occupied with the work of our heavenly Master,-busy about the salvation of our souls, that, when the Lord shall come, we may be able confidently to address Him in His own divine words: "I have glorified Thee upon earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do."* The Supreme Ruler is just and equitable,-He will render to each one according to his works: sorrow, shame and confusion to the slothful and negligent servant; peace, happiness and glory to the vigilant and faithful. Endeavor then, my Brethren, all of you, to be of the number of servants whom the Lord loves and rewards,-it is in your power. If you fear that your strength will fail you, pray, and God will pour into your hearts His graces and blessings, fortitude and wisdom. Thus, supported and strengthened, you shall do good,-you shall avoid evil,—and you will deserve to be one day addressed in the consoling words: "Well done, good and faithful servants, enter into the joy of your Lord.”—AMEN.

* St. John, xvii: 4.

SERMON C.

ON OUR INCLINATION TO SIN.

"For the imagination and thought of man's heart are prone to evil from his youth."-GENESIS, Viii: 21.

It is from the mouth of the priest that the faithful must learn the science of salvation. It is our duty to make known to you the law of God, that you may observe it; the beauty of virtue, that you may adhere to it; and the deformity of vice, that you may detest and shun it. I believe I have fulfilled this duty by giving you a complete course of instruction on Christian doctrine. Do you desire now to love and practice truth and virtue? Do you desire to detest and avoid vice and error? Do you, in a word, desire to combat and overcome the natural Inclination to Sin which exists in your hearts? If you do, make good use of the means which I am about to point out to you, and you shall certainly attain your desire.

To combat and overcome this invisibe power, this violent inclination which too often draws us away from God, and drags us into sin, we must first of all be convinced that virtue is of all things the most necessary for us, that it is a duty incumbent on us to endeavor to be saints. Now, is this the sentiment of the generality even of Christians? Alas! how often do we not hear people say: "We are not angels, and can not be expected to fulfill such difficult duties. What harm can there be in following inclinations which are founded in our very nature? We must live, must get on in the world, and this we never can do as long as we confine ourselves within the narrow limits of strict virtue. What we do, multitudes of others also do, and why should we not live like the rest of mankind? Beside, temptations are so frequent and so strong, that it is impossible always to resist them; and our passions are so violent, that there can not be much harm in sometimes yielding to them." Such, my Brethren, are the thoughts which, in some form or other,

we but too often hear expressed by many who call themselves Christians. Can we be astonished that, while such sentiments prevail, young men are to be found without shame, and young girls without modesty; grown men unjust, and old men irreligious? They deny that virtue is a duty, and consequently make no effort to practice it but this is the language of vice and folly, and not that of truth and wisdom.

No, my Brethren, we must not obey the voice of our senses and our passions, we must not follow our animal instincts, as if we were beings void of intelligence; we must not make ourselves like to the brute. We are not permitted to use all means, whether good or bad, just or unjust, to procure for ourselves what we suppose to be useful or agreeable to us in this world. The Almighty has given us reason and conscience, that we may know how to distinguish right from wrong, good from evil; and the better still to preserve us from being deceived, He has revealed to us His divine will, and by the religion which He has established, made known to us the laws we must fulfill. "Be ye holy," He says, "for I the Lord your God am holy;" and again, "be ye perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Thus too by the mouth of His Apostle St. Paul, He assures us that it is His desire that we should all become saints; that we should contribute to His glory, by advancing in the practice of good works; should put off the old man conceived in sin, and put on the new man created to His own divine image.

Virtue is therefore a duty incumbent on us. He who denies its necessity, manifests the corruption of his heart, and is condemned by both reason and conscience. He belies himself and speaks thus only because he wishes to lead an easy life. He never would give expression to such language if, entering into himself, he were seriously to consider the day of his death, and the eternity which awaits him. He certainly will not speak thus, when he is called on to leave the world. He shall then find truth in his heart and in his soul. On his bed of death, surrounded by his children, he will say to them: "My children, be wise and virtuous: this is your first duty; love your religion, and observe its precepts, for thus alone can you attain happiness. Fly vice, practice virtue, such is the will, such is the command of God. Walk before the Lord in justice and holiness; resist your passions, struggle against the