Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, 28 August 1913, Page 3

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK’S CALENDAR August 31, Sunday.—Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost. . ■ Sept. 1, Monday.St. Louis, King and Confessor. „ 2, Tuesday.St. Stephen of Hungary, King and Confessor. » 3, Wednesday.St.. Elizabeth, Queen of . Portugal, Widow. » 4, Thursday.—St. Hose of Viterbo, Virgin. - „ 5, Friday.—St. Lawrence Justinian, Bishop and Confessor. ~ 6, Saturday.St. Rumold, Bishop and Martyr. St. Louis, King and Confessor. St. Louis was King of Prance, and never has that country enjoyed the blessing of a wiser or. more virtuous ruler. Though his life in the midst of his court was that of a perfect religious, he never neglected the affairs of Government, the public duties of his position, or the wants of his people. His alms deeds were unbounded, and one of bis greatest pleasures was ministering to the sick in the public hospitals. St. Louis died in 1270, at the age of 55. ■ St. Stephen, King and Confessor. „ St. Stephen was the first King of Hungary. ' Brought up from infancy in the Catholic religion, his greatest ambition was to bring his idolatrous subjects to a knowledge of the true Faith. At the same time, he endeavoured to promote their temporal interests. A brave and skilful general, he never engaged in war except when an honorable peace was impossible. St. Stephen died in 1038, at the age of 60. St. Elizabeth, Widow. St. Elizabeth, by birth a Spaniard, was married at an early age to the King of Portugal. In surroundings which invited her to a life of luxury, she practised the severest mortification. On several occasions the influence which she derived from her exalted position and well-known sanctity enabled her to prevent an outbreak of war between the various kingdoms which then existed in the Peninsula. St. Elizabeth died in 1336, at the age of 65. GRAINS OP GOLD COME IN. Come in, My child, the portal stands ajar, Oh! I have bided long this hour and thee. Heard’st thou a whisper & thy wand'rings far ‘ Thy Saviour waits—come where thy rest shall be !’ Hush ! Well I know thy heart is sick and bruised, Thine idols fall’n, their empty thrones therein; , I saw thee when thine erring feet refused To bear thee further on the paths of sin. This yearning Heart hath found thee. I have sent My messenger o’er all the mountains bleak To seek the lamb that from My pasture went; The hour is late, but ah! My heart is meek. I’ve sorrowed much for thee with all this waiting, My famished lamb ! Forlorn and drenched art thou, With anguished Heart I heard thy piteous bleating Come in, beloved! My joy is perfect now. i ■ - ! There is no fairer sight for heavenly eyes than that of a pure and childlike heart. There are seasons when to be still demands immensely higher strength than to act. . The world oftener rewards the appearance of merit than merit itself.La Kochefoucauld. The nobleness of life depends on its consistency, clearness of purpose, quiet and ceaseless energy.