eatest perish through
discord." Whilst the descendants of Noah spoke the same language
the building of the tower of Babel proceeded with rapidity. From
the moment they ceased to understand one another its destruction
commenced, and the monument which was to have immortalized their
name was left in ruin to tell their shame and pride.

On each of the four corners of the monastery religion or charity
personified ought to be placed, bearing on shields in large
characters the following words: (1) "Love one another"; (2) "He
who is not with Me is against Me, and he who gathers not with Me
scatters"; (3) "Every kingdom divided will become desolate"; (4)
"They had all but one heart and one soul."

VI

FIRST CHARACTERISTIC OF FRATERNAL CHARITY

_To esteem our brethren interiorly_

"CHARITY, the sister of humility," says St. Paul, "is not puffed
up." She cannot live with pride, the disease of a soul full of
itself. It willingly prefers others by considering their good
qualities and one's own defects, and shows this exteriorly when
occasion offers by many sincere proofs. It always looks on others
from the most favourable point. Instead of closing the eyes on
fifty virtues to find out one fault, without any other profit than
to satisfy a natural perverseness and to excuse one's own
failings, it closes the eyes on fifty faults to open them on one
virtue, with the double advantage of being edified and of blessing
God, the Author of all good. Since an unfavourable thought, or the
sight of an action apparently reprehensible, tends to cloud the
reputation of a religious, charity hastens before the cloud
thickens to drive it away, saying, "What am I doing? Should I
blacken in my mind the image of God, and seek deformities in the
member of Jesus Christ? Besides, cannot my brethren be eminently
holy and be subject to many faults, which God permits them to fall
into in order to keep them humble, to teach them to help others,
and to exercise their patience?"

VII

SECOND CHARACTERISTIC

_To treat brethren with respect, openness, and cordiality_

EXTERIOR honour being the effect and sign of interior esteem,
charity honours all those whom it esteems superiors, equals, the
young and the old. It carefully observes all propriety, and takes
into consideration the different circumstances of age, employment,
merit, character, birth, and education to make itself all to all.
Convinced that God is not unworthy to have well-bred pe