XII. THIRD PRESERVATIVE
XXIII. FOURTH PRESERVATIVE
XXIV. FIFTH PRESERVATIVE
XXV. SIXTH PRESERVATIVE
XXVI. SEVENTH PRESERVATIVE
XXVII. EIGHTH PRESERVATIVE
XXVIII. NINTH PRESERVATIVE
XXIX. TENTH PRESERVATIVE
XXX. ELEVENTH PRESERVATIVE
XXXI. MEANS TO SUPPORT THE EVIL THOUGHTS AND TONGUES OF OTHERS
XXXII. SECOND MEANS TO BEAR WITH OTHERS
XXXIII. CONCLUSION
APPENDIX: THE PRACTICE OF FRATERNAL CHARITY

FRATERNAL CHARITY

I

CHARITY THE PECULIAR VIRTUE OF CHRIST

OUR Divine Saviour shows both by precept and example that His
favourite virtue, His own and, in a certain sense, characteristic
virtue, was charity. Whether He treated with His ignorant and rude
Apostles, with the sick and poor, or with His enemies and sinners,
He is always benign, condescending, merciful, affable, patient; in
a word, His charity appeared in all its most amiable forms. Oh,
how well these titles suit Him!--a King full of clemency, a Lamb
full of mildness. How justly could He say, "Learn of Me, that I am
meek and humble of heart"! His yoke was sweet, His burden light,
His conversation without sadness or bitterness. He lightened the
burdens of those heavily laden; He consoled those in sorrow; He
quenched not the dying spark nor broke the bruised reed.

He calls us His friends, His brothers, His little flock; and as
the greatest sign of friendship is to die for those we love, He
gave to each of us the right to say with St. Paul: "He loved me,
and delivered Himself up for me." Let us, then, say: "My good
Master, I love Thee, and deliver myself up for Thee."

Religious, called to reproduce the three great virtues of Jesus
Christ--poverty, chastity, and obedience--have still another to
practise not less noble or distinctive--viz., fraternal charity.
By this virtue they are not called to rise above earthly or
sensual pleasures, nor above their judgment and self-will, but
above egotism and self-love, which shoot their roots deepest in
the soul. They must consider attentively the fundamental truths on
which charity is based and its effects, as also the principal
obstacles to its attainment, and the means to overcome them.

II

FIRST FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH

_We are all members of the great Christian family_

CHARITY towards our neighbour is charity towards God in our
neighbour, because, faith assuring us that God is our Father,
Jesus Christ our Head, the Holy Ghost our sanctifier, it follows
that to love our neighb