e most illuminating. They sound to us like the
Master's voice: "_Why stand idle all day . . . go you also into my
vineyard_."

[1] Since the principle of charity is God and the person who loves, it
must needs be that the affection of love increases in proportion to the
nearness to one another of these principles. For wherever we find a
principle order depends on relation to that principle. (Summa. II, II
Qu. 26 art. 7.)

[2] Cfr. "Army and Religion."--Book written by Protestant Army
Chaplains. It is a candid record of the failure of the Churches,
Anglican and Evangelical, at the front, during the great war.

CHAPTER VII.

PROS AND CONS

_Obstacles that impede. . . . Circumstances that help the work of the
Church in Western Canada._

The opening of the North West Territories to immigration, and their
creation into distinct Provinces of the Dominion stand as land marks of
portentous meaning in the History of Canada. The settlement and
development of these immense fertile prairies of the West were bound to
react on the economic powers and political outlook of our Country. By
the sheer weight of their economic value these new Provinces have
leaped into prominence and forced themselves upon the attention of the
Country at large. The Western issues are now so weighty that only the
greatest prudence and wisest statesmanship will maintain the
equilibrium between the conflicting forces of the East and the West of
our broad Dominion. Canada now stands at the parting of the ways in
its home and foreign policy. Every true and patriotic Canadian is
proud of the progressiveness of these new Provinces beyond our great
Lakes and anxious to see them bring their contributions to the
Commonwealth by sharing in the direction of its government. Their
presence around the family table is not that of strangers or intruders,
but of young, stalwart and rightly ambitious sons.

Yet, as Religion is the necessary factor of true prosperity, the
religious outlook in these young Provinces is what naturally appeals to
the Catholic mind. What are then the prospects for the Church in
Western Canada? A rapid survey of conditions will enable us to take
our bearings and impress upon our minds the value of our co-operation
at this juncture of our History. The Church in the West is in its
making and we cannot over-emphasize the responsibility of every
Catholic in the matter. The knowledge of existing conditions will be
to