ON CHARITY. "THOUGH I speak with "the tongues of men and of Angels, and "have not charity, I am become as soundહું ing brass or as a tinkling cymbal. "And though I have the gift of pro"phecy and understand all mysteries, and "all knowledge; and though I have all "faith, so that I could remove mountains, "and have not charity, I am nothing. "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body; 1 "body to be burned, and have not charity, "it profiteth me nothing." Such are the eloquent words of St. Paul, in the xiiith chapter of the first of Corinthians, and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd verses, after which he enters into an explication of the word charity, and demonstrates that there is no christian virtue to which more duties are affixed. The voice of nature at all times calls aloud on the benevolent heart to act as steward to its fellow creatures perishing through sickness, imprisonment, cold, hunger, or nakedness. St. Paul extends the meaning of charity yet farther, for he calls upon us to beware of envy, vain glory, and pride; to behave with meekness, to avoid anger and iniquity, to rejoice only in the truth, to bear all mortal calamities, to hope all things and to in dure dure all things, for charity never faileththough prophecies shall fail, tongues shall cease, and knowledge shall vanish away. Strangers and pilgrims on the earth, charity requires that we consider the whole human race as descended from one common parent, and that virtue alone is the praiseworthy distinction; for in the tomb, the body of the king and the beggar return alike to dust, and before the great and awful judgment seat of God, shall alike receive the reward of their good and evil deeds. Universal love reigns in Heaven, and our Creator requires this love of all his offspring, as indispensably necessary to render them worthy of him; for in the love of God and of his creatures, is comprehended the whole duty and happiness of man. Supply then the necessities of life in your own state, and extend the overflowing bounties of Heaven bestowed on you, on your fellow creatures. Beware of the depraved and artificial wants of society, for they extinguish the genuine sentiments of humanity and virtue, and render us regardless of the exalted precepts of the gospel: A good man is always more happy in what he gives than what he keeps; for he lays up for himself a treasure, which neither moths, nor rust can corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal,-a treasure beyond all price, and whose interest can never be sufficiently estimated. Our blessed Redeemer assures us, that when he shall come in his glory to judge the world, he will consider every act of love and mercy extended to our fellow creatures, as done to himself; and such is the power, the persuasion, the goodness, the greatness of his words and language, that that I shall offer them to the most serious consideration of my young friends, trusting that they may make a deep and lasting impression on their hearts. "Then shall the king say to those on "his right hand,-come, ye blessed of my "father, inherit the kingdom prepared "for you from the foundation of the world. "For I was an hungered and ye gave me "meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, naked and ye cloathed me.-I was "sick and ye visited me, I was in prison "" and ye came to me.” -- "Then shall the righteous answer him, "saying, "Lord, when saw we thee "an hungred and fed thee?-or thirsty "and gave thee drink?-When saw we "thee a stranger and took thee in, or "naked |