Page:Anecdotescatechi00spiruoft.djvu/79

 that Wealth  and  Pleasure  were  but  things  of  a day unless linked  to  lasting  renown,  but  then  up  rose Health and  declared  that  without  her  all  three  were practically worthless. Virtue ended  the  dispute  by making  all  the  Greeks  admit  that  even  glory  is  but transitory, and  that  Wealth,  Pleasure,  Honor,  and Health, without  Virtue,  become  evils  for  those  who do not  know  how  to  use  them  with  discretion.

''Q. Did  God  give  any  command  to  Adam  and  Eve? ''

''A. To  try  their  obedience,  God  commanded  Adam and  Eve  not  to  eat  of  a certain  fruit  which  grew  in  the garden  of  Paradise. ''

It is  related  of  St.  Macarius,  one  of  the  Fathers  of the  desert,  that,  having  received  as  a present  a beautiful bunch  of  grapes,  though  he  longed  to  taste  them, he, to  exercise  himself  in  self-denial  and  obedience  to his  rule,  resolved  not  to  do  so,  but  sent  them  with  his compliments to  a neighboring  hermit. He, inspired with the  same  holy  motives,  sent  them  to  a third; the third  to  a fourth,  and  so  on  until  finally  the grapes, having  passed  through  most  of  the  cells  in the  desert,  came  back  to  St. Macarius practically  untouched. The latter,  on  receiving  them  and  on learning  after  inquiry  through  whose  hands  they had passed,  gave  thanks  to  God  that  in  the  world should be  found  so  many  faithful  sons  of  Adam and Eve  to  make  reparation  for  their  parents’  transgression.