Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/127

 apostates howled  and  gnashed  their  teeth  at  him, because he  declined  to  redeem,  as  they  thought,  the national honor  by  taking  his  own  life. The defaulter, the criminal  brought  to  bay,  sentimental  lovers  and seekers after  notoriety,  captains  of  sinking  ships  and generals of  routed  armies,  and  even  men  with  every worldly advantage,  but  still  tired  of  life,  all  seek  in suicide  a  happy  release,  and  are  popularly  extolled  for their self-respect  and  bravery. Facts like  these  show the popular  tendency.

But there  is  one  institution,  the  Catholic  Church, that takes  a  bold  stand  against  this  horrible  modern mania. She spurns  from  her  sanctuary  and  her  consecrated  soil,  the  vile  body  of  the  suicide,  she  bans his action  as  an  outrage  against  society,  against Nature and  against  God. She denounces  him  as  a  selfish coward,  and  while  charitably  recommending  him to God's  mercy  in  her  private  devotions,  she  neither entertains herself  nor  holds  out  to  others  much  hope of his  ultimate  salvation. In a  word,  though  from  a popular  standpoint  there  be  crimes  of  a  darker  hue than suicide,  there  is  none  other  by  which  from  a Catholic  standpoint  a  man  so  utterly  renounces  his religion and  his  God.

" Thou  shalt  not  kill." Christ Himself  tells  us  that all of  the  ten  commandments  are  summed  up  in these  two:  "  Thou  shalt  love  God  above  all  things, and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself;  "  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill," therefore, is  but  a  negative  way  of  asserting  the  positive duty  of  justice  and  love  man  owes  to his  fellowman. But not  only  to  his  fellowman,  but  also  to  him-