Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/587

 the semblance  of  the  constitutions  of  the  Church  and State to  the  perfect  constitution  of  God's  heavenly kingdom. The Church  is  the  most  perfect  society extant. Her authority  emanates  from  one  invisible through one  visible  head,  pervading  her  entire system, down  to  the  very  lowliest  official  in  the service, and  binding  her  many  and  varied  members into  a  very  marvel  of  unity. And a unity  not  of  bodies  alone,  such  as  the  State can boast — bodies  held  together  by  moral  or  even physical force  and  aiming  at  social  order  and  temporal prosperity — but  a  unity  of  souls,  and  hence  of bodies  too,  whose  object  is  man's  spiritual  welfare, whose methods  are  to  convince  with  truth  and  persuade by  love,  and  whose  high  destiny  it  is  to  bring man into  the  everlasting  possession  of  the  all-good — of God  Himself. By reason,  therefore,  of  her  divine origin, mission,  and  ultimate  destiny,  the  Church  is as  far  above  the  State  as  God  above  man,  as  the  soul above the  body,  as  heaven  above  earth;  and  as  such, while teaching  us  to  give  to  Caesar  the  things that are  Caesar's,  she  justly  claims  that  in  a  conflict of rights  our  first  duty  is  to  give  to  God  and  God's Church  the  things  that  are  God's.

But in  this  utilitarian  age  we  are  apt  to  reckon claims to  our  allegiance  according  to  the  benefits we receive  from  the  claimant. What, then,  has  the Church done  for  mankind,  and  what  the  State? Nineteen hundred  years  ago  each  started  on  its beneficent mission. The State  being  a  creation  of the  people,  backed  up  by  the  support  of  the  majority,