Page:TheYoungMansGuide.djvu/184

 duced St.  Ulrich  of  Augsburg  to  oppose  with all his  might  the  Hungarians  who  swept everything before  them  like  a  flood? Truly the Catholic  religion  does  not  render  men weak, cowardly,  and  indifferent,  but  infidelity and materialism  are  inclined  to  do  this. For he who  knows  no  higher  interests  than  mere worldly ones,  how  should  he  be  willing  to risk  life  and  limb  for  the  sake  of  his  country?

3. Thus  religion,  our  holy  faith,  enables men, above  everything  else,  to  carry  out  into practice the  motto  which  is  inscribed  on  the banners of  so  many  rifle  corps:

The eye  for  the  Fatherland! But in  order that it  may  be  really  useful,  the  eye  —  I  mean the eye  of  the  mind  —  must  be  able  to  see  and perceive what  is  best  and  most  profitable for the  country. But in  the  case  of  many  a man  the  vision  is  obscured  by  self-interest, egoism, and  party  feeling. And this  is  the cancer which  in  the  present  day  is  eating  into the greater  number  of  civilized  nations;  so very  many  citizens,  and  among  them  those who an  at  the  head  of  affairs,  have  an  eye obscured by  selfishness  or  party  feeling. Hence arises  the  disregard  of  sacred  rights; namely, the  flagrant  encroachment  of  the secular power  in  ecclesiastical  affairs. Therefore a  free,  wide-open,  clear  eye  for  the  Fathered I    But  it  is  religion  alone  which  gives