Page:The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII.djvu/585



REVIEW OF HIS PONTIFICATE. 57\f

The spirit of the Gospel will spread life anew in the heart of our corrupted society and in its perishing members.

In what concerns Us, Venerable Brethren, in order to hasten the day of divine mercy, We shall not fail in Our duty to do everything to defend and develop the kingdom of God upon earth. As for you, your pastoral solicitude is too well known to Us to exhort you to do the same. May the ardent flame which burns in your hearts be trans- mitted more and more to the hearts of all your priests. They are in immediate contact â– with the people. If, full of the spirit of Jesus Christ and keeping themselves above political passion, they unite their action with yours they will succeed with the blessing of God in accomplishing marvels. By their word they will enhghten the multi- tude; by their sweetness of manners they will gain all hearts, and in succoring with charity their suffering brethren, they will help them little by httle to better the condition in which they are placed.

The clergy will be firmly sustained by the active and intelHgent cooperation of all men of good will. Thus the children who have tasted the sweetness of the Church will thank her for it in a worthy way, viz., by gathering around her to defend her honor and her glory. All can contribute to this work which -wall be so splendidly meritorious for them ; Uterary and learned men, by defending her in books or in the daily press, which is such a powerful instrument nov made use of by her enemies; fathers of families and teachers, by giving a Christian education to children; magistrates and representatives of the people, by showing themselves firm in the principles which they defend as well as by the integrity of their lives and in the profession of their faith without any vestige of human respect. Our age exacts lofty ideals, generous designs, and the exact observance of the laws. It is by a perfect submission to the directions of the Holy See that this discipline will be strengthened, for it is the best means of causing to dis- appear or at least of diminishing the evil which party