gcls_WFP_870

"You must be holy, for you canot give what you do not possess. You and
I must devote a definite perio[obscured] every day to prayer, preferably at dawn;
otherwisie we are caught by the agitations of the day and the complications
of our activities. In the early morning, we have not as yet been seized
by the day's whilwind. And remember, the greater the fear of God, the less
the fear of man."

"Mercier was in the catherdral one morning dressed without conspicuous
insignia of his rank, accompaied by one ofof his priests. A young German
lieutenant stood looking up s[obscured] the Rubens altar piece with an expression
that caught the attention of [obscured]he Cardinal to whom boys were open books.
Speaking in Latin, Mercier a[obsucred]ed his comopanion what age he thought the
lieutenant might be. To his [obsucred]urprise, the lad turned, and with deference
replied: Diem natalem vicesiam hodie Mechliniae habeo' ( I am celebrating
my twentieth birthday here in Malines today)' Mercier's heart went out to
him as he stood before the altr, his youth and innocence covered by the
filth of the trenches. He wished him nay happy returns of the day, chatted
with him for a time Latin, men took him back to his dinner table where
he asked him about his home and all that meant much to the boy. At length,
the Cardinal questioned him about his life in the trenches.

'Ego dormio, et cor meum vigilat, he replied in the words of the sage ( I
sleep - it is my heart that keeps me awakae.)

Mercier was so touched that tears came into his eyes, and, thought the lad
told him he was not a Catholic, Mercier gave him his benediction, saying,
'I give you my blessing, not as from and Archbishop of the Church, but as
from an oldman who has always tried to do his duty, and is eager to en-
courage a young man who is going out to do his. Go, under God's care, and
may He protect you'.

Shortly afterwards, when the lieutenant was clambering into the train which
was to take him south to the front, an exxlesiastic handed him a package of
goodies and a book, the Carmina Horatii, with four lines underscored on a
marked page. They read:

Virtus, recludens immeritis mori (Virtue, to crown her
Coelum, negata tentat inter via
Coetusque vulgares et udam
Spernit human fugiente penna.

Virtue, to crown her favorites lovves to try
Some new unbeaten passage to the sky,
Where Jove a seat among the Gods will give
To those who die for meriting to live.

Horace, 111 2,6; Dean Swift's translation.

[black and white photo of a small room with a bed, fireplast, rug, side table and chair with a coatrack, on the fireplace is a candleholder and statue]

1109 [handwritten]