d to deprive them of
some glory, would show that they only sought themselves, and that
to little love of the Church they joined much indifference for
their Order.

Charity, by uniting its good wishes and interest to the deeds of
others, becomes associated at the same time in the merit. It
shares in a certain manner in the gifts and labours of others. It
is, at the same time, the eye, the hand, the tongue, and the foot,
since it rejoices at what is done by the eye, the hand, the
tongue, etc., or, rather, it is as the soul which presides over
all, and to whom nothing is a stranger in the body over which it
presides.

XVII

TWELFTH CHARACTERISTIC

_Mutual Edification_

BE edified at the sight of your brethren's virtues, and edify them
by your own. In other words, be alternately disciple and master.

Profit by the labours of others, and make them profit by your own.
Receive from all, in order to be able to give to all. Borrow
humility from one, obedience from another, union with God, and the
practice of mortification from others.

By charity we store up in ourselves the gifts of grace enjoyed by
every member of the community, in order to dispense them to all by
a happy commerce and admirable exchange.

As the bee draws honey from the sweetest juices contained in each
flower; as the artist studies the masterpieces to reproduce their
marvellous tints in pictures which, in their turn, become models;
as a mirror placed in a focus receives the rays of brilliancy from
a thousand others placed around it to re-invest them with a
dazzling brilliancy, so happy is the community whose members
multiply themselves, so to say, by mutually esteeming, loving,
admiring, and imitating each other in what is good.

This spontaneity of virtues exercises on all the members a
constant and sublime ministry of mutual edification and reciprocal
sanctification.

XVIII

EXTENT AND DELICACY OF GOD'S CHARITY FOR MEN

IN order to excite ourselves to fraternal charity, let us try and
picture that of God for us. After having had us present in His
thoughts from all eternity, He has called us from nothingness to
life.

He Himself formed man's body, and, animating it with a breath,
enclosed in it an immortal soul, created to His own image.
Scarcely arrived on the threshold of life, we found an officer
from His court an angel deputed to protect, accompany, and conduct
us in triumph to our heavenly inheritance.

What a superb palac