14 DISCOURSES or FATHER HYACINTHE. 



l)roiiglit into the world, tlio idea of true cosmopolitan- 

 ism and luimanitarianism, the idea of the city and peo- 

 ple of God! The nations are more than consolidated; 

 they are concorpcvcaJ, because they are "partakers of one 

 promise," and of one divine life, " in Christ by the gospel." 



Ladies and Gentlemen, I call to mind the first appear- 

 ance of the symbol of the cross on a military standard. 

 A prince, of Avhom I speak reservedly — for thongh in 

 certain relations he was tlie beneûictor of the gospel, he 

 also, in my opinion, inflicted on it no little injury — 

 Constantine the Great — {tokens of a2)provaI] — at that 

 moment he was great, indeed, for he was struggling 

 against the blind and violent resistance of expiring 

 paganism; in one of those prophetic dreams which 

 come to great men on the eve of the great events of 

 their lives and of the world's life, Constantino saw the 

 Christ holding in his hands, oh w^onder! a flag of war; 

 but on that flag was traced the cross ! 



The cross upon the flag ! It is first the transforma- 

 tion of war, and then its destruction : transformation by 

 justice and charity, destruction by peace. No ! since 

 that ray of heaven marked out the cross upon the 

 Labarum, there must be no war save just war, waged 

 only for the defence of right against violent aggression, 

 and consequently against war, and in the interest of 

 l)eace. All other war than this is pagan, even though 

 Christians l)e its soldiers ; and the cross of Jesus which 

 it profanes shall be avenged, in tlie judgment of the last 

 day. No ! under the standard of tlie cross, no more of 

 liatred, revenge, cruelty! But on these fields of horror, 

 yet of moral beauty, the same hands Avhich have in- 

 flicted wounds shall come near, trembling with pity, I 

 liad almost said with remorse, to stanch and heal. In- 

 stead of that savage war-cry of antiquity, Vce victiSj 



