154 DiscouKSEs or father hyacinthe. 



life-nnd-dcatli struggle with the powers of nature, in 

 wliich man, overcome at first, and always the Aveaker 

 party, triumphs at last, ])y force of intelligence and 

 bravery and virtue ! 



It is our trial, too, brethren — the trial of our charity. 

 I have spoken of the solidarity of mankind in sin and in 

 punishment. I have done so with hesitation, almost 

 with violence to my own feelings, so that I might come 

 at this nobler solidarity of the world in love. The love 

 that is in Christ Jesns binds together not individuals 

 alone, but nations. It cannot rest save in the grand 

 unity of the human family. Ah ! how fain was I, also, 

 to rest, before my task was done, at that vital point 

 where meet, at last, after so many a conflict, the spirit 

 of my church and the spirit of my age ! Xeed was for 

 me to set forth in my words, what you are about to set 

 forth in action, the doctrine taught nigh two thousand 

 years ago by the apostle to the Gentiles, which now, at 

 last, is just beginning to come to the comprehension of 

 mankind. '^ By revelation," says he, " there has been 

 made known to me a mystery which in other ages was 

 not made known to the children of men." What is 

 this mystery which Saint Paul calls ''the mystery of 

 Christ ?" " That the nations should be fellow-heirs and 

 concorporeal'- — sublime barbarism of speech I — ''of 

 one body, one humanity, sharers together in the prom- 

 ises of God in Christ Jesus by the Gospel."* Hence- 

 forth, then, there is no longer stranger nor foreigner in 

 mankind such as the Gospel conceives it, such as some 

 day the Gospel will make it. Henceforth there shall be 

 no more sea, nor intervening mountains, to keep asun- 

 der the nations, but mutual love and mutual helpful- 

 ness in the advancement of their common work. 



* JEphcHiaui?, Hi. 3-G. 



