THE APOSTLE OF YOUTH
come good Christians and honest citizens. I bless you and all who aid your undertaking."
Don Bosco leaves his children, so dearly cherished, "four thoughts as a souvenir". These thoughts are elaborated with a wisdom drawn from the natural and supernatural experiences of nigh-fourscore years in the service of God; to my mind it is a treatise on sociology in a nutshell. First, if we wish to take real care of our own spiritual and temporal interests, we should, above all, take to heart the interests of God and procure by charity the temporal welfare of our neighbor. Secondly, if we wish to obtain favors readily from God we should practice the mandate of our Lord, Date, et dabitur vobis. Give and it shall be given to you. In the third advice he impresses forcibly upon them the truth that almsgiving is not a counsel to be dispensed with if one pleases, but a rigorous precept included in the commandments of our Divine Saviour. It is only a counsel to give away all one's possessions, as religious do who embrace voluntary poverty; but the precept Quod super est date eleemosynam, But yet of that which remaineth give alms (St. Luke XI), obliges the distribution of superfluity of property. He confirms his teachings by picturing for them the scene of the Last Day and drawing out the parable of Dives and Lazarus; then, quoting the powerful utterances of St. James, he ends with these words: "By means of charity we shut behind us the gates of hell and open those of Heaven."
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