sign himself to the flames of Purgatory in order that Jesus Christ might be made known to infidel nations will surely have found abundant mercy before the Sovereign Judge?
CHAPTER XL.
Motives of Assisting the Holy Souls— Obligation not only of Charity, but also of Justice — Pious Legacies — Father Rossignoli and the Devastated Property — St. Thomas of Cantimpre and the Soldier of Charlemagne.
We have just considered devotion to the souls in Purgatory as a work of Charity. Prayer for the dead, we have said, is a holy work, because it is a very salutary exercise of that most excellent of virtues, Charity. This Charity towards the departed is not only optional and of counsel, but it is also of precept, no less than to give alms to the poor. As there exists a general obligation of Charity for almsgiving, with how much greater reason are we not bound by the general law of Charity to assist our suffering brethren in Purgatory?
This obligation of Charity is often joined to an obligation of strict Justice. When a dying person, either by word of mouth or by written testament, expresses his last wishes in regard to works of piety; when he charges his heirs to have a certain number of Masses celebrated, to distribute a certain sum in alms, for any good work whatsoever, the heirs are obliged in strict justice, from the moment they come into possession of the property, to fulfil without delay the last wishes of the deceased.
This duty of Justice is the more sacred as these pious legacies are frequently but disguised restitutions. Now,
