interrupted in his own meditations, because this religious added great
mildness and suavity of manner to a rare talent of speaking about
heavenly things. Juniper, whom he found so valuable for his evangelical
simplicity, for his contempt of himself, and for his great desire to
attract upon himself the contempt of the world, that, alluding to his
name, he used to say good-humoredly: "I wish to God we had a wood full
of such Junipers."

The charitable father had all his children in his heart, and he brought
them up with a tenderness truly maternal. He was the first to go from
door to door, to ask charity to provide for their wants; sometimes he
even went alone, to spare them the mortification of begging, under the
impression that they might still retain the prejudices of the world
on this head. But the weakness of his frame not admitting of his
providing for all, and his religious being bound to subsist on charity
alone, he resolved to teach them to solicit it for the love of God,
and he made them the following exhortation, which they have recorded:--

"My very dear brethren and well-beloved children, be not ashamed of
soliciting alms, since our Lord became poor in this world for the love
of us, and that, following His example, we have chosen this state of
the most perfect poverty. For, if we have made this choice for the
love of Jesus Christ, we must not blush at begging in our quality of
poor. Heirs of the kingdom of God should not blush at what is a pledge
of their heirship. Yes, we are heirs of heaven; this is a benefit which
our Lord has obtained for us, to which He has given us a right, as He
has to all those who choose to live in a state of holy poverty. I make
known to you as a truth, that a great number of the most noble of the
age will become members of the Order, who will consider it an honor
to solicit alms, and who will look upon it as a favor to be permitted