CONCLUSION

To sum up this whole instruction in a few words, we invite you, O.-D..B-B., to conduct yourselves, during this election, with such prudence, moderation, truth, sobriety, justice and charity, that your conscience may aflerwards reproach you nothing. Our Lord asks: What doth it profit a man, Ÿ he gain the whole worid and suffer the loss of his own soul (St. Matt. XVI. 26) ? What will it profit you, O.-D.-B.-B, to have gained an election through illicit means, fraud, falsehood, violence, corruption ? Al] sin, says the Apostle St. Paul,

100 us TE)

ends in death, finis ilorum mors. the wages of sin, is death, stipendia peccati mors (Rom. VI. 21, 23). By faithfully following the advices we have just given you, you shall avoid much remorse, procure the happiness of your families, the honor of your parish and county, and the prosperity of the whole country. Good elections make good members ; good members make good laws, and good laws make the happiness of a people.

The present Pastoral Letter shall be read at the prone of all parishes, or missions, where an election is about to take place, the first time, when there shall be seriously question of it, the second time, on the Sunday or Holiday of obligation which shall immediately precede the voting.

Given at Quebec under our signature, the seal of the Arch-diocese and the countersignature of our Secretary, on the feast of the Ascension of Our Lord, the twentyfifth May, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.