JANUARY 23

How endearing and sweet on Don Bosco's lips were those expressions that were so familiar to him. The reflection of the state of his heart was transparent in his face. "How good is the Lord with us! He will not let us be wanting in anything. Let us serve Him faithfully." 

-"Let us love God, let us love Him much because He is our Father."

-"All passes away. What is not eternal is worth nothing." 

It is evident then that the method of education used by Don Bosco was that of bounty wisely and gently adapted to youth. Would that such a system were adapted in all Christian homes, in every institute of education, whether public or private, whether for boys or for girls. How easy it would render to youth the exercise of religion! How quickly would the remedy be applied to the first symptoms of oncoming evil! What a safe guarantee would it provide to good and innocent boys against the bad example of perverted companions! We would have pure and pious youth that would be the consolation of their families and the support of civil society. 

In this light it was appreciated by a great number of educationists especially from England. After St John Bosco's death many schools intended for poor boys, took his Oratory at Turin and its regulations as their model. Their founders studied Don Bosco's life and his practical system of education and followed his example, reaping a fine crop of ecclesiastical vocations. Don Bosco's picture hangs on the walls of those institutions and even in seminaries, in a place of honor. 

Even amongst Protestants Don Bosco had imitators. Fr. Bonavia was writing from our house in London on 12th of June 1903: "I am sending you two papers that contain some remarks about Don Bosco. They are not Catholic but they seemingly belong to the High Church, that is to say, they are Ritualist or Pueyist The writer, a certain Norman Potter, must, I believe, be the same person with whom, several months ago, one of our priests made acquaintance. He is the manager of a boarding not far from us and the confrere who paid him a visit saw in his drawing room the picture of Don Bosco with the motto DA MIHI ANIMAS CAETERA TOLLE. This gentleman has traveled through Italy and has visited several of our houses including our Oratory in Turin. He imitates Don Bosco in whatsoever he can. He has a chaplain (Protestant, of course) in his Institute. I believe he also reads the Salesian Bulletin. He gives a historical sketch about Don Bosco in the articles in question. The first Good Will, printed in 1900 is the shorter and has a portrait The second, Common Wealth, was printed this year; is more extensive and also gives a sketch of the Preventive system taken from the regulations of our houses. Whenever there is mention of frequent Confession and of Communion and of daily Mass he translates the word Mass into Eucharist perhaps in order to avoid the word Mass which is disliked by many even

Anglicans. He winds up both articles wishing that the Lord may raise up men with the spirit of St John Bosco here in England where they are so much needed."