Demoine courier., 1855-01-25
From the Freeman's (Rom. Cath.) jour. 4th.
The immaculate Conception of our
Most Blessed Lady.

Most Blessed Lady.
The glorious news has reached ne, that on
the Sth of December, Pope Plus IN, OF the
immortal renown, in presence or me oaruJha.s
and princes of the Church, declared it in an ar
ticle of Divine Faith that THE MoTHER OF
Gop. OUR MosT BLESSED LADY WAS Con-
CEIvED WITHOUT ORIGINAL STAIN.
He that has ears 10 hear, let him hear! lie
that is athirst. let him leave off waiting beside
dry and broken cisterns, and make haste TO this
CITY of God, which is made glad by the tor
rent of a river flowing from the living fountain
Of waters.
The doctrine which is now promulgated as
an article of faith, and which henceforth it
will be heresy not to receive has long since been
believed by all pious Catholics. But this dog
matte definition of its truth and character is a
favor beyond. 1t ha: given Joy to the whole
world, and is it too much if we expect from it
the pacifcation of the nations, and a general
prostration of heretical and prosecuting forces?
1t is a year of sorrows that has preceded its an
nouncement. Cruel, bloody and causeless war
has carried mourning into tens of thousands OF
Christian homes. Famine has been standing at
the door. and a general distress, not altogether
accountable as 10 its sources, has disarranged
the business and The worldly wealth OF multi
tudes. The Church, too, and her members,
have been prosecuted. In the midst of these
Establishments, we must say it, men have not
turned in their hearts towards God. They have
forgotten his hand, and have vainly sought rem
edies in natural ways. The very depths OF hui
man misery and anguish have plead before the
throne of God for a more powerful intercession;
and the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, has taught
by his church truths that the world in earlier
ages was not able to bear.
vExrLI.A REGIS P%RoDEUNr.
A new banner is raised on the walls of our
salvation. 1t is set up by a strong hand, and
one that cannot fail. When the soldiers see a
new standard advanced by the orders of their
Chief they prepare assiduously to follow it.
The reason of our great eXultation at this new
definition is, because the saints and holy ones of
past ages, who have defended this doctrine,
who desired to live that they might see it defin-
ed-have predicted that this declaration would
be followed by atime OF great rest and advance
ment to the Holy Catholic Church. New gra-
ces were to be kindled in the hearts of the faith
full, and new multitHdes were to flock from the
paths of error into the great highway of Gods
truth.
Letthe Catholics Of America acknowledge
their past tepidity of faith, and hasten TO shake
it off. Let us betake ourselves to our great
Patroness-Mary of Immaculate Conception.
Let faith, and hope. and charity, grow strong
within us, and let US remember that God has set
our task before us-that of being, all of w, in
our various places, missionaries of the "Taber-
nacle of God with men " whose great business
is to save our own souls, and 10 convert this
young and mighty nation TO the love of God
who was born, for love of it and as, of the I'm
maculate Virgin.
The following is the dispatch received by the
Universe, of Paris, by telegraph:
VIENNA, Dec. 10, 1854.
lsTl,o Dxno Ur.at;r - O. Doto,s, h.
mulgated, after the Gospel Cat eleven o'clock)
the expected decree. The Immaculate Con-
ception is declared the faith of the Church, and
whoever denies it is a hereto.
"Twoh hundred bishops were present. Never
has such a multitude been seen. Rome is in
toxicated with joy"
Tit is seven centuries since the dispute on this
subject arose in the Church of Rome. 1t is
ahundred and forty seven years since the Inn
maculate Conception was sanctioned as an opin-
ion, but not as an article of faith. Before the
Dominicians and Franciscans, Scotists and
Thomists, Knights and Kings, ~Theologians and
Bishops were all at loggerheads on the subject,
and nobody could or would settle it. Two sue
cessive embassies were sent by two of their
most Catholic Majesties'' Of Spain to Rome
three hundred years ago to get the quarrel deci-
ded, but the Pope was a "Know Nothiog'' on
that point, and the ambassadors came home no
wiser. Plus TX it seems, is a Know Something.
Three centuries of dispute, and any amount of
ink and paper have not been wasted upon him.
The Church Of Rome viii certainly be reliev-
ed by the close of the controversy; we hope the
rest of the world may be.]-Bur. Tel.