The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-04-19
The Pope's Subsidy.

AOf~~S ~~.'>A>~S' '~'
We read that in the early days of Chris
tianity, all the property of the faithful was
held in common. The Church did not
receive tithes then, it possessed the whole.
In those days, there were no nominal Catho-
lies. They all meant what they protested
and the word "Christian" was synonymous
with (" Saint" The blood of the disciples
was ready I'd be given, at any moment, for
the truth, and theil money was not consi-
dered any better than their blood. Even
when, owing to the vast increase in the
numbers of Christians and the variety of
their conditions and pursuits, this custom
of community of goods was no longer prac-
ticable, each one, no matter how wealthy,
still considered himself merely the steward
of God for the administration of the goods
which had been committed to his care IF
charity applied, it commanded; is the needs
OF the Church were pressing, all WAS at It's
disposal,
How is it now . The ties of love and deyo=
ton which bind her childreu:to the Church
do not appear to be as close at pre.ent as
then. We see, for instance, at this day
the melancholy spectacle of our holy
mother, the Church, engaged IN IN arduous
contest with the impious. They compass
her about from all sides they Cypress her,
scofiat her and put her in mortal straits.
She has been despoiled Of the greater part
of her temporal domains and has scarcely
the strength remaining to save her capital
from the invasions of rowing outlaws. 1t is
the day OF her humiliation and weakness.
Eut the Catholic world is strong. 1t con-
taius most of the wealth and nearly all the
military ability of the age. Does it not rise
in it's might and with one indignant impulse
rebuke the insolence of these braggart inf
dels, and scatter their Vaccinations to the
Winds
Nothing of the kind Grudgingly and
scantily material aid is fu1 nished the Holy
Father, just sufficient 10 keep together the
body and so:.l of his tempo al power. Rich
and prosperous Catholics sit comfortably
at a distance, watching his peri, like Roman
spectators in an ancient amphitheatre look
ing calmly on while @ Christian strives for
life against ferocious wild beasts. Our faith
is so pure that we rest satisfied in the assll-~
rance that God will protect his Church and
overthrow her enemies. There would be
no danger of our being ranked among those
enemies, if our charity We're only IS active
as our faith is mmovable. In the meantime,
however, it might not he amiss to consider
the meaning of the saying, "whOsoever is
not for me is against me. .
Faith in the middle ages fought the Cru
sades for possession of the tomb of CHRIST.
Faith in the nineteenth century looks with
= ,,..tiy upon the efo:t 20 crucfy him again
In the " dark eges'' E 18th took the form of
chivalry, and shielded rom outrage the
de1enseless, even though st angers or enc
mics. Now, our own father is begi-t with
foes, hi brow is covered with the sweat of
the conflict, and his heal is troubled with
lis solrows, while modern chivalry leaves
him pretty much to his fate. This is the
more strange, that it is our battle which he is
fghting-the battle of truth against error,
OF oder against anarchy, of sccu, iGy against
raripe. He is an old man, and might well
sacrifice much for q tranquil evening to his
lie. He has no cili!d.en TO provide for, no
posteriiy whose interests he must protect.
Why, then, should he be expected to up
hold alore the banner of faith and civiliza-
t;on, as though it were his individual inter-
est7 Why should he not bow his head to
the sto-m of revolution, and let it sweep
away all social barriers:
Wea convinced that this apathy on the
pat of Catholics is caused principally by
igno .,nce of the situation. Let the Catho-
lie void be frily awakened to the emer-
ccucy, and the ardor OF former ages will
IL :enewed. The impulse has already been
'e..5 IN Europe, and faint vibrations of it
have reached even America. So fa-, how
~ fril,u