The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-09-20

oueuces of all this; nor should we as Chris /
tians and Catholics need any one to teach us
our duty under such circumstances, nving
as we do, in a country, where naturalism,
and it's offspring, indifferentism, are gradu-
ally taking the place of religion.
We believe in our holy religion as the re-
vealed will of God, as our infallible guide
in all matters of truth and morals, and that
labor to secure the salvation of his lmmor-
tai soul.
We know that the great majority of the
people in every country are obliged to earn
their daily bread by the sweat of their
AMID tas but by
Gods providence in this world, and that,
consequently, they have neither time nor
opportunity to become solidly Learned. we
are convinced that the best and only real
education is that which hts men 70 oas-
charge their duties in the various condl-
tons of life in which God has placed them,
and tt, prepare them for another and a bet |
ter world, that /" an humble peasant is bet,
ter than proud philosopher" and that an
this forced, superficial educatloh in wnicn a
the pupil studies little of everything, and
learns nothing, is an evil rather than an ad-
vantage, as it only tends to puff him up,
! and make him discontinued with the more
humble and ordinary occupations OF life.
AS to the pastors and spiritual guides OF
our people, it is our duty to keep these I'M
|
dition in this world, and the real end OF his
existence ever before them, as their only
preservatiye from the false humanitarian
! systems which are so prevalent IN our days.
and which tend to pervert the whole ordeI
of society. Fortunately, we are not obllsed
| to lose any time in finding out what We are
to teach, or what we are to do. Coo III his
goodness has made all this very clear and
plain to us. In matters OF doctrine, OF
course, there can he no doubt, and in matters
4 l.,., M
tons of the day, competent authority mas dls
tinctly marked out the path we are to TO low.
On this all important question of educa-
ton, for instance, to say nothing OF the
principles of our religion as applicable to
it, which are so clear that an Intelligent
child may form all accurate Judgment IN
the matter, we have the repeated exhorta-
ton of the Sovereign Pontiff, and especially
his letter of the l4th of July, 1864, addressed
to the brave old Bishop Of Freiburg in Ba-
den, which makes our duty as clear as the
sun in the heavens.
(which has reference exclusively to the
knowledge of natural things, and the aims
of social life upon this earth, an education
which ever turns away from the truth re-
vealed by God, must, of necessity, sink IN
to a spirit of error and vice; q training
: which puts knowledge apart from Christian
doctrine and moral discipline into the minds
of the Young, those minds so flexible, and
easily perverted to evil, cannot but have as
F it's result a rising generation impelled only
by vicious inclinations, actuated only ny
, selfish motives, and certain to bring the
heaviest calamities upon their families ana
+, their country.
y "But if this most perniciOus system OF
F education, that namely which is esGranged
: from The Catholic faith, and the Church's
ApfIuence, is most mischievOus to 1ndlvl-
: fduals and to society, when concerned about
, the higher walks of literature and science,
, and about the education of the respectable
. classes of society in schools and public in
: stitutes it is obvious that even much more
. crievous evils must flow from such a system
. when introduced into schools for the com
3 mon people. In these schools especially
= ought the children of the humber ranks tt
n be instructed from their earliest years IL
y the mysteries and precepts OF our molly reii
g gion and to be carefully trained In plety
,, and good morals, in religion and their dut.
~ ~ to the State. And in these schools the reli
y gious teachings ought to be made OF suci
It primary Importance, and mold SO preuEm
~ inant position, as that the other branche
10 of Knowledge which arc taught there shoui!
~ appear to be only secondary and advent
~ tious. Wherefore the young are exposed
ID the greatest dangers, unless In the a1oIesai
-, schools education be closely conJolned VIII
~ religious teaching. And most rightly liza
~, ~. the Church's care, solicitude and vlSllanc
~ always been engrossed by these school
~ above all other institutes, because the
- were especially established for the purpos
Of of giving to the people a religious training
ira and keeping alive i'll them the discipline
as piety and Christian knowledge.
,aI And certainly in all countries whe1
,at this most mischievous design is attempte
~, m,i or carried auty-ofs eliminating from I'll
I'D schools the Church's authority, and tt
ma young unhappily become thereby expose
,eo to the danger of losing their faith, theE I'll
, ,ot Church ought not only with the most enc
..,' getic zeal TO use every effort and to spa
~ no endeavor that the youth may have nee'
vi, VI full Christian instruction and education, ib
The ~ Is also ne, 49,, oy - them thew cannot.
INT iu', anu w c.,t snnh schoois which q