The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-05-10

room; and the means Of ventilation Appeared
to be sufficient. Despite These. excellent fea--
lures and arrangements, the school may be q
very bad one; the minds Of the pupils may
neither be proftably exercised nor suitably fed;
yet every reader can see how such schools AZ
allure children. Probably seven of their
Protestant pupils out of ten become Catholics
sooner or later. .,,r
have been more numerous since the war than
before. During the Z" mission" recently held at
st. Stephens, In New York, the number of con-
verts was eighty. This is nothing to boast OF,
sidering theextent Of the parish and the dura-
ton of the mission )" nor indeed, have converts
ryet come in with any great rapidity 1t is the
quality of the converts, not their plumbers, of
which we hear 10 much the expected rush has
not yet begun. am informed that few edu-
Gated persons in most city parishes are inquir-
ing, with more or less earnestness into the Cath
olic faith, and l am further assured that these
inquiries generally end in conversion. Among
the most frequent causes assigned by inquirers
for dissatisfaction with their hereditary belief
are the following: The difficulty Of believing
in the literal infalibility of the whole Bible;
the gloom of the Sabbatarian Sunday the ban
placed by many sectarians upon innocent
pleasures, such rs dancing and the drama,
pleasures; the frenzies of the camp.meeting,
more. revolving, in some parts of the country,
than the howhngs and WRITINGS of the Der
wishes OF Turkey; the painful uncertainty
whether their souls are Saved" OF not the
dizziness and barrenness Of the public service in
which q ttnty is assigned to ecery clergyman
namely, the production of two powerful and
entertaining sermons every seven days. The
effect Of the war in multiplying conversions is
escsped division; since the Catholic Church
alone kept itself always and entirely alOOf
from the political questions involved. The
spectacle OF this unity in the midst of such con-
tention and severance has proved captivating,
I am told, to several educated minds. have
been assured by . distinguished PrUtestsnt
general, who served in imPortant commands
who; e scsass, were of much utility in the Geld
were Roman Catholic chaplains which ,he at
tributes to the fact, that they alone were,
be that the exploits of some of our Protestant
chaplains in the way of living on the coun-
try" contrasted with the strict observance, by
Catholic chaplains, both Of military and eccle-
slastical rule, had some effect upon obseryant
Protestant minds. - -, -
such are some of the reasons assigned for
the unbo9nded confidence with which our Ro-
man Catnoilc brethren count upon being the
final and eternal Church of the United States
mate.
For fifteen centuries the Christian Church
has undertaken to perform for all the inhabit-
ants OF Christendom two offices having no
necessary connection and therefore capable of
Deing separated One of these offices have
styled III u previous page, expounding the
universe or, in other words, assuming to de-
clare nth authority what peonle must think
concerning the origin of things, the destiny of
man, the nature of the Supreme Being, and the
general government of the world During the
past three centuries or more o conviction has
been gaining ground, that no man or body of
men IL: competent to do this On such suI-
Jects it is now agreed among the ipteiI;gent
part OF mankind, that one mans theory or con-
1ecture, however interesting or consolatory it
IA may De, cannot be binding on any other man.
1t is now agreed, among those whose Thoughts
nhaliy become the thoughts of mankind that
on such subjects as these there can DE no such
TN sg a. gritty opinion This part therefore, of
nearly accomplished. 1t will be quite accom-
Phshed when the greater part of the inhabit-
anus IN OF christian countries are made partakers
OF modern knowledge. During former ages
the Church did q kind and needed service. Ser,
maps, In concealing from man his own iano-
rance ne now knows his ignorance: he also
knows the only method which can ever exist of
!essening it and he knows, consequently. that
In TINS matter priests cannot aid him.
But the other duty of the Church remains
t;nn on ;Iancuicatng virtue, assisting regenera
m Mon' 9uloing, cheering, enrolling human life.
MS remains. This will never be needless rs
long as man is weak, virtue difficult. and vice
tasIl M human reason is not equal to the
verse; but 1t is equal to the task of discovering
how men ought to feel, and how men ought to
ACT. No body of men can ever have the right
20 say what we ought to think concerning the
;, unknowable;" but any man, by life of fl
deity aud charity, can acquire absolute GER
tainty respecting the duty we owe to ourselves
and one another.
The churches will be slow to assent to tbcs,
truths familiar ~ they to men of the
world but the indifference of the public TO
"doctrinal," and it's eager Interest
in everything practical" will Continue TO
have its effect Do we not see the Pope. who
began his reign by establishing a new doctrine,
end it by regulating the dress of women do
we not see a grand council of bishons ris,n"
superior to theological subtleties, to consider
me ne pernlcioIs consequences of keeping up balls
Hnt.
Calvinistic clergyman of New York soar;msS
above all Calvin's gloomy crudities. and nd
,ressi !! :, himself to the nobler higher, and
more more alc,fft work of throwing light upon the
'"sies Oh employers to employed Poor work