Le Louisianais. [volume] (Convent, La.) 1865-1883, 1868-05-30
Light or Darkness7-
IA a. o.
A LAY

tTGTNE E7T T -
tion. occupy The heart of man-,hat Of Time,
aud that Of Eternity. '4Temrorai", "Etcrnai',.
Here are two mastevs. one holding a snhor-
dinate rank, both bidding for human allegiance,
both claiming human wor<hip, and both indeed
obtaining human s~uf'ages, bnt not in the same
degree. .-' q"
To which Of the two masters is orr highest
allegiance due I? One is mortal, the other i'm.
mortal one dies, the olher lives; one snbserves
the cravings Of the Carna1 Man, the other
satisfies the Whole Man; and evidently so,
SINCE il cmbodies, 10 lis functions, the fnnc-
lions Of the subordinate. The greater contains
the less. If we cling 10 the immortal, we live
with it, and rise 10 its sublime level if TO the
other, we die. Who likes 10 die? -
Take men apart, and the majority will nm.
hesitatingIy declare in favor Of the immortal
and eternal. But in Society either their con.
vic'io's are changed or they feel justified in
acting against them or, still worse, they are
oblivions Of the consequences Of perpetrating
in Society, deeds, which, as individuals, they
feel satisfied, would consign them 10 perdiiion !!
Isolated, man gives his adhesion to Light, at
least in theory while The Social man seems 10
prefer Darkness, both theoretically and prac-
ticalIy and hopes 10 &C, ont its beles,s in
Social life, with %rerfec, impnni'y F! This is a
strange doctrine for a Christian people bnt I,
is the direct consequence Of The prevalent SEN
sualism and materia'ism 10 which we have. in
previous articles, incidentally allnded.
The end Of The social man is identical with
that Of the individual, Society must, conse-
quently, be governed Ivy The same rule Of &C.
lion that governs the isolated man. Our readers
know this as we'll as we wherefore we feel
certain thai they will exonerate lis from arv
intention Of loading onr clay preaching'' with
rnriianical censorionsness We are very mo-
dest in intention. and "liberal" in sentiment
perfectly satisfied TO let every one Minh as he
p'eases! but assuming, ourselves, The "libp,ty''
to think likewise, and-to put our thonshis on
paper! Our sole object, in short, is to clear off
some of the rubbish with which error is con.
t%iuually checking mp he social pathway; and
as we are assured, on The very hes, authority.
that Gle that walke,h in darkness, knoweth
not whittier he goe1h'', we have a comfortable
hope that the broad field we have selected for
our "~activily Of toiI'', ma. prove also a profit.
able one!
In limiting the dntieS Of Society TO material
things, or in making these the preIominatinc
object, the current philosophy Of the day,
teaches by implication that man has no rela-
finn with G,I ~ with ~, onrol, :. ,,,l,
human souls separated from the boly-,hus
ignoring the great facts of Revelation iynor-
ing The fac, that man is placed on ear,l, to con-
qner Heaven that human life is bn, a pilgrim.
age to the happiness Of Eternity and that the
end of all human effort, is as far above and
beyond material limits, as celestial surpasses
terrestrial happiness; as Eternal transcends
temporal good.
This fundamental error in 'he social problem,
has necessarily and very naturally led to serious
complexities in Society. Social science, indeed
seems TO be-, every day, growing more and more
%abstruse and incomprehensible nor can /, be
otherwise, when the philosophers who under.
take its calculation, first eliminate ChriMianiin.
from The problem, and presen, the whole cues
ton in a purely material and physical light
It is thus that we fnd men high in authority
subverting the natural order of Society, because
they have snbordinatcd The supernatural sa.
cFihcing The essential t" the accessory: because
they have falsiied The primitive ideas-,he re-
theories Of social existence.
These theories are no other, and can be no
other, than the fundamental laws by which,
man (singly or aggregated) must regulate his
so as TO attain the end for which he
was created. And to have a correct knowledue
Of these fundamental laws, we need bu, 10
know mans destiny, ard then see what laws
are best adapted TO conduct him to that. To
understand the destiny or end of any thing, is
simply to know why it has been made and
we can judge why any Thing has been made,
when we see hoo il is made, and its fitness for
some special end. y a's'' 3sasf 9"1.t. II
Now, we know tina, man is composed Of body
and soul and that the soul is endowed with
understanding and piAing. Understanding in.
vests man with the faculty of knowing; Will,
with the faculty of loving. The Creator has
evidently intended that man should know and
love. Blu, the principal inject Of this know
ledge, and of this love, mus, be such a one as
will insure mans greatest happiness. Infinite
Wisdom could have given those endowments
for nothing less. Wherefore, all human &C.
,ivify must be directed 10 his object, which is
God Himself He is the first cause; He alone
is the end. Only He, can satisfy The infinite,
void Of The human heart; the infinite longing
the human soul. a., 49, les ~ F.l3
Man being constituted capable Of knowing
and loving God, and being. by participation q
portion Of. The Divine n%ature,;i must also be
capable of possessing Him. But to possess
this Sovereign Goot, he must take tbs road
which conducts 10 Him. The light Of the
Gospel Revelation lights the way and that
way, man, BY his very nature, which is his