The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-09-26

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The Rev. Father Hecker took for his text the he
following passage from Genesis xvii, verses 10
and II.
Indeed the Lord !. this place and hPsw Il not
h s i nc othesbs House Of God and the Gate of
Heaven
This place. on seeing the progressive constrnc-
tiors of this temple, may have asked themselves
the question, not knowing the purposes ioT
which it was intended, why the Catholics OF
the city of Portland have erected so beautiful
and so grand q temple They are not the
wealthiest class of people, and yet they nave
erected the noblest and most elegant OF stfnc-
lures, They are, as a rule, pdssesscd~oniy OF
very moderate means, and yet they nave
given generously. They are frequently
To rive their mite. What does all this mean
wherefore this gorgeous structure, this spn-
cious temple! Might they not have built
have been achieved at immense sac
rifces. Everywhere we find the Catholic
Churches the most spacious and magnificent.
Why, it may be asked, expend SO much on
Church building at ala 1t may be demanded
by religious sentiment, but its qualification be-
trays Weakness, perhaps folly. wherefore have
a Church at all 7 1t is certainly % mistake
Catholics seem not to appreciate the fact that
the religious sentiment is natural to mans
heart, and that God has taken care 1T shall not
fail. Look at nature, do not all things there
speak of the Omnipotentf The flowers in
their brilliant colors and varied perfumes, the
birds in their tuneful warblings, the streams
gentlest niu3murs, the mountains the forests,
do they not allspeak of GodI The heavens,
rs the Paalmist tells us, !" Declare the glory OF
God. How admirable art thou, . God, IN all
thy wdrksw But not only in Nature is the
glory OF God made apparent. Every noble
deed recorded on the page OF history eieyates
the human race. Every record OF heroism,
patience, love, domestic sacrifice or happiness;
every worthy act that man may do, are all so
many avenues to the glasy and love OF God For
is not man himself the image of God Is not
no1,1S hear tlte.a of
not man, by his Resemblance to the Divine I'm
age, enabled to communicate with his CREATOR
What is the object of science but the dIscov-
cry of laws that govern the world What
is the end of the knowledge of these laws but
that they may make evident TO mankind the
greatness, tho goodness, the power, the wis
dom of God, and the harmony existing in all
that he has created? Thoughts like these
arising from the greatness of nature, tend to
God. are common. Catholics have made a mis-
take God is not SO far removed from men,
nor is He so difficult of access. He is near at
hand, for He Himself has said /" My delight
is to be with the children of men,"
We have allowed these men to make their
statements, we have allowed them to put for
ward their views, and we admit that there are
many truths contained in these statenients--
many profitable, wholesome truths. We know
that God is the author of man, and OF nature,
and that it is good for man to be moved to-
wards Him by the contemplation of His works.
We know that every quality of the mind, ev-
cry faculty of the body is His gift and is in
tended TO be used for the end He has designed.
And orr friend is right if religion be solely the
expression of the thoughts and affections
which arise on the contemplation of nature
and the communion with men, 1T this be all,
then the construction of this splendid Church
as mistake, and all such buildings are useless
extrayaGances. But is it mistaken Let US
examine the question more closely. Man, in
his search forknowledge, seeks to know, above
an things else, what Is his destiny, why he
was created, has he future, its nature, and
sthe uaeaxas by vi ich it is to be attained. How
win the lover Of nature, who finds his religion
IN its completeness among natures works, how
re- .s ne ssa
Win nature reveal to bin his future destiny Z
win nature unfold to him the means by which
this destiny is 10 be attained7 1nterrogate the
roses and tho trees, the mountains and the
eSreams, the forests, and the vast armament,
and what reply will they gives They will an
syer" o man! we do not conceal your secret,
gs are not the depositaries of your mystery"
Man must seek elsewhere an answer to these
questions. Ask the lover of humanity. He,
TOO like you, is seeking the knowledge of his
end and destiny. Ask the greatest philoso-
phers-those among whom wisdom Is particIl-
iarly cherished, and who know almost all
things. What will they tell you'll what does
their reason arrive Mt on th}s question: What
reply viii Socrates make He Will say he does
not know. And then interrogate Plato, with
his genius SURPRISING that of others SO much
that he has been called The diri1R5and what an
sver Will he makeH God/1fust spedkW- To
the same question, Cicero replies, . en- per-
-tiexedm Turning to/the schools of modern
philosophy and asking the lights of these lat
ages the Sa1i}e question:, Nndb IellleS uO we
receives 1t we ask Kant, Ftchte Hegel,
they tter and st amman con fusedl& and help=
lessly,HYithout afordiug an answer. Ask our
Aleotts and Emefsons, and, with look OF
wisdom, they reply, Life is riddle ~ and
Spencer and MIL, what do theS=tell Seu3 They
answer that they relegate these questions
where g--Io The aakn0Icable! Nature cannot
pnveil the mystery of mans being and destiny.
Science cannot reach it. Philosophy is strick-
en- dumb, or incoherently cOufesses its inabili-
ty to contribute the smallest aid to the solution
= Ia inn, an pnn TOLL Itsa
who has created man! He alone can reveal to
him his destiny and the end of his creation
Yes Plato was right, God must speakl And
God has spoken. Not only has He spoken, but
q has oSlllle oIl-earth- to -teach- nalIkid the
way by which man must reach his destiny.
All men want to know this way, and not only
for q short period but for all time, Therefore,
loaa in giving directions for the manner in
which this teaching was to be carried out, and
the mods by which it was to be universally
propaga6ed, said SGo, teach all nations, whatso-
ever Ihaye commanded you, and behold am
with you always even to the contamination of
the world ": In brief go and teach the world.