The New York herald., 1869-02-12


from the text folio These words my brethren;
were addressed BY Che apostle to the nrst generation
OF Chrlstlaua Generation surroundeu py p pasaa
world TIE ap ostle bade them not 70 pe - pasnns,
that are called from US That the tomb Of death 70
the Christian was not eternal night, put rom ~
came g;ssm Of hope tnsl oss fnreyer nr over
departS,d ones. To the pagan mind that was 2 oe,
ginning OF ank despair-the severing OF the social
a truer philosophy OF dea,h, and his disciples
learned the lesson SO well - .aas sney rsme gaue
oa,, NEW sVa ,hss msne cses Il us 70 seepn il was
the favorte saying among the earlier Christians tlat
the near and near ones that were taken away ron
Coming i I'd dawn thar should awaken them to . better
existence-the dawn OF the morning o! Cnriss
coming. 1t was well that S. Paul should bid Chris
St. Paul himself had read perhaps the very
Inspiration in pagan Rome. where the pagan
Ssa versed sss the order OF nature in taking away
her only, her darling child. the apostle
bids US not to gr,eve as those pacans
the glorious to Rricvc 1s those with
ont hope. And yet It is no part Of Christian phi.
his d,scipes to forbid us TO rreve the apostle could
not forget that Christ himself had grieved when he
came upon earth In the fulness OF time to redeem
genial and sympathetic heart, and he taught us
that he did not Ignore his own gifts and ne she
friend o. Iasarn qsof IS ,ne thereore no part Of
the Christian doctrine and far should it be from me-
an humble teacher In the Christian priesthood. to
TO pay the tribute Of Affection that grief should
have It's consolation and that through the tears we
shed upon e tomb q our departed ITiend Is We %
the morning OF the 'resurrec ion-thet glorious pic
ture Of our friend being taken up with Christ 10 that
LAMB LAMB through wass1s heavenly eternity. GrIevc
then, my friends. 1t y but right and meet
tbat over the bier Of your departed friani,
and arrait M IN n
nv departed friend, to give thissexpresson OF our
sorrow 1t Is but just tribute you pay the Creator,
10 that God who made these hearts OF ours, made
them to feel the hour Of grlef the hour Of sorrow,
and that he came TO give us that heaven-born reli-
gion to give the heart to feel admiration not only
for the goodness OF the human hear but for all the
gifts OF the mind with which some men are adorned.
d. not therefore forbid you to grIeve. but, on the
say to you win stimulate you to grief, But
shall also console you sfn the words OF
the gospel. that there shah he an awakening
to better life beyond the grave. Again, II
should be very remote from holy place such rs this
in which stand as it Is very remote from the cha
solemn ana awful presence OF death l should IN
dulge in words OF mere adulation AMI fa.tery. inc
Church OF Goa Is not nattercr. IL does not permit
the singing OF praises of its departed children: but
the cold remains 1T Ii more meet and seemly to
beg mercy for their faults Let US therefore confess
the sins OF poor humanity and beg Gods mercy for
the departed soul OF fellow being. 1t is the prayer
OF the Church from its infancy; 1t Is the PRAYER
OF every Catholic child and the duty Of us all to pray
for the sous OF departed parents and for the souls
or those OF our homes and households who have been
called away from 1t s right to pray and to hope
the mercy Of God may rest in peace. And 1t is only
proper for me to say here that know by auricular
confession that heard Il from y the M ups Of my de
vated and won the admiration OF his gigantic INTEL
ect and entwned itself with the dearest affections
OF his mighty heart. He loved the Christian doc
trne OF prayers for the dead: OF invoking over the
remains OF the loved one Gods mercy and pardon.
He did not IN his life time Ike to hear over the bier
MI hfc frinu1a ~ n n al
terry, but he loved the words OF solemn Christian
truth-words Of invocation ana prayer for mercy.
remember on one occasion being told an Incident
In his life which illustrates his reliance on the
prayers Of the Church after the soul has passed
away from Its earthly tabernacle Our departed
fIled even the minds Of experienced seamen with
feelings and breads Of imminent peril and danger OF
shIpwreck. A friend who was his travelling CON-
panion seeing his co0lness and unconcern was
struck with surprise, and said to him. "Are yop not
as0 az the mnaea ms naos Mas
his especial characteristics He said to his friend,
.srhe difference between you and myself is this:-I
two hundred millions OF Christians praying for the
repose OF my soul" beautiful, eloquent aud touch
for the repose Of the souls OF her departed Children
whatever their name or cline; for the Church knows
only al as ner children and she prays for the souls
OF all the faithful departed that through the mercy
OF God they may rest In peace Let us all therefore
unite In solemn prayer in the holy sacrifice OF the
for the soul OF our departed friend. We my fiends
have reason hope that he has fallen asleep In the
Lord and through that hope to feel the assurance
not greve, therefore, as all hope were gone, but
relying on the mercy OF God and on the holy cere.
us quench merely our own loss, looking forward TO
the great day OF resurrection when we shall all be
rsun!ied This doctrine Of scripture commends itself
to the most ordinary common sense, that nothing
sinful shall be permitted TO enter INTO the
KINGDOM Of God: The place O, reward
that place Of perfect bliss beyond the grave Nothing
deflled can enter that heaven. And yet what cruel
fro lis earthly tenement having yet cngna iteen 10 II
somewhat OF the dust aud soil contracted In the
battle and struggle OF life with fraltes and mper-
Gods blissfu presence because OF those minor i'm.
periections that inseparabe from Us, because
Ssve IN s @ II at me ss
ment those grievous faults are repented OF
and the dying sinner has received the promise
mercy, thus promise God viii ratfy 10 heaven. The
Church believes that few spirits even the hottest ana
: ew !" ee
those who carry with them stains OF human frailty
must be necessarily condemned forever to that exile
teaches Us tnat there Is o middle state or
pargation, where those VINO fall asleep In the
Lord, and WHO have died In ia,th and hope
contrliion have either been perfected IN atone
ment or made perfect by the holy minlsratlons
OF tue Church "A place where spirits are purged OF
the stains OF their mortal life, and who by their
yearnings aud intense desires ft themselves for q
translation 10 hcayen--this middle place the
Church calls purgatory. We are Tree TO imagine
thlt the dsembode1 spirit wouid itsclr shrink iro IN
the presence OF God until 1t had become worthy OF
living In that hoiy and blessed presence by penifen
uai tears, by yearning DESIRES and by that nae OF
desire 50 calculated 70 purge the foul and make
It worthy OF Gods love--make 1t worthy
OF basAny forever I'm the sunlight OF God Is
love. IL Il the consoling doctrine OF the Church TO
asset the soul IN It's yearnings for tue light OF
heaven for iis disenthralnent FROM the letters Of
hu, tlldt I0e dark pOrLaIS the not
entirely AL communion between the dead and the
living IL Is blessed article OF the Christian creed
that believes IN the communion OF the SAINTS, and
that teaches US that the spirits OF those VINO have
gone before Us are not severed from all communion
VITA US DIt that they are partakers OF the bencnt OF
oar rsymyathes and OF our prayers, and tnas they
700 can heip rs with their sympatnles and
with their prayers. The Church does not abandon
ner children even when they 90 down into the tomb
but accompanies them with the hand OF affection and
helps them In attaining 10 that rest which Il prD-
mised 10 the righteous In the bosom OF tleir |
heavenly Father. And where Is the intelligence not
entirely dead TO convection where IL the neart NOT
lost to all Iecing and all sympathy that refuses ale.
r~ia me- IN dfcfr