The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-02-06
RationaliSm-No. 2.


aim in every sphere of life has been to be
suggestive rather than exhaustive; to set
the mind to thinking, instead Of performing
that operation for it ourself, ana H. IN 'he
present instance, in our endeaVof 10 oe
concise we have incurred the lmputa1ioh
of obscurity, we can easily fall back on the
very nature of journalism itself, and invoke
the Horatian ma kim, dam breris esSe tdoofo'
obscurus fo. We took it for granted that
the readers of the STAR, OF whom we en-
terrain too high an opinion to suppose them
less capable than those of any OF our con
temporaries, of approaching little oio-
fashioned reasoning, would not disrellsh
niece of writing, in which reason ran
through a lively vein of humor, and Truth,
for the nonce laid aside it's warlike accou-
trements and playfully assumed its ilvehest
attire We viewed Rationalism on Its IN
tellectual side for where Ratlonallsh
deals with geology, palaontology, and other
kindred studies, while we admire those
who devote their lives to such pursuits we
vet must deny to these studies the vencf-
able name of science, since their results
are based on facts which are simply par
ticulars, and from no number OF particu-
lars-by the very canOns of sylloglstlc
umcntation, can general conclusion be
obtained-(er geminis particularibus n"
seouituy unquam,) and on this view of Ra-
tionalism we asserted the proof to be facile,
that in using language the Ratlonaiist
made pertorcc an act of divine faith. lhls
was the main point urged against us,
point, too, which we shall soon set at rest.
The principles of the exact sciences, the
principle of contradiction in metaphysics
and in logic, viz: that thing must De
either this or that, and can't be both ut one
and the same time; the principle IN meta
physics that it is impossible to be and
not to be simultaneously, and the postu-
lates and axioms of geometry, are all apo
, dictic, that is unsusceptible of demonstra-
, ton, aud can only be seen in the light OF
Il that evidence which ne spoke IN our
last ISSUE We have them from our imme-
date intuition of Truth, which in revealing
: them to us reveals also the word winch
: embodies them to our conception. With
: out words invention is impossible, Tor IN
vention implies retieNion, the bending u
our thought back upon itself-the re-thlnk
e ing our thought, which cannot be done
without language. Language, therefore
- cannot have been invented, since inventor
s. is impossible without it, and accordingly i
- must be of divine revelation, betweel
l. which and human invention there can b
IL no Imaginable medium. The Rationails
y or intidel, then, is like that characte
" of Molierc's who had been talking pros
y, all his life he has been confirming tn
:. truth of Revelation in every word whlc
Il escaped his lips. Why only from the van
tage- ground of Revelation could he comba
" its authority.
n, In the region of the Beautiful, which ha
ira been POLITICALLY styled the splendor of tn
~ True, the Nationalist is likewise out of hi
- proper sphere. The Beautiful is ohjectiv
mo that is, depends not on our perceptive fa
,s- ulties for its reality, although, like Trut
;s ITSELF it needs an outward, sensible for
IN. to embody or incarnate it, This body it
"a, clothed in by the imagination, that greatly
w power which in some measure likens us
90, God himself; (Which bodies forth the form
,is- of things unknown, and gives to airynot
-, Ing IL local habitation and u name.I I'm
a.. gination is the most powerful and mo
* delightful of our attributes; it elcvates
, above the dense atmosphere oHthe sense
, it etherea!izes our senses themselves, a
,cil watts rs upward to the contemplation
j., the Uncreated Beauty above. But it is
49,, religion it finds it's truest scope, for VIII
iii, in the genuine poet it scars to the lofti'
out pinnacle of creation;ih the contemplate
-. saint it ventures into tbs very sanctuary
j., Heaven. Those who hfSe experienc
i. more of the joys and SORROWS of earth TIL
,,,l. ourself, are compelled to confess that
a,s pleasure or pain ever so intense
AGATE in the reality as imagination
foreshadowed it; hence as the Unreal cam
oui be the object of thought or imaginati
W beyond the borders of this life there m
''e'' be an abode of bliss and suffering, VIII
dwells the reality of our imaginative al
20 cipations. In the Christian imagination
the handmade of Hope, which from out
-, frowning depths of the future evoke
'N' thousand voices corresponding to the 81
'' and aspirations of our heart; throws
mantle of ethereal loveliness around
dungeon in which we pine, or the grav
which our dear ones are Wondering
dust, and, while we heavily drag
~ ~ inf r in