The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-12-04
The Priests Of France.

The Archbishop of Paris and the Bishop |
of Orleans have not uttered their noble
words in vain. Raising their voices in the
midst of great calamity, and speaking to a
people dispirited by disaster, weighed
down by wars bereavement, dragooned by
ferocioas foes, and, tormented by the pros
pect of the future before their nation, these
great and gifted prelates did not use their
power to discourage the people and DIS
suade them, in obedience to mean rules OF
prudence, from q stern resistance to the
foe. The purpose and effect were quite the
contrary Prelates, and prelates alone, In
peace, these chosen guides of the minister's
of God stood forth as patriots when the
note of danger sounded. God and country
| said the Archbishop of the capital-'these
| are the noblest words that can be uttered
blythe human tongue.' Courage said the
Bishop of Orleans, shope, confidence In Goo,
and dignity without brayado.' The hour
of great Duties he added, sounds as a toe,
SIM and the sorrow OF the great: st' h;a
bishop was, that he could not go with his
+ countrymen into the post of danger and sne
place Of fight, but only accompany them In
unity of spirit, with his wishes, his SYM
pathies, and his prayers. And as tue pre-
Z lates spoke when danger and triai Shrea.en-
= ed, SO now the clergy speak with unfalSer-
irg voice when Death, Fire, and Famine
are abroad. They exhort the slow; they
i animate the timid. They dare all peril fol
!, the sake of their agonized country, ane
when history comes to tell what Francs
/ hoped and suffered in the course OF thl
% fatal year, the devotion of her priests, II
> the time Of darkest suffering, as in that
II proudest hope will be one of the grandes
n episodes in the record. The village pas
W tors-men of simple lives, and peacefu
ig doing more for France in this awful tim
r, than could be done for her by many so,
I'd diers. They are strengthening weak soul
m and lifting up the hearts of the strong an
ty true to heroism. We read especially
1g one brave priest who, like Peter the Hel
ne forth with the symbol of the Saving eros
r. preaching stern resistance to the 1nvadin
ch hordes, and lighting up fierce hre IN I'll
ZEE hearts of men by the ardent flame OF II
TX, eloquence. The priest who had served
les Master with most perfect zeal rememDe
he at the call of his bleeding country tina
zen being priest, he is not therefore the ne
a Frenchman. Nor is the labor of the pre-
ID of France who exhorts his people TO 90
os- sacred duty more safe than the task OF g
private soldier who stands in line OF oattI
in 1t seems rather to be more dangerous; I
of the pastor who inspirits his felow-men
ect shield their country and to save their no
Dr.. or, is regarded by the furious Teuton as
ties pestilent criminal to be silenced at any co
Its. Hence the sacred Office is no protecel
ssi- against indignity or even murder. )ot
,rt. nalist at the Versailles Headquarters {
uff, | other day saw a priest taken through t
ter streets in cart between two soldiers, W
on, held their pistols to his head. he re
The q book of devotions, as II he were {
of ing to execution. The cart was guarded
inc, mounted men, and its course was mark
,ch, by numerous prayers, upturned eyes, Q
The angry faces such a spectacle he add
the and we infer that it is not infrequent-'
i'm. cites great sympathy among the Peep
bon Is this wonderP The crime for which
the good priest suffered was an act OF Pul
,odo duty, but the enemy's view of it was gu
of by q Prussian lackey who was Ioung
''oY, about the spot. These priests do 81
idl e deal of mischief he explained; they ex1
ta1 the people against the soldiers !
NOT rough and ready remedy for this 'misch
~. is to cart and pistol the patriot priests
the the very sight of the people for whose ca
ac. they suffer. How the people feel 1T Is ca
.oye very easy, to imagine. Their looks, Il
prayers, the blood that flushed their IA
ON translated the sickening anger OF .
cles hearts more vividly than words COMO SIP
ling it, and gave a glimpse of the brntsl
binT aueror in the license of his strenRkn,
de- the awful retribution he may ex 70
the whenever France can strike Wit FoWe
,hn Nation,