The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-03-26

1sssa~.a.1y .''". n
i How easy it 10 for a ahn to substitute
himself in the place OF trutal HO sgsPscos
that he ,is right, that HIS yiSws and theories
should be adopted. Naturalization warms.
His pride and his AnPU1Des Mind him. he
passes frpsa ,suaDieion To- d9gfshc opinion
from mere probability and dPubt be forms
an imaginary certaintys Q chifers 10 which
he tenaciOusly clngs. In the end ne pc
comes obstinate, regardless authority,
and ceases to listen to reason. He pretends
that he is defending "ibertyst "progress,"
!" truth" while he; is only settitg an exam
ple of contemplate conceit any inordlnate
self-love. Such ia the characterPf iacipient
innovat0rs. They often begin Yell, in zeal
and piety; but the tares Of pridl are sown,
John Huss, De Lamennais, HyaSnthe and
unfortunate Dollinger are cases il point.
The man who sincerely loves truth, which |
is God, would rather lose his life thin injure
it. Now if man thirks he, is light but
prudence tells him that the exprS'sion Of
harm instead of good, why should heRnblish
them Love of the cause OF trut tells
him to be client and bide his timex Even
our Lord was reticent of, truth at tiMfss end
would not cast His pearls before 9wine.
Every hermepeutist knows that therAis an
{" accommodating" prudent adapta4en to
circumstances even in the teachiDgs the
New Testament. Why Gid the, aGACrch
guard the :" Discipline Of the SecretY for
almost the first ak centuries, if the &nth
should always be Published Lov4 OF
truth, then, often conpels ., man to Aold
his tongue in the Language of Pope's bad
metaphor: .raiir 9hsT -r1 81
TS. S; longs to issnoS into Ssldsr strain
, Even men of genius, therefore, though
they may have great intellects, be illus
trious for erudition, logical, theological ana
other attachments, if they DO truly piouss
will weigh well their views before express
ing them. A St. Augustine or q st. Thomas
would never act like Hyacinthe, though he
is but q pigmy to those Intellectual giants.
But what are we to think, then, of the
shallow, uneducated or poorly educated
rank and file of so-called ''liberaV Catholics
who want to play the role of innovators in
the Churchf Their notions are crude, their
knowledge seant they do not pretend to
have certainty. They ought to know that
the immense majority of the clergy are far
superior to them in talents and education.
Yet they act as though they desplsed not
only the unanimous convictions of the laity,
learning of the whole hierarchy. They are
pugnaciously illiberal towards the majority;
while the majority treats them with for
bearapce and toleration. But if patience
wears out and the voice of the majority il
forced at length to reply to uDjustifable
aggression, these rpuny- soled, narrow
minded innovators shout and cry as if the
interests of humanity and the whole Church
were attacked in them! Such conduct
would be ridiculous and contemptible II 1t
were not also very wicked. =
Most of the so, called "iberaP' Catholics
of Europe seem to forget that they may be
committing several mortal sins. Ia II r..
Firstly, they may be committing the
mortal sin of imprudence. Prudence is one
of the cardinal virtues. Is NO act of i'm
prudence mortal sin? ...s
Secondly, they may, be committing many
mortal sins by giving scandal TO their neigh
bors. They weaken the faith of the people;
excite distrnst and chickering's violate
charity; for there is<no longer the cor unun'
ct ANNA una where 60 liberal " has passed.
He leaves his odor behind him.
Thirdly, they most frequently end as DE
Lamennais and Hyacinthe have ended, by
downright lisobedience; the sin of Lucifer;
the non serbian. Poor Dollinger!
Hownoble would it be for these philo-
| sophasters and pseudo liberals to follow the
example of the great st. Augustine, who
wrote whole volume of "Retracttons;" OF
lof the illustrious Fenelon acquiescing in
4 the condemnation of the Marines DIES
| Saints ~ or of go many others whose works
! are on the Inder with the sublime words
tadjoined-auctor laudabiliter Sc subject. ID
Alas, we fear humility, the essential OF
sanctity, is very scarce among our incipient
| innovators.-N. 7. Tablet.