The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-06-04
The Present Position Of the Church.

4 AAH OOAAEo We CAAhOA>ASS
The Church is in trouble. The world 10
glad and claps its cruel handle. "Aha,"
sneers tho world,-"at last-at last;"- I
have been waiting long enough; the old
church is going now. She was always my
bitter enemy. She would never make peace
with me. She has fought against me and
mine from the very beginning. She has con-
quered me on many . field and Las won
many trophy from me. But now, at last,
her end 10 coming,-I have attacked her in
her very stronghold. Her shroud and grave
are ready. bury her tomorrow, will
write her epitaph and chant her De profun-
| dis"
And the children of tho church are sad
but they fear not. On the heights of Faith
| proudly as ever floats the Banner of the
Cross.
Three hundred millions look up and hail
the grand old Banner blazoned with twice
| one thousand triumphs,-and with the
defiance of deathless Hope in their faces,
| they front their foes and say!" Tear that
Banner down if you can. Touch q single
| fold of it if you dare. Sound your battle cry;
rally your hosts-marshal your ranks.
Storm these lofty submits. They never
yet have been surrendered. The flag that
waves above them has never trailed in de-
feat, and the hearts that guard that flag
| have never hinched before the fOe;-and
the bravery that shoots through every film
of these hearts has never faltered. On
with the conflict. Let it rage. Our line
of battle reaches back to Calvary. That
line has never been broken by widest
onset. These soldiers have never fed. We
through a campaign of eighteen hundred
years ;-marched. and never halted .
marched and always triumphed. We be
long to the old Imperial Guard of Faith. |
We never yet have met a Waterloo"
And that, face to face, as of old meet the
warriors of the church and the towards of
the world. The combat thickens. All
round the earth sound the battle cry. The
world anticipates triumph. The church
fears not defeat. One Banner alone from
the height of the Rock waves over the hosts |
of the church. A thousand banners of
different devices float over the ranks of
our enemies.
1 look across the battle-fiel as wide as
the world and 1 read the notices of the op-
posing banners names of dark omen and
constant defeat float from them;-"Infi-
deity ;" " Socialism, -" Protestasism )"
"Free Thought " scepticism )" " Com
munism ''No God )" "No Christ;"-"No
King" " No Pope;" "No Church" and
thousand other names meet our gaze.
The worlds league is mighty the
worlds array is terrible-the worlds forces
are multitudinous-the worlds weapons
are powerful,-the worlds bravery 10 des-
perate.
And the Church is calm. She is queen
but warrior queen. You will never
find her ON . throne here below. Banner
in hand she is ever in the midst of battle.
She has never granted q day of truce to her
enemies. War against all who war against
God war against all who war against
Christ war against all who war against
man war against all who war against
truth this is her destiny.
From the hill of Calvary to the hill of
the Vatican from Peter before the Council
to Plus before the Sandman her history
has been one long, uninterrupted battle 3
| and her battle one long and glorious vic
tory.
| Peace here below she has never known.
Rest here below she has never found. She
is always on the march her banner ever
unfurle her war cry ever sounding.
Therefore in the storm and shock of her
battle of to-day with her enemies, her SOL
der childre fear not. Around their old
chieftain they rally. What though some
may desert and leave the linesf The
lines close up again-and the deserters are
not missed. What though a Judas Iscariot
may betrayf A brave Matthias takes his
place. What though q few of craven
spirit may feet The ranks they left are
filled by brave men and true.
But in the battle not courage alone is
needed but discipline as well not dis
cipline alone, but unity of action quite as
much