The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-06-16

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lts wisdom and made blind by its price,
assumes, more so now than ever, an attl-
tude of hostility towards the grandest
truths of heaven and earth. Renan' IN
France, writes the Life Of Jesus, hurls his
sophisms against the divinity
of the Saviour, and couples the Holy Name
with those of Socrates and Plato and MS
efforts to disprcve Christs divinity are ap'
plauded; his work runs through various
editions is translated into many Ian
guages, aud on thousands Of parlor tables
it is fouEd lying next to the Bible; whi'e'
for immtn numbers, its pages possess a
fascination and interest which the inspired
Book itself cannot command. 10 England
and Germany, and in tbis country, fnii-
osopby is, and has long been current "h'c"
utterly, aud on principle, discards every
thing above the reach or beyond the scope
of reason. That Philosophy is as false 70
man as it is. to God. 1t puts human
knowledge In the place OF divine faitn,
and substitutes the vain speculations "a
| man for the truths of eternity. Out OF Nts
dead logic it wishes men to derive life. AZ
puts forth its own reasonings in place OF
Christ's doctrines. In its pride and Ell
frontery it sueers at the divine, ana
when, along the limo Of its Arguments II
meets with Jesus Christ, as meet Him it
| must, it ignores HIS divinity, and, like
PLATE. presents Him to its readers ana
contemptuously cries out, Ecce Homo !"
There is nothing in Religion too holy to
be trifed with by that Philosophy. In
stead Of kneeling like child at the feet
of Religion, it arraigns her at its own tri-
bunal, and, like Christ before Caiphas,
false witnesses are summoned to give testi-
mouy against her. Such Is the Philosophy
which enters 80 largely into our civiliza-
ton, and is leading it, Christian though it
be called, farther aud farther away from
the Cross Aud if there were anything
; grand in that. Philosophy; il depth OF
thought, clearness OF statement, honesty OF
} argument characterized it, while we copld
, not accept its conclusions, and must repd-
diate it's proportions, we might, at least
admire its powers, i'll directed though they
WERE But it is shallow and vague. II
, handles words with greet 'ingeHuity, but
! deep, broad thought it has not. Itcriticises
> but does not create. 1t talks glib'y OF al
things, but explains nothing. 1t soe'
, cropping through the dark, and no wonder
3 for the light of God, which is reasons sun
t has sunk from its. gaze. The Philosophy
t of the age, in the main, has ostraclzed doo
Q 1t boasts the name of Rationalish' III
d true title is Irrationalsm.
: Aud our Literature-what OF lt7 VIVA
8 ia It., suirit, tendency, teachings7 Ihroug
8 Philosophy. reason searches for the truf
o Through Literature, Imagination seeks tn
;, beautiful. Literature, also, has alas! for
If gotten her high and holy mission. ono
# her Mace was beside the affairs of Religion
st and her thoughts were as pure as her near
20 and her words were as pure as her Thoughts
to INIT she has wandered from the temple
Iu1 and gone after strange gods; and she
10 building shrines and offering incense 10
ID the vie passions that deh!e the soul.
a man. Not to the lofty but to the low j
Is man she appeals. Earthwards, sinward
p she leads him-not as of old, heavenWaro
,e swinburne in England, out of his o"
at heart. aud the heart of modern societ
70, evokes the sensuaIism that is lurking the
ct and garments it with the robes or poetr
d, and crowns it with the "roses OF vice
te. and his words of witchery and wickednes
ur and his verses throbbing with voluptuou
ct ness despite the protests of those who st ct
rm love the pure, NEE. with welcome fro
H. myriads, His passionate poemss. .a are T.
Ike cries OF 4 gross Pasanism that has hide
nd itself behind the wells Of our. civilizatle
and is only waiting to come forth bold
On, and openly to crafty its desires; and
it numerous readers give proof enough IL
,to they, at least. are ready to welcome 1t.
Ian Novels and .romances, songs and storl'
or, prose and poetry, what is their morale
na-. what their ethics Noble thoughts, in n
ply BILE words, to ennoble nindf Do I'll
ich purify Read them-nay read them
ing They Charm, indeed - so do serpen
by, They please-yes, but they poison. Tair
Po- ed thoughts from tainted minds, they gu
in tho purest who read them. Not clear, p
To luc;d streams are they, the waters OF VII