The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-06-16
Give God HIS Place.-No. 2.

closing our last article-and we ask again,
in commencing this; for our civilization
has neither the spirit of the Cross in it,
nor the sign of the Cross ON it, nor the law
of the Cross before it. 4.
That civilization, certainly presents
spectacle which may well excite amaze
ment, and which gives aignal proof, that
no one can deny, of the vast~powers and
energies of man. There is magnihcence
about it which awes 40 well, as amazes'
Surely, If ever, mind now controls matter.
Stubborn as Nature has been, man is bend
ing her to his sway. Among the elements
of. the material world no wake as king
commando their homage - exaots their
obedience to HE ,behests-presses them
into his service. Fire, and water, and air
are his vassals. The lightning is his mes
senger. Great secrets, which Nature long
and 80 jealously guarded, have come into
his possession. All her treasures have be-
come the wages of his toll and the rewards
| of his industry.
aIfuto the realms of science he enters-
wanders over every kingdom there
crosses all the old boundary lines-goes,
with spirit. that feels no fear, from the
certain and the known out towards the
unknown and neutrality-suspicious. into
vast, strange regions whittier mind never
ventured before, and returns with trophies
and tokens of new discoveries, only to rest
awhile, and, gathering strength, to go back
again, in order still farther to extend the
limits of knowledge. He goes into the
world of art, and he adds to it's wonders
by new inventions and improvements
adapted to the new and ever-increasing
wants of society. He shrinks before no
difficulty, recoils at no obstacle, bounds
over every barrier. The accumulated ex-
periences of the sixty centuries of the Past
lie brings to the service Of the Present, and
it is his aim and ambition to make the
= Nineteenth Century the monarch OF the
8 ages, and to create civilization that shall
be the wonder of future times.
But all this-what is itf-and to what
does it tendf 1t is the working of the
human spirit, in the human order, with
= human means, towards human ends. The
g work will be grand, vast majestic-but 1t
q will be only and merely bnman-and the
Q human is not enough for man. Put the
p divine element into that civilization-let
!, it permeate, purify, consecrate it-iet that
II civilization meet and supply, not only the
material and intellectual wants of man ant
society, but also, and especially, their re
licious cravings-then, indeed, will it
= blessings be as great as its grandeur. A
~ it is, it is earthly, of the earth. But mar
- needs more. Higher wants, and deeper
m has society. There is something O
ia heaven, as we'll as of earth, in the make o
st mans being. Bodily, he is like the dus
of under his feet, spiritually, lie is like Tia
star over his head. He has ply sical want
they are many ); supply them all, it 20
he will and can-that will be blessing. II
e. has Intellectual needs-meet them all, an
BY satisfy them, if you can-that will be ,
N greater blessing, But he has religion
~ nature; that nature has. many; dee
want and ali these wants arise from til
deepest want of all-God; supply thu
want-it is the blessing of all blessing
nd the best. You must give man God. T.
lie him have all things else, he is dissatisfe,
be because life without. God is incompiet
;ne Therefore, must God have his place in Of
he civilization. In it. the divine must me'
us
for Of which religion must be the soul. Wit
his out the soul it is . dead thing-and, IL
red the corpse, must generate corruption al
l'ni decay. MT ad -. -. -. "a
ed. Has God his place in our civilizatit
the and in all that goes to make it Does
nee suficiently meetq or, does it take IN
him account at ali the religious wants OF m
liar and. of society7 Isit anything more4
has If more, is it much more than mere u
'ro= terial Development Or, does it SIM
on ignore that element in mans nature VIII
reaches beyond earth towards somethl
&C higher and better ? The Phiiosopl
'rty Literature, Science, Art, Education,
uch litical theories and their application
c in Governments do all these which go
it a make up that complex thing called civ
me- cation, servo religion, and help or him
OF man and society in their march iowa