The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-08-10
The Church In Prayer.

The Church In Prayer
1t is evident that affairs in Europe are
ripening to conclusion. The clouds
gathering from all sides SO ominously
cannot long Withhold their lightning. Ii
the Church ready for the storm = Where
are her allies What are her arms Her
history must be the answer to these ques-
tions. God is her only ally, prayer her
only weapon. Already those arms are
being frightened. Already the Pope has
called his hosts to battle in the great, uni
versal iridium of this week.
If prayer is 80 powerful "where two or
three are gathered together" what must
be its influence when the whole of Chris
tendon with it's priesthood and its hierar-
chy in perfect unity, humbly duplicates
that aid which the Almighty is 30 anxious
to givei There can be scarcely a doubt
of the result. It may not be instantan-
eous, but it must be manifest and over
whelming. God can never turn deaf ear
to the cry of His chosen people in their
need, if it be characterized by humility,
confidence and perseverance,.
Certainly humility will not be difficult
of attainment under present exigencies.
If our hope is not in God, we have none.
. The powers of the world and the pride
/ of man are combined against us in such
force that all our human strength could
not stand before them single day. The
nations of the earth are opposed to us.
Russia has sufficiently shown her animus
of late years. England has waged against
: us, for three centuries, the most uncom-
t promising war, first of violence, then Of
y craft and always of bigoted hate. Ger
y MANY has but lately thrown herself into the
!, arena as the bitterest champion Of anti
j. Catholicity, while all the other northern
,, powers, Denmark, Sweden and Norway
q. are ready for the crusade of determination
q according to the measures of their strength
y On the other hand the people that arr
~ ranked as Catholic have their government
,g against them. Italy is in the hands of az
T. unscrnpulous bandit who calls himsel
c. King. Austria is cursed with weak
spiritless tool of Judaism and Protestant
a. ism, as it's emperor. Spain is prey t.
I'd faction and controlled by faithless SON
ne who are in revolt against the Church. II
is all these so called Catholic countries, tn
at powers of the world are determined to de
ut stroy the very name of Christianity. France
~ alone stands undecided, one foot in tn
seething waters of death, the other on tn
d. rock of Christ.
nd The pride. of man is in revolt every
ng where. 1t will not brook a master. Luci
n fer and his angels gave The example, befor
70. us. Even they would not bow their haught.
70, strength to God, and they fell. But the.
a fell once for all, while man falls with ever.
At new generation. This age is more thai
ut usually pulled up with it's sense of power
81 it's development of intelligence, its luxu
~ rance of wealth. That there should b
Cd a God who requires them to become lik
it. unto little children, men can scarcely en-
re dure; that there is Church which ma.
p teach them truth and reprove them for er
- ror, they will not hear of for moment
ais "Down with the Church !" they say
no "down with those who accuse us of gu
'al vices, who stand in the way of our indul
gences, who bring us to shame for wealtl
be i'll gotten, for power harshly used, for lus
ed selishly gratifed, for blood upjustly. shed
in Death to those who find favor with God
he and are living reproach to us!"
in 1t is the old story of Cain and Abel owe
ID again.
90, And 90 Abel must be slain anew unles
en- God in terpose and then would come an
its other deluge of sin, wild waste of tn
pillows of iniQuity. But God has prom
9re ised that there shall not be another food
mt which includes the promise that the chill
in dren of Cain shall never again trump
nj utterly over the offspring Of Abel.
nd We may pray with confidence. He wi
save us, but it will be with a complete
18th ness proportional to the fidelity of on
we prayer.
ma