The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-11-01

Poland, yet more than ever sorrow
crowned, Is most beautiful in her sadness.
The Car of Russia graciously aliows these
subjects of his the alternative of embrac-
ing the teaching of a false religion, or the
martyrs fate. and thank God they are ac-
cepting joyfully the latter. Long since
euery Catholic Bishop of Russian Poland
has entered the way to Heaven through q
Siberian exile, and now the knout, or the
more merciful sword is daily adding from
clergy and people to that long roll of wit
nesses to Gods Church, which every year
has not failed of example from the apos-
ties to this day. And this royal butcher
of Russia, the particular and petted add
miration Of certain class of people in
free America, is suffered to go on with his
brutal purpose of discriminating gallant
people, who prefer death to apostacy. Oh
God of Heaven is there no hand to strike,
no shield of power to protect! Neither age
nor sex il spared. The tender child and
heroic mother receive alike the stripe from
their inhuman oppressors, and even gray
hairs command no respect from the Rus
sian beast. Poland is not in accord with
the spirit of the age. Her men, women and
children are guilty of the heinons political
offence against the Russian Government
of reciting the rosary and wearing the
scapular of our Blessed Lady."-For this
these Children Of Mary" are whipped,
scourged, murdered, and the world cslmly
looks on repeating the sad history of
that Son of Mary, who is Chriat our Lor0,
who, after being cruelty scourged in Pill
ate's hous.s was led forth to die amid the
plaudits u world as conceited- as this is
and just as ignorant. Poland is not in |
accord with the spirit of this age, but she |
ia in accord with the spirit of that age
which withstoOd the terrible persecution of
the Roman Emperors, and from the reek- |
ing forum furnished the brightest examples
of Godlike courage that history has ever
Poland-grand Poland
When all Europe lay PROSTATE before the
advancing armies of Islam and the Chris
tian people of the West saw before them
the dreaded alternative of adherence to
or death by the sword it was
Catholic Poland that proved wall of fire
beyond ,rhich the Mussulmdns sCere unable
to aduance. At Vienna and Belgrade her
gallant people upheld the Gross and tram
pied the Crescent in the dust forever.
Poland heard and needed the cry of an
yuish which Europe sent forth in those
days, miscalled "dark," but in these days of
a false enlightment the Christian nations
are deaf to the agonzing wall that comes
from Russian Poland. In this connection
we take pleasure in printing the following
rom our neighbor the St. Louis Despatch
''Since it's dismemberment, an act which
Sir James MIntosh pronounced the darkest
chapter in history, Poland has been the {
most oppressed and down trodden country,
excepting ireland, on the map of
Europe. Her political institutions were
destroyed, her own rulers dethroned, and
without law or justice, her territory divid-
ID among the rapacious wolves Of conquest.
Now Russia that has had the magnanimity
o free a race of serfs, is filling Polish pri-
IONS and bastiles with prisoners, scourging
men, women, and children, devastating the
ields and impoverising the people because
he Roman Catholics refuse to forsake their
eligion and their affairs and to recognize
Greek priests and attend Greek churches.
It is q shame to civilization and an outrage
IN humanity too shocking and appalling
o admit one particle of palliation. 1t ex-
libits the despotic spirit of the Russian
government. The defeneeless handful of |
catholics are without protection and at
he mercy of the rude soldiery of Russia,
md Poland is again rent asunder by blood
he'd and suffering. 1t is cause that ap-
,eals to the humanity of the world. Rus
ian butchery should be stopped by the
United voice of Christendom."-We Western
Times.