The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-03-15

the Irfdels 2" because they believed. And,
at the call of holy men, they cast asloe
their occupations and modes OF lie an1,
for Christ and His Cross, took up the SWORD,
and went out to battle Tor HIM III "hoh
they believed.
There came upon Us q sad day,-a day
when, for reasons all of which We may
know when we shall have passed to the
next world, but not in this li:e,-theIe
arose that strange rebellion OF the sixteenth
century. fou remember low the nations,
! broken up and scattered, were driven from
/ Gods Church, and from union with Peters
See. We can form no conception of the
troubles and trials of those days, troubles,
and trials proceeding, some from within,
but more from without. 1t was trying
time, and many were lost through the dim :
culties of those days. 1t seemed, at the
time, as though the promises of Christ
were to come to naught. For a while it
looked, to the doubling, as though the arm
OF God had been weakened, and He could
not keep his word. But just then, in the
darkest hour of that dark Dight-just then
there arose within Gods Church organiza.
tions of many kinds. They began in the
sacred place-within the sanctuary. Men
and women joined together for Gods sake,
for the sake of His holy religion. There
were no sacifces that they were
not willing to make for the souls
Aud then began those organizations which
are going on TO this day and to this
hour in the cause of education; in the
name of charity: in behalf of the suffering.
Then arose those communities, whose OBJ
ject is the education Of the poor of the
people: for they who came forth from the
sanc.uary-fron Gods Church-men and
women, came forth for the people, their
hearts oyeIiowing with love for those souls
that Jesus Christ had died TO save. Then
began institutions Of charity. Orphan
asyl1ms were opened, hospitals and Houses
Of Mercy were established everywhere ::
and We see. to day. "a beautiful a picture
in the history OF Gods Church as ever has
been seen siCct that Church began.
This brings Us down to our day. IL
eyerv age the mode of work changed with
circumstances and, as circumstances
changed, and the demands of the time re-
CuiIcd men and women, they came forth to
work for otheIs. and esPeciaiiyy, for those
.'of the hous ehola Of the Faith" Here we
are in America on this day, sacred in the
annals of the history OF our conrtry. We
are here this morning NOT only as Chris
tians, but as citizens. We come here ia
memory of day Ia: Is dear 10 Us. We
come here to pray - God for the country
which We love. We come here, as in q utv
bound, to raise our'voices N prayer to the
great and good God, to ask Him 10 look
down with kindness and mercy upon this
land, ard to make tbeehearts Of its people
turn to Him. Uar duty of patriotism i q
duty as sacred to the Christian heart as
the love of religion itself. We are here.
then, this morning, grateful TO God for the
blessings He has bestowed upon US cit
zens of this land, and We are here as Chris
tan members of Gods Church, and. a:
such, owing much to the country in which
we live. The better the Christian, Away =
the better the citizen. The bad Christian
dor al cir stan hf.a
citizen. He may afford to be good either
when no demand is made upon Lim TO
sacrifice bnt the one that Will be true anC
10y al and brave and steadfast to his country
when his country demands sacrifice, ever
of his life-the only one that can be de
pended upon is the good Christian. W.
are here, Christians AID citizens, to pra!
to God to bless our land, and, in the mids
of our prayers, whist our Mid is opening
. up towards heaven. and we are preparing
for the light of truth to come down to on
+ minds, we take counsel among ourselves
, of what we have done in the past, of wha
we are doing to day, and of what we ough
to do in the time to come. / wish to say
my friends, this morning. that fcaTtI
obligation rests upon the Catholics of thes'
United States. Great opportunities hav'
. been placed before you as citizens, grea
. advantages given to you in our open AM
f free country; and upon you depends tn
amount of good TO be done by the Catholic
. Church therein. 1t depends upon you, cit
: zens-upon you, men and women-it de
ponds upon you that the work of Cod
Church in this land shall go on to the homo
! and glory of God and the saving of soul:
. Let US say few words about our right
e and our duties 4; Il few words about tn
= peculiar circumstances in which we ar
o placed. The circumstances may lndicat
Il our duties,-may point cur the road tia
: we ought to follow-may slow US the d
u lection in which our efforts. should be d
e rectcd. Every one that has lived in thi
: country for twenty OF Thirty years pas
&c and has noted what is going on, has note
1t how great things are accomplished in TIL
:, country, and cannot fail 20 have seen, thu
o the work that il accoHIl, ished, is brougl
IF about by steady -agitatiol
5, discussion, and persistent work, on the pa
If of each and every one, Interested in tt
Of work to be done. All tie great events tn;
n have transpired in our time, or within II
is last few years, have been brought about
lie this way.
}. Let us look around and see what the nor
e Catholic denominations in the countI
Ia.