The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-02-22
Sermons for Lent, by P. segneri, 81. New York:
Catholic Publication Society New Orleans, c. d.
Elder,

Wecannot, at this moment, recall any book
of instructions more beautiful, learned or
practical than the second volume, now before
us, by the distinguished Jesuit, segneri and
most heartily do we commend it, during this
holy season, to all devout and meditative
minds. We fear that our readers will be in.
clned to take as a matter of course our recon-
mendation that the work is very good and truly
edifying, but that the same may be said of
many others, etc. etc. But we do more than
simply recommend, we confidently assert that
no one, even though he open the book at ran.
dom, can fail to be impressed by the beauty
of its examples, the charm of its language, the
strength of its arguments and the practical
value of it's instructions and that having
read few pages, he will be unwilling to part
with the volume, until he has become acquaint-
ed with its entire contents.
The deep erudition of the gifted writer is
| not displayed in intricate discussions, nor
ambiguous sentences but flows from his pen
simple in expression, yet sublime in thought,
convincing the mind, reaching the heart and
charming the intellect by its apt, classical il
Illustrations and its rare, peetical suggestions
Take for example this extract from the SER
mon on the "Love of God in affecting us.~
and read
"And what calamity is there which we ought
His hand. 1 know not whether yon have
CHANGED to notice what occurs in some of the
cities of Lombardy, with it's wintry climate.
especially during the gay and licentious sea-
son of the carnival.
smart, handsomely dressed Young cava
her may happen to walk through the streets
so ensr ley wrapped up in himself as to
fine auburn hair, as it gently flaps on his
shoulder, on his elegant costume, on his GEN.
eral appearance and style, full in the fashion
blow on his back from huge snow bali. which
has the effect, amid the lau ghter of all the nv.
sfanders Of the upper part of his
scarlet lining of the hood Of which he IS so
proud: The rage he flies into at an Insult like
this, is something indescribable, and it in
ere eseases senfe t from his not knowing the quar-
ter whence the blow came. His countenance
reddens with fiery indignation, he looks an
grily about him, and is on the point of drawing
ms sw0ra to asvsnge himself on any person,
the cause of his public exposure. But in the
act of looking up, he discovers that The bIoW
was inflicted by the hand of fair lady, upon
which he not only Immediately Gains down
and relents but composing his countenance
pays his respects to her with q gentle smile
and a most lowly, courteous bow. Now, NV
not to pay that homage to God which one does
to lady, only because she is lady You feel
sore aggrieved because you sometimes receive
6lew1 a as from some hugelsnow ball,
because your son dies, because your business
fails, because your employment is wrested from
you' because some public disgrace overtakes
you: on do but look up, and see who it is
that smltes you. Is it not the Lord' Cheer
up, then, and compose your mind, for from
such hand, if you will mark it well, every
injury Is favor ; as st. Augustine saws: 1t ia
pain and yet grace"
The sermon on "The Worlds Treachery, -
is mine of historical facts and classical ALA
sions, impressing us by their appropriateness
to our own times, and startling Us by the vivid |
light which they cast upon the men and man. |
ners of our day. Those well read in Roman /
and Grecian history, will be delightfully."-
amazed at the practical use made of their most |
noted personages; while to one not versed in |
ancient lore, the book unlocks a treasure-house
of useful and agreeable information.
From the sermon on "The fear of God from,
the sense of His power" we learn that it was
Solomon who long ago settled question which
we fancied had been decided only by the ex-
perience of centuries, viz: "AI things obev
money" But our reverend teacher shows MS
how, while money commands every thing else,
it does not command Almighty God.
i" SO far from this, He can carry His will into
effect by the most insignificant means for
instance, by what He did to Achab, that is, by
the rain in it's season, or by de-
sp;atohing the particles of hail or the thin
any dense troop of caterpillars that He may
commission 60 to march against you will suffice
to reduce you to beggary. And what famous
conspiracies has he not defeated by such poor,
weak little troopers az thesef Not only did
He by their fundamentally drive the Canaan
ties out of their land, that He might plant in
it His own people, but by the same means He
subdued Persian army, led by Sapor, their
King, under the walls of Nisibis, and routed
another army of the Franks, encamped with
Charles, their king, near Girona. And is He
not able to devastate your few inches of arabic
land by the same meansi Question the histo-
rian, Diodorus, as to the dearth which was I
occasIoned in Media by set of poor little
'parrows. Ask Sabellus what a desolation
was brought into Thrace by the most diminu- ]
ave frogs Cromerus, what havoc was caused
n Masovia by the lightest grasshoppers Pliny I
What waste was introduced into France by the
1ettlest flies; Sigonius, what famine was -,
Produced in Italy by the meanest caterpillars. i
And from these instances you will be able to {
INFORM me whether God has it not in His power 1
With mere trife to render you miserable I
1t may perhaps seem surprising, but it is t