The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-04-26
NUMBER 10.

these less perfect things would have been i'm
possible, had not the other existed first. Thus,
ascending the scale of beings, from the less to
the more excellent, the simple fact that each
exists, proves that a being superior to it must
somewhere else be found, and that the supe-
rior was in existence first +; until We reach
that self-existent, all-perfest, eternal being
whose life accounts for o universe which his
power governs, and which without him would
have been an impossibility.
without him imperfect things could never
have obtained existence, and could not keep
1T for an instant; and without recognizing
him they cannot be explained. This, Angus
tus, is the second demonstration for which Won
have asked me. have just touched, in pass
| ing, the porches which led to three Others
sixth could be derived from the nature of freq
force. No force is real which is not free. The
force of ball flung through tho dir, is really
the force of something else, not of the ball; @
hand impaired it; that hand was moved by
the mind. In the mind at last, and there alone.
the force becomes real, because there alone il
ID free. All the forces of nature could be
shown to be thus communicated, or derivatiye
anu the question, where do they originated
would ultimately bring us to some mind, some
Intelligence. That intelligence is God
Could not all the forces of the universe be
blind and mechanical1" said Afer.
eff So they would mono of them be freep
said the Athenian.
"Well be it So" said Afer
off not free" persisted the Greek, they are
compulsory; if compulsory, who compels
themf say, God. You would have to SAY.
nothing; which is very like haring nothing to
say"
a ClamOr Ill
Dionysius had to wait until it subsidized.
:" am only showing" he resumed, where
and how the proof could be found A seventh
demonstration can be derived from tho moral
law. To deny God, or to misdescribe him.
would necesstate the denial of any difference
between good and evil, between virtue and
vice. 1t would be little long, but very easy
to establish this; far easier than it was to
make Ineligible the two proofs which have
already submitted to you. have said enough,
however This brilliant Assem- blage perceiyes
that the belief in one sovereign and omnipo-
tent mind is not a vain reverie for which moth
ing substantial can be advanced but a truth
1emonstrable, which neither human wit nor
human wisdom can shake from its everlasting
II WONDER" said Strabo, whether this
'eing, of whose knowledge and power there
IRE no limits, is also mild and compassionate"
Dionysus was buried in thought for O short
ime, and then sad
Pray favor ME with your attention for q few
moments. Love draws nigh to its object:
latred draws away from it's object, which it
lever approaches except in order to destroy it.
'ut the non existent cannot be destroyed;
herefore the nonresident never could draw
aired toward it. Hatred womb say thosa
Kings are non. existent which l should hate
I'd which l would destroy if they existed;
therefore, let them continue nonresident. But
his sovereign being is Antecedent TO all things;
4 his mind alone could they have had any
xistence before he created them. Ii, then, he
rev near them, 50 to speak, approached them,
allied them out Of nothing into his own pal
ce, the palace of being, love alone could have
ID him. Therefore, 10y the must Rigorous
it il evident that creation is iuex-
lIcIb!e excerpt Us au act of love. /; IS more
a act OF love than even preserv alton and pro.
elton. Ibis ompiporent being then, must
; love III perpetual action; love in universal
zion, bonndl' IS and everlasting love.n
" Certainly yours Is a grand philosophy
id Augustus.
" This sublime being" pursued Dionysius,
is, and cannot but be, an nfuite mind heis
Dundless knowledge, bouudless power and
oundless goodness. The mere continuance
ON day to day of this universe"
Here the Athenian suddenly stopped and
'oked round.
Why, were tho most benefeent human
eing that ever lived" exclaimed he, liable
7 q word 70 cast the universe into destruc-
on (; were IL In bis power to say az any mo.
ent Of wrath or disappointment that the suns