The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-11-29

In his Golden Legend, which ia located IL
Italy, Longfellow pays this beautiful tribut e
to the Virgin-Mother of our Lord and nc
| one can read it without wondering how one
who sees the truth wildly should still
| hold himself outside its glorious portals.
And yet, much as he appreciates the Blessed
Virgins character, he fails to assign to it it.
proper sphere. 1t is not as sister that the
Catholic regards Mary, but as mother; and
hence the idea of her tenderness towards man
and that of her influence over the heart OF
her divine Son.
sisters love is indeed pure and holy af-
lection, but it bears no comparison to that of
true mother.-A mothers love alone is the
type of all that is enduring, Interchangeable and
strong.
1t is the mothers love which stiles it's own
anguish for it's ofspring's sake-as in the case
of the woman who held back the swerd, which
at solomon's command was to sever the babe
in two, and babe them give the child to the
one who claimed him.
1t is the mothers influence which changes
the iron will and the revengeful determination,
AS in the case of the mother of Coriolanus,
whose prayers prevailed where love, fame and
patriotism had all failed alike.
It's the mothers strength which upholds and
cheers and eDdures unto the end ;--as in the
case of the mother of the Maccabess, who bade
her noble sons look to the heaven above them,
and to remember that the struggle was but
brief, while the victory for all eternity.
1t Is the mothers pride which values all
treasures as worthless, impaired to the chill
dren of her heart,-as in the case of the Ro-
man matron who clasped her chiidren's hands
upon her arms and around her neck. and babe
The world-"Behold my jewels p
1t is the mothers patience which suffers in |
silence through years of anguish and desola- |
ion; as in the case of the mother of, Moses |
who bore repIoach and servitude and captivity |
or the son who knew her not.
Yes, it is as the mother that Mary stands
'efore the Christian world,-the mother of sor-
ows, the mother Of holy joy, the mother most
ure, the mother of all sinners, the mother of
IL Saints, the mother of all help, the mother
# all hope, the mother of nnercy-ir word,
he Mother of Him who was, and is, and ever
viii be our Light, our Life, our way!
The American poet, with bland unconscious
ess, declares that if " Our Faith had given us
othing MORE" etc. Does he ignore the fact
nat not O single Protestant sect, and only {
J" u L1lRu SnuTCu p3TGyb
YER pay this blessed Lady the homage of even
respectful thought, proclaimng her to be no G
ore than other women although an Arch !
,gel, commissioned from on high, declared {
lat she was favored among all women, while
IF own prophetic lips, inspired by the Holy y
host, babe all future generations, call her
essedI t.
But Longfellow owes most of his poetic
me to those pieces, to adorn which he has
rrowed the beauty and glory and grace. of r
T Holy Religion. The Golden legends one of :,
ese, filed with Catholic imagery, and radiant Ia
tn Catholic precepts. Evangeline is another, A,
beautiful in its robes of Faith as the poet IN
scr:bes his heroine to be, when forth from a,
3 tribunal of Penance "she walks, with Gods v,
nediction upon beI." n,
The greatest poets have belonged TO the 10
urcb; and may we not hope that ngfallow- "a
10 has but lately finished his labor Of love in N,
nslating Dautes immortal DiriHG CoRmedia,
1 who bias followed the footsteps Of one who
de the Blessed Queen, the Gentle Lady, the tb
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