The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-07-26
Three Scenes Under the Church Porch.

which we found ourself. TIE church was
Pia'n' humb bic, wooden building; not as larg
hor as stylish as many of the barns of tb
Fenhs S-Tania farmers and yet what pionee
, or charity and civilization it was! Considere
only as human institution, what a vast des
OF good gathers around church
In sight Of where we stood might be seen a
orphan asylum an academy for boys, a conyen
! school for girls, seminary for the clergy: flu,
ther on retreat for the insane, a chapel for tn
colored people, hall for literary entertain
menus and the unfinished walls of
new and vast House of God! What ha
Philosophy ever done that can be com
pared to these resultss Compassion, &C
cording to Seneca, was "the vice of veal
mlnds;' hence the anciepts built no home
for their destitute and homeless; and all tbe
philosophy wiped tears away from the ev,
of widowhood, orphanage or sorrow. did mo-
bring cheer or gladness to single MOURNING
! heart
Virgil asserts that "a wise man neither on
vies the rich nor pities the poor" Hence we
find among the ancients no institutions to
| relieve the wants of suffering humanity. no
SCHOOLS ior the children OF the poor; no pitiful
sheiter-places for the outcast and forIorn
Religion, on the other hand, is the benefac-
Tor OF all mankind,-the mother of the whole
human race-the teacher of the rich, the com
forter of the poor.
FROM THIS humble church, where she has her
shrine, her accents went forth as an inspiration
to all the good and noble enterprises spread
around US. Her hand gathered the orphans
together: found for them guardians of love
and mercy and sheltered them all beneath
her maternal care. She went abroad and lifted
up the sick, tue MANNED, the demeuted. and
placed them in home of peace. where the
kindest human hands, and the strongest hu
man hearts could nurse and heal them. She
threw open her halls of learning to all alike
the rich as well as the poor, accepting from the
abundance of the one, wherewith to assist the
Indulgence of the other
10 the votaries Of fashion, she shows a
school for their daughters where solid informa.
ton and brilliant accomplishments are linked
with practical piety and we'll directed virtue
To the children of the poor toilers of the
world, she gives everything that will assist
them on their way, and removes whatever
might lead them astray. To the ambitions
and fame GLOWING youth of her fold, she prepares
a stage upon which vice is to be held up as an
object of scorn, and virtue as worthy ofiad-
miration and imitation.
10 those who were lately slaves, she shows
the true path of freedom, and teaches them in
her daily instructions that where the spirit of |
God is, there is liberty!
AT tnls point of our musings, a CAV, bridal |
party broke upon our loneliness and the
church bells rang out merry peal 1t was
early morning and the young couple had come
to the Nuptial Mass that their union mipbt bs
blessed with all that the Church can give of
high and holy.
III was, indeed, second feast of Cana for
'he Lord himself was to be their wedding
'ueS'' ana MS power was to change the cry
al waters OF affection iuto the ruddy sacra I
neh1ai "lne AS the young maiden wife passed
'u1 OF CHURCH at the close of the solemn cere-
nonles' we realized the power and beauty of
'ur di'lhe Religion, which places upon the
'ro" OF the Catholic bride, a crown which r.
lever Iades-and of which no human mower
an despoll her. Elected queen of her hus
'ahos heart and home, she will resign and
ule within those sacred precincts forever.
whatever cnapge may come, whatever charm
nay VANISH, the sacrament received to- dav ,
oniers upon her an enduring power ; and be-
"een herself and him who is her more than
rotner' ana her next to God" nothing can
yer come out the shadowy form of death. for
lohs as lie exists, she is all his, and he is =
IL her own. Did philosophy ever dream of -
nything SO beautiful as Christian marriage y
nd yet IN our own day-even in this nine .
'entn century-men are going back to pagan A
III and the family circle is no LONGER n nIace
s"nctity and honor. The wife knows not !,
ew long she may keep her place beside the q
le hearth-stone while the children fear to ~
SO fathers protecting care by a few spoke en- -
oras OF so-called law. Do they mot see that
nr'stlan marriage, as an indissoluble sacra-
ent, is the only sure foundation of sooio+,, ~
III tna1 with the customs of the pagans, must u
so return their vices 81
again were our meditations interrupted. II
us time group of people came towards ms =
TN llttie Child, to be baptized. 1t was =,
J-oniy few days old, not yet conscious of y, ~
own existence; and yet the divine Mother, -. -,
1ions for its eternal existence, beckons it to ~
saving waters of life, and with solemn ~