The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-04-19
Dean Byrne's Reply to Archbishop Puroolrs Critics
From the N. Y. Herald. !

tFrom the N. Y. Herald.l
On Monday evening o crowded public
meeting in behalf of total abstinence was
held by the Catholics of the Immaculate
Conception parish in the Church Hall,
Fifteenth Street. The large hall was packed
upon the occasion. Mr.. James w. O'Brien,
Secretary of the Catholic Total Abstinence
Union of America, was the speaker of the
evening. He said the position of the Cath
Ollie body on the temperance question
had been misunderstood, and Archbishop
Purcell had been attacked by the more
fanatical agitators for his recently published
letter. That letter is q true total abstinence
document, and the Archbishop's critics
were not doing as much for the cause as
that venerable prelate. The Very Rev.
Dean Byrne, President of the Catholic
Total Abstinence Union, divine who
stood at the head of the Catholic teetotalers
of the country, and who held that tie
pledge excluded not only wine, but cider
and all sorts of beers as beverage, had
just sent to the speaker, as Secretary of
the Union in this city, an emphatic reply
to the fallaces of those who ran into ex-
tremes on this matter. This letter had
been sent in response to the inquiries re-
garding the points of this discussion. The
principal points are as follows:
PRESIDENT BYRNE's POSITION
My Dear Mr.. OBrien-Your note is re-
ceived regarding the unfavorable comments
on Archbishop Purcell's temperance docu-
ment, by persons who say it will iDjure the
total abstinence cause. In my humble
opinion there need be no fear. The truth
never does On injury, and Archbishop Pur
cell has spoken only the truth. He simply
sets himself against the exaggerations of
parties, who, like some of the old heretics
long since condemned by the Church, would
declare wine evil, and thus implicitly as
sail the institution of Jesus Christ and the
continuous usage of the Catholic Church,
which holds the pure wine of the grape to
be the proper matter for the Christian
sacrifice. What God has chosen for sacri-
fee He does not forbid to be usedain mod
Grafton. But, while the Archbishop main
tains this truth, he does not say that total
abstinence is not useful and sometimes
necessary. Nor does he say that the use of
wine and other stimulating drinks, " mod
erately," is 30 universal in the world that
there is no need of interfering with tho
drinking habits of society" On the con-
trary, he says that he sympathizes with
the object, if not with the means adopted
by the crusaders against intemperance;
that he expressed oftentimes the wish that
not one of his flock was Z" low, disreputa-
BILE saloon keeper" and that for ten years
he has been, and is, q total abstaincr. How,
.
cause of total abstinence Does he not
admit that moderation is no longer prac-
ticed; that the grog sellers are not up
right and honorable, and that total abst-
nence ia necessary, or at least required, to
stem the torrent of intemperance which is
inundating the world ?
This is just what We all believe. A fear
full experience shows us that moderation is
the exception and that excess is the rule in
the use of slim ulating drinks. The hideous
spectacles presented day and night, in and
around the groggeries, prove how far their
owners have departed from all right princ
pie, or conception of moral obligation. And
the results of the preaching of {" modera-
tion," in Increased intemperance, convince
US that an additional remedy must be in
vented to save society from ruin. Like the
Archbishop, l am persuaded that the
remedy is not in closing the groggeres-
an impossible task as long as there will be
demand for what they contain.
Self denial, in preaching and practice, is
the remedy for this as for all other vices.
The Archbishop has given us the example
of both-in his sermons and daily practice.
Let US, who are appointed to preach, speak
the more earnestly of this evil as its ravages
are more frightful, and let US add the prac-
tlce of total abstinence to the preaching as
a reparation to God for the excuses of
others, and as an inducement to our fellow
abyss which is engulting SO many. This
never has been and never will be opposed
by the Church or its bishops; nor does
Archbishop Purcell intend in this letter
either to withdraw from what he subscribed
at the Council of Baltimore or to discourage
the Catholic total abstinence movement. =.
1t is not the evil of liquor, but the
extent of the abuse, which obliges all men
to raise barriers against the spread of intern
perauce. The evil of the abuse is keenly
felt by Catholic and Protestant, and by
none more that by the Archbishop. Total
abstinence he has counted a sovereign
remedy against this abuse, and that total
abstinence should not be confined to the
drunkards he himself is an example. He is
an abstainer for eGiicatioD, although
always most temperate.
l remain, with sincere regard, yours in
Christ. PATRICK BYRNE,
President Catholic Total Abstinence Union
of America.