The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-23
star and Catholic messenger
$50 oRLkAns. suNpAY. MAY 50. 1875
The Bossuet Of the West.

Ryan, of st. Louis, over the remains
Mayor Barrett, of that city:
And now, brethren, before departing fro
this temple of God, let us not be satisfe
with n mere expression of our respect 40
dove for the departed, but let ne bear frol
Uhis sacred spot some fessOns OF heavenf
wisdom for our future conduct. And th
4irst of these lessons-the first that ever
'thoughtful man read when he heard of hi
Deaths q lesson that speaks of the vanit
OF ell things human, and the necessity q
preparing for eternity. Gan flesh is grass
and the glory thereof as the flower Of tn
field." The grass has withered, and tn
flower has fallen, and the fallen flower be
fore us speaks of the vanity and instabllit
of all things human. When that reaii
great man-that man whose greatness tim
is every day ipcreasing-tbe great politica
philosopher and statesman,
EDMUND BURKE,
when he commended forthe representation
iu the Imperial Parliament Of Bristol, and
when his election was to him a matter OF
the utmost Importance, on the morning OF
chat election some one came to him and
ssaid: Now, you are sure Of the prize, for
your opponent has jest suddenly expired"
8Grke was too great q man to have even .
momentary aud involuntary throb of tri-
Waaph, and his words-worthy of inspira-
sion itself-his words struck me when saw
Ou0 departure Vi my ITieUu, hb III IuS Inu-
usent of his triumph, he exclaimed: "Oh,
wisst shadows We are, and what shadows
We pursued"
He felt the vanity of ali these things.
Human greatness, human glory all
atladows-shadows ourselves, and chasing
shadows. until We go into the house Of our
eternity
And another great man, St. Bernard, has
summed up his pursuit in q few words ::
:" The goods of fortune and of fame are &C.
Yufred with labor, possessed with anxiety,
host with regret" Labor, anxiety, regret,
this is all. o God, is it for this that you
have fashioned these immortal souls with
their grand aspirations7 Is It for this, these
shadows, that you impress upon US the
fuIago Of yourself, by which we rise above
AID outward splepdors and look around
upon the tinsel of earthly grandeur, and
6eei that we are made for something nobler,
and in springing up and trying to grasp 1t,
tafe pursuit of real goodf No matter how
high the eninence, brethren, no matter
how near you approach the summit, as you
mount upward you will see at any moment
the possibility of your fall, and you will
realize that it is Vanity of vanities, and
all is vanity"
But here, Brethren, before we separate,
may ask you to think of these great re-
iigieus truths aud teachings, which are the
aiost perfect props of morality in life, and
aAe most perfect sources of consolation
when the hour of your death shall have ar
riyed. Here think. The most sad, the
most melancholy and the most appalling
feature in modern society is the want of
an appreciation of religious truths, which
Rre che Foundation of the temple of moral
iSy. o, think of these truths Brethren,
when look upon this immence audience
Vvahsa remember whom l address when
i know and feel in my sout that az eak TO
tire intellect and to the heart of this great
<nity-to the men of power, and men of
S,usltiOn, ard the men who could effect q
moral revolution in society to morrow, were
Grey only true to God-perfectiy, not half,
tS9S entirefy-and true, perfectly and en-
Eirely to their convictions OF right-when
+ .apaok TINS to the heart and the intellect
Of st. Louis; when I speak' over the dead
body Of Der chief magistrate and when i
Ceaaember that perhaps'never again shall
have an opportunity oE'addressing an au-
>Glianne so powerful ia intelligence and in
r3yoSItipp, and when remember what could
30 done by such an audience, my heart
aiuka within me, and can only cry like
She prophet, crying in my weekness to
God, 0 Lord, l cannot speak. feel how
much can be done. Here in the persence of
my power to impress You, and to make
you esteem 10 you ought the glorious
= UeAchings of the revelation of Jesus Christ
" speak to God as spoke the prophet
~Lord, / cannot speak, but send thy child
with . Purifying fire to touch my lips and
illuminate the heart of this people, that
they may receive the few parting words
dsave vet to ssy.n And here, here in the
presence of the dead, and in the presence
OF the living God within this Sancutury
here between life aud death, between NOR
eAliGy and mmortality--between time and
xsoernity--here take my stand, aud in the
name Of the living God, who created you
and will Judge you by the right of tina
sacred a@bassadorship by which speak il
HE name, and above the dead, / charge
you, brethren, thiuk-beware how you re-
ject the imperiehable truths and awful com
Gnandments of the Most High Have yon il
the past weighed lightly the manifestation
ofGOd-the truths of revelation-and pass
ed them by as if they came not forth frou
the living Godf Think 2 Already time
Ss short. Eternity is opening its gates
The Angel of death is hovering nearer Il
you than perhaps you believe, aud you will
soon see the shadow of his wings, and feel thu
dart that goes forth from him. You viii
soon feel the stroke of his arrow. then
thiDk for soon men will say of you, "h