The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-10-17

It is ordinarily in the nature of human
things to go through progress from an imper-
feet to a more perfect state The April showers
and gentle warmth of epring will cover the
land with fresh grass and tender plants, but
there must be a stronger and warmer sun to
give them strength and ripeu their fruit.
Father Mathews gentle words aud ways of
grace covered his own land and ours with tho
peaceful hearts that followed the observance
of his pledge. But the season advanced. Those
tender ,plants-mapy of them were gathered to
Gods heavenly garner, aud many had grown
weak or dead. The beauty of Father Matho VS.
work seemed disappearing from the Garth
But You and your fellows have revived it
through our own country, and Ireland and
England. Aud to give it more vigor you have
broughtit nearer to the sun which gives life to
all things good. You have brought it into
Gods Holy Church, mp even to His Sacred
of the Bread of Life in Holy Com muniop, Our
Lord Himself entering into your hearts, found
there your pledge of Total Abstinence, and he
IT, I
Adorable Body gave health to the infrm and
life even to the dead. Father Mathews work
was great one, greater perhaps than we can
were such that even he, with his stout heart
and unconquerable zeal, hesitated long time
and resisted for months, believe for years,
charity, to begin that movement. His
biographies, John Francis Mcguire, describes
the conflict that agitated his soul while he con-
sidered On the ehand the desolation wrought
by intemperance, and, on the other, the diff
culties in the way of Total Abstinence. Gould
he expect that any large number could really
DO induced to make pledge contrary to the
customs and social habits of the people
whether it was right even to ask people so
loaded with miseries by their oppressive rulers
to give mp altogether SO common o means of
social eDjoymentf / remember little incident
that occurred at our college where was then
studying-the venerable mountain at Emmetts-
burg-which may illustrate what am saying.
Among the women attending to the domestic
duties of the college, was an old Irish woman
who, we may say, had only two wishes in her
heart-the glory of God aud the happiness of
dear old Ireland. She loved always to hear
the latest and best news from the old country.
Father Mathews wonderful progress through
the land, our reverend President took the
earliest opportunity to gladden. her heart by
telling her the happy reform the Apostle Of
Total Abstinence working through the
country. He described to her a good and
Jealous Franciscan who was making war on
drunkenness. how the very distilleEies were
closing up, because Father Mathew was get
ting All the people 10 give up entirely all use
of liq Tor. The good old woman listened with
amaZem-nt; aud when it was all told she
raised her bands aud shook her head in sadness
as she exclaimed: 81 Poor creatures, what '" i'll
become of them now! 1t was the only comfort
they had left Now, there was truth and
reason in her exclamation. And now, my
day before Father Mathew. Here was people
suffering much from poverty and the op-
preston of government through the relent-
less animosity of which they had been deprived
of almost every thing that could make this
life enjoyable. 1t was q hard thing for priest
that loved these people to call upon them to
abandon entirely one of the few means of en-
joyment which they still possessed. APP
plause] And it would be hard to find in the
history of any people spectacle so beautiful
and 80 glorious, telling of so much self denial
oaIl fhnan mill INN
of Irish people, rich and poor, Gro wding around
Father Mathew to take the pledge of Total Alb
stinence. To my memory now oaiy one history
occurs that equaled or surpassed 1t the fore
fathers of those same Irish people crowdiDg
around st. Patrick to receive Holy Baptism and
make the pledges of a Christian life. No human
complished suoh q work. AS they say in Rome,
we may call it not q miracle, but a grdEiG .
special favor of God: work that God directed
and prospered.
labors for Total Abstinence in Ireland and
elsewhere, with their amazing success and
happy fruits, we must give glory to God, and
praise to the modest and earnest priest whom
God chose to be his instrument
If it is lawful to conjecture, then we may
say that Father Matthew'S mission was to
prove to the world that total abstinence IL
practicable, and won for it therespect of socie-
~, both within and without the Church. Do
not say that Father Mathews work did not
last. 1t lasted in many soul until the hour OF
death, and thus securing that souls salvation,
it will last during all eternity in the glory it
will give to God in heaven. 1t is lasting in the
hearts of many who to this day, have faithful
ly preserved this pledge. 1t is lasting even in
some who for q while laid aside the pledge,
but have since been induced to renew it, By
their remembrance of Father Matthew'S words, |
by the grace his blessings brought them and
by the prayer he is offering for them in heaven.
1t is lasting in the spirit still prevailing
throughout the world, which Is working from
time to time to establish total abstinence soci-
cites even those of short duration. While they
do last they do their work, because they him
der at least some acts of intemPerance and as
Father Mathew was used to say: II he could
save one soul from one act Of dr1nkennesg, and
Continued on eighth pazsl