The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-06-18

dJDer VINO Is In D6aVen.' ID6 IOfC0 OF ROOu
example we see by casting glauce at the be-
havior of the confes ors in the early times of
Christianity. Piny and other profine writers
of that period testify how greatly the heathens
were astonshed at beholding the pure life of
the first Christians. "What religion must that
be-" they said, "tbat endows men with strength
to live perfect life, in the practice of the
most noble virtues" They examined and be-
lieved.
Gentlemen, let the millions who call them-
selves Catholics in America really live Cath
olic life, and the people of this country will
soon open their eyes and recognize the truth of
the Catholic faith. Especially would that be
the case if all the Catholics lived so pure and
virtnous life in the midst of the corrupt
world and make such terrible development
here in America.
1 cay. secondly, there is an apostolate of in-
struction open to laymen. Proof of this may
The martyrs give evidence of this, and still
more the sermons of the holy Fathers, who ad-
dress the people as if all of them were educated
theologians. 30 informed ought every Catholic
in America to be that he might be abie, every
where and tn every one, pu biicly end privately
to give testimony of his faith but how few
are really able to do this, and yet it ought to
be easier now than in the earlier days of Chris
tianity, by reason of the aid to be derived from
the many books of instruction written for this
purpose. Did every household possess these,
and were they frequently read in the family
circle a people thoroughly instructed, strong
and immovable in their faith would grow mp.
There is, thirdly, an apostolate of the press
We read in the latest sccounts from Europe
name of " Apostolate of the Press" which the
Holy Father has approved and warmly recon
wended. This is saying much in it's favor, but
not too much, when we consider the intinence
which, according to experience, the press exer-
cises over the minds and actions of men, parti-
cutarly iu this country. This spostoiate of
the press should make il q duty to distribute
suitable controversial aud instructive books
among the non-Catholcs. A person who reads
alone, with his mind concentrated on the book
in his hand, has far better opportunities of be-
coming convinced of the truth of what be reads
than ore who hears parts of it discussed.
Would to God that we Catholics did for the
dissemination of the true faith only the tenth
part of what the Protestants do to com bat the
truth and to spread error, by the distribution
of books and tracts.
Protestapts send their oorporters through
city and country, and throw heretical books
and tracts full of aspersions and calumnies into
every house, while we rarely find Catholic
family that possesses even O small select family
library. Still more rarely do we find Catholics
who think of distributing such books among
those of another belief. Protestants spend
millions for this purpose. If we Catholics
labored with the same energy, how great and
beneficial would be the influence which we
should exercise for the welfare of the Church
and for the salvation of souls! For, thanks
be to God, there is no police here commanded
by Bismarck to confiscate and destroy such
books aud pamphlets
Besides this Apostoiate of the Press, by
means of books, there is also another not less
important, through the daily newspapers.
How energetically in this regard do Protestants
aud enemies of the Holy Church make use of
the press, in order to poison public opinion by
their journals and illustrated papers against
the Catholic Church and her servantsl Catho
lies ought in like manner to be provided with
Catholic daily papers to further the welfare of
the Church. This is the case here in Philadel
phia, in New York and in st. Louis; but how
little ls all this compared with the Efforts and
labors of Protestants, of secret societies and
political parties. Snow me one city where
there are as many Freemasons living together
as tn ere are Catholics in Philadelphia, and you
will frd that they have not one daily paper,
but five or six, or even ten. Where ten, twenty,
forty thousand Catholics reside in one city,
there should certainly be at least one leading
Catholic daily paper, but unfortunately even
in Cincinnati, with it's 100000 German Catho-
lies, there is not one daily newspaper of de
cidedly Catholic character! And even the
Louis, excellently edited as they are, find it
difficult to keep up their publication. The
IRISH part of the Catholic population, through
out the extent of the Uuited States, has no
Catholic daily paper, not even in New York
How this be accounted fort Only by the
words of Christ, when He said "The children
of darkness wiser in their generation than
the children of light" We Catholics do not
act as we should, for we even support the pub
locations of our enemies. This ought to and
must be changed.
1 count, fourthly, as q means of conversion
which may be successfully used by the laity,
the apostolate of social life. Laymen eau make
better and more efeotnai use Of this than the
priests, because, living in the world, they have
greater opportunities to come in contact with
others, either through business or through
family connections. Numberless occasions are
afforded them to win the hearts of non-Catho
lies to the truth of the holy faith, and benoe
to the Church of Christ, by being kind and
obiging to them, and rendering them useful
services.
1 mention, finally, the apostolate of prayer.
All the Catholics of America should daily lte
tne,c fervelt prayers, and offer them 10 the
Lord for the conversion of the United States /;
for faith is, after all, bestowed upon US only by
grace, and the meaus to obtain grace is prayer.
The great obstacle which has until now para
lived the efforts of these different kinds of lay
ate is the widespread political prejudice
of America that the Catholic Church, by its
nature. is opposed to Republican institutions,
therefore, before all things. let us endeaVor to
make it clear to the Americans that their Re
public will never have anything to fear from
| the Catholic Church. Would that it was in
| my power, from the steps of the Capitol at
Washington, to address the President. Con.
gress aud indeed the entire people Of the United
States. How many an honest American's eyes
| would be opened when he would perceive how
| nreat has been his mistake in regarding the