The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-10-15
CATHOLIC TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETIES
OF NEW ORLEANS
REV. X. sEoLr's LECTURE.
By THE

| Last Sunday the Total Abstinence Societies
of this city celebrated the anniversary of the
! birth of Rev. Theobald Mathew by general
communion at the church of the Immaculate
Conception in the morning, and by attending a
lecture in st. Patricks Hall in the evening
Having, during the week preceding, pre-
pared themselves by three days. Retreat for q
worthy reception of the great Sacrament OF
| their Saviour's love, about three hundred
members bed at the Jesuits' church at
the O'Clock Mass. Rev. Father Free, S. j.,
who had conducted the retreat, Off ciated and
| addressed the congregation in his usual earnest
and effective style. At the Communion the
members approached the altar by twenties in
the most orderly and devout manner, present
ing scene at once impressive and edifying,
and one, unfortunately for US be i said, seldom
witnessed in this city.
In the evening within St. Patrick's Hall was
gathered an audience which, regards num-
bers we have never seen equalled here, no less
than twenty five hundred ladies and gentlemen
being present. The stage, on which the ban
ners of the societies were displayed, was occu-
pied by q number of the Reverend Clergy, few
leading lay Catholics who. though in sympathy
with the movement, have been prevented by
special reasons from joining in it, the delegates
to the State Union and the officers of the ssve-
raj societies. At twenty minutes to 8 o'clock,
Rev. Father Begly, S J advanced to the front
of the platform and spoke as follows:
Ladies and Collaboration the beginning of
time and all over the world, al WAYS and every.
where, there has been one man vino bias heen
constantly and universally admired. It. ia the
hero, one who sacrifices self, who saffers in
order to do good to Others.
In the legendary history of Rome, we are told
that in onee of the public squares of that city,
the ground opened suddenly one day, forming
a bottomless abyss; the people are frightened;
a young man in the crowd tells the people not
TO fear; that it is only the gods who need a
victim. He thinks of the glory of the sacrifice
and plunges in, and the abyss closes. This is @
fable, nothing like it ever happened, but the
idea ID true and grand, that great difficulties
are conquered, great dangers overcome, that
abysses are filed only by the noble and generous
who can crush out self.
1t would take long to give all the acts of he
roism in the world, for then we would have to
relate the history Of all W no are generous and
devoted.
The young Roman, standing at the head of
bridge ordering his companions to cut it down
from behind, there alone defending his people
from q whole aTmy-what did he care for life,
provided he saved his country.
History tells us of peasant girl who leaves her
Il ocks, clothes herself in mail, who gives up her
former gentle avooetions for the hardships of
the soldiers life and danger of battle 1t " as
because her country called, and self home and |
ease were TBoILSn Dy Inc D1Blu OF orleans.
Again, we remember the story 30 beautifully |
sung by Mrs. Hemans-a boy standing alone on |
the deck of a vessel and though the most fear |
full death for human being was approa ching, |
he remains firm, ready TO suffer all rather than
to fail in duty.
Why is it that we are forced to admire these |
acts Eof self sacrificeH Because thereby man |
increases his resemblance to God. God mani |
tests Himself to us by truth, beauty and good |
ness, and man makes these qualities his own |
chiefly by selEdensl. Perhaps you ask how |
can self-sacIifce have anything to do with |
truth. A man discovers q system and labors to |
build up kingdom for himself. This system |
is mine, l will now be an authority to these |
around me. But suppose his system clashes |
with the truth, then If he wish to be faithful to
truth, he must give up his day dream, sacrifice |
his idea, give up his soul and mind, himself.
In any case, whether he be wrong or right, he |
must cUush out self, for he must love truth be-
cause it is truth and not because it is his
opinion.
And beauty! When is it that the artist has
been able to carry the souls of other men along
with him 7 1t was only when he forget self;
when he seized upon ideal that gave q
shadow of the infinite.
What is goodness that exists for itself alone I
ian we realize itf man stands before the
world and says am the just; men will call me
The upright, the good No dream of what he
might do for others enters his mind he has
placed himself there to be looked up to, to be
admired, to be spoken of. In this case you may
lave q man who will do no glazing wrong.
You may have human goodness, the goodness of