The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-11-26
BISHOP OF FERNS ON INTEMPhRANCE.
The new Bishop of Ferns has issued the
following circular to his clergy
Dat nhnr laZG
ENNIsCoRTHT October, 1876.

The new Bishop of Ferns has issued the
following circular to his clergy:
ENN1scoRTH1, October, 1876.
ReU. Dear Sir.-You will please read to
your people the following letter and an
nounce to them the usual NoveDs, COM
menciug on the following day, the % d
mat, and terminating on the eve of the
encourage the faithful to approach worthliy
the Holy Sacrament during these days at
fording them at the same time every reason
able opportunity of doing so. You VIII Do
pleased also to announce that the SUNDAY
aud holiday discipline regarding the onylng
and selling of drink continues in full force
in the Giocese and you will do your
utmost to enforce it's strict observance, as
one of the most ffectusl means of repress-
sing drunkenness and excessive drinking
amOngst our people. St. Cesarlus says to
us priests: GLOW will priests have to rem
der an account at the day of Judgment for
the people, if they leave them IN Ignorance
of this vice tdrunkennesa), apd do not fre-
ouently preach to them of lts fearful conse-
quences!" The pray ere to be recited each
day publicly In the church are the Lltanles
of the Saints. Benediction of the Blessed
Sacrament may be given each day where
ever convenient. Those who cannot JOIN
in the public prayers will not fsil TO reelte S
them privately at home,-I remain, hev.
dear sir, your faithful servant.
I M. WARREN.
The following are the principal passages
of the pastoral referred to by his lordship:
Tie object which we seek to obtain by
the devotions of oar Novena is indeed
good and holy one, and one which cannot
fail to be we'll pleasing and acceptable to
the Divine Majesty. eve ask Almighty
God to do what no one else can perform-to
give what no one else can bestow-to grant
to our humble prayers the conversion OF tne
most miserable and helpless slnners--the
victims and slaves amongst our people OF
the detestable and soul- destroying vice OF
intemperance. But not alone fer the help
less drunkard do We pray, but also Tor those
vet moderate drinkers OF intoxicating llq
uors, who have placed Themselves on an in
clined plane, down which they shall not fail
to descend until they reach the lowest level
tho state of habitual drunkenpess. But
why, my dearly beloved people, do we ask
you to come and offer special prayers for the
victims of intemperance rather than Tor
other sinners who grievously trangress the
laws of God Z Itis because this degrading
inquity is at once the most trying sin of
our day-the most common-the most
widespread. Because it is the most dim
cult vice to be cured, stupefyiDg as 1t does,
the minds of it's victims, rendering them in
sensible to all th 1T is good, unfit for prayer,
and slaves of sensualiby. In fine we do SO,
because being, as st. Chry rysostom says, tine
mother and nuree of all other Vlces," 1t
places most souls " on the broad way which
ieadeth through the wide gate into destruc.
tion," where their punishment will be the
everlasting torments of hell. "WOe to you,"
says the Holy Ghost, "who are mighty to
drink wine, and stout men at aJdrunkennesss."
Yet, notwithstanding these denunciations
by the Holy Ghost, how common it ls to hear
this detestable vice-the cause of evils with
out number, both spiritual aud temporal
spoken of as only human infirmity, ma
tural weakness, youthful frailty. For,
what ia drunkenness in reality What 10
it in the sight of God Z 1t ia "wilful
frenzy, a voluntary demon, state worse
than Madness" answers st. Chrysostom
1t is grievous ain which excludes it's vic
Tins for ever from the kingdom of GOD"
says St Paul. Do not err. Neither for
| nicators, nor idolaters, nor adultereIs, Dor
thieves, nor drunkards shall possess the
kingdom of God" Behold" says St.
| Chry sostom," q" amongst what companions
St. Paul places the drunkard! Amongst
the impure, the idolaters, misers, and
plunderers! You ask me-" continues the
saint. "is druukard as bad as an idolater
as wicked ae an Adulterer, a thief, or rob
bert Do not aA& me ask st. Paul, and he
will tell you they are all shut out from
the kingdom of God ! Since, Il eD, the dou-
kard stands outside the gates; since he ii
eACiuuSO ITOHl SdlN0llODJ EibSO bo 10 SVu
signed to eternal torments, do not ask nae
to take the scales of Divine justice into my
hands to weigh which shall descend Lowest
into the place of eternal torments 1" Bu
do not intend to go too far; am defermin
ed not to become a drunkard, )" says the in
cipient lover Of drink, Be assured, my deal
people, the love of drink, and the pleasure o
drink are most deceptive and dangerous. II
thcs. repects they resemble the seductive
woman mentioned by St John in the Apo
calyPs'. VITO gives her abominations tC
drink, but presented to her victims in cul
!, of gold. You say you do not intend to los
your soul through the love of drink-tha
; you do not intend to become drunkard
True, you do not; but neither did any of tn
Victims of intoxication who are now in tn
unquenchable fire, intend to-qring them
selves into that place of torment !; nor di'
, any of the victims of drink, men or women
l with whom you are acquainted, or of whom
you have heard intend TO reduce themselve
to that state of misery, degradation, an
! hardness Of heart. Yet they reached tha
state in due time. Their unhappy caree
: had it's small, imperceptible beginning ii