The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-12-17
FATHER RYAN'S LECTURE.

Last Sunday evening a large and appre
ciative audience, among whom were many non
Catholics, assembled in st. Patrick's Hall t.
hear Father Ryan's lecture on "Moderr
Science in the Presence of Christ" On thu
platform were some thirty of the Reverenl
Clergy and q number of the more promineD
Catholic iaymen Of the city. Father Nyar
was introduced or rather presented to the au
dence by Father Beecher of ST. Joseph
church. From the Picayune of last Monday VI,
take the following synopsis of the Rev
Fathers address:
In introducing his theme the orator said il
was one hard to make interesting, but he con
sid cred that every Catholic priest had right
to enter the intellectual arena with any man
OF science, because the church possessed the
first, the middle and the last word of science
There are revolutions of thought and mind,
as there are political and physical revolutions
I'VE are able to stand before the world and
tell the world of science: Think as you please
dream as you like argue as you choose, pile
yonr theories mp to mountain heights, but we
hold the principle of every science, because we
is 9 person (; that PERSONS name is God.
By him we stand, because, by Him made.
All, though the scientists of the present day
strive to ostraoiss God-to transport Him TO
the Van Diemen's Island of intellectual OBJ
sourity, we take Him back, and keep Him
among the people; let the beautiful Head of
GJd rest on our breasts; carry Him down
amongst the people; for He, alone. gives
meaning to everything that is beautiful in us,
everything that is true in science, every
thing that is glorious in all the religions of
the world.
Deep down in the holiest recesses of human
hearts there is q passion for God.
1t is the tradition, the burden of the history
or the r9cs, from the beginning until now,
from no" until the sunset of time, that name,
sweeter than any other, that power, that
that person that forc9, moral and
intellectual, abides in the soul of the human
race. In our age men stand before the public
Darwin, Huxley, Tindall, Spenser, Draper
of this country, and many others-pretending
to be men of greatness, assuming to be men Of
science. They are men who follow one little
Inc OF a special science, and pursuing that de-
sire to apply tie principles of that narrow
thread of theory tn the broad uuiversality of
tradition and tne idea of God.
They say to us-and more, they write it d wn
% be transmitted IL future generations thai
Will never read such wicked oooks-rhat God |
8 not person. Tney deaf with matter handle |
t. analyze it, botI 90 beyond all that, and rise |
% higher ssheres of Intellectual thought, and |
20 To deeper depths when /, as a Christian |
ay know, when say l believe"
The orator reasoned that it would be well |
OF tho ecIen fists TO content themselves with
ne consideration of matter, and not eudeavor
o destroy the idea of Gods personality. Tne
resence of controlling Divinity is indicated
u the physical creation; the moral sense and
Istory II the human race tell of it, The pa
~Aio ooNAS ho AOL OOu III pDJ6lC8l O1JecCS, ana
onnd him in external nature.
Man is descended from God and must again
iBe 70 Him.
- The scientists say, 'sir, there is no Cod
ut would rather bel eve my mother, for she r.
Did me there was God, and 1 knelt at her
'et and said MY prayers to that God. I have
card His name first murmured by her lips,
nd would put my God and my mother
Iajnst ell the scientists in this world that
ould seek to Danish God"
hr Huxley says: Il an not uaterialist, ard
M cot be- because do not know what matter
:" IL is true; he does not. Neither DO you
What is the finite to tbeinfuite What is the
sIble bnt the fash of a smile from the Great |
visible What is this world but the thong ht | c
COO, made concrete and emil bodied in matter, | I
at visible things might SHOW forth the in I
slole Go out tonight and aek the stars, the e
lght, sweet stars, and if they could speak q
ey would tell you of the God above them Il
k the blossoms and the flowers, and if they a
uld say word they would tell you of the C
I'd above them. C
The eloquent speaker threw around his C
eme all the graces of kis magnificent fancy, il
d his lecture was a poem in blank verse The 6
tracts given above convey but faint idea of p
3 beauty of his discourse, which was listeued q
until the close with uns swerviDg attention t.
the immense audience. q