The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-10-22
new PUBLICATIONS.

-HeN
Church regarding the use, abuse, and disuse
of alcoholic liquors, especially in England, Ire
land and Scotland, from the 9th to the 10th
century. 1t is written by an earnest, learned
priest in the interests of laymen, aud is main
ly historical, rather than doctrinal, sho wing
the zeal of the Church in combating the evil
of intemperance, and her wisdom in furnishing
remedies for its cure. =
He shows, by quotations from the early
Fathers, how carefully the Church dscrimina-
ted between the use of Gods creations and
their abuse, and draws striking contrast be-
tween the days of merry England when under
the influence of religion, and those which fol-
lowed the Reformation when drunken England
threw off all restraint, and thus gave rise to
the terrible state of affairs witnessed in that
land to-day.
1t is int resting to follow ont the new COM
plications which ensued by the substitution
of whisky for wine, and which made of druRk-
enness madness hard to be controlled by any
power except that of the Church. So carefully
does this anxious mother watch over the in
terests of mankind, that synods were convened
and canons Illuminated in regard to this one
alarming vice; and the reader of this little
book will learn how the Church grapples with
every abuse, only to overcome it finally, 81
though it may seem for q time to defy her
power.
Among the customs of the British Isles which
introduced, or carried out the vice of intern.
perance, our author instances the axes of the
peasautry-an evil existing, yet, in spite of
all that the Church has done to remove it.
To the Jealous among the clergy who have un-
tertaken to promote the cause of temperance,
this work will prove q powerful auxiliary i;
not only by its stimulus of past successes, but
also by the active sympathy and practical sug-
gestions which it brings to bear upon the sub.
ject.
The Introductory letter to the author by
Cardin al Manning proves the excellence of the
work and the importance of the cause in " hich
it is written.
Although it can not be denied that drunk
enness is on the increase in England
and Ireland, we must not lose hope in the
power and ability of the Church to destroy, or
at least mitigate the evil, even as she has done
in past ages. But it is especially for our own
country that we must hope and pray, knowing
that drunkenness is one of the greatest evils
of the day, impov erishing thousands, and de-
stroying countless souls that Christ came to
save.
The book is well named, 1.-THE Discipline OF
Drink" for it suggests q rule for the OF
what God has made good but man has per-
verted, it gives methods for regulating princi.
pies and practice, and teaches subsection to
laws, rules, and precepts 80 oonclusively, that
its object-to make man q reasonable being
and responsible Cbristian-would almost
appear accomplished by the study CT it's
pages alone.
With Cardinal Manning, we thank Father
Bridget for his excellent work, go we'll calcu-
! lated to reform morals, to promote virtue; and
nobly indicative of that sublime Militant
power which has struggled, and still continues
to struggle, with every adversary that the
Evil One places in the way of the salvation of
her children and which has conquered and
will continue to coDq1er upon every battle
| field on which she rears her standard of the
! Cross.
| Linked Lires. By Lady Gertrude Douglas New
! York: BeDzlger Il Bros
| This book has received large share of praise
from the English press generally, and from
the London Tablet in particular, whose notice
amounts 10 a laudation, while the academy
even goes SO far as to assert that it promises
more for the future than anything yet done by
| Lady Georgiana Fullerton. We are forced to
differ from these thoughtful and excellent
reviews and to render verdict more in &C.
! cordance with the merits of the work.
We presume it is written by convert, by one
whose pure heart and intelligent mind naturally
| led her into the one true Church, for we fud
! this purity of heart and charm of intellect
shining out on every page. There is a fervor
about it truly edfying, while many sentences
furnish admirable subjects for pious medita,
tions; but as novel, it falls far below Lady
Fnllerton's works and, devoid of anything like
plot, it seems to be but link by which to
join very piOus reflections and very good sug-
| gestions.
We know of but two female writers in this
country whose novels can be called Catholic
Miss Fisher, whose nom de plume is Christian
Reid, and the author of the House of York"
These ladies use controversy, no tiresome
discussions to effect the aim they have in view,
but with Catholic principles underlying every