The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-06-11

= Ia beloved Children OF the laity.
We desire that you all unite your hearts and
1oices in the chorus of thanksgiving that will
.,snd to God from all parts OF our country on
a. coming Fourth Of July, completing the
,ndredth anniversary of our separate exist
Z nee as q nation.
rrha r,burch sings every day, in the Preface
4 4be HOLY Mass, "that 1t is meet and just,
4. and available to salvation, that we
avs and in all places give thanks to the
|elv Lord. Almighty God, Eternal Father"
Rrt aanecial occasions call for especial mani
81 .t;ona Of thankfulness. And it is just that
a,nrass our gratitude with more than usual
.vor op that day which recalls to our hearts
= !. oraat favors He has multiplied upon our
oule during all these past hundred years
10 az the ssme time We see there have been
1;,a TO deplore the sight Of these must even
more stimulate Ms to praise our meroiful
s = Who. in spite of the sins of mer, has con-
aued to send down the showers of His good
81 and "make his sun shine on the just and
be unjust"
And, indeed, the chief causs of whatever
wills do exist among US has been precisely be-
4 ause men have been leaving God out of their
consideration, have not looked on Him as the
rst beginning and the last end of all things !;
Have not ackpo wledged the supremacy of His
sws, nor feared His Judgments.
1t is, then, especially meet and just, and
host available to the salvation of our country,
That we offer some reparation for this neglect
Il Him, by public and fervent thanksgiving,
sningled with humble supplication to Our
Father to continue His mercies on our country.
We must not, however, confound our thanks
N Him With vain hnaatinna
Divine Truth condemned the Phsrisee, who
made bis worship consist in thanking God that
'he was not like other men.
Neither must we allow the occasion to initiate
our pride with false notions about mans inde-
pendence and self-government; about all
power being from the people, etc. The Maker
and Lord of men has told us through st. Paul
fhat all power of man over his fellow-man "is
rom God," whether it be welded by kings,
residents OF people. Neither individuals nor
4najorities have any other rightfuI power but
vhat God has entrusted to them, for the well
ARE Of the people whom they are to govern and
protect.
Monarcbs, Legislators and judges and people
Eotiug for their rulers, must all equally answer
10 God for the honest exercise of their respec.
live trusts, subject to His eternal punishment,
Z they abuse them to the injury of truth and
ustice.
Your thanksgiving will be more acceptable
to God, and more Joyous to yourselves, because
more honest IL in recalling His favors you recall
kour own responsibilities and engage your
plves to renewed fidelity in their discharge.
4 Nor again must you mistake Gods great
svors to MS, for any divine sanction of proud
lotions about our form of government, or our
sivil policy, being in itself the wisest and
|nstest in Gil the world.
\ Republics and monarchies will alike deserve
tpprobation or condemnation according as
hey observe the rules of justice, promote mems
9eace and defend the weak against oppression.
i Justice exalteth nation but sins maketh
stions miserable"
For our civil policy, we know tn at men would
e happier, and any country would be more pros
srous, if ell citizens had the blessing of holding
he ono true faith, which God gave for mems
Asppiness, and If the government acknowledged
md protected it in all rightful ways.
Bot where men are divided in their judg
nents about religion, as they are in our coun-
ry, it seems that the wisest and fairest position
Dor the government, is that which has COM
monty been adopted here: to favor no one un-
I'd advancing their own religion by any honest
Aans.
t In practice this position is sometimes de-
Arted from, and injustice is thereby done US,
re know that under every kind of government
mere will be cases of hardship and injustice,
Because mon are imperfect, and sin has not been
destroyed from the earth.
4 Buthere we have the ad vantage that as equal
citizens we can use our votes and our voices to
repair injustice. And we have the consolation
Do know that in proportion as the people de-
erve good government by doing their duty to
aod and their fellow-men, in that same proper
tion is their power to obtain it by their votes
Ind counsels.
Let us, then, turn to our good and mighty
God with all our heart, and while we thank
Him for the past, beseech Him to pour out His
divine charity upon the hearts of all, that He
may henceforth receive from our country glory
more proportioned to the magnitude and null
titude of His gifts,
We direct, then, that on the Fourth Of July