The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-04-09
EFFECTS or THE PERSECEIIoN IN
GERMANY.

The GermGnia of a recent date, sum-
mariziug the good results, in spiritual
point of view, of the persecution of the
Church in Germany, concludes it's able
article with the following observations
"The enemies of the Church imagined
that they had acted in specially cunning
manner by building their hopes tor sue.
cess) on the evil passions which lie dormant
! in every human creature. Above all did |
| they rely on avaTice, hoping, ON the one
| hand, that the p:caVect ~ money aou ina.
| which can be procured with money Wonio
| lead to apostasy, and confidently expecting, |
| on the other hand, that the robbery of
earthly possessions would destroy hdelity
| to the Church But these calculations have
been proven false. Love of their Church
has proven itself stronger among our
Catholics and their priests than the lust OF
Mammon, aud seeing that every where
earthly possessions are sacrificed out Of
love for the Church, a less love OF the
goods of this world has taken possession
of the hearts of our Catholics. No longer
are all thought and aim directed toward
the heapiDg up of Earthly treasures, but
what has been laid by is spent, with open
hands, for charitable works. The conscious
mesa of the Christian duty Of dividing with
the needy has been vastly increased, since
, Pope, bishops, and priests of every grade
} no longer possess an income, aud are
thrown on the charity of our Cethoilcs'
3 The more the Church is robbed the more
: freely are the gifts of her children bestoW-
ed, and this noblest of all deeds of benev-
| olence exerts a most powerful influence on
the life of her children, as inspired by
faith. The pious sons of st. Francis have
t been driven away, but the result. is that all
V of US have become a kind of Franclscans,
that esteem money and worldly pos
sessions as vaiueless, and renounce luxury
IL as unworthy of q Christian.
70 "Oar enemies have tried to excite reli-
y gious fauaticism against Us. They are
y endeavoriDg to arouse old prejudices, OLD
J hatreds, old oppositions, hoping thus te
ID unite all non Catholics in a solid phalaux
y against the Catholic Church. Aud, to 6
certain degree, this attempt has beer
successful among the ignorant classes o.
% our Protestant population. But these re-
% cults have been supplemented by other'
q favorable to US Catholics. The better in
d formed portion of Protestants are more
> and more laying aside many rrejudicet
l. which had made them unfavorable to th'
Catholic Church. The open confession
. the fidelity, the self sacrifice Of Catholics
sion of their Church by political and &c
10 clesiasticai 'liberalism' have primarily
!, aroused the establishment of the more
50 serious and rejecting non Catholics, ant
IL have afterw ards produced wonderment, ant
-! u finally induced them to examine the doc
!. trines of a Church which produces result
30 glorious. Already do we behold Joyful
efftcta of this growing true knowledge o
Eli the Church. People are beginning
Il to see that what they believed themselve
us entitled to find fault with in til
nu Old Church was partly bascd on faIee pre-
Sn misses, partly on Misrepresentation. Wher
ne ever this knowledge ia possible, whereve
I -, truth is spreading its light, sincere peopl
~ are returning to the Church. Numerot
mf conversions hare ALREADY taken place, an
% there is rel grounded reason to hope il
VI a greater extension Of hcm Thus hf
y" it been at all times. Every persecution
the Church extends the limits of h,
dominion, aud increases the number of Il
tile faithful. In martyrdom lies victory"