The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-04-02
HE MORNING STAR AtD CATHOLIC SUNDAY APRIL 1875

istry, were there any such reservatione made
Were you told that the duties imposed By the
ministry were free from every obstacle, exempt
from every peril Were you toia ina! peTson1. onr
dutyf We're you not told expressly the reverse
of all thisf Were you not warned that you
were sent as lamb among 'wolvesf Dia you
not even then know that there were violent
men in the world, who would oppose You in
the performance of your dutyf He, whose
example should be our guide, in imitation OF
whom we call ourselves shepherds, when de
came on earth to accomplish the designs of
His benevolence, did He pay regard to His own
safetyf And if your object be to preserve
your miserable existence, at the expense OF
charity and duty, there was no necessity FOR
your receiving holy unoton and entering into
the priesthood. The world iWparts this virtue,
teaches this doctrine. What do 1 say On,
shame! the world itself rejects it. It has like
hibit evil; it Las also it's gospel, gospe! OF
pride and hatred, which will not admit the
love of life to be offered plea for the trans
gresson of its laws. Il commando and is
of the promise-what would become OF tho
church, if your Language was held by ali your
brethrenf Where would she now be If she
had originally come forth with such doc
Don Abbondio hung down his head; he felt
under the weight of these arguments as q
chicken under the talons of hawk, who holds
him suspended in an unknown region, IN an
atmosphere he had never before breathed.
Seeing that reply was necessary, he said,
mere alarmed than convinced:
"My lord, have done wrong. since we
should pay no regard to life, have nothing
more to say. But when one has to do with
certain powerful people, who will not listen to
reason, do not see what is to be gained by
carrying things with high hand"
"And know you not that our gain is to saher
for the sake of justicef If you are Ignorant
of this, what is it you preachf What do you
teaohi What is the geod ners which yon pro-
-lo..- ~, Gau Irahf a
your hand, to overcome force by forcef Ger.
tanly you will not be asked at the day OF
Judgment, if you have vanquished the power
ful, for you have neither had the commission
if you have employed the means which have
been placed in your power to do that which
waS prescribed to yon, even when man hsd
the temerity to forbid it."
"These saints are odd creatures" thought
Don Abbondio; "eItract the essence OF this
discourse, and it will be found that he has more
at heart the love of two young people than the
life of priest" He would have been delight
ed to have had the conversation terminate
here, but he well perceived that such was not
the intention of the cardinal, who appeared to
be waiting reply, or apology, or something
81 say my lord" replied he, "that have
done wrong Wei cannot give ourselves oour-
age"
you undertaken q ministry which imposes on
you the task of warning with the passions of
the worldf But 1 will rather say, how is it
that you have forgotten that whore courage is
necessary to fulfil the obligations of this holy
vocation, the Most High would sssuredly i'm
part it to you, were you earnestly to implore
itf Do You think the millions of m Rrtyrs had
courage naturally Tnat they had naturally
a contempt for life-young Christians who had
just begun to taste its charms, children, moth
ers! All bad courage, simply because courage
was necessary, and they trusted in God to i'm
part it, Knowing yonr own weakness, have
you ever thought of preparing yourself for the
placed All, if during SO many years of pas
toral care you had loved your flock, (and
how could You resrain from loving them y if
.you had reposed in them your affections, yonr
dearest cares, your greatest delights, you would
not have failed in courage; love is intrepid;
if you had loved those who were committed to
your spiritual guardianship, those whom you
call children-if you had really loved them,
when you beheld- two of thom threatened at
tainly, charity would have made you tremble
for them, as the weakness of the flesh
made you tremb!e for yourself You
would have humbled yourself before God
for the first risiugs of selfish terror; you would
have considered it q temptation, and have
implored strength to resist it, Bot, you would
have eagerly listened 20 the holy and noble
of your children; you would have been unable
to find 8 moment of repose you would have
been impelled, constrained to do all you could
to avert the evil that threatened them. With
what then has this love, this anxiety, inspired
you What have you done for them7 How
have You been engaged 10 their service 7"
And he paused for q reply.
Cro be continued.)
A. L. - =.