The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-05-20


iosS casts us down and carries away on
frlendss How many Judas have I see
around mel
In short, and this is my last argument
tnere Is Eota God in Heaven, if any ma
could conceive end execute with full sue
cess tne gigantic design of seizing upon tn
supreme worship by usurpiDg the name O
God. Jesus is the only one who has dare,
to DO this He is the only one who sal,
clearly, afhrmed imperturbably, himaelf o
himself, am God which is quite diffsren
from the affirmation, I am a god. Histor.
mentions no other individual who q uali
fed himself with the title of God In th,
absolute sense. How, then, should Jew
to whose existence there Is more testimony
than to that Of any of his contemporaries, b.
alone, the son of a carpenter, give himself
out as God himself, for the Self existing
Being, for the Creator of all beings. He
claims every kind of alteration, he bulds
his worship with -his-own hands, not with
stones, but with men. And how was it tha,
by a prodigy surprising all prodigies be
| willed the love of men-that which il is
most difficult in the world to obtain-and
Immediately succeeded From this con
clude his divinity. Alexander, Cesar,
Hannibal, all failed. They conquered the
world, but they were not able to obtain a
friend. L am perhaps the only person at
the present time who has ary love for Han.
nibai, Caesar, or Alexander. 1t ia true we
love our children; but bow many children
are ungratefnl Do your children love
you, Generals You love them but you
are not sure of a return.
''Christ speaks, and from that time gem
eratlons are his by ties more strict, more
intimate than those of blood; by 6 union
more sacred, more imperative than any
other could be. All those who sincerely
believe in him feel that superior love, of
which time, the great destroyer, can nei-
o. q nor Nha I,
ration. I, Napoleon, admire this the more
that 1 have so often thought of it and it
proves to me absolutely the divinity of
Christ.
81 have inspired multitudes to die for
me. God forbid that should form apy
comparison between the enthusiasm of my
soldiers and Christian charity; they are as
different as their causes. And then nv
presence was required; the electricity of
my look, my voice, word from me and
then the sacred fire was kindled in all
hearts. ! certainly possess the secre5 of
that magic power which carries away other
peoples minds; yet could never communi-
ever received it from me, or guessed at it;
neither have the power to eternalize my
name and my love in the heart.
Now that am at st. Helena-now that
1 am alone, nailed to this rock, who fights !
and conquers for me? What eourtiers
nave in my misfortune 7 Does any one |
think of me Does any one in Europe |
move for met Who has remained faithful |
w here are my fiiendsf Yes, you, two or |
three whose fidelity immortalizes you,
share my exile Here the vsice of the |
emperor assumed peculiar tone of melan. |
choly irony and deep sadness. yes,
our existence has shone with all the |
orilliancy of the diadem and of sovereignity.
and yours, General, reflected the spendor.
IA the dome nf TDvali1ao
'ays of the sun. But reverses have come.
BY degrees the golden hues are eff4ced,
me Hoods of misfOrtunes and the Outrages
@ which | am every day subjected carry
way the last tints. Only the lead remains,
General, and soon shall be dust.
"'Such is the destiny of great men of
|ssar, and of Alexander; we are forgotten,
ind the name of a conqueror like that of an
'mperor ls only the subject of college
heme. Our exploits come under the fsrule
If pedant, who either praises or insults
To- A few moments and this will be my
ate what will happen to myself As-
by the English oligarchy, die
and my body will be returned
o the earth to become pasture for worms.
This ls the destiny, now very near, of the [
reat Napoleon. What a gulf between my {
Misery and the eternal reign of Christ,
reached, praised, loved, adoEed, living in s
he whole universe. Is this to die Is it I
ot rather to live 7 Such is the death of '
hrist-such ID the death of Cod" G
The peroration of the first of Lacor6 aires {
Conferences" on Jesus Christ referring c
} this was as follows: q
"Our age commenced by a man who
1tssripped ali his contemporaries, and !
hom we who have followed have not =,
lualled. A conqueror, soldier, founder :
empire, his name and his ideas are still =
very where present. After having uucon. =
,iously accomplished the work of God he =
that work beipg done, and =
aned like setting sun in the deep waters +
the ocean. There upon barren rock he y
we'd to recall the events of his own life 3
nd from himself going back to others who :,
ad lived before him, and t. whom he had =
right to compare himself, he could not '
IL TO perceive form greater than his own +
pom that illustrious stage whereon he took y
is place. He often contemplated it; mis- .
rtune opens the soul to Examinations
hich in prosperity are unseen. That form g
rose before him-he was COM y
slled to judge it. One evening in the
)urse of that long exile which expiated q