The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-12-30
Il Happy NEW YEAR!

or innocence from Gin. Second, exemption
from toll, bat not from occupation; and third
exemption from solicitade and sorrow.' With
this definition Of true happiness before oul
minds, how our wishes are for happy new yeal
ever to be faIfitIedf As We look abroad al
the daily increase of mechanical Inventions
by which human labor 10 set sside, and flesh
and blood cheapened to = pitiful degree, we
feel more snd more convinced that We are be-
ing driven further from the conditions of hap
piness and nearer to those of unrest, misery
| and want.
| The prime recommendation, in orr day, OF
the merits of q new invention, is that it will
do away with the labor of such and such a
number of men. If society were governed by
Gods eternal laws Of justice and charity, the
| marvellous inventions of man would add to
| the rest, peace, and enjoyment Of all but
| ruled as 1t 10 by sordid self shness and exact
| ing greed, thess same inventions deprive His
| creatures of peace Of mind and rest Of body,
| By robbing them of the means of earning q
livelihood.
The ann of happiness in the world ct large
! is becoming less and less, and the burden of
existence heavier and heavier as the years
roll on, and one is almost forced to believe
that this age of Invention ia that in which the
Evil One has most liberty to tempt the hearts
of men with ambition, avarice and pride. Am
oition, which leads them to raise themselves
above their brothers even if they have to step
over the bowed heads and crushed hearts of
the widow, the orphan and the poor. Avarice,
which prompts them to indulge the nseIves at
the expense CT others, which makes them take
advantage of a brothers need to wiring from
his hands his pittance of support; and finally
Pride, which scorns the humble and the desti-
tute, and looks upon poverty as a crime
And yes in spite of all these facts, happy
nav year is nos an impossiblity for the toiling
m asses, for the simple reason that Gods
Csurch exists on earth to-day. Her watohful
eyes are taking note OF all the miseries
g altering around Der children's way, and her
s,reDg bands are thrastipg them aside at the
Very time they seem TO crowd most dark and
meaacipgly.
Tie world lowers the wages of the poor, bus |
the Church bestows upon them free gifts OF |
food, shelter and education. The world makes |
dumb matter do the work of intelligent minds,
bat the Church organizes isbors of love and |
charity which no machine can ever perform.
The world having taken the bread from the
aboring men, thrusts them into prison calls
10 die; but the Church provides food for the
hungry, and builds up happy homes for the
1ssolate aud eutoast. The world poisons the
sounts of education; but the Church stretches
orth her hand and pours out abundant streams
If wholesome instruction.
The Church does more for men than Our
Divine Lord in his human personality could
lave accomplished, for she is in all places at
'nce, dwells among all nations, and lives
through all tilie. In the early centuries che
'ppo sed the tyranny of kings; in the middle
Iges, she controlled the passions of the PEG.
lie, in our days she provides remedies for the
wills of too mnoh knowledge, or rather of that
which does not seek first the king.
ION of God. Hence we see why q meroiful
saviour established His Church, and why He
% nmitted to her care the aouls of men and
he destiniss of nations.
Her existence is a pledge that the years of
mans life on earth may be happy, for she
caches him how to secure two of it's most
ecessary conditions. She inculcstes the rule
f purity Of though, word and deed, she bids
hem cast all their solioitude and sorrow into
he loving Heart of Jesus, and she strives by
very means at her command to teach men
ow to bear one snother's burden, 30 that the
Tearying labor and excessive toll Of each may
70 either eaSed or lessened.
We did not intend to give our readers 90
rave new year greeting az We have done
ut when we recalled how little regard is paid
o the commands Of God, to the precepts of
be Church and to the obligations of q
christian life, We thought all our wishes for
happy now year were only delusion and q
mare; but then cane the consolinH thought
f our Mother Church who gathers up into
er arms the rich and the poor. the sorrowful
nd the glad, the simple and the learned, and
ellis them ell how to have peace with them
elves, with their neigbbor and with God and
hen bids them know that with this blessed
'sace will surely come few happy years here
n earth and endless number of happy
Des in Heaven.
very interesting case was tried last month
n the Irish Landed Estates Court. On the
eath, in November, 1874, of Mr.. Harene, his
property, about go eco acres, in Kerry proda-