The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-07-08
$,rIng Star and Catholic ~ssssnser
go oF1rANs. SUNDAY. JULY isa7

--ss,.G oRIrANs. SUNDAY. JULY issz
----,-->-. - :-.on.n.rsrce for themselves.
n. ofsmiiiea. their friends, and oil whom their
ansnce and example may reach. In QUE
~ M, aaiut. no pope, no bishop, no pr1eet,
EmissionAry, no founder OF religious orders
nld possibly have higher and worthier oo'
Sscond. to assist and comfort one another IN
Wary and distress, in sickness and In death.
&ance they are all mutual beneficial societies,
r one another. they visit their sick, and they
Fnry their dead.
Third, to sdifv and encourage one another
3 lea5ine Christian lives, in frequentlng the
hurch and sscramepts, in giving good exam
6le. in sapctifyipg aud saving their own souls,
nj in lending others to virtue, religion, and
Eeayen. Fer this reasQn only practical Cath
Siea are admitted or retained as members.
A Last bpt not least, to influence and induce,
~ the moral force of their heroic example,
1sbers who really need Total Abstinence, to
la the organis alton, and thus save them
F. ives and families from utter ruin in time and
srnity. Can you imagine more unsslhsb,
r Iivalrous. heavenly. godlke purposes and
sualIy attained, range the members side by
dc with the greatest benefactors of the age,
18th the self sacrificing mission aries of the
Ehurob, with the Apostles of Jesus, with tbs
Ayiour himself, who, being sin4ess Gad, as
hmed the nature and com panionship of sinful
hen to save their immortal souls. In point OF
&ct know thatone-fourth, per haps one-half,
ef tho present Notwithstanding especially
HI the leaders and founders of the several 80
eieties, have ipangnrated and have joined this
Catholic temperance movement, not for them
belyes, but rather for others. Therefore. can
bot hut consider and revere them as heroes
Ind martyrs, as apostles and angels OF charity,
temperance, rsiigion, and holy example. They
follow to the les&sr the counsel of Jesus to his
Disciples: LET your Light chime before men,
that they may see yonr good works, ana pra,se
k, Enfxx.. r6n % ;,a I
|he last question:
FHAr DO MEN SAY OF THE TOTAL ABSTINENCE
PLEDGE.
They say sThe Teetotal Pledge Is like rope
6f sand, it breaks as soon as it is tested. Many
unmindful of their pledge, take
krong drinks on the ally, and some have even
BEEN seen publicly Intoxicated" Hence they
Eonclude that it is all sham, mockery,
eiece of hypocrisy. do not hesitate to brand
his sweepipg assertion as foul Islander upon
kne of the most faithful body of men in the
bhurch or state.
/ speak from close observation and years Of
Experience In this important aud delicate mat
ar when testify that there are few societies
kenerally observed, or the pledges al d duties
more faithfully fulfilled than in our Catholic
temperance societies of New Orleans. Among
syery TEN members there are certainly nine who
honestly keep the pledge for one that coca
kionally breaks it through human frailty. Now,
DC. Alphonsus declares that, If u mission
preached by dozen missionaries during o
or month succeeds in preventing but
kue mortal sin, that mission 10 q brilliant suc-
kess and will stand emblazoned in the book OF
ife throughout all eternity. Who can, then
Ealcnlate all the sins, crimes, neglects. losses
Ind miseries which the Temperance Union o!
his city and State, as well as the sister sooie.
lies of the world, have already prevented
4uring the few years of their brief existence
The Judgment Day alone will reveal oil! the
Svils hindered, ali the good effected, and all
Die immortal souls saved by men whom an un
srateful world seeks to slandar and ridicule in
hanks for their services.
hers prove recreant to their sacred pledge
that wonld then followf Nothing but this,
EhRt another work of God, another means o.
another moral medicine, can be and
has been abused and tsrned into deadly poison
10y the natural infrmity and Inconsistency o.
snau. Let me ask, what is there holy or use
fnl under Gods sun that man has not abused
God created and blessed the earth Tor man.
yet soon after ungrateful man com
EDelled Him to curse the earth and to condemn
mankind. In his mercy God pardoned our rae
land promised q Redeemer; yet some centuries
sater man forgot or secuted CODE mercy AM q
aeetroyed the human family, only eight soul
Excepted. God chose the Israelites for his owl
people, led them out of slavery, and loadc'
Them with daily benefits; yet they abused hi
mercy and miracles SO that only two of the oil
observation-disclosures and Caleb-were permitted
TO enter the promised land
III Our Divine Redeemer lived, laoored, AM
suffered 33 years among his brethren accord
ing to the flesh; yet at bis return to Hesve
he counted but 100 faithful followers: tn
others rejected, reviled and murdered Hin
and persecuted his disciples. What is NOR
holy and divine than the religion of Christ
Vet the prophet Simeon forstold it would b
the T,sin, as well as the resurrection, of man
in Israel, as only the smaller number woul
choose to walk the narrow, rugged and thorn
path to Heaven. What was more salntar
and ssDctifed than the Cross Of Jesus cruc
fed Yet it became ascsndai to the Jews an
a mockery to the Gsntiles and to day is
shame to the he,etics. What book is ther
more holy than the Biblef Yet what boo
has been more misunderstood, misinterpreteC
misapplied, and abused7 What book has OF
easioned more confusion, disputes, persecI
tions, scots and sohisms in the world than til
Bible3 Still it is holy aud useful bool
Gods own word and work, although it is an
has been 80 frightfully abused. Thus man
own free will turns into poison and deaf
what the Creator and Saviour intended fl
medicine and life.
Bat let me come nearer home and to Close
L quarters. Are you, who undertake to jud[
F and condemn your brethren for supposed vi
lations of o pledgeIHre you without sin YC
solemnly pledged yourself at Baptism, at Fir
Il Communion, at missions, at the feet of tt
+ priest in the tribunal of PeDance. to renoun
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