The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-04-07
a srsing Bar and Catholic asssenger
-
RnW oRLRAHs, SUNDAY, APRlL I is;s.

fhst sooietv in Italy never scared higher in
its fight towards civilization than when VI
was supported by tho breath OF Christianity.
and ep Lirely surrounded by Catholic atmo-
sphere. In spite Of all boRsting and vanity,
really do not know whether men OF goo1
ssnee would have tho assurance to claim tnat
In $he matter Of political or industrial great,
noso. we, of the present day, are likely to excel
Dur Catholic ancestors, whose words and acts
Attest their faith.
Venice, Genoa, Pisa, Lucca. Florence and
they we're respectful TO the authority of Holy
Church, flled with faith, as is evinoed by the
mney magnificent BasiIioas and other build
ings OF Christian charity, possessed powe.
that, considering the times and imperfect
means ut hand. surpassed those OF the most
Hourishing modern nations. lonis, the Biaok
Sea, Africa and Asia were the scenes OF the
oesn meroinl relations and the military exPedi.
tions of our forefathers, there they achieved
iaaDortant and fscuud victories, and while
thsir banners waved inspiring fear and respec9
ahsoad, they were not Idle ;S as nome ah,iyy ISSy
and private wealth, by every honest means
The manufactures Of wool, Of elk, Of gold ware,
Of stained glass, of paper, ct Florence, Pisa'
shousands upon thousands OF werkmen with
profitable work, and attracted to onr msrkets
She money and the trade of other lands.
From THE came that extravaganza so ener-
estically complained Of by Aiighieri, vacohi,
and by nearly all our chronicles, and which
was the result OF the wealth produced by this
Gomwerce. Here, too, was tho origin OF that
growth and splendor OF tho hne arts, whica
nnsurally oame to charm the leisure Of lie
nj comfort. The names of Giotto, Annolfo,
Brunellescho, down to those OF Pietro Perugio,
Rafael, Titan, Vignola, PalIadio, and host
of others, formed fitting crown for the pic.
ture that represents the wonderful progress Of
civilization in Q acciety that was not Obliged
20 give up its attachment TO the Church and
to become infidci that 1t might keep up with
she rapid maroh of perfection and to add ease
and charms to life.
But tho Church has not only the unquestion-
able merit of having
ESNoBLED AND sANcTIFiED LABOR;
she has not merely tho glory Of having caused
socisty, oond ucted and Inspired by her, to
make rapid strides in the way of civilization (;
she has still nobter merit, still higher
glory that of having restrained men within
reasonable bounds, and having prevented her
self from being carried by IN excessive love OF
labor to such an extent ss to convert into
source of bsrbarous oppression what, exer-
oiaed with discretion. is means of obtaining
for herself desirable advantages and an hon
-sst prosperity.
NON CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION,
The modern schools of political economy,
tainted with infdelity, regard labor as the
greatest end of man; and they regard man
himself % o mere machine, more or less val
uAble in proportion to ita preductrenesS. Hence
that ooptempt for mans morality, hence that
abuse of poverty and weakness, the part
Of those who want to take advantage of them
for their own ends. How many complaints
and how many solemn grievances have We not
heard, even from tho countries that
sidered at the summit of oviliz alton, with re-
gard to the long working hours imposed on
these who are obliged to earn their bread by
the sweet Of their brows
And those poor children put out in factories
where they are worn out with over work, do
they not call forth the indignation of every
generous soul, and do they not oblige govern
naents aud assemblies to devise laws to pre-
want this human trafios Aud II Catholic
come TO their cid with its creches, its Asylums
for childhood, how many children would
there not be left to themselves when the
mania for work tears from the domestic are.
side not only the man, bot even the mother
Ah dearly beloved, when We see these things,
when We hear them related by lips that are
above suspicion, it Is impossible for us to
withhold the feeling of indignation that
swells within against those who dream of
iotrustiBg into the hsEds of such barbarians
she dsstinies Of that civilization they pretend
20 much to encourage.
Bat what 10 still worse is that that inordi-
nate labor, while enervating aud consuming
the body, is still more ruinous to souls in
which 1t gradually destroys all traces of divine
resemblance. By diut of keeping men tied
down to matter, wrapped up, abeorbed in it.
the life OF the soul vanishes in these poor vic-
tins of labor gone bEck TO Paganism. Every
thing that eevsteB man, everything that
adopted son of tho Saviour, the heir to the king
dom of heaven, fades before his eyes, falls into
oblivion, and leaves unrestrained in man
everything that relates to his brutal passions
and his animal instincts.
In the presence of suoh sad realities en-
gendered by the avRrioe and pride of those
who are devoid of feeling, Que may we'll ask
whether these partizans of civilization sep.
areted from the Church, mud without God, do
mot, instead of making us advance, rather
throw us back several centuries by returniug
ua to those deplorable times when slavery
bound such large proportion of men, and
when the poet JGvenal declared, with sorrow,
that the human race exists for the amuse.
ment of few citizens.
Nov, who oorreots THE rash impetuosity
that is rnnnipg away with our age, better
than the Catholic Cearoh, which, IT, on the one
hand, abe urges all men to labor on the other
hand, resorts with super. hu man wisdom to the
best means to prevent its abuSe7 Indeed
without stopping At the consideration that
for her, " OrdS of humanity aud fratcrnal love
are, by no means, mere words devoid of mean.
ing, who does not know how effsctually che
has succeeded in soothing bitterness, in break.
ing in upon the painful continuity of labor, by
the rePose of Sunday and the Christian
HnlamnitiNa that from TINA n tir,a ooon. "a