The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-09-29
Married Martyrs.

lie dispieAsure at the panic OF certain Ffo
testant clergymen who have saved them
selves by flight during the present cpl
demic. 1t says:
A yellow fever epidemic tries the courage
even more than the battle field, and some who
| ut o ssfe distance from the peril, are hrst ane
among the frst to run A Methodist preacher
with life not insured, without property ol
means, and q dependent family, may vel
have his moments Of debate when the dread
reality of the pestilence confronts him. We
| think, even under such circumstances, ne
ought to face the peril, and that it were bet
| ter for him to die than to finch. Bot, never
theless. are slow to 1dge such cases. we
| know but too we'll wnat it 10 to go through
v1e ordeal.
"We think" Is that the best that can
be done towards knowledge of ones duty
in so serious q matter. A young preacher
with a growing family is suddenly called
on to face pestilence or desert his flock.
His theology teaches him nothing positive
for the emergency, and he calls on the Oldest
preacher, perhaps, that he can find, or the
presiding "Bishop," for advice. To every
opinion they prefix the inevitable 1--WE
| think Everyone "thinks," and each
| differs from every other as to the fact of
| obligation, or the degree of obligation, or
| the extent Of obligation, or some other
very important circumstance that the con-
| scientious enquirer is exercised about. He
may be an honest man who is willing to do
his dnty if he can only find out what it is.
But he is also a prudent man who knows
the dependence of his family on him and is
determined not to sacrifice them to an
unnecessary fit of enthusiasm. What
shall he do? After consulting with every
man cf note in his church and praying
aseduously, he is still in doubt what bis
duty lie, if any, in the premises. There is
no authority in his church to decide ques-
tons of faith or morals there is nothing
but opinion.
In such case an honest man is in a
dilemma, and he would find it a great re-
lief to be brought ont of it into the clear
light of certainty. He would be glad to
have q tribunal that could set him infalli-
by right. If he concluded to run away
and be safe, he would like to console him
self under the derision of the world by
| saying Well, at any rate, am right. If,
on the other hand, he should decide to
stand to his post, he could say to his wife
and children: 1t is not I, but duty, that
decides. We agree, then, with the Chris
tian Adcoeate in thinking that a "Meth-
| odist preacher may we'll have
his moments of debate" but we disagree
entirely with that paper when t says "we
| think be ought to face the peril"
| We think he woald show excellent judg-
ment by leaving. Charity begins at home
A doctor would, indeed, have no such
right; he has chosen his vocation and
| pledged himself to the people to stand by
I tifen.- But -the-preacher has really no
legitimate spiritual vocation and no public
obligation. The vocation to which he
a,pires cannot be assumed like worldly
profession, it must be divinely given.
Again the Christidn AdUocate says:
AS the course Of the Catholic priests is al
| most daily commented on, and in some in
| stances held up as rebuke to the Prot estants,
il is not out OF place to remember that the
| Catholic priest has no dependent family, and
| that he believes that his minstrations of bap.
sential to the future we'll being of the sick
| and dying. Believing that these things are
essential to salvation, it 10 consistent in the m
| and their imperative duty, to be present to
| the courage and devotion of the Catholic
| priet hood in encounteripg danger and death
| in administering the rites of their church, but
| certainly, when all things are consid cred, We
do not see that they have any advantage over
the Protestant minister who is equally faith
full under greater trials and actuat sd by superi
| or motives. 1t is not, however, our purpose to
| rstitute comparisons, but - insist q mat
| ter of justice, that none be condemned
uuheard, aud that, where nearly all are true
| and faithful, an occasional exception shall not
ha f,aA TO inn chs 1f n.
ersl ministerial desertiou.
Now does not our neighbor perceive
that it pays handsome compliment, n OF
only to the personnel of the Catholic priest
hood, bat to the policy upon which it is
formed The Catholic priest has nc
dependent family" says the AdrocIte, "Le
believes that his ministrations are
essential to the future well being Of the
sick and dying" If these things rende1
his fidelity ard devotion more easy, i