The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-02-18

10 It's objects. Was she not rlghti a Safe aud
practical rule for your guidance Is 10 become 4
member Of no society without hrst consulting your
pastor, and obtaining his APPRECIATION.
BALLS AND DANCES.
We should be waiting Ia our pastoral solicitude
for the flock entrusted 10 our care, did we not
avail ourselves Of this letter 70 denounee certain
dangerous amusements, by which numbers Of both
sexes are led into sin. We refer TO public balls
and indecent dances. All the bishops Of the
United States, assembled 10 Plenary Council In
the year 1865, Issued n pastoral letter 10 their
iiockS, IN which they warned them against those
fashionable dances, which, az ut present carried
on, are revolving to every feeling Of delicacy and
and are fraught with the greatest dan
pcrs 10 nIolls." Butt splieOt this solemn warn.
Ing. some Catholics, presumiug to be better Judges
Of morality than the prelatcs Of the Church, con.
tinue 10 indulge In these forbidden ADJUSTMENTS,
and to encourage others 10 their rebellion against
ecclesiastical authority. We appeal 10 all loyal
children Of the Church 10 resist this spirit Of open
revolt by hrin, unylRldlng adherence TO the d.
rectIGnS Of their lawful pastors, and by the most
positive refusal 10 Olnthe ranks Of the rubelllouS
or 10 be present. where the laws Of the Church arC
vet at dCfaucr. We need not dwell oil the nature
u these immodesl eK hibitions TO convince you o.
their improperly and criminal Tendencies. We
warn you that such positions and Indecent iamil.
IarIteS rs are taken In the execution Of this kind
Of dancing are grleyoIsly Immoral, and productive
OF the most ruInOus consequences. Avoid this
danger. then, n you value the purity and limo
Cence Of your SO1l. You cannot take such lllcr-
ties against Christian modeSty, and be alloEed,ht
privilege Of receiving Into your hearts the pure
Lamb Of God In the Sacrament Of the Communion
Therc eau be no compromise between God and
BaAl. You cannot serve GOd, and al the same
time be slaves TO your sinful passions II you per.
SISt IN these sinful amuSenienis, you cannot ~.
preach the Sacraments, aud the Rev. Clergy will
ieO that thi, prohibition i faithfully carried out
A kindred abuse prevails 10 4 very alarming
extent IN the public balls which young Catholic
men and girls are ton much In the habit OF ire
quentIng. Apart from the imniodest dancing, thu
questionable characters that eongresate al such
places. the late hours kept, the lone walk home
and other dangerous features make these tall
fruitful Of most sad and sinful consequences How
many fair name has bCen bllghtetl; how many 4
life forever emblttereLl; how many n family
brought 10 shame by these nocturnal reTerles
Parents We entreat you, for the love OF God, with
hold your children from all such gatherings. Sex
that poor girl, on whose brow, once fair with gem
Of holy purity, Is now written the stigma OF dis.
grace and shame. Ask her tnhsTe, h0F she fell
aud doubtless she will point 10 the ball.rOOu and
the dnnce-llOuse. Or watch that young man
Whose lCchercus looks bctTay the hidden C0rIup-
tiOII, and inquire Into the story Of his short but
clIrCkered life. Hut a while ago heknelt monthly
at the holy table aud enjoyed the pure deli ht OF
virtue and Innocence. But thediEZy round u the
dance, the sensual music Of the siren who there
prrSldcJ, The consequent excitement Of his low
animal passions, have corrupted his heart aud
wcll-hIgh driven him To despair.
Say not that you must have some enjoyment;
that these pleasures cannot he wrong Ia which The
most refined ladies aud gentlemen indulge with
out Acrtiple. Are you willing ~ purchase few
moments pleasure at the cost Of Gods holy grace
and your souls SalvatIOns Is Il by the inaximi
and conduct u w0rdlln1 that you, rs Clriitlans
must square your llYesS Is Il from them that your
religion bids you learn the correct principles o.
Christian morality Have you not heal thu
severe condemnation which your Divine Lord and
Master uitGrS against tho world; aud the snlemn
"hoi 10 hre he TOrd, nor hahe hiagJ rhirh ar u
he narkL LJaHy HidH iore he Hvrid, he charity ~
he Father u nat N hfR. For thal % IN III IrOrit
IL ne cpheypiicsnce " he trIh, dRd M cnaeHPif
eeHes qfths ~. dai he prLfe q hge."
Even u you Ind II hanl IL fOreyo the pleasure
do yon not know that Heaven must l'e bought u
the price II much self-lenlal7 Our lnul assure
you that the Kingdom Of Heaven SuiitTrth VIC
lence, and that only the NiOlent-ihnsc who d.
violence to their corrupt incllnations--Sil cary
II of.
In this va are not asking yon, dear children, I,
lie generous with GOd, hut 10 he lust TO your owl
souls-lO love your souls. ''lIe that l0yelh IN
IquIty, hatGth his own soul.n Whatever pretenee
your worily-minded and pleasure-l0ylng assOcl
ates may suggest 10 you I o Justify your indulgln
these dangerous AniiiseInents, all such pTcteki
can have no weight with conscientious Catholic
When put In the balance against the warnings o
your spiritual guides. And our words Of warning
arc hui the echo Of the Holy Spirit, telling you
"iie that loVeth the danger, shall perish 10 1t.
Experience shows, TOO that II Is generally on &C
raSlOnS VI public halls and nlglIt-parties, thOs,
intiuiacles are FORMED which so often result In
MARRIAGES
.t,,t =. :, Iayalll
.eyereSt ecclesiastical penalty, that Of exeOnmuu
cation, does not prevent these SclndAlous unions
Catholics cannot be ignorant, that by the very ae
Of contracting, or attempting 70 contract mAfriag'
before Protestant minister, they are cut Oh from
the communion Of the Church. No episcopal sen
trtire Is necessary. To the Sacrieglous act Itself I
affixed this penalty, which dePhyes the guilty o
all right participation In the Sacramento ant
benefits Of the Church whilst living, and 10 Cath
ollie burial when dead. In 4 word, they are NJ
longer recDguiIed by the Church rs her children
and have no claim! upon the gnses which sh'
Such sacrilegious unions an sometimes when
ever certain Impcdlments exist not only unlaW
inl or grieTously sinful, but they are, moreover
In thetyeS Of the Church, absolutely null ant
vpll-no marriages atnll.
IiCIthOlIca will avail themselves Of the reluct
ant permission Of tho Ihurch TO marry non-CAth
olIcS, they are bound, before making any OurAge
meni, 10 secure the consent Of the non, CAiholl,
p1rty 10 the conditions prescribed by tie Church
When thoy show an Obstinate DISCRIMINATION e
marry even those who refuse compliance viii
these requirements, they arc sacrificing their con
science TO their passions.
but what motive can inluve Catholic, who hal
any conscience, To Incur accommodation by mar
rying contrary 10 the laws Of the Church? ]
there Is any annullInB impedlment which cann0
In rumOTrd, his sO-ealled welded life will l'e but
state Of cOncublnage legallEed perhaps by theciyi
tn,EpF cnnlam mai nv tho niVlnR Law lint n fh
lmPetllnicnt may 10 removed, why docs he not ap
ply for tue necessary dispensallOn, which Il heye
refused when there Is sufficient reason for It's con
cessiOn Is there no time 10 await the require,
Publication Of the bAnnSS Does prudence demAn,
haste, that the traces Of crime may be covered up
But even this may be n readily accomplished Il
Legitimate way since, under these and olhe
pressing circumstances, 4 dispenSallOn from th
publication Of the bannS Il never refused. but VI
shall not further enlarge upon this subject.
was treated fully In the last Pastoral Letter o. gu
venerable predecessor, dated November !, 1874
and We direct the Reverend Clergy to read on SON
Sunday In Isn't, instead Of the usual scrmOn OIL
mairiuiony Onlerel In the Diocesan Statute.
that portion 81 the said Pastoral bearlng gu TIL
subject, commencing with the second Iarlgnpl
NJ the Letter, and concluding With The bottom 9
page S,
This Is crime, beloved Brethren Of the Clergy
To the suppression Of which your untirlnS eanrt
uIust le directed. u may not BE- at this lin
more prevalent than Il has lOen 10 the past; but v
arc sally eOnsciouS that 1t i one Oi the Of the MO.
destructive ScOunN4 by which modern Sooleiy
Cursed. II nlH its victim " his character, hl
rcasou--ayP, and Of his domestic and srlal CON
fort II Fohs his children VI the very neeSSair
OF lila. Every motive that should influence III
heaTt Of an honest man, Of nn honorable CitEFt
" u faithful husband, VI loving father, Of Slu
ecTe Christian, Il c0ntempiuOuAly dung aside b
the slave u this degrading passion. lie pnti hl
honor, his worldly interests, his hove Of family
Ills duty 10 Gul In the srales With bis lnAtAbl
appetite, aud lie prefers It's eradication TO ever
other consideration. Pictures Of WOlul Trctehet
nea have been drawn by many gifted poo, !
order 10 illustrate the hlghting effects Of this bea
" Vice; but every such picture, how vivid {
chastity s0ryer 10 itS colorings, must fall short
the dFcadiul realities VI tho drunkArd's lie
there nospfactlCal means 70 suppress this evil
| u u cannot II ernlcatel, may Il not be n lea
| dlmlnishedr place little confidence In an
efforts that arp not la,ed on RELIGIOUS pnneiple
and supported by the Strengthening grAecs OIL ID
Holy SlcEAmenik, The most solemn pledges hAJ
little loros unle4 the grace 10 keep them 3 soagl
and Obtalned FROM Almighty God py eAFpes
daily prayer, and thr0ughth0 Sacnmenh Of Pot
Rnc6 and Holy Communion.
WeexhoLt YOU then, dear Reverend Hrelhrel
10 initiate tue nal Of the Cool Shepherd Of sui
and seek out these sinyed sheep Of The fold. Yli