The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-08-26
cept to guide them to Heaven in The path

and truth. = lJohn. T., ~ This Is the only
reason OF the Church's existence IN this
Worid-the only end and objecs for which
there are priests, and bishops, and popes--
| that eyegyehuman soul may have certair,
knowledge OF and easy access to the means
| OF salvation. The Church is that mighty
tree, planted by God himself, lowering
aloft proof against all the buaeting OF the
storms, stretching out It's branches to the
ends OF, the bearib, and inviting to their
shelter all the birds OF heayen-not for any
good that the birds can do It.. but to give
them shelter md TO nourish them with the
fruit OF life eternal. Matthew, Kill, 32.)
Thus, in whatever way we consider the
Church-in her infallibie teaching, in her
sacred ministrations, in the end that AMI
mates her, in the motive that she breathes
into all her ministers, in the blessings that
she incessantly pours upon the worldLhow
truly do we.see Ia her the creation OF the
wisdom and the mercy OF God, and in her
work the dispensation OF Gods loving be-
nefcence to the sons OF men. How per-
fectly, in word, does she fulfil the
requirement Of the Holy Apostle already
quoted, her words being indeed "the words
OF God" her ministrations "as from tho
power which God adminlstereth," and her
aim "that in all things God may be hon.
ored through Jesus Christ.".
The Bishop asked for and counted upon
49,. PRAYERS AND, COOPERATION
Of clergy and people. /" Let us resolve to
stand together, to pray together, to strive
sion Of the faith, for the maintenance Of
sound principles, for the increase of indi-
Yidual and social virtue, and for the spread
OF the kingdom Of our Lord Jesus" aud
prove to non-Catholics "that our religion
makes us broad-hearted and charitable"
Together also, venerable and beloved
brethren, we will strive to do our duty to
our country; for love of country and duty
toward her come next to love OF God
and duty toward Him and our inmor-
tai souls. Never, indeed. could a mis-.
taken sense of duty to country make
us surrender our duty to God and con.
science. Were we capable OF so doing,
even at our country's bidding, her noble In
stincts would make her rightly despise us
as unprincipled and untrustworthy cow
ards. No; we will show to ..@
OUR COUNTRY
that we do not love her less because we love
God more; but that, on the contrary, our
fidelity to Him makes us all the more de-
voted to her, since His holy law gives the
only at ailing sanction to all human authori-
ty, and the only solid foundation for all
noble sentiments and principles. Politicians
may, for their own ends, denounce our Holy
Church as inimical to our c0untry's institu-
| tions-as they have done, OF late, on both
sides Of the water--and many Of our fellow
citizens may be inclined to believe them.
| We will find comfort in remembering that
our dear Lord was also reviled rs an enemy
OF the public peace; and from our country's
preiudices we will appeal to our country's
common sense By an argument which will
not fail to be appreciated-in our practical
lives we must show that we are better citi-
Zens than our slanderers.
Our country may think us uniriendly
because we tell her Of her mistakes
because we warn her that, by sys-
tenn OF goddess education, she is training
generations TINT, for want OF proper
religious moulding and principles will be
as unfit to be good citizens as to be good
Christians. Welded to herVlews and plans,
she may denounce us as enemies for our ad-
vice. Our conduct and answer must be;
| like that Of the Lacedemonian hero, The
mlstocles. At the opening Of great battle
he respectfully offered his commander-in-
chief an advice contrary to his plan, but on
which the fate OF the contest clearly de-
L. i
| ceiYiDg an unwelcOme advice, approached
Ithreatingly as II to strike him. "Strik.,"
said che hero, o' =.
/ "sTRIkE, BUT HEAR Me-" .8:.
So must we act and answer. We must re-
mind our country that our Church has not
only the untaiiing deposit OF revealed truth,
but also q practical wisdom, made up from
her experience in all the ages and all the
nations OF modern times; that her experience
demonstrates that goddess education trains
unprincipled citizens, who arc their coun-
try's scourge, and finally her ruin; that the
only way to make prosperous and happy
State is to mould the individual and the
family in the mould Of Christian principles
and virtue; for such as are the individual
and the family, such also must be the nation.
Would that the nations Of the earth, and
especially our own beloved country. would
open their hearts to this lesson OF wisdom
placed before them so forcibly and SO sweet
Iy in the first encyclical letter OF our Holy
Father, Pope Leo XIII. In that admirable
summary OF the religious teaching and the
practical guidance which the age stands
most in need OF, he has condensed not only
the results OF bis own study and expe-
rience, but also the lifelong utterances OF
his holy and beloved predecessor, Plus TX.
AiLcT DcWdliuS SIcaL CFiiS nuiSu uV"
desolate society and the still greater dam
gers that threaten it, he traces oil to the
neglect and abandonment Of religious, prlp-
ciples, and then shows that the only hope Of =
cure IS in the
.sAEcTIFIcArIoN or THE FAMILY
by the truly Christian marriage OF parents
and the truly Christian training OF the
young. This once secured, he shows how,
H. foxo In rnto
pure fountain OF domestic virtue, would
pour forth those civic virtues which would
purify the political atmosphere and that
bubble conscience which would direct and
restrain both rulers and people, and thus
save the nations from impending calamity.
We will ask our country to recognize that
it Is as her friends, not rs her enemies, that
we tell her this: that in our Catholic
schools, while laboring 10 make our young Z
people good Christians, we are equally
striving 10 make them ncr best citizens.
the best principIcd, the most honest, tie
most unseitishly devoted. Thus, even
should she continue to misunderstood us
even should she threaten us-we would an
swer: .sStrite, but hear us!" and would
20 on in that course, which. while 1t IL the
discharge OF IN imperative duty to God, 10
conscience, to the inrerta! souls OF each
rising generation, Is also the best provision
for our eountry's welfare and for the pro-
lection OF her liberties and institutions
against the f'oodtide OF lawlessness and un-
principIed cupidity which, each succeeding
wear, threatens them more menacingiy.
Side By side, then, venerable and beloved
brethren, pastors and people together, we
VIII strive 10 do all our sy@
]. DUTY TO GOD AND TO OUR fELL1ow.AES.
10 the accommodating OF this by myself,