Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-05-19

and becomes a cause of vice and sin in each
individual. On the contrary, if the family is
governed by the rules of christian life, each
member will gradually become accustomed to
cherish religion and piety, to reject with hor-
ror false and pernicious doctrines, to practice
virtue, to render obedience to the authorities,
and to repress the Unsuitable egotism which
so much lowers and enfeebles human nature.
With this object it would certainly be very
useful to direct and encourage those associa-
tons which have principally been established
of late years to the great advantage of Cath
ole interests. Those matters which are en-
braced in our hopes and wishes are immense,
venerable brethren, and above human
strength; but as God has founded His church
for the salvation of the people, promising to
aid them even unto the contamination of the
world, we are firm in the confidence that the
human race, stricken by so many woes and
calamities, will end, thanks to your efforts,
by seeking safety and prosperity in submis
sion to the church and IN the infallible min
istry of this apostolic chair.
BETTER TIMES AT HAND.
And now, venerable brethren, before clos
ing this letter, we feel the necessity of COM
mupicating to you our joy at seeing the ad-
mirable union and concord which reign
among you and unite lou so thoroughly to
this apostolic see, and we are. really per-
suaded that this perfect unity is not alone an
lmpregnable bulwark against our enemies,
but also happy presage of better times for
the church. 1t gives US a great encourage
ment III our weakness and raises our spirits
in wonderful degree, by assisting us to sus-
tain with ardor the difficult mission which we
have received, and all the fatigues and labors
on behalf of the church of God Neither
can we separate from these reasons for Joy
and hope that we have manifested to you the
declarations of love and obedience which in
the commencement of our ponti6cate you,
venerable brethren, have offered to our hum
BILE person, as well as so many priests and
faithful, proving this by the letters sent to us,
by the offerings made, the pilGrimages accom-
plished, and so many other other marks of
pIety that that devotion and charity which
you had never ceased to witness toward my
worthy predecessor still remain constant.
stable, and firm, and have not been weakened
by the coming of a successor who SO little
merits this heritage. At the sight of such
splendid testimonies of the Catholic faith we
must humbly confess that the Lord is good
and merciful, and to you, venerable breth-
rem, and all the dearly beloved children, from
whom we have received them, we express
the deep feelings of gratitude which food our
heart, full of the confidence that in the dis
tress and difficulties of the present time your
zeal and affection, as we'll as those of the
faithful, will never be wanting to US. We
have no doubt that these remarkable ex-
amples of filial piety and christian piety will
powerfully touch the heart of the all-merci-
full God, and will cause him to cast merci-
full eye on his flock, aud grant peace and vic
tory to the church. But as are convinced
that that peace and victory will be more read
lily and easily accorded to us if the faithful
constantly address their prayers to God to
ask MIN for it, we exhort you ardently, ven
cradle brethren, to excite the zeal and fervor
of the faithful by requesting them to seek
the mediation at the throne of God of the
immaculate queen of heaven, and as inter-
cessors, st. Joseph, the ecclesiastical patron
of the church; the holy apostles, Peter and
Paul, to whose powerful patronage we rec
ommend our humble person; all the orders
of the ecclesiastical hierarchy and all the
flock of the Lord. In addition, we desire
that those days when we celebrate the SOL
emn anniversary of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ may be blessed and full of holy joy for
you and for all the flock of the Lord, and we
pray God, who is so good, to blot out the sins
which we have committed, and so mercifully
remit the punishmeuts we have deserved by
the virtue of the blood of the immaculate
Lamb who has effaced the stain of our con-
nation.-BenedictiO Del, etc.
Given at st. Peters, Rome, Easter Sunday,
April 81, 1878, the first year of our pontif-
cate. LEO Kill, Pope.