The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-18

they shall recognize the truth OF what
we have said, and be persuaded that the
doctrine Of Jesus Christ, rs st. Augustine
says, ,nagnanl. 81 obteuperet'tr tsaIIttem
esse reipubLicae-"if 1t be observed Is the
great safety of the country itself, ana
that the public peace and safety as well
az their own are contained in the secur-
ity of the Church and the obedience CIV
en- to it. May they devote their thongnt;
and their cares to the reliefof the evils
with which the Church and its visible
head are afflicted, and may it be finally
brought about that the people whom they
lead, having entered on the ways OF
peace and justice, may enjoy happy era
of prosperity and glory.
But then, in order that the concord OF
the entire Catholic flock with the Su-
prene Pastor should be strengthened day
by day, we address to you here 81 es-
pecally afectionste appeal, venerable
brethren, and warmly eIhort you by
your sscerdotsl zeal and pastoral vigil
lance to infame the love of religion IN
the hearts OF those intrusted TO your care,
SO that they may be attached more close
ly and intimately to this chair OF truth
and justice. that they may receive Gil It's
doctrines with the deepest submission OF
spirit and will, and absolutely reject all
the opinions, even the most widespread,
which may be opposed to the teachings
of the Church. Remembering the words
of st. Paul-"Bewsre lest any man cheat
you by philosophy and vain deceit &C
cording to the tradition of men, according
to the elements of the world, and not
according to Christ"-Romsn Pontifis,
our predecessors, and in particular Plus
TX, of holy memory, in the Council OF
the Vatican have never omitted, when
it was necessary, to reproVe
the current errors, and condemn them
with apostolic censure. Following IN
the footsteps of our predecessors, we con-
firm and renew all those COMBINATIONS
! from our apostolic See of truth, and at
the same time we fervently pray to the
Father of Light to grant that all the
| faithful, fully united in the same feelings
and sentiment, may think and speak 10
accord with US. 1t is your dEty, vener-
able brethren, TO devote your assiduous
| cares to scatter afar in the field OF the
Lord the seed of your celestial doctrines,
and to cause the principles OF the Catholic
faith to penetrate early in the souls OF
the faithful, so they may push their roots
deeper and be preserved in that shelter
from the contsgion of errors The
greater the efforts Of the enemies OF re-
iigion to present to inexperienced per-
sons, and especially to youth, teachings
which may obscure their minds and cor
rupt their hearts, the more must you
labor jealousy for the success, not alone
of good and solid education, but espec-
tally to make the teaching itself conform
able in science and discipline to the
Catholic faith, especially in philosophy,
on which depends in great manner the
jurisdiction Of other sciences, and which,
far from tending to destroy the Divine
relation, is likely rather to smooth the
way for it and TO defend it against its
enemies, as has been taught us in exam
pie and writings of the great Augustine
and other doctors Of Christian science.
Moreover, 1t is necessary that this ex-
cellent education of youth, in order to in-
sure the veritablo faith and religion, and
BIO a real safeguard to morals, should
commence with the earliest years and IN
the very interior of the family. Now,
that family, so deplorably disturbed in
our time, can be re-establlshed In Its dig
nifty by no other means than by the laws
according to which the Divine Maker
Himself established it In the Church.
Jesus Christ, in eevatng into the dig
nifty of q sacrament the ceremony Of
marriage, which He wishes TO use SIS
symbol of His union with the Church, has
not only rendered more holy the
coniugal union, but has prepared
for the parents as well as for the
children the most efficscious aids by
which they may more readily arrive, in
accomplishing their mutual duties, at the
possession of temporal and eternal tellc-
ity. But when impious laws, having no
regard to the respect due to this great
sacrament, have placed it in the same
category as purely civil contracts, the re-
suit is the deplorsble consequences that,
the dignity OF Christian marriage being
violated, the citizens have substituted le-
gal concubinsge TOR the legitimate anlon,
the married couple have neglected their
mutual duties of fidelity, the children
have not observed the respect and obedi-
enco which they owed to their parents,
the ties Of domestic affection have been
relaxed, and, what is a most detestable
example, the gravest prejudice to public
morals, pernicious and regrettable sepa-
rations have very often succeeded TO an
insensste love. 1t is impossible, venors-
bic brethren, that the sight Of these lam
eutsble calamities should not awaken our
zeal, and should not incite you 10 recon-
mend seriously and constantly to the
faithful confded to your vigilance, to
lend u doCile ear to the doctrines which
treat of the ssnctity Of Christian mar
rage, and to obey the laws by which the
Church regulates the duties Of parents
and children.
You will thus bring about the desir-
able reform in the morals and manner of
living of each man IN particul ar, for SIS
an uDsOund tree produces rotten branch
es ar d miserable fruit, the sad blot which
depraves families is contagious, and be-
comes a cause of vice and SIN in each in.
dividual. On the contrary, il the family
is governed by the rules of Christian life,
each member Of it gradually becomes sc-
customed to cherish religion and plety
to reject with horror false and pernlcious
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
verv useful to direct and encourage those
associations which have principally been
established of late years to the great sd
vsntsge Of Catholic interests. Those
matters which are embraced 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
tina. the human race stricken by so
many woes and calsmities, will end,
thanks to your efforts, by seeking safety
and prosperity in submission to the