The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-09-08

Cd OIL the stihening limbs Of dytng man,
while "in the name Of the Lord" he admins
ters AL those spiritual helps which cheer tho
darkeniDR ho0r. encourage the sinking spirit
and fortify the Christian soul in It's final strug-
| giles With the angel Of deatai Can . Protest
ant minister bring to the bedside OF the dying
the riaticass the bread of life, which 10 to GUS
| tain him in the awful journey to the mount Of
Godf No, there are really no duties regarding
the dead or dying which any kind intelligent
friend might not perform with as much conso-
lstion a. Protestant minister. His hand does
not sign them with the oroas, nor anoint
them with the holy oils his lips do not pro-
nounoe absolution from sins in the name of
Jesus Christ his ears can not in any special
manner, hear their dying declarations.
He stands beside them % empty-handed as
the poorest beggar, Is helpless % the humhless
Of his congregation, as weak orsstnrs for o
dying soni to cling to. aa any resd that 10 sway.
ing in the bretEe.
And when the ears are dnlled, the voice is
silent and the las. great agony In throbbing on
the brow, can Q Protestant minister hold mp to
viey, before those yearning eyes the crucifx-
that blessed sign of mans redemption, which
tells moro elequently than words Of the sim
ner's hope and the SAviours pardon
Deserted his post" No, he has not he has
NO post 10 desert. There 10 bat one sentinel In
this world who has been commissioned to
watch the souls Of men. Oar Lord bsde no
man read the Bibla,by the bedside of the dying
nor to offer mp eloquent prayers for all the
relatives of the dead beeide the grave. The
Church, the true sentinel, never deserts her
pca:l She knows the duties assigned her and
never fails to carry them ont. She appreciates
the mighty trust imposed upon her and brings |
to its secomplishment Divine promise and !
the experience of eighteen hundred gears. She |
stands, in the person of hsg ministers, by the |
dead and dying, with her hands full of sacra- |
mental remedies, and her lips full of supernss- |
ural consultations. There are baptismal waters |
to give, there are confession of sins to hear, |
there are unctions of oil and spiritual graces |
to bestow, there are indnlgences for the rspen- |
tant soul to receive, there 10 divine Food to |
be administered; and when all is over, there |
are pleading, inserceesory prayers for the soul |
in presence of its Judge, there is an Infinite |
Sacrifice to be offered up for the remission of |
sins, for peace, and rest eternal.
Has Protestant minister anything like this |
to do that be should risk his life and that of |
his familyf He might remain among the dis. |
tressed and dying, as many heroic brave eiti. |
zens OF other professions are doing but as |
minister he need not stay. He knows his ser |
vices can be performed by any lsymSn, that he |
really has no help for the dead and dying, and |
having no duties to perform, how can he be &C. |
cused of desertion, or blamed for simple act |
of prudence
Ah, when Catholic priests fail to stand ut the |
post of danger, vixen they turn away from the |
duties assigned them, whsn they neglect ss.ss
trust confded to their keeping. then let our
Canton orresponden. exclaim with bitterness |
and pain "They have deserted their posts, |
leaving the dead and dying regardless Of con-
quenees."
But that day will never come, that cry win |
mover be heard -feF He-wAese- word is Truth
has promised to bs with His Church seven to |
the contamination of time," and where He is, |
there are His commissioned ministers, His con- |
secratad priests, ready at the call of rich or !
poor, Of young or old. to sacrifice all that life
holds dear, and. if need be, dying, as many of
them have died during these last woeful |
weeks, At whatever post obedience to their |
superiOrs, or fidelity to their priestly vows may
call them.