The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-27
FATHER RYAN'SLECTURE



Church. The poet-priest was introduced by
Mr.. Joseph Mitchell. and spoke In substance
as follows:
Ours is q restless race the world can make
money; our race has a thousand questions 10
ask The chemist can tell ts the component
elements oil 9 tear. What is the mystery and
history OF tsari Our race Is branded, but
we weep and bear 1t. One came and He wept |
u was ohrist Since the day He wept man.
kind has been shedding tears He entered |
the world aud found a weeping world. sin was
IN u; something was wanting 1t wanted TO
be haspy.
Man rpshes forward reeklessly toward hap |
ness and ehases after It, Christ went to the |
depths OF sorrow and sounded them all for |
our sake He says. blessed are they that
mourn. for they shall be eomforted" Christ
came and put His hand on feysrlsh hum anlty
1t is there still. The world to-day. In it's sor,
rows. Its tears and attlctions, leans on one
man-on one thing and that Is Christ
He wrote His name out In the red
tears of his own blood. and 1t still re-
mains with humanity. Our eyes tabernacle
and will not How. Man does not llveon words
he lives on God. The tears OF the human
race have sought the temple. In the religion
of Christ. He made sorrow beetitude. It is
said He never laughed. We know He one
time wept. Sorrow enters into Gods plan
more than Joy. Man may laugh, but times
do come when you have dark, solemn mo
ments. The question of sorrow Is the saddest
and most mysterious. Something occurred.
and they called 1t sin. II erept into every
house The deepest songs that were ever
sung were tuned to the Tyre Of sorrow.
Abl Days 80 dark with Deaths eelipssl
Woe are we woe are wei
And the Nights are Ages long
From breaking hearts. thto' pallid lips.
oh. my God woe are wei
A blight is falling on the fair,
And Hope is dying In despair
And Terror walketh everywhere.
All the hours are full OF tears
Oh. my God woe are vel
Grief keeps watch In brightest eyes
Every heart is strung with fears
Woe are wei wos are vel
All the light hath left the skies.
And the living awe. struck crowds
Bee above the m only clouds,
And around them only shrouds
Abb the terrible Farewelsi
Woe are they woe are they
While last words sink Into means,
When lifs's trembling yesper.bslls-
Oh, my God wne are vel -
Ring the awful undertonesi
In the nighttime not ray
And the dying pass away
Dark 81 dark above, below
Oh, my God woe are wei
CoYsrsth every human life
Wild the waillng. TO and fro
Woe are all woe are we
Death Ia victor In the strife
In the hut and In the hall
He is writing on the wall
Dooms Tor many fears for all.
Thro' the cities burns breath.
Woe are thsyl woe are vel
Hot with dread and deadly wrath:
Life and Love lock arms In death.
Wns are they woe are all
Victims sttew the Hpectre's path
Shy eyed children softly creep
Where their mothers wall and weep-
In the grave their fathers sleep.
Mothers waft their prayers on high
With the dead child on on their breast,
And their affairs ask the sky
Oh. my CHRIST woe are wei
Give The dead. oh. Father. resti
ssps,s snsws1 Thy wIp pseg's sag ed Mercy :, spare
Horror moveth everywhere.
And the Temples mist the Priest
Oh, my God woe are vel
And the eiadle mourps the child.
,,H Husband at your bridal feast
Woe are you woe are you
Think how those poor dead eyes smjlsdr
They will never smile again
Every tie Ia cut In twain,
All the strength OF love is vain.
Weep but tears are weak as foam
Woe are ye woe are woei
They but break upon the shore
Winding between Here and Home
Woe are vel woe are vel
Wasipg nsvsr-nsvsrmors
Ab the dead they are so lone,
just grave, and Just a stone
And the memory OF moan.
Pray Yes. pray: for God ls sweet
Oh my God woe are wsl
Tears will trickle Into prayers
When we knsel down at His feet
Woe are wei woe are vel
with our crosses aud our cares.
He will calm the tortured breast.
He will give TO troubled rest
And the dead he wateheth best
On one side is tears, on the other is the
tomb. Before Christ came grave was
grave. 1t is not now place where dust has
gone down, and will never rise again.
Between the tears and tomb stands the
temple. In that temple ls found the only
solution to all the problems and all the tears
with which the world is filled. II Is o hard |
thing to die to leave this bright, fair world |
to go to dark, cold place. Christ stands be- |
tween the tears and the tomb. Men NAV
laugh and iibe They find that there Is only one |
light 10 human history. and that Is 10 be |
'1nna a, Id me temple; When aChristian kneels
In that word he finds comfort for the achinos |
and breakings OF his human soul The temple
Is the place to which the world must come 10 |
learn all Its problems. They have striven to |
nmes op5st HIS fsana Un q His a temple s but Il the
gofIin; II is a mystery; It is q terrible |
thing In this world. The philosopher cannot |
make this world bright; no one can do It but |
Christ. He stands In the temple. not only as |
the principal OF faith, but Of hope We meet |
Him there, crowned with a diadem Of beati- |
tude. He stands alone, touches every Thought: |
IN glory supreme and ilimitable. He sounded |
Ill the depths Of humanity save sin. He |
stands above, answers all questions, and gives |
Ill hope. Tears do not fall to the earth |
and dry they rise to the sky.