River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-08-25
THE OUTLOOK.

now to appease the wrath of Heaven.
The soul ought to be replenished witt
divine grace and recuperated from the bane
ful and enervating influences of mortal SIN
destroying all its functions, beauty and love
illness. as the vital force, energy and strength
OF the mortal frame is expended and waste
by disease, worn by toll, and dissipated by
old age; or, as field that is not carefully
cultivated and improved, grows up to BRAN
bles, thorns and poisonous fruits. 1t is, il
other words. a vacation for the soul, liberia
ting itself by anticipation from its prison
house, and concomitant evils, passions ano
vices, which are constantly engaged i'll wag
ing merciess war against its faircst IN
stincts and best aspirations. In the midst o.
so many enemies you. can hope to conquer
by vigilance only, OF which our blessed Lord
tells You, ''watclt and pray lest ye enter into
temptation; nay, the senses are not TO he
gratified and the passions must be restrained
by iasts and modification in order to bring
them under regular subsection to the powers
tive vigor and avoid the baheful results oil
sin predominating everywhere as the legiti-
mate outgrowth of an age characterized for
FLOODS OF OBSCENE LITERATURE,
bad books, and amorous novels, that can be
styled the bane of virtue and the pest OF
society. Nothing sullies the imagination,
peisons the understanding, and corrupts the
heart to greater degree than idle and licen-
tious reading; nothing makes a shipwreck OF
morals and causes destruction Of faith SO
speedily; nothing leads to viscious compan-
ions and the commission Of horrid crimes
with greater facility; and nothing destroys
the youth of our land with more rapid
strides; it teaches them that highway rob
berry, intanticide, drunkenness and debauch
are legal and heroic, and that marriage
without a romance is too dreary and inslpid
to be ever realized In short II leads them to
infdelity by destroying divine faith, and rem
ders their souls void, susceptible only OF
evil impressions; it makes them impatient OF
every legal restraint, disown and abandon
their parents, wish for their death i'll order
to inherit what they possess, and become
their own masters without delay.
1t is astonishing, indeed, that parents adj
init such literature to the hearts of their
families as welcome and hidden guests.
Every Catholic parent should act upon a
principle of conscience and rigidly exclude
from the family circles: ~ all story papers;
(2) all quasi political papers of doubtful
character and filled with the criminal news
OF the day; (S) all periodicals, papers and
books opposed to divine faith, good morals
ard true advancement OF Christian society.
From such sources
INFIDRLITY DRINKS DEEP
and grows in popular favor to such an extent
that fully one half OF the population OF Pierce
county to-day belongs to its ranks. There
is, however, another distinct source of inf
deity, growing out of the multiplicity OF
clutches calling themselves Christians an
tagonistic in faith, ritual and formula. Z or
these we bear no ill-will; they mean to do
good in their way, and God in the end will
Judge our a.s3 their mortal career. We have
a higher motive in calling attention to this
incongruity and paradox OF human society.
For truly such it is to the poor infdel, who
bewildered amidst the din and confusion OF
them all cries aloud in establishment,
"Where amongst you is the true faith to be
found 2"
We are all members of the human family.
created fer the same end, striving for the
same destiny and may nationally hope to en-
10y the beatiflc vision if we consult God,
and implore the light OF heaven to direct our
i fall iY,tn frlio
fold of the shepherd.
Divine faith is supernatural gift and can
not be acquired by any process Of reasoning
or intensity OF excitement. st. Paul was
struck on the road to Damascus, whittier he
was going to prosecute christians. Reason
indeed, leads to faith, ard prepares the way
for it by investigating the motives of CREDIBLE
ity on which it rests. So far reason goes and
investigation extends. fla doubt might
arise conoernin 6 any article of religion, find
by research and study what Christ and the
Apostles taught; how it was held by the
Primitive church; what the holy fathers and
doctors wrote and councils decreed; In short
what monuments have been erected in its
favor from the primitive ages to your OWL
day Ifaftcr such Investigation You find that
every article taught by the church to-day,
has been taught and held by it in all ages
back to the Apostles, and that there never
was time when a different doctrine pre-
vailed, you may safely conclude to take
that church as your true guide on earth.
Considering then, brethren, the dangers
to which your faith is exposed and the
temptations which assail you on every side
to drag you from the path OF rectitude, /;
occurred to Us during this time to provid
more than ordinary remedies. and
TO OPEN MISSION AND REVIVAL
Thursday evening, September lst, 1881
With this object in view we have invited Il
your midst two celebrated missionaries
gifted and eloquent, we'll known throughout
the land tor salutary fruits ana good works
All the irregula rites in your midst an(
chronic disorders OF the soul will find ply
siclan here and suitable remedies.
In short three classes of persons will preft
by it. ~ Pious and Jealous christians -th'
glory and crewn OF the church-will find {
more ample opportunity to discharge theil
christian duties; ~ the tepid and lukewarn
will be aroused from the lethargy in which
they slumber with such apparent security
that they frequent the church only when i
suits their inclinations, and are greatly de
ficient, not only of the temporal aid require
of them by church and pastor, but in tn
faithful discharge of their spiritual duties a
well; l3l those who were baptized in thei
infancy, children Of and reared by the abov'
lukewarm Catholic parents and through a
unfortunate concurrence Of circumstances, grol
to maturity without the faith Bad christian
canno. transmit tie faith to their posteIity; the
have none to spare, or IL they have it IS great!
| deterioated, tnctured and diluted as coming
| from an inferior and muddy source. Such Cath
| oIies are the shame scandal and confusion Of tn
church Of Christian insidious enemy and bane G
her ministry, al they do not scruple to traduc
their best actions, highest motives and mobiles
aspirations to screen their own impiety and naked
ness. "Their mouth is an open sepulehre,' s. Ps.
exhaling a deadly poison and offensive vapol
which like the rattle In the reptiles tail tells 20
| whereof they sprung. To such as differ with Us /
| their various modes Of worship, we extend cor
| dial invitation. The good opinion entertained G
| us in the past might be thus enhanced and mutua
friendship promoted. It Is the indispensable dut
| OF all, no matter what their cares may be, to al
| tend this mission and come on the first day. n
one can be dispensed with unless by sickness
and IN order that those from a distance may b
well cared for, IL may be proper for you, brother