Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-26
WOMANKIND AND TRUE CUL-
TURE.
Two DiscOurses BY Mgr. Capel ~
st Paul's Roman CathO-
lie Church.

NY. Herald. 2.d.
ROBBED in his csppa magma, Mgr. Ca
pei preached to large congregations il
the morning and evening at st. PAul'l
Roman Catholic Church, 1l7th street
and Fourth avenue, his morning sub
ject being THE Model Of Womss
kind" the evening one, True Gull
ture."
And 10, all generations shall cal
me blessed !" exclaimed the preacher
at the opening Of the former discourse
quoting from the first chapter Of St
Luke. Then. making the sign Of th,
cross, he plunged at once into bis sub
ject. OF all the doctrines Of the
Church, said he, none has met with
such opposition in our age as that OF
which devotion to the Blessed Virgin
is founded. The Eucharist has beer
the subject Of fierce attack, and fol
some reason confession has been gene
rally assailed; but the enemies OF the
faith have in an especial way concen'
trated their hatred against tae angus
truth which is dearest to US. In the
text | have selected the exact statul
Of the Mother Of God is defined for Vi
with al the authority Of prophecy. Il
is true the words come from her lips
but the idea is not hers, but that o.
the spirit OF God, who inspired hel
and prompted her utterAnees.
PRoTEsTANTIsM's ATTENUATION Oh
CHRISTIANITY.
Let US, then, reverentially ask thl
question, Why is she TO be called
blessed throughout all timer Sh,
gives the answer herself when sht
says, "Por BE that is mighty hath
done 10 me great things" Some PEG
pie nowadays may be shocked at thu
simple statement that she was the
mother Of God. We live 10 day
when Professionalism has 50 attenu
Ated Christianity that men are afraid
10 look dogmatie truths in the face
Il has become the fashion to teaet
that it is only necessary to do zoos
works in order to be saved; il is neli
that Jesus Christ had some sort OF I
divine mission, but was no more thar
model man. SAY to neople whc
think thus that Jesus Clrist vas il
very ruth the Son Of God; that God
became man and died on the cross,
aud the statement seems Shocking tc
them. Among rs. however. the vefy
child from is cateehisn vial declare
that Christ vas God and man, holding
= double personality. Believing this,
how mist We regard the exalted sta,
ton Of Mary, who. when she spoke to
her son. vas entering into direct com.
munication With God2
APLEA FOB DONKsTICITY.
The preacher next argued that God
never placed any mortal 10 position
Tor which be vas united; therefore.
however high Mary may have been
raised shove al other women, she was
yiven the necessary qualities to make
her worthy Of that station. Three Of
.hess the pr-9cher considered pre-
eminent = purity, humility and
,bedienes = and the first be
considered the greatest OF all,
he quality that exalted her to the
'phsre Of the angels. BE dEelt upor
.hese qualities at length, and held it
Up As subject Of unbosnded admira-
ton to bis hearers. Then be vent on:
But to stop with admiration would
be but sorry devotion. The greatest
h.ttery that one can Cfer to any one
IS that elimination, and the greatest
refpect you can pay to Mary is that Of
humbly laboring to follow in her foot
,leps. ls there = mother, is there an
tfeetionste brother, is there a loving
husband that does not pour out his
heat to God in thanks tor this fgu.
robed in purity, standing on the bas )
OF humility and rendering full obed;s
ence, given as . model from which the
character Of beloved ones may be
formed?
There she stands, With her domestic
character little seen BY the world.
You have observed how seldom she is
mentioned in the Scriptures. When
lkee women going into public places,
when | see them striving TO place
themselves on the same plane with
men, emu,ating them 10 the matter Of
education, and trying even TO surpass
them 10 some professional lines, ms
soul sinks within me. | ask, Will the
women OF such q generation ever be
like Nary The purity and retirement
that attended her as she appears in
the New Testament are the very
opposite Of the surroundings that
men want 10 place about women now.
stand hrm, tnen, beseech you, TO the
teachings Of the Holy Church. Bring
your girls up in modesty. retirement
and love Of the domestic circle, | dc
not ask you 10 neglect cultivation Of
the mind, but for worldly attachment,
do not neglect the culture Of virtue
and 50 may you and yours become Ia,
children Of the blessed Virgin Mary
In the evening the church wa
crowded again TO listen 10 the Mon,
slgnors lecture on True Culture.
Tne pastor and anumber Of clergymer
from city churches occupied seats il
the sanctuary. Mgr. Capel graphic
ally described his meaning Of culture
that Of the body, Of the intellect, o
the will. The Church, be said, wa
entirely in accord with the seculsristl
10 all that they claimed for culture o
the body and Of the intellect, but 1
went an important step further, for /
required that the will should Be cul
tuved into submission, restrained int,
q habit Of noble motive and guidet
into seeking all that was revealed B.
God for mans purpose and life work
And the end in view in all this wa
that the soul should enjoy 10 the here
alter the presence Of ~ Creator.