Morning journal and courier., 1883-10-08
Monday, October 8, 1888.


 The Pastoral Letter of the Cardinal
 Archbishop and the Bishops Of the Province
 of New York, assembled in Council in St.
 Patricks Cathedral, New York, September
 23 to September 30, 1884, was reed in all
 ths churches of the province at the high
 mass yesterday. It is very interesting and
 important document.
 It begins by noticing the wonderful pro- l gross of this country and of the Catholic
 Church in this country since the last council
 of the Province of New York was held in New York city Stwenty-two years ago, and then proceeds to point out some of the evils l of modern society, and some of the dangers that threaten the ruin of faith and tho loss 1 of temporal and eternal happiness The fol- lowing rather strong indictment of the times and the customs Is made: We are not cal
 umniators of our age when ve declare that many anti-Christian mazims. customs and laws are now openly admitted and aceepted: that Rot only special articles of the Christian faith, or particular truths of religion are de- nied, but the entire body of Revelation, the sacred books of scripture, the whole super natural system-aay, the worry notion of God as personal. self-subsistsnt being All that even the untutorea conscience of the natural man hitherto fully believed is centensptueus- ly ignored or blaSphsmously impugned by many, who. going beyond even the widest exoesses of the psgans, endseyor, both by word and by writing, to destroy the eounda- ten of sll our hopes of heaven and all our rights and duties upon earth, In full accord with the dsceitfaI promise made by the tempter in the Garden of Eden, ''You shall be as gods' if you eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree, many actually seek this oom- plets subversion of all order. They forget their dependence oR their creator They re- 1 jecs authority. They claim unlimited free l dom of thought and word and deed Making ! personal qualification the sole end and aim of l life, they in fact constitute themselves gods l to whom alone honor is due.
 The letter then takes up marriage and di- voree and emphstically sets forth the well ! known doctrines of the Church concerning ! these matters. Next Christian education Is considered and the following is said: Until ] such time ss sense of justice will fezco our | fellow citizens to admit the fairness of OFT claims and realize the injustice of taxing us ! for schools to which we cannot conscientious ly send our children, unless in cases of sx- our own schools, even out of our gcRnty re- sources- Be zaAlous then. dear breshrsa, in such schools. Build them where E they do not exist. Support them generously where they are already established; develop then1, inereass thefr usefulness, 60 that they may be in no respect inferior to any others. | Strengthen the hands of your pastors, that I they may render these schools more and [ naore efficient, so that your children may ssrn In them all that will make them here sfter loyal citizens of their country and val. ant soldiers of Christ and his holy church
 After urging the importance of good Cath. md evils of secret societies. Besides the ocieties openly condemned by the sovereign ! 'entiffs, into which nc Catholic may enter and emain in the Church, the letter calls atten- ion to many others not so explicitly de- lounced, and of which Casholics oftentimes 'ecome members Catholics gre told that hey should consider dangerous: l. Societies rhich prevent the lawful exercise of liberty, lther on the part of employers or employees, ! specially if to further the end proposed re- ourse be had to violence It Is an injustice 0 prevent men by violent means from earn- . az an honest livelihood ?. Societies in Thich anti-religious, infdel doctrines are penly professed and advocated No Catho- c may remain united with men who assaiI eligion- 3. Sooisties in which a ritual is introduced and form of worship is used :. t variance with Catholic teaching. Such s ocieties are really religious scots. Among the other matters tezched upon in , he letter are ecclesiastical discipline, the |, wills of intenperance, moonlight and Sunday |, icnies and excursions, and the evils of care . ssaness and extravaganza in financial man. ! cement by pastors. The letter ss whole is , old and forcible and will command a great F. cal of attention