Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-17
THE PASTORAL LETTER.
Result OF the LabOrs Of the Third Pic.
nary Council.

4
WORDS OF INSTRUCTION. AND ADVICE TO CATHOLICS
ROW THE TENDENCY TOWARDS UNBELrKF AND IR-
| RELIGION Is TO BIZ xET-MIxEp MARRIAGES AND
DIvoRcKs-rHE SUNDAY ouEsrroNs-rHE POSITION
OF THE CHURCH IN REFERENCE TO SECRET SOCIETIES.
The pastoral letter OF the archbishops and bishops
of the Plenary Council, which terminated It's ses-
| sions in Baltimore last week is a document which
| would occupy over eight columns OF THE STAR, and
is signed by Archbishop Gibbons, as apostolic dee-
| gate. 1t was read in the Catholic churches last
| Sunday.
The pastoral opens with reference to the last
Pienary Council eighteen years ago. and the won
| deTul growth OF the Catholic communion in this
country during that comparatively brief interval
dent. If not abs"iutey Hss Seemed T., e&ps
| anime anew the legislation Of previous councils
| INFIDBLITY AND MArERrALIsa.
| After referring In terms Of approval to the
work accomplished by the Vatican Council, the
pastoral dwells at considerable length upon the
growth of skept1cism and irreligion in the
| United States, and OF the tendency toward
"that false civilization which hides its foul
volving, as 1t does the undisguised worship
OF mammon, the anxious search after every ease,
comfort and luxury for mans physical well being,
the all-absorbng desire to promote his material in,
terests the unconcern, or rather contempt for those
OF his higher and better nature" Out OF all this 1t
declares, must grow heartless materaiisIn
which is the best soil receive the seeds of unba
lief and irrelgicn which threaten to oesolate the
|
that In such condition OF affairs the first thing 10
perish VIII be popular liberty, "for men who know
not God or religion never respect the inaliena
Die rights which man has received from his Crea.
tor. The state In such eSe must become a des-
potism. whether its power be lodged in the hands
EDUCATION OF THE LA1rY.
Special stress Is laid on the churchs socitude for
the education OF the laty who expected in'sthe
great coming combat between truth and error be-
tween faith and agnostlcism," to bear an important
| hp &c Aaalar aa
prominently to be under the holy influence OF
! religion" although 'the friends OF Christian
education do not condemn the state for not impart-
ing religious instruction in the public schools as they
are now organized, because they we'll know that It
does not lie within the province of the state to
| teach religion" The multiplication OF Catholic
schools and the elevation OF the standard of In
structon whenever practicable are urged with
| special strenuousneSS.
| MIXED MARRIAGES AND DIVORCES
AS cognate subject, "the Christian home" is
next considered, and the position OF the church
| with reference to the indissolubty Of the mar
rage tie as being the basis OF security for the fam.
added, though sometimes permitted, are never
authorized without regret and ga feeling OF
andiety for the future happiness Of that union
Christian marriage, the letter says once consum-
mated, can never be dissolved save by death Let
1t be well understood that even adultery though it
may justify separation from bed and board"
cannot loose the marriage tie SO that either
n Par may ma again during the
the slightest power, before God, to loose the
bond Of marriage MARI and to make subsequent
mon with all Christian believers and friends
OF civilization, we deplore the havoc wrought
society. Let Catholics, at least, remember
Let 1em po m COW
through worthy and holy motives, and with the
blessings OF religion, especially with the blessings
| oil And ,nr Por ;,l,X,z
for means OF escape from their union they viii
rejoice that 1t cannot be divided but by DEATH"
In sne e sv for Of b the Of
States is specially commended, and the wish is ex-
pressed that it shall also form favorite part Of the
novels and indecently illustrated newspapers
should be excluded from cultivated homes
THE SUNDAY QUESTION
After referring to the dissertation of the Sabbath
common in some European countries the bishops
add: SIN this country there are tendencies and
Influences at work to bring about similar
result; and 1t behooves all who love God and
care for society, to see that they be checked
Tor gan ss at h the
lar amusement, the clamor for larger liberty
| does not come SO much from those who de-
sire the convenience or the amusement as
from those who hope to enrich themselves by
cate such Sunday laws as would hinder
necessary work, or prohibit such popular
enl1yments "a as th are consistent with the
however, that the tendency is to rush
| far beyond the bounds OF necessity and propriety
ana to age these re only an
gether. But no community can afford to have either
gain or amusement at such cost To turn the
curse to q country; to turn it into a day
OF dds dissipation would be worse; we earnestly
appeal, therefore, to all Catholics, without
| ment tending toward relaxation of the observ-
| ance OF Sunday; but to use their influence and
hS on as ''1sns 70 resist In 'he opposite direo
SELLING LIQUOR on SUNDAY.
There is one way OF profaning the Lords day
| which is SO prolific OF evil results that we
| consider it our duty to utter against it a
| selling beer or other liquors on Sunday, or
OF frequenting places where they are sold. This
the Day Of the Lord into day OF dissipation,
| to use it as an occasion for breeding 1ntem-
perance. While we hope that Sunday laws
r1gdly enforced, we implore all Catholics for the
love OF God and OF country, never to
or Il Hnd We
only direct the attention of all pastors to
the repression Of this abuse, but also call upon
gagged in the sale OF liquors to abandon as soon as
they can the dangerous trafr1c and to embrace
more becoming way OF making living.
SECRET SOCIETIES.
WIFI W SeCTtU sOCIculoS UQ6 pastoral says:
1t is the evident duty Of every reasonable man. be-
fore allowing himself to be drawn into any society
to make sure that both its ends and its means are
consistent with truth, justice and conscience.
The church, the letter continues has beheld asso-
Citations which had their origin in the spirit OF the
ages OF faith transformed by lapse OF time and
loss of faith and the manipulation OF designing
leaders, into the open or hidden enemies Of religion
and human veal. Thus our holy Father, Leo XIII,
has lately shown that the Masonic and kindred So
ceties-although the offspring Of the ancient
guilds, which aimed at sanctifying trades and
tradeSman with the blessings OF religion; and al
though retaining perhaps in their "ritual" much
that tells OF the righteousness OF their origin; and
although in some countries still processing entire
frtendliness toward the Christian relgion-have
nevertheless already gone so far In many countries
as to array themselves in avowed hostility against
Christianity and against the Catholic church as its
embodiment; that they virtually aim at substituting
worldwide fraternity OF their own for the UNI
verSal brotherhood OF Jesus Christ, and at dissent
mating mere naturalism for the supernatural re-
vealed religion bestowed upon mankind by the
Saviour of the world"
'There is one characteristic" the bishops say,
switch Is always strong presumption against a
society, and that Is secrecy. Our divine Lord him.
self has laid down the rule: Every one that doth
evil, hateth the light and cometh not to the light
that his works may not be reproved. But he that
doth truth cometh to the light that his works NAV
be made manifest, because they are done In Cod
When, therefore, associations veil themselves In
secrecy and darkness the presumption is against
Them and it rests with them TO prove that there is
NOT hing evil In them"
The societies organized within the pale OF the
church are commended as ga powerful means of
accomplishing much Of the good that our times
stand In need Of" Finally, the pastoral discusses
the importance and need OF missionary effort and
closes with an earnest exhortatiOn to all members