Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-12-25

An Extrnet From srohbGshop Gtb-
BONG Pastoral Letter.

-"@~
bone' Pastoral Letter.
The d iio~ii &, which will bs found in
spirit generally acceptable to readers Of |
sill shades OF religions belief, Ia taken |
from the pastoral letter Issued at the |
close Of the recent plepsFy coupoii OF the
Roman. Catholic uroh, held in Bsiti. /
more;
rHR cHRrsTIAN HOME,
We naed hardly remind you, beloved
brethren, that while homv llie would not,
ss rule, be sufioient to supply the alb
senoe Of good or counteract the action of
dangerous il fluences in the school, IL ia
equally true that all that the Christian
aehool could accomplish would be made
quMse without the co operation of the
Christian home. Christian schools SOW
the seed, but Christian homes muet fret
prepare the soil, and Afterwards foster the
seed and bring 1t to maturity.
CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE.
The basis OF the Chrisiian home is
Christian marriage; that Ia, marriage
entered into according to religion and
oementsd by Gods blessing. So great is
the Importance Of marriage 20 the tenn
poral and eternal welfare OF mankind
that, as 1t had God for Its founder in the
old law, 80, In the new law, It was raised
by our Divine Lord to- the dignity OF q
sacrament Of the Christian religion. Nat
ural likings and instincts have their own
value and weight ; but they ought not
by themselves be decisive motive In so
important step as Christian marriage
nor are they q safe guarantee for the
proper iulfllment Of the high ends for
which marriage was ordained. That
Christian hearts and live, may be wisely
and rightly joined God must join them
and religion sanity the union, and
though the church sometimes permits
the contraction Of mixed marriages, abe
never does so without regret and without
q fearing Of anxiety for the future happi-
ness Of that union and for the eternal
salvation Of Its fruit.
THE INpIssoLuBILITY OF MARRIAGE.
The security OF the Christian home Ia
In the indissolubility Of the marriage tie.
Christian marriage, once contaminated,
can never be dissolved save by death.
Let IL be well understood that even
adultery, though It may justify "separa
tion from bed and board" can not loose
the marriage tie go that either OF the
parties may marry again during the life
OF the other. Nor has illegal divorce"
the slightest power, before God, to loose
the bond Of marriage and TO make sub
sequent marriage valid. "Whom God
hath Joined together, let not man
put Asunder." In common with
all Christian believers and friends
Of civilization, we deplore the havoc
wrought by the divorce laws Of our ooun.
try. These laws are fast loosening the
foundations Of society. Let Catholics, at
least, remember that such divorces are
powerless In conscience. Let them enter
into marriage only through worthy and
holy motives, and with the blessings of
religion, especially with the blessings of
the nuptial mass. And then, far from
wishing for means Of escape from their
union, they will rejoice that II cannot be
divided but by death.
HOME VIRTUES.
The pervAding atmosphere Of the
Christian home should be Christian
oharity-the love of God and Of the neigh.
Dor. Il should be the ambition and study
Of Christian parents to make their home
sanctuary, In which no harsh or angry,
no indicate or profane word, should be
utteled-in which truth, unselfshness,
selfoontrol, should be carefully cultivated,
In which the thought Of God, the desire
TO please God, should be sweetly and
naturally, held before the children aa
their habitual motives. From the home
sanctuary, the incenoe Of prayer should
ascend as q most sweet morning and
evening sacrifice to the Lord. How
beautiful and rich in blessings is the
assembling Of parents and children
for morning and evening prayer
Our hearts are filed with, consolation
when, in the course Of our pastoral visits
we meet families in which this holy prhc
tioe Ia faithfully observed. In such fam
lilies we are sure to find proofs Of tn,
special bepediotions Of heaven. Faith
religion and virtue are there fostered h
luxurisnt growth, and final perseverance
almost assured. We earnestly exh0rt al
parents to this salutsry custom. And
II be not feasible In the morning, 3
least every evening, at fixed hour, lie
the entire family be assembled for nigh
prayers, followed by q short reading from
the Holy Scriptures, the Following o
Christ, or some other Pious book.
GOOD READING.
Let the adornments Of home be chast,
and holy pictures, and, still more sound
1ubot6bhluk Auu pfOubbDl6 DOCKS. no III
delioate representations should ever b
tolerated In q Christian home. Artist
merit in the work is no excuse for tn
danger thus presented. No child ough
to be subjected to temptation by It's owl
parents and in Its own home. But le
the wallis be beautified with what will
keep the inmates in mind OF our DIVin
Lord, and Of His saints, and with suol
other pictures Of the great and the GOO
az will be incentives to civic and religion
virtue.
The same remark applies equally
books and periodicals. Not only shoul,
the immoral, the vulgar, the ssnsationa
novel, the indeosntly illustrated news
paper, and publications tending +
weaken faith in the religion and tn
church of Jesus Christ be absolut ell
excluded from every Christian home, bu
the dangerously exciting and morbid
emotional; whatever, in 3 word, is oAlcu
lated to impair or lower the tone Of fait
or morals in the youthful mind an
heart, should be carefully banished
Parents would be sure to warn and with
hold their children from anything this
would poison or sicken their bodies; Ii
them be at least Ak watchful again
intellectual and moral poison. Bat Il
the family book shelves be well supple
with what ia both pleasant and Who'll,
some.