Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-12

hood and youth are periods OF life when
oniaracter iter ought especially to be subjected to
IenslQ9s influences. Nor can we ignore the
palpaoie lact that the school is an important
factor IN the forming of childhood and youth
SO Important that its influence often out
weighs that OF the home and the church.
DISADVANTAGE CLAIMED.
1t cannot, therefore, be desirable or advan-
tageous that religion should be excluded from
the school. On the contrary, it ought there
to be one Of the chief agencies for moulding
young life to all that is true and vlrtuous and
holy. To shut religion out of the school. and
keep 1t FOR the home and church is logically to
train up genera tion that will consider re-
llglon good for the home ana the church, but
not for the practical business of real life,
But more false and perniciOus notion could
not be imagined. Religion in order to ele-
VaJe people should inspire their whole life,
and rule their relations with one another.
lie Is not darkened but ennObled by being
TSero,ord 1THeG IN tno the, the presence Of God,
knowledge lifting for practical life, ought pre-
emlnently to be under the holy influence of
religion The letter says that all denomina-
tlons of Christians are now awakening to this
great truth, and the cry for Christian educa-
ton Is going up from all the religious bodies
throughout the land. This is no narrowness
or ''sectarianlsm." Neither is it antagonism
to the state. On the contrary, it is an honest
endeavor to give the state better citizens on
making them better Christians. TIE friends
OF Christian education do not condemn the
IN the public schools as they are now organ
lzed because they well know that it does not
lie within the province of the state to teach
religion. They simply follow their conscience
by sending their children to denominational
schools where religion can have its rightful
place and influence.
THE INDISS0LUBILITY OF THE MAR
RAGE TIE.
Upon the question of marriage the letter
says: Though the church sometimes per-
mits the contraction of mixed marriages, she
never does so without regret and without a
feeling Of anxiety for the future happiness of
that union and for the eternal salvation of
its fruit The security of a Christian home
Is the 1ndlssolubility of the marriage tie. A
Christian marriage once contaminated can
never be dissolved save by death. Let it be
well understood that even adultery. though
it may Justify separation from bed and
board" cannot loose the marriage tie so
that either of the parties may marry
again during the life of the other
nor has legal divorce the slightest power be-
fore God 20 loose the bond of marriage and to
make subsequent marriage valid. In COM
mon with all Christian believers and friends
of civilization, we deplOre the havoc wrought
by the divorce laws OF our country. These
laws are fast lOosening the foundations OF So
ciety."
Finally, in connection with the discussion
of education, the letter makes an earnest ap-
peal for the support of the Catholic press.
LIQUOR SELLING ON SUNDAY.
The proclamation of the Sabbath day is dwelt
upon in terms of condemnation, and the let
ter proceeds: "There is one way of prOfaning
the Lords day which is so prolific of evil re-
suits that we consider it our duty to utter
against it a special condemnation. This is the
practice of selling beer or other liquors on
Sunday, or of frequenting places where they
are sold. This practice tends more than any
other to turn the day of the Lord into day of
dissipation and to use 1t as an occasion for
breeding intemperance. While we hope that
the Sunday laws on this point Will not be re-
laXed, but even more rigidly enforced, we
implOre all Catholics, for the love of God and
of the country. never to take part in such
Sunday traffic nor TO patrOniZe or counte-
nance it, and we not only direct the attention
of all the pastors to the repression of this
abuse, but we also call upon them to induce
all of their tlOcks that may be engaged in the
sale Of liquor to abandon as soon as they can
this dangerous traffic and to embrace a more
becoming way of making living.
Sc CRET SOCIETIES.
Under the head of Forbidden societies."
the letter says IF any s0c1etys obligation be
such as to bind its members to secrecy, even
when rightly questioned by competent
thOrity. then such society puts itself outside
the limits of approval, and no one can be
member of it and at the same time be admitted
to the sacraments of the Catholic Church. The
same is true of any organization that binds
its members to a promise of blind obedience to
accept in advance and to obey whatsoever
orders, lawful or unlawful, that may emanate
from its chief authorities; because such
promise is contrary both to reason and con-
science, and if a society works or plots, either
openly or IN secret, against the church, or
against the lawful authorities, then, to be a
member of IL is to be excluded from member
ship of the Catholic church. On the other hand,
the Council declares that while the church
is thus careful to guard her children ag inst
whatever is contrary to Christian duty,
she il no less careful that no injustice should
be done to any association, however unlnten-
tlOnally. While, therefore, the Church be-
society take
precaution to ascertain its true nature we
positively forbid any pastor or other ecclesl-
astic to pass sentence on any association, or
to impose eccIeSi aStlCal penalties or dlSablll-
ties on its members without previous explicit
authorization of the rightful authorities. 1t
then heartily tenders anew all appreciation
previously given to many honored and cher
ished confraternities, such as those OF the
Sacred Heart of Jesus, of the Blessed Sacra-
ment and of the Blessed Virgin.
Next come the associations for works of
Christian zeal and charity, ''rhe Society for
the Propagation of the Faith and the Holy
Childhood" than which there are none more
deserving; societies for the support of Catho-
lie education and Christian doctrine, societies
for the work of Sunday Schools, societies for
improving the condition of the Door, among
which stands re-emlnent the ''SOciety of st.
Vincent de Paul." the church debt societies,
societies for supplying poor churches with
local sanctuary societies and other methods
of uniting the efforts of the people of parish
for useful and holy purposes. 1t singles out
for special approval the 'CathOlic Young
Mems National Union"
THE CONCLUDING CHAPTERS.
A chapter is devoted to favorng home and
foreign missions, after which the letter con-
cluded: "And now we write you these things
that you may be partners IN our sOlicitude,
that every heart may cry out Thy kingdom
and that every hand may be active in estab-
fishing and extending it. Accept with will
ing and loving minds these lessons which
spring from hearts full of love for Won and en-
tirely consecrated to your service. Give joy
to us and to our Divine Lord by putting them
faithfully in practice, and may the bless
ing of Almighty God. the Father,
the Son and the Holy Ghost descend upon you
abundantly and abide with you forever.
''Given at Baltimore in Plenary Council on
the seventh day of December, in the year of
our Lord 1884, in his own name and in the
name of all the Fathers, JAS. GIBBONS,
archbishop of Baltimore and Apostolic
Delegate"