National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-15
TIE LrAvrN OF RELIGION.
Father Ryan's Discourse Upon the In
lluenee Of Urnee ON Human Life.

nuence Of Grace on Human Life.
At the Church Of the Immaculate Con-
ception yesterday morning Rev. s. +. Ryan,
the pastor, sang mass and Rev. DIR. Z. Ryan
preached the sermon. After reading the
parable Of the leaven from the Scriptures,
the doctor said "The women places the
leaven In three measures Of meal or dough
and by means of IL the whole is leavened
IL alters the whole mass aud makes IL q
different substance as IL were This illus.
trates the effect of divine grace upon the
soul. That inestimable git Is bestowed
upon man. IL enters the soul, the disposl-
tlon is changed, and IL bestows new faculties.
But the effect Of this divine grace docs not
end In this life. It's only after death when
man Is free from u corruptble body and is
presented before hts creator and there re-
ceiyes the probation for the works done un.
der the influence of divine grace, and is adj.
United into the society Of the blessed angels
and saints, that Its full effects are known,
But here in this life Il not only
beauties the soul and unltes II with God,
but II also makes death desirable. For TO
those who love God death IL liberation
from the evils Of this life; IL Is the opening
of the gates OF Paradise. While we are In
this lie we are continually tending toward
our maker. We experience the miseries Of
this life, sickness and the disturbance of
divine Affections. All indicate TO us that
our eternal home Is not here; that we have
been created for another life beyond this
one. Hence, those who love God do not set
their hearts upon the things Of this world,
which we know will fade. away and disap-
pear. There % something more noble and
more exalted on which their thoughts are
fixed. While here we are weak, everywhere
we have difficulties TO contend with.
'lf we were living In a house with the
walls tottering and the roof ready to fall
In we would try to make as sure as pos
siblc.in order TO escape the danger. In like
| manner we are surrounded BY dangers OF
| the devil and the world IL rejoicos MS to
know that we shall rest after tlisli when
the trials Of the world are passed. Death is
| for the Christian the opening Of the gates of
heaven IL Is with great Joy that he re-
coming to an end, that death Is about to
take from him all the evils with which he
has been surrounded.
"A great theoiogian has said, at the last
| moment Of his life, that he did not think It
was so sweet to die, and this was the result
| of a life passed In the service Of God. We
have the same grace offered TO us, the same
means given us. We can live In the grace
| Of God, we can save our souls, and then
| death Will have none OF its terrors for us,
because II will be the means OF passing
| from time TO eternity. 1t will be the open.
ing Of the portals OF those mansions where
the blessed repose with God forcvor.r
The meetings to be held at the Church of
the immaculate Conception by the Paulist
Fathers ofsNew York, beginning on the 2Sth
instant, to continue two weeks, were re-
ferred to as special means OF grace, and
all were reminded that the opportunity
would be one to be embraced.