Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-22

! ! taking or not partaking of the blood of
animals is mere type; positive law TO
the jews and not moral law to Chris
tians: 1t cannot be really carried out ex-
cept by vegetarians The verse which for
BIDS partaking of the blood (Gen. tx, ~
expressly allows flesh meat, and conse-
| quently 1t is a mere ceremonial lesson to
show the sanctity of life The death
penalty for murder is a moral law. also
showing the sanetity of life. 1t does not
| depend upon the teaching of the Noachic
| Law, but of the Apostles also. St. PauI
asserts that there are things worthy of
DEATH for doing which he would not re-
fuse to die and that the civil Judge bears
not the sword in vain,' ETC., which he
would do, if he was not permitted to use
it. Beyond all this, the fact must ever
remain the same that the life of the body
Is not TO be compared with the life of the
soul and spirit. In Christian country a
murderer has very much more time for
preparation for death than ordinary mori-
bunds, and it is rare thing if he is not
brought to repentance more or less deep
and sincere by the spiritual ministrations
he receives in prison. If a mans heart is
to be hardened, his spiritual nature ex-
tinguishea and his soul damned, commit
him to penal servitude for life. Senti-
mental fasfdists do not think of what any
prison chaplain could tell them"
The New York Catholic Times saws "a
letter has been received in this city from
the Rev. Father Robert, C. p, mission
arr attached to st. Michaefs Passionist
Monastery, West HoSoken, who was a pas
.kaG - d..
disabled. The Provincial OF the Passion
ist Order, the very Rev. flasher Benedict,
and Fathers Thomas and Sebastian were
passengers also. In the letter Father Rob-
erts tells what he and the other priests
did. He says He Father Benedictl
told US to bless the winds and the waves.
Many vows were then made in honor of
our blessed Mother, dear st. Joseph and
our holy father, st. Paul of the Gross; also.
many offerings for the poor souls in pur-
gatory. We had recited the rosary to-
gether, many of the passengers joining in
our prayer. We ehanted the ave Maria
Stella" that the star of the sea might
guide our ship safely to port. We blessed
the sea with the relics of st. Paul, St.
Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary (sic),
and then, with Unlimited confidence in ST.
Joseph, we turned to Him on whose feast
we sailed from home and under whose spe-
clal protection We had placed ourselves.
and taking His little statue, which we
carried with us, we dropped it, near the
Captains bridge, into the stormy sea,
when 10 a calm came over the mighty
ocean, the winds and the waves were
quieted, and all on board said allow good
God is to us~' ~
The Churchnadn says: ''The Church Times
faults DIR. Dix for his depreciation of ra-
tionalizing on the subject of the sacra-
ments. 1t says. 1t is proper to imagine
any danger in rational explanation of bap-
tism, confirmation and Holy Sacrament,
because reason in its sound form is always
on the side of Catholic institutions Was
there ever more perfect non sequitlre
Granted that reason in its sound form is
always on the side Of all truth, does it fol-
low that human reason is competent to
give rational explanations of everything?
Or that it is proper or profitable for it to
try? In the most ordinary matters of ex-
perience wisdom itself renounces the pos
sibility of rational explanation Who
attempts to explain, either nationally or
imaginativelv, the facts of time, space,
iOiSS, oSihSs SubctaiiSS, cAiStcHCt w no
attempts to give a rational explanation of
life, or even to tell what life is? In the
spiritual world of the things of God we have
higher authority for saying that rational
explanations are impossible We are
very thankful that DR.. Dix should depre-
cate rationalism on the subject. of the sac
raments- 1t has been plague of the
Church from early times 1t has been a
fruitful cause of schism and all uncharita-
bleness- 1t has been the mother of many
base superstitions. 1t has never in the
least degree ministered to spirituality. 1t
has almost always puffei men up with
spiritual pride. To do what God COM
mands and to do it gladly, to take the
holy gifts which He oilers and to take
them thankfully is Christian duty;
but to pry into the secret operation of
Gods Spirit which the Son of God de-
clares to be beyond the range of human
knowledge, and, therefore, beyond the
range of rational speculation-this is the
part of folly and presumption The Church
Times to the contrary notwithstanding, it
is wholly improper and as full of danger
as it is of impropriety. So the history of
the Church Catholic has proved, and if
the words of Christ had never been spoken,
the lessons of experience ought to be worth
much"