The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-12-06

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minds and hearts the principles Of theil
holy faith: to watch over them witt.
ceaseless vigilance, and guard them
! against every communicating influence
] that might endanger that sacred de-
post, in word that it is his duty to
give them religious education. This
] is FIRST; secular knowledge is Of second
/ arv consideration. In vain will parents
have taught their children; In vain will
they have learned the last problem OF
earthly science; in vain will they have
explored the depths Of the earth, or
scanned the heights Of the heavens, it
they have neglested the science of sal
vation. "Indeed an humble husband
man that serves God is better than a
proud philosopher, who, neglecting
! himself, considers the course Of the
heavens" (Thomas Kempis). In vain
will parents have lived, it they have
neglected to impress upon the minds Of
their children the love, the reverence
and the fear of the Creator.
If ever there has been a period in the
history OF our beloved country when we
ought to invoke che aid OF religion With
more than usual fervor, that period is
the present. Look abroad upon the
community and behold the deplorable
state OF morals by which we are sur
rounded. Impiety, immortality. intidel-
ity, indiff erent1sm, blasphemv. and an
oper, outspoken contempt for God and
religion stalk forth braZenly even at
noon-daY. How. ask. shall the faith
and morals OF Catholic youth be pre-
served amidst these seductlons from the
paths OF rectitude and truth? How
shall they avoid the snares and teInpCa-
lions which are laid to beguile them, to
corrupt their innocence, to lead them
from the path of virtue into the laby-
rinth of crimeo Would Catholic parents
! learn the antidote to all those evils?-
let them seek it in the religious educa-
tion of their children.
II you, parents, desire that they be
yirtuous, you must lmplant deeply In
their youthful and plastic minds the
seeds Of virtue. Ii you wish TO sac
them useful members of society, an
honor to their church and country and
a source OF consolation to you in your
declining years, instruct them now III
the principles and obligations Of their
holy faith. Parents being once con-
vlnced Of the Importance and Of the I'M
perative obligation resting on them,
relative to the moral education Of their
children, may anxiously ask how they
shall enter upon the discharge Of this
sacred duty SO that their efforts may be
crowned with success, we would an
swel: Begin at home.
In the family circle, the religious in
struciion of your children must be COM
rneDced; in the school room it must be
continued and completed. The first
lessons Of religious truth should be
taught to children while vet they cling
foudly to their mothers bosom. The
mother is the mouIder of the faith and
morals of her children. She is bv nature
the first teacher, having in her voice,
her looks, her demeanor, her caresses,
a holy power to mould to virtue the
minds and hearts of her tender Off
sOring. ...
| 1t is, then, beneath the parental roof
that the work of religious instruction
must commence, ii we hope to see it's
happy fruits realized in after life But
as children advance in years they re-.
quire more attention to be paid to their
religious training than parents can
generally find time to bestow. A thou
sand circumstances may arise which
prevent fathers and mothers from at
tending to this sacred and solemn DUTY,
and they find it necessary to commit
the religious training Of their boys and
girls to other hands. But where will
they fad teachers who WILL discharge
this duty with parents care? Where
will they find the institution which will
secure for their children this greatest of
earthlv blessings? l answer, if a father
should desire to have bis son educated
in the military profession, would he
! send that son TO q law school or medical
SCHOOL, Most certainly not. The
parent would naturally say, want lny
son to study mathematics and military
tactics, wish him to learn to WELD the
sword, to use the rife, and to become
INJURED to the hardships Of the camp.
What benefit would Blackstone or
Kent be to him on the battlefield [
desire to fit him for the army. and
therefore I will send him to school
where he may learn these branches that
appertain to his profession. Such a
parent reasons correctly. Therefore
say to Catholic parents. if they desire
TO give their children Catholic educa-
| |tlon, send them to Catholic schools
+ III they desire to prepare their children
for the high and exalted profession Of
ICatholicity, send them to those schools
where they will be taught IN connection
Il