The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-05-27

at best beguile momentary sorrow, al
the cost of innocence and plety, can nc
longer make us swerve from our allegi.
ance to God.
The passions which violently assail the
pilgrim. retard his hea venward course
have lost their sway on the soul now inc.
briated by the torrent of delights which
flows past the throne of the Eternal.
This absence of all that weighs upon
fallen humanity both for it's good aud it's
trial, constitutes the first element Of that
perfect repose to which God invites, and
to which we shou,d aspire, all the DAYS
that we live upon the earth, says the
prophet.
It's second element consists in the pres
ence and possession of all that can I'LL
the desires of the most inpatient heart.
We possess life, undying life, eternal
life. If this new condition of being, II
this glorious transformation has a begin
nlng, it will know no end. As Cod.
hand holds us in life, during the term Of
our exile. He is our 6rm, strong support
in the true land Of the living.
We possess the giver of life. II am
thy reward exceedingly great" Gen.
XVI. God stands in threefold rela-
tionship to us; and His action as Crea-
tor, Redeemcl and Sanotiier of our souls
is continued in eternity. For within its
portals, He pertects the life once given,
rewards the life of the redeemed. crowns
the life hallowed by grace and sealed
with the JUNCTION of the Spirit.
"And their works follow them.'' In
each page of the sacred books, we find q
glowing eulogy of faith. 1t is the foun-
dation of all christian virtues, and no
other base can be laid. Hope, trust in
Gods grace and glory is highly COM
mended. Love, in it's two-fold Offering
Of devotion to God and to man, stands as
a queen in the supernatural order. But
faith without works is dead. But hope,
without efforts to reach its objects, is
dead. But charity, without good works,
has no real existence. 1t is q misnomer;
and when weighed in the scales of unerr-
ing Justice, will be found wanting. But
when, from the deep foundations of faith,
hope crowned by charity springs into ac-
tion, the heavens open, and there is an
eye which sees and hand which records
the virtuous deeds, and voice which
approvingly Gays: "And their works fol-
low them"
These words are one of Heavens prin-
ciples of action. l will not dive into its
depths nor question it's justice. I stand
before the lifeless remains Of christian
mother. Jewish motherhood was honor
ed on earth, and in the case of Respha,
was honored in Heaven. Jewish mother
hood is held up to the admiration and
veneration of the world in the person OF
the mother of the Machabees. But in
the christian dispensation, how great its
prominence, how exalted its glory!
Here, l do not speak of the state, of the
condition of motherhood, but of its
merits. In the fullness of time, hum
Bile and lowly maiden of Judea was cho.
sen by God to give birth to Incarnate
Wisdom, to the Redeemer of the world
For the lengthy period of nine months,
she carried within her Immaculate womb
the Son of the Eternal God, as prophets
divinely commissioned had carried in
their breasts the secrets of the Eternal
God. Although, in the days of her
motherless happiness, angels spread their
wings towards Bethlehem and sang
hymns fjoy; although kings laid at His
feet gold, frankincense and myrrh, yet a
sword of sorrow was to pierce her soul
We know how this was effected, and
need not revert to it. But the sharp,
keen-edged sword, opened the way to the
conqueror, and the day came when 80
great sign appeared in Heaven: A woman
clothed with the sun, and the moon un-
der her feet, and on her head crown of
twelve stars" Apoc. Kill.
Nowhere else can we find more cor
rect idea of true motherhood, christian
motherhood, its dignity, merits and re-
wards.
Its dignity. Through it, Gods crea-
tive act is perpetuated, and souls are be-
gotten to Jesus Christ and the Church
Through it, the seats of glory made
vacant by angelic rebellion, are re-
plenished.
Through it, the number of the adorers
of the Man-God, slain from the beginning
of the world, is increased.
Through it, the spirits of the just made
perfect. shout ON their seats of glory, and
make heavens Joy perfect.
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