Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-07-09


back with much regret upon the
many opportunities we have let pass
by unheeded. Oh, wasted moments.
lost forever. how diligently would
we now employ you could we only
bring you back and live you over
again
To our sehOolmates, you who are
still upon the river where the olive
branches grow. We leave. rs we float
ont upon the sea. these parting
words ..Let obedience be your
raie and patience hold son stillsias
tent. To ask no rest until you
reach the goal. T" And with cordial
thanks to those present for their
kind attention during the exercises.
| bid YOU an affectionate farewell.
CATHERINE RIPLEY WATSON.
"caa -A"y GOod 7hiag Come Oaf
Of Na.areM 90
Many centuries have rolled away
since Nathaniel. the lsraelite. I'm
whom there was no guile" asked
this question of ST. Peter.
Kingdoms have risen and fallen :
nations not then dreamed of have
sprung into existence the whole
state of the world has been revolu-
tionized. and society has grown
purer and better by the influence of
that Divine Presence which did
come out Of Nazareth.
There are some people like Nath-
aniel, good, pure, without guile. .
who look with great disfavor upon
all worldly amusements. however
innocent, because they have. at
times been carried to excess.
They consider these pleasures as
very Nazareths, from which no
good can be derived, and that in.
diligence in them, is entirely incom.
patible with religious life.
Whether they are right or wrong
depends upon the answer to the
question ''Can any Good Thing
Come Out of Nazareth ?" II nc
good can come from the thing con
demned, then the practice of I,
is altogether wrong.
But are not these people narrow,
minded and prejudiced, to condemn
thing as sinful, because in som,
cases it has done harm 4.
This is species of sophistry
which logicians call 'JaHaeia occi.
dentis." By this kind of reason.
ing religion itself might be de-
nounced as an evil to mankind. be.
cause it is sometimes assumed as q
cover for crimes.
In this world the tarcs must
grow with the wheat nothing il
unmixed good /; all bears the STAMP
of earthly imperfection, and ht
who appreciates this truth, is slow
to condemn anything not absolute
ly forbidden IN Gods law.
There is in every human breast
certain natural craving for amuse
ment, created by our mother, Ma
ture. This is not wrong nor against
the principles of Christianity.
Religion makes war only with tn,
abuse of mans natural propensi
ties. Its object is not to eradicate
our instincts but to prune, trair
and make them bear good fruit.
This natural craving for enter
tainment is one of Gods instru
ments for our instruction and i'm
proyement. If only the gratifica
tion of the moment result from th,
forego the transitory pleasur,
il may afford and banisl
so called pleasure, then, let vi
ish it forever from our category o.
amusemcnts. But, if we can prov
that any good to mankind springI
from it that it conduces to health
that it refines nature, or cultivatei
the love of virtue lying dormant il
the soul of man that it adds il
the least to the happiness of thi
work-a-day world I; that it has caus
ed one hearty laugh to care encum
bered man then, oh, then. let ui
believe that il is a good gift scnl
down to Us from the Father oi
Lights, and that it is not only fool
ish and narrow. but wrong and sin.
full to condemn what He has given
to brighten the world
The chief difference between the
pleasures which benefit mankind
and those from which no good re
suits, is that the desire for the for.
mer is a natural longing, while th,
craving for the latter is unnatura