The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-06-13
MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL. SATURDAY. JUNE 49, 1891.

does SO he consecrates his body to God
He has made solemn promise, who's
violation entails an awful sacrilege."
sMinister-"What becomes, then, O
that saying of the apostle that "mar
riage is honorable IN all and the bee
undefled?"
| Priest-'Y Yes-lawfut marriage is in
deed honorable, but sacrilege is never
nndedled, though veiled by the name oi
marriage. The incestuous marriage oi
the Corlnthian whom st. Paul delivered
up to Satan was not honorable. Though
marriage IS honorable according to st.
Paul. celibacy is still more honorable
according to the same apostle; and
surely that which is more honorale is
best becoming the character of priest,
otherwise st, Paul would not have
chosen it for himself.''
Minlster-"Do you mean to say that
your priests observe vigorously the law
Of continency. History Will not bear
you out in this; and past experience.
therefore, should teach you to obey that
dlctum OF st. Paul, 1t is better to marry
than to burn.''
! Priest-"Some priests have indeed
sullled their glorious maptle OF chastity,
but their number is insignificant COM
pared to the phalanx of the faithful
soldiers Of Christ. The most bigoted
historians may, Voltaire, an avowed
enemy Of Christianlty-could not refrain
from admiring the blameless lives of
the majority Of the Catholic clergy.
and supposlng that many of them
transgressed this law. would this rem
der it unreasonable? If so, eliminate
the Decalogue, for many, and not a
| few, who stand within the charmed Cir
Gle of your charitable and biblical So
cieties scruple not to violate it's sacred
laws.
"You insinuate. my worthy friend.
that YOU are an upholder of Luther s
admirable doctrine, that 'eontinency is
impossible to mankind Would you
| preach this doctrine to Che thousands of
maids and bachelors in Great Britain
and America? Would you dare to com-
init such an outrage as to say that they
cannot live cont1nentlyf The most pru-
| rient imagination even in its widest
caprice, might well recoil from depict
inc such an absurd1tY. If they can
preserve thelr chastity why cannot the
priests do the same?
".'It is better to marry than to burn,
Is it, however. better to commit an
adultery--to violate most solemn obli-
CATION than to burn? st. Paul declares
chat he was himself strongly tempted to
sin, yet by prayer and modification he
warded of the attacks of Satan. so that
at deaths door he could chant that
triumphant hymn: 4 have fought the
good fight
1.-THE means which this great apostle
employed are still at the disposition of
our priests. Marriage IL, indeed, pre-
server Of chastity. but it is not it's mob.
lest preserver.'' -
Mlnister--.'But does not st. Paul say
that bishop must be the husband OF
one wife?"
Priest-"Yes; but does he oblige a
bishop to have wife2 If so. why did he
not follow his own rule2 The meaning
of this text is evidently that men who
were married oftener than twice could
not be advanced to the episcopal dig.
nifty. In the early ages OF the Church
virglnity was possessed by few individ-
uals; and the Church. rather than see
her children wandering without a
spiritual guide, enrolled widowers and
married men IN the army of her priest
hood. In all cases. however, they
lived, after their ordination, apart from
their WlYes.''