St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-01


recollection of this event. 1t would
certainly not be an easy matter to find
a more worthy cause to touch their
hearts and to infiame their zeal.
The event. in effect. is such in
itself that no other epoch has seen
Rrander and more beautiful one ac-
cemplished by man; as to him who can
accomplish it, there are few who can be
compared to him in greatness of soul
and of genius. By his work "a new
world flashed forth from the unex-
plored ocean, thousands upon thousands
{ mon society of the human race. led
from their barbarous life to peaceful
ness and civilization, and which is of
much more Importance, recalled from
perditiOn to eternal life by the be-
stowal of the gifts which Jesus Christ
brought TO the world. Europe, astonished
alike by the novelty and prodigious-
ness of
This Unexpected Event
i Understood little by little in due
course of time what she owed to Colum-
bus when. by sending colonies to Amer
lea. by frequent communications, by eX-
change of services, by the resources
confided to the sea and received in re-
turn. there was discovered an accession
of the most favorable nature possible to
thu knowledge of nature, to the reci-
procal of riches. with the result that the
prestige of Europe increased enorm-
ously. Therefore, it would not he
fitting to admit these numerous
testimonials of honor, and in
these concerts Of felicitations i'm
that the church should maintain
complete silence, since, in accordance
with her character and her institution,
she willingly approves and endeavors to
favor all that appears, wherever it is to
be worthy Of honor and praise. Un-
doubtedly she receives particular and
supreme honors to the virtues pre-
eminent in regard to morality, mas
much as they united to the eternal
salvation of souls; nevertheless she
does not despise the rest; neither does
she abstain from esteeming them as
they deserve: it is even her habit to
favor with all her power and to always
have in honor those who have we'll mer-
tied of human society and who have
passed to pOsterity. Certainly God is
admirable in His saints. but the vestige
OF His divine virtue appear as imprinted
in those in whom shines superior
Force of Soul
and mind, for this elevation of heart
and this spark OF genius could only
come from God, their author and pro-
JtectOr. 1t is in addition an entirely
special reason for which we believe we
should commemorate in grateful
spirit this immortal event. 1t is that
Columbus is one of us. When one consid-
ers with what motive above all ne un-
dertook the plan of exploring the dark
sea, and with what object he endeav-
ored to realize this plan, one cannot
doubt that the Catholic faith superla-
lively inspired the enterprise and its ex-
ecution. SO that by this title also humall-
ity is not a little indebted to the
church. There are without doubt many
men of hardlhood and full of experience
who, before Christopher Columbus and
after him, explored with persevering
efforts, unknown lands across seas still
more unknown. Their memory is cele-
brated and will be so by the renown and
the recollection of their good deeds. see
ing that they have extended the frontiers
of science and of civilization, and that
not at the price of slight efforts, but with
a very exalted afdor of spirit and often
through extreme perils. 1t is not the
less true that there is very great diff
ference between them and him of whom
we speak. The eminentiy distinctive
point i'll Columbus was that, in crossing
The Immense Expanses
af the ocean. he followed an object
more grand and more elevated. than the
others. This does not say, doubtless,
that he was not in any way influenced
by the very praiseworthy desire to be
master of science to we'll deserve the
approval of society, or that he despised
the glory whose stimulant is ordinarily
more sensitive to elevated minds. or
that he was not at all looking to his per-
sonal interests. But above all these
human reasons. that of religion was up
permost by great deal in him, and it
was this, without any donbt, which sus-
famed his will. and which frequently
in the midst OF extreme difficulties
filed him with consolation. He learned
in reality tnat his plan, his resolution,
profoundly carved in his heart, was TO
open access to the gospel in new lands
and in new seas. This may seem
hardly probable to .h-'se who,