Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-11-15
.acoNscIENcE.n
Father Mulcahy's Weekly Instruction at
 the Convent.

Father Mulcahy's Weekly Instruction Rt
 the Convent.
 Rev Father Mulcahy continued his in- struction on 'Conscience, before the class in Christian Doctrine at the Convent of Notre Dame Monday evening. Much of the time was devoted to a review of the points treated in the preceding lecture. The distinction between speculative and practical reason was again considered, and the proofs were adduced that both of these are but one and the same faculty.
 Attention was again called to synderesis as the repository of those first self-evident moral principles, which, supplied by the intelligence, furnish the foundation upon which practical reason builds, and relies for the correctness of those moral pre- cepts which it lays down for our guidance.
 Considering the anology which exists between filst truths, and these primary moral principles, the speaker continued substantially as follows:
 It is important that we should here re tain clearly in mind the distinction and re- lations which obtain between those pri- mary truths or axioms which the Intelli- gence furnishes to our reason, and those first moral truths, or moral principles, by whose aid practical reason arrives at a knowledge of those moral truths which sum up the duties of our life.
 --HThis distinction is not arbitrary. It is, as We may see, in perfect accord with the nature of man. Man has not only an intellect, but also a will. He was created for duty as we'll as for truth, hence, he must not only believe in God, but also obey the divine law. It is, therefore, emi- nently fitting that our reason should have twofold basis of operations correspond ing to these two faculties.
 "Even superior intelligences, such as angels, are subject to the same conditions. The constant contemplation of God does not always sum up their life. They. too. must perform duties. They are sent as messengers from God to man; they min ister before the throne of God. and they are appointed our guardians. But the an | gelic intelligence is superior to human req son in it's mode ef acquiring moral truths, l even as it is in that of attaining a knowl- edge of purely speculative truths. The | full force and the whole extent of duty presented flash immediately upon the pure intelligence, whilst reason is compelled to proceed step by step in this course, even as it is in its search after truth.
 "These first moral principles which, as we saw, are termed synderesis, furnish the knowledge requisite for those judgments | which conscience passes upon every net. | This secret monitor of our souls is not a faculty; nor is it habit such as is be- | gotten by first truths, or first moral princi- ples. It is an act by which we judge of | the justice or injustice of such or such an action.
 | ''The act of conscience may be twofold according as it precedes or follows the nc | tion which it judges. If it precedes the action it determines its merit or demerit and decides for us the course we should | follow. If on the other hand, it follows the action, it determines it's merit or de | merit, and leaves us n feeling of self-ap- | proval or remorse.
 ''We may again note here the close analogy that exists between these two operations which we attribute to con | science, and those which, through the in strumentality of reason, lead Us to q knowledge of truth. Conscience directs il the action we are about to perform, and reason enables us to determine the truth or falsehood of anything proposed to oui belief.
 "Conscience is the final law of actior for each man. We cannot gainsay it. commands and at the same time please God. We cannot be false to our con science and true to ourselves. In th' execution of its behests We do not err For the proper understanding of this W, must remember that in conscience there i, a twofold judgment. First, that such ant such an action is my duty, and secondly that must perform it. In the first O these we may be mistaken; but in tn, second We have no alternative left Hence, in determining the first all du diligence must be used. Our conception of the eternal law must be tested by ever, means proportionate to the importance O the act, or the difficulty underlying tn solution"
 The next instruction will be on memory