The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-09-23

tue loving, Ron04OEe khtn0t QI RlEeal e
creatures. These maxllns sent forth y.
the fishermen Of Galilss were destinst
to go sounding down the ages, to over
turn the tottering temples Of paganisn
TO- dissipate the vapid subtilties Of . ser
vile pagan philosophy and to establish
on an enduring foundation the uniyersf
brotherhood of man. Hence this religion
gave birth. to charity for the fallen, K
love for the enemy, to pity Tor the uh
fortunate, to sympathy for the wretohed
to kindness for the poor, to true compass
sion for humanity's ills. It vas anb
bilious without effrontery, covetous With
out avarice, Jealous without fanaticism
obedient but not servile, gentle but never
cringing, austere but not cruel, 9 ODD
queror but never a tyrant; at home u
the hut of misery as well as in the palaqs
of luxury, in the wigwam of the savage
or in the abode of kings-wherever thste
was man. !.
THE CHURCH AND SLAVERY.
The task ct asserting the dignity q
man was but ore of the solemn duties
that confronted the new religion at ite
birth. It found the children Of toll, who
formed the majority in pagan society
slaves in bondage to a har*h, disdainfu1
cruel and heartless minority. Labor wal
in chains. Labor had no rights that
capital considered itself in any way
bound to respect. Masters were granted
power over life and limb and the unhappy
slave dared not even assert claim t1
any right or prerogative in common with
his master. God has ordained wrote
st. Augustine, "that reasoning creatures
made according to His own image
shalt rule only over creatures devoid of
reason. He has not established the do
minion of man over man, but Of man
over the BRUTE" And this teaching oa
the immortal bishop of Hippo was but
the reechoing of che voice of the earlier
apostles, the universal sentiment of The
Christian Church, and the only bright
beam Of hope or of gladness that, for
centuries, enslaved labor had seen
through it's tears The slaves outnunn-
bered the freemen. The Church -oqulN
not advocate the total abolition of slavery
without completely overturning the state
of society and creating social anarchy.
The sudden emancipation of millions Of
men, who had tasted only the bitterness
of servitude, and who we're inspired only
by feelings of hatred and vengeance
against an inhuman system that had de-
based and despised them, would have
convulsed the world. !.
The Church, wiser than pagan philos-
ophy knew, how to confer blessing on
humanity and benefit on labor without
injustice or social revolution. "She
knew how to regenerate society, but not
in rivers of blood" ''The first thing that
Christianity did for slaves was to destroy
the errors which opposed, not only their
universal emancipation, but even the inn
provement OF their condition; that is, the
first force which she employed in the at
tack was, according to her custom, the
force OF ideas -
After having heard the oracles Of pa
ganism inyepting doctrines to degrade
still more the unhappy slaves, how the
aching hearts of oppressed humanity
must have throbbed with exultant and
conflicting emotions as the teachings of
st. Paul became music to their ears.
"You are all one in Christ Jesus"
"There is neither Jew nor Greek; there
ia neither bond nor free" The Church
could never forget the sublime lesson
which the great Apostle gave when writ
ing to Philemon, the wealthy citizen of
Colossa, and interceding in favor of q
fugitive slave named Onesimus VIII, m he
had converted in prison at Rome, and
sent back to his master to be received
''no more as slave but as most dear
brother"
The constant and uniform teaching of
this human equality could not fail to i'm
prove the unhappy condition OF the slave.
The laws of the Church regulating the
marriage bond and inspiring reverence
for the home and family ties, further
protected the children Of the slave and
saved from hopeless servitude countless
victims Of 'sman's inhumaDity to man."
This fact must not be;forgotten that
the sublime task entrusted to the Church
to perform was the social and moral ele-
walton IF man. The Church faithful to
it's duty, could not hazard the accom-
.pllshment Of it's purpose By rash at
tempt at temporary advantage. The
mission of the Church was to save the
world, and all mankind was the object of
its anxious solicitude and care. THIS OBJ
servatlon is, perhaps, necessary as 9 re-
ply to those who, unmindtul Of the spirit
of the age, the customs and ideas Of men,
when the Church began it's marvellous
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