The Irish standard., 1894-12-08
LUTHER'S LEG lacy.


+ Cleary at ST Charles Church.
Father Cleary delivered his third dis
course ut St. Charles's church last Sun
day evening, in the series Of his lectures
on "Luther's Legacy to Our Times" AZ
usual his large church was packed tc
the doors by people from all parts of the
city and from St. Paul, says the Daily
Times The following is a brief outline
Of his remarks, which occupied over one
hour in this delivery: 49,.
EssWhen Fort Sumter was fred on by
the enemies of our flag, the malice of the
assault on the integrity OF the nation
was not lessened because the blow
against national unity was dealt by the
mem bers of our national household,
The bold attempt at the disruption OF
the Union was al the more dastardly be-
cause it was inspired by thoss who had
enjoyed the blessings and the advan.
tages that come to people, as the logi'
cal result of harmony and unity. The
political heresy of rebellion could not be
condoned by the American people be"
cause ct The fallacious pretexts that had
been offered by the misguided leaders OF
the contederacy. They intlamed the az
dent hearts OF the people Of the South
land by appealing to sectional preiudice,
sectional ani1nosities and the distrust OF
the people OF the South for The people OF
the North. and for the great Republ can
party. The call to arms was sent forth
in the name of home and freside, in de-
Tense OF property and vested rights, and
every man who wore the gray was led to
believe that in attempting to overthrow
the government he was importing his
life in the sacred cause of justioa home
and the sovereignty Of bis native state.
The daring leaders oil our great rebellion
contended not so much for protecting
the traditions OF the South rs they Ia
bored for the disruption of the Union;
this was their objsct and their studied
purpose; all else was but pretense.
In their fatal blindness, they did not
seem able to understand that the de-
etruction of this Union would seal the
doom of all the rights and OF all the llb-
critics, to protect which this nation OF
freemen was formed. No people in the
world can better understand the crime
of secession than we, for we have OK
periepced in the sorest trial of our coun-
try's history the deplorable consequences
of national disccrd and internal dissen-
sion. The revolutionists against religion
IN the sixteenth century like the rebels
against our national union in our day,
presented to their deluded followers
specious pretexts aud alluring watch
words Of reform. Luther found his most
convenient pretext for his pretended re-
form in the alleged sale of indulgencee,
and although this himsy pretext has
been exposed thousands of times, it is
still fondly chung to by a large class of
people who do but little thinking for
themselves.
Dishonest textbooks of SO called his
tory, even in our day of ample oppor-
tunity for accurate information, continue
to mislead children in our schools and to
perpetuate the absurd charges OF the re-
liQious rebels of the sixteenth century,
that the Catholic Church sanctioned the
sale Of indulgences, or any unholy traffic
in sacred things. Many children become
throughout their entire lives the victims
Of misplaced confidence, by having been
informed in the schoolroom that the
Catholic Church assumed the power and
claimed the privilege Of granting the
people permission to commit sin, for =
n 5a