The Irish standard., 1897-11-27
GRATITUDE TO GOD.
Sunday Evening Discourse by the
Rev. James NJ. Cleary.

Sunday Evening Discourse by the
Rev. James NJ. Cleary.
"Man's Debt of Gratitude to the Prov
idence of God" was the subject of
Father Cleary's discourse at the Church
Of st. Charles last Sunday evening. He
said in part:
"The providence of God is his govern
ment of the world, his action over crea-
lures to preserve them and conduct them
to their end, the end for which he made
them.
''Divine providence directs and pre-
serves all created things, the heavenly
bodies, land and sea, the birds of the
air, and the flowers of the field. Moth
ing takes place by chance. Chance is
an imaginary conception, is nonentity.
Chance is a meaningless word which
man employs to conceal his Ignorance.
We say that thing happens by chance.
to signify that we do not know it's
cause. Chance is nothing; produces
nothing in the world.
''The universe is governed by law No
law can come into being without intelli-
gent design. The marvellous laws OF ma
ture reveal the stupendous power and
infinite intelligence Of their designer
An ordinary intelligent designer will
not send into existence the product Of
his mind and take no further interest
in its workings. The supreme, infinite.
incompatible intelligence that sent the
universe into being cares for his work
with infinite concern.
God established the laws of the physi-
cal world of his own free choice; he can
therefore modify or change them at WILL
The laws of nature cannot be altered
by the power Of man, for the power of
man did not make them. They are un-
der the control of that sovereign power
that cares for the birds Of the air, and
that gives fragrance to the flowers of
the field. All animal and vegetable life
by the order of their being by What is
termed instinct, give to their author
God, worship of their own. They have
no liberty of choice. Man, ali intelli-
gent being, in the moral order, is en-
dowed with reason and will. He is free
to obey or to disregard as he will the
laws of his being, the DEGREES of his
creator.
There can be no reward where there
is no liberty, no punishment where there
Is no freedom of choice. Because man
is intelligent and free, capable of under
standing Gods wisdom, goodness ana
power, and able to choose the good and
reject the evil, he has special obliga-
lions Of thankfulness towards his crca-
tor. Again and again, both in the Old
Testament and in the New, the maker
of heaven and earth has declared his
fatherly interest in all his work. He
clothes the lilies Of the field. Man is of
much more value than they. The first
duty Of gratitude to divine providence
that every man owes is obedience and
submission to divine law. The very es-
sence of religion is recognition Of
Gods right to the love and obedience of
tllo leSpoualDle creatures. lie sun in
the heavens does not grow weary of
filling the universe with it's glorious
light. 1t shines for ALL rich aud Door.
saint and sinner. Neither does our COM
mon father in heaven grow weary c: be-
come Indifferent to the love and hon.
age of the humhlest Of his children. lie
preserves his creation by continual acts
OF creative power. He has proclaimed
his supreme will. Men and nations who
disobey and disregard 1t do so at their
peril. The curse Of sordid industrialism
is robbing the people today of the rights
and the happiness that Gods laws would
secure for them. Selfish greed mas no
regard for the laws of God. and no sym
pathy for the joys of humanity. Cod
Is persistently defed by the sacrllegious
desecration of the sanctity of the Sum
day. The blessing Of God brings pros
perity to man, and lightens the burden
of toll. Gods blessing cannot enrich
those who despise his providence"