The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-08-28

repulsive sin Of gluttonous drinking.
Our church, the ,ncompromisinS
teacher of Chrstlike self-denial, has
done its whole duty in condcmning the
heathenish vice of drunkenness, and in
warning its children against the debaS-
Ing influences Of the liquor saloon. The
stubborn tenacity with which some con-
tlnuo to defend the saloon and drink
Ing customs which the church con-
demns, only tends to emphasize the
more strongly the alarming fascination
which the appetite for strong drink
creates. The church. as all we'll know,
has branded the business of selling in
toXicants as dangerous business, an
unbecoming way OF making living,
but Catholics are found who boast of
their loyalty to their church and ignore
her admonitions and warnings against
the business that makes drunkarls.
The church has condemned the Sun
day saloon, and liquor selling on Sum
day in the most plain and emphatic
terms, but Catholics are found who pat
roniZe the Sunday saloon and who de-
family attempt to Justify this manner
Of desecrating the day consecrated by
the duties of our union is to influence
our fellow Catholics to a conformity
with the spirit and the letter Of the
laws of the church in this country.
no ho Joeo 80
the sanctity of the Sunday. The Sun
day is the creation OF the Catholic
church. The church rescued fallen So
ciety from the orgies Of paganism. She
selected the first day of the week in
| memory of the Savior's resurrection,
consecrated it to the public worship
of God, and compelled the spirit of
Mammon to respect 1t as the laborers
day Of rest from WEAKNESS and the
drudgery Of toll. During the social
upheaval of the middle ages, and amid
all the revolutions of nineteen hundred
years, the church protected and sus-
tained the rights of God and the rights
Of the poor in the proper observance
OF the Sunday.
Had the church relaxed her vigilance
and been false to her duty to God in
giving to him public worship on the
Sunday, the nineteenth century would
know nothing Of this day of religion
and rest except as an incident of the
ages OF faith. Shame, a thousand times
shame, upon any man protesting to DO
Catholic who Is not In perfect har-
mony with the aim of the church 10
protect the sacred character of tho
Lords day. In our day the greedy
spirit of avarice. Is slowly but surely
encroaching upon the rights Of God
and the rights of the working people
on the Sunday. If the people forget
that first Of all this day belongs to re-
ligion and attempt to degrade 1t into
a day of revelry and dangerous amusc-
ment, they must be warned that the
spirit of avarice will never respect
day devoted by the people to pleasure,
whatever hope we may have that hun
CRY greed will stand in awe OF day
to the worship Of the Creator.
No excuse can be offered and no de-
fense made for the deadly injury that
has been done to our Catholic people
and to the good name Of the church, IN
this country, by those protesting the
Catholic faith OF self-dcnlal. who have
conducted, often in a most unbecoming
manner, the dangerous and degrading
business Of ministering to deceased ap-
petite for strong drink. The Catholic
saloon keeper has become q most odious
scandal to the Catholic name, and too
often, the fruitful cause Of dcbasement,
religionists and countrymen. While In
the abstract 1t may be no sin to sell
intoxicating drink and no sin to con-
duct a liquor saloon within the limits
prescribed by law, in practice in this
country today, the saloon business is
something more than dangerous busi
ness AS business 1t has become dis
reputable because of its corrupting in
huences in the political affairs of the
people, Of it's persistent violation of ex
listing laws, and of its tendency to pro-
pagate and demoralize the people.
Our union cannot enter politics. We
must not he partisans in local, state or
national politics. I am inclined to the
opinion, however, that we have not
done our duty as Catholics and as titi
zens In resisting the violation of law
on the part of the liquor business. In
every city and hamlet throughout the
land Our total abstinence societies
should make their influence felt In
securing the strict observance of all
law regulating the sale Of Intoxicating
drink. Our societies should be some
thing more than silent. pious CONTRA
ternitcs that edify all by their personal
piety and religious fervor, but are heed
| less of the evil growing in their midst.
Let ls be practical as well as pious,
| active as we'll as earnest, and show by
| our conduct that we mean what we
profess. The drink trade Is tircless in
| it's efforts to influence the people into
| the habits of excessive and sensual in
| diligence.