Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-24

W AANA EAAt NllAlA aNfAH
Who can doubt that she will act In this
same spirit again II the salvation OF souls
require IL? .
Dangers of Great Liberty.
In this present matter Of which we are
speaking there is even a greater danger ana
a more manifest opposition to Catholic doc
trine and discipline in that opinion OF the
lovers OF novelty, according 10 which they
hold such liberty should be allowed In the
church, that her supervision and watchful-
ness being iu some sense lessened, allow
ance be granted the faithful, each one to
follow out more freely the leading OF his
own mind and the trend Of his own proper
activity. They are of the opinion that such
liberty has its counterpart in the newly
given civil freedom which is now the right
and the foundation of ALMOST every secular
state.
These dangers, viz: The confounding OF
license with liberty, the passion for discus
sion and pouring contempt on any possible
subject, the assumed right to hold whatever
opinions one pleases upon any subject and
to set them forth la print to the world, have
SO wrapped minds in ddrkness that there is
a greater need of the church's teaching Office
than ever before, lest people become I'M
mindful both of conscience and of duty.
We, indeed, have no thought of rejecting
everything that modern Industry and study
have produced, so far from 1t that we well
come to the patrimony Of truth and TO AN
ever -Wluenlu6 sSope VI puUiO pSih5
whatsoever helps toward the progress of
learning and virtue. Hence all this, to be
of any solid benefit-nay, to have a real eX-
istence and growth-can only be on the con-
dition of recognizing the wisdom and au-
lthority of the church.
Coming now to speak OF the conclusions
which have been deduced from the above
opinions, and for them we readily believe
there was no thought of wrong or guile, yet
the things themselves certainly merit some
degree of suspicion: First, all external
guidance is set aside fer those souls who
are striving after Christian perfection as
being superfluous, or indeed not useful in
any sense-the contention being that the
Holy Spirit pours richer and more abund-
ances than formerly upon the souls OF the
faithful-so that without human interven-
tion He teaches and guides them by some
hidden instinct of His own. Yet 1t Is the
sign of no small overconfdence to desire
to measure and determine the mode of the
divine communication TO mankind, since 1t
wholly depends upon His good pleasure
and He is a most generous dispenser of His
own gifts.
>,;c. no III. Cburcb.
mere is no one VINO calis IN question the
truth mat the HOLY spirit does WORK oy a
secret descent INTO the SOUS Oh lne JUST anu
that ne stirs them ailke by warnings ana
impulses, since, unless TINS were the case
all outward detense ana authority "oulu DC
unavaliing.
For II any persuade hlmseli tnat ne can
give assent to saving, that is, to gospel
truth when proclaimed, without any liluml-
nation of the holy spirit, who gives In all
sweetness both to assent and TO hold, such
an one is ueceiNeu py nereucai spirit
tFrom the Second Council oil orange, canon
VIII
Moreover, experience shows these mo-
nitions and impulses of the holy spirit are
Tor the most part telt through the medium
OF the aid and light OF an external teachlng
authority. TO quote st; Augustine:
fruit gathered from the good trees. since he
externally waters and cultivates them by
the outward ministry of men, and yet Of
himself bestows the Inward increase.'-(D
Gratia Christi. chapter XIX
This, indeed, belongs to the ordinary law
of Gods loving providence, that as He has
decreed that men for the most part shall
be saved by the ministry also OF men, so
also has He wished that those whom lie
calls to the higher planes OF holiness should
be led thereto by man, hence st. Chrysos-
tom declares we are taught Of God through
the instrumentality OF men.
or this a striking example is given US In
the very first days OF the church. For
though Saul, Intent upon Dlood and slaush-
ter, had heard the voice or our LORD hlmsel1
and had asked: What dost Thou wish me
10 DO, yet was ne bldden to enter la
mascus ana search LOT Ananlas. ENTER tne
city and 1t shall be there told to thee what
thou must do.
NOR can we leaVe out OF consideration tne
truth tnat those VINO were surviving alter
peFlection' sihce by uiat laI tney VINO walk
IN no beaten OF wen Known pain, are the
host adpie 10 stray, anu hence nave ereuLer
heed IMAM others OF d teacher ana gulae. such
guidance mas ever oplalneu III the church.
IL mas peen the UNIVERSAL teachlng OF tnose
VINO tnroushout the ages nave peeh eminent
LOT WISDOM ana sahcIity, anu hence 10 re-
!ect IL "ould De 10 commit one s-selt 10 q
oeilel at once rash ana dangerous.
Nirtue-ADpenrnnec and Reality.
II 10 NOT eosv 10 ,,dorSora ,ou, narsor.
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one y WI .nuo"Iu SIMPLY mtun an ou'n. "a
hr Woe - I'D this ~ nc I;abt de-
gree Vet ever to master such. as also TO
preserve in its entirety, the law of the no
tural order, requires an assistance from on
high. These single notable acts to which
we have alluded viii frequently upon a
closer Investigation be found to exhibit the
appearance rather than the reality OF virtue.