The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-08-21

edifce of Christian ethics, and with
them that edif1ce must stand or crumble
into ruins. What underlies the value of
holy childhood but the doctrine that the
child has an immortal soul? Abolish
this. look at the child only in the light
of it's utility to the State, and soon
infanticide will commence again, and
deformed children will be put to death
when men shall have lost the tenderness
which Christianity has produced and
fostered. Most men admire the
Church's action In regard to divorce.
They believe that her conservatism In
this respect is essential to the pre-
servation of the family and the sane
tity of human love. But all her action
and her sufferings in maintaining this
marriage is indissoluble. and because
Of this doctrine the Pope himself and
all the Bishops Of the world united
with him cannot grant a single divorce.
Look ut the great motives Of human
action. Behold that young man con-
tending with fearful temptation,
wrestling with some midday demon"
The pleasure promised is certain and
alluring. Religion Whispers in his ear,
Fear God; listen to your conscience
You know that TO yield Is wrong. Re-
member the puhishment which God has
threatened. Remember the heaven you
renounce IL you yield, and the hell
whose punishment you will deserve"
Now, all this warning is based on doc
trines. Only whisper in Ills ear, "There
Is no hell. God Is indulgent, or takes
no cognizance of human action"
Strike down the great truth, and you
strike down the great motive. Again,
look at the marvellous institutions Of
charity throughout the world. sister
hoods and brotherhoods. These people
have sworn that in Ioverty, chastity,
and obedience they shall wait upon
sufferers whom they rever saw before,
and with whom in many cases they
can have little human sympathy. How
account for this phenomenon? Not by
fanaticism, which is short-lived and
uncertain. whereas these sacrifices have
lasted nineteen hundred years. No.
there is but one solution; all this work
OF charity is built on a single doctrine
that Christ has identified Himself with
the poor and the outcast, and that in
attending to them we aid Him. The
fevered brow is the brow crowned with
thorns; the E~tsoner in Jail is the cap
tive Of Pontius filate, the man dying
on the scaffold, the crucifcd sufferer Of
Calvary. Thus Christ is loved and
tended in His representatives. Deny
this single doctrine and you rob the
sick, the poor, the prisoner and the
dying Of their CONSIDERS, and civiliza-
ton Of one Of its most glorious
triumphs.
+ Look again at the influence Of doc
trinal teaching in the hour of afflic-
tion. Look at that poor, broken heart
ed wretch who feels that the world
has rejected him.. Why should he live.
Why should he endure "the stings and
arrows of this outrageous fortune 2"
There is nothing left to live for, and
suicide seems his only relief. Then
Christian faith descends like the COM
forting angel Of Gethsemane and
whispers to him, There is One beyond
the stars who takes cognizance Of ev-
cry sigh and tear and heart moan. He
has said that II a mother should for
get her child, He will not forget thee,
His creature. Bear your sufferings for
q little time. He will aid you in bear
ing them and reward you for having
borne them." But tell him., There is
no God to hear you; or, IL there be one,
He is too far away and too glorious to
care for a broken hearted wretch like
YOU" Take away the doctrine Of faith,
and suicide, which is becoming so COM
mon, is the resort Of the child of mis-
fortune in the hour Of misery.
And az faith diminishes, suicide must
Increase. Statistics show US that in
ten years it increased thirty per cent
in Germany, 1t is increasing in France.
and Wilfd Increase in, proportion %