The Irish standard., 1910-02-19

lies open wide before them. They have
but to push on this apostolic mission
work as they have begun it, and the
effect will be what God ordains.
But to the simple layman the way is
not so clear Gifted though he may
be with natural endowments and earn
est In his wish to do good, he has No
Divine commission. no pledge of the
Lords guidance and protection. except
through that profound humility and
unhesiteting obedience which arc the
characteristic virtues of the saints. I'm
less In extraordinary cases, religious
controversy Is not for him, and then
only when he is appointed thereto by
superior authority. OF him let 1t be
said by all his neighbours. His life has
been a Living sermon to this town." but
otherwise than this let him not assume
to teach inquiring minds beyond tho
simplest and most unmistakable truths
of doctrine and morals. The priest and
missionary are nowadays always ac-
cessible. The authenticated catechism.
the approved missionary tract or larg
err treatise is everywhere obtainable.
Let him give these or lend them and
trust to their effects. But be extreme
ly cautious lest by assertions and opin-
ions Of his own. he mislead seekers
after knowleage, or provoke antag-
onisms which create unwarranted and
unavoidable hostilities to truth.
The Protestant world around us is
by no means an I'M Christian world.
Millions Of our fellow citizens, whom
we call non Catholics. have yielded in
telect and will to, Christ They have
received the sacrament Of baptism;
they believe all that the church teaches
with at least an implicit faith; they
live up to the light they have with an
unflinching loyalty; they belong to the
soul Of the church and are destined
to rejoice in her salvation. We know
not who they are, but God knows. and
that Is enough; and we should exer-
else the utmost care lest by recklessly
or ignorantly stating error, or by or
fensively or prematurely asserting
truth we disturb their faith and pre-
vent them from coming in Gods own
time and way into THE perfect light.
The chief thing to which the atten-
ton Of the nom Catholic mind Is at
this day most easily attracted is our
relation to the dead, raising the ques-
tons: Where are our dead? What Is
their present condition? What can we
do to help them? What can they do for
us? These questions arise in every hui
man soul and press most sorely at this
very moment on millions Of bleeding
hearts. And to these questions the
Catholic religion alone gives any forma
and authoritative answer. To all these
. bleeding hearts she says: each Of
your friends still lives in all his con.
scious personality, the same immorta
man or woman who once inhabited tina
, earthly body which you knew SO well
} and unless with full knowledge ant
deliberation he rejected God. he is al
ready safe in Gods keeping, while
, every prayer and good work offered W
, by you in his behalf assists him onward
, into his eternal joy
The answer Of tho Catholic churcf
to this universal and absorbing ques.
3 ton furnishes the layman with SER
: mon for the conversion Of non-Cath'
. olics which he may almost every da,
employ. with every word Of sympath!
: upon the death Of our acquaintance
! with every letter Of coincidence, in ever!
, friendly conversation on the world in
) visible this doctrine may be interviewer
and on the interest thus awakened fur
: Their instructions may be based, lead
j ing, perchance, new inquirer into tn
Church of Christ.
This process is SO simple and the re
/ | suit so certain that we may we'll ex
t pect It to become the general metho
Q by which the Protestant nations retur
: into the Church of God. A strikin
: instance Of this occurred a year ag
e last summer OF, mission given to non
n Catholics by one of the Apostolic Mis-
y sion Fathers In town in West Viz