The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-04-22
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE.
THE cATHoLIcITY or THE TEN
PERANcE MOVEMENT.

The prayer that is distributed by
the Guardian Angel Temperance So
ciety of Germany exempliies the
spirit that moves the earnest people
of the Fatherland, but especially the
priests Of Germany, in their effort to
inculcate the love of sobriety in the
rising generation. The necessity for
promoting a love of sobriety is ap-
parent in every country and amongst
every people From every quarter
we hear of movements for Temper
ance, where the very name of Tenn
perance was scoffed at only little
while ago. 1t has always been well
nigh inconceivable to us that men
and women who confess the gospel
of Christ should be so Indifferent to
the ruinous and pagan vice of drunk
enness
There are many signs of better
days at hand. Foolish pride of race,
and unreasoning prejudices are yield
ing to the solicitude for human souls.
Among those recently affiliated to
the Catholic Total Abstinence Union
of America is the Lithuanian Total
Abstinence Federation, headed by
Father Saurusaitis, a most jealous
and earnest advocate of Total Alb
stinence. Information has come to
us that Temperance Union has
been formed by the priests and peo-
pie of Poland In our own country,
very many Polish priests have ex-
pressed their deep concern for their
countrymen because of the evil
wrought by intoxicating drink. In
the Temperance Cadet movement
there have not been any more promis-
ing and earnest young lads enlisted
than our Italian boys. From many
quarters, therefore, we have assurances
as to the Catholicity of our move
ment for temperance. Among the
nations there is getting to be unan-
unity which indicates that the pub
lie conscience is beginning to realize
that the sins of our multitude of
drunkards is not merely a question
for the fndivual drunkards, but
problem for the whole community.
When we realize that we are our
brothers keepers, we shall be Chris
tians in deed, as we'll as in word.
There is a greater lack of under
standing of our duty than of good
will in the doing of It. If we did not
believe this, we should be over
whelmed with the thought that the
widespread neglect of our brethren
indicated selfshness and in9iffer-
ence that spelled ruin for Church
and State. Drunkenness is so clearly
a public menace that the thinking
men of every nation recognize it's
dangerous proportions and arealarmed.
Shall we who love Christ and His
Church be the last to take up arms
against the powers of darkness and the
fhorrid cohorts of the ny-headed
monster of alcohol? We can be and
we must be foremost in every battle
against the world, the flesh and the
devil. Let every man ask under whose
standard he is arrayed No one can
serve God and Mammon. If Mammon
does not hold aloft the standard of al
cohol, who does? If Mammon is not
enthroned in the saloon, where does
he hold court? There, all his friends
expect to find him, and there they
expect to find the haunt of sensuality
and the rendezvous of crime. On the
other hand, it is the Church that has
lifted the standard of Temperance.
Bishops and priests have been the
leaders of those who have gathered
under it's holy banner Our Holy
Father has repeatedly blessed their
efforts. Which standard is of God
and which of Mammon? Under which
standard are you arrayed?
CTA. IT, Advocate FIR March