The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-29

upon himself! What IL I wish TO vio-
late II? Who car gainsay me? Let but
such a doctrine be seriously and logl-
cally entertained: let but its light
stream from the high brow professors
To the more ingenious logic OF the man
IN the street. and what virile motive
or sanction shell he left to restrain the
ferceness of passion, and sustain that
sanctity of obedience to lawful authority
In the family, in the State, in the
Church, in the sanctuary of The indiv-
ual soul. which are the only barriers be-
tween civilized society and anarchy?
Authority and obedience to lawful au-
thorlty are ~watchwords OF liberty to
Catholics: they believe that obedience
to law is liberty They are hard say
ings TO modern education and thought
II the only theory under which Rants
principles Of morality could succeed was
the assumption that men were gods.
another popular system of education. on
the contrary. which ~presupposes the dis
proved doctrines of Solution, would
make man the brother of the brute. We
shall pass over this degrading system
by saying that if man Is no more than
a highly developed brute. the spirituality
and n Immortality Of the soul. the freedom
of the viii, future retributlon of rood
and evil can find no place In his educa-
Aioi' nat SiItll prevent men ana ma
tons then from making their own
selfish interests law. provided they
possess the physical power to enforce
them?
In close alliance with this material
istic fancy are the convenient and elu-
sive systems Of relativism and prtg-
matism. The relativist educator viii
tell you that men choose their own code
of morals ~ they choose their wives
All judgments, say the relativ!sts. on
things religious and moral essentially
depend upon the !nclinltions. feelings,
interests and character OF the individual
who judges. In the case Of the prag-
matist the test of moral conduct IS
what works WELL Now since sub
Jectlve states of mind are liable TO con-
tinual change. and what may work well
to-day may work i'll tomorrow. neither
the relativist nor the ~pragmatist can
ever decide to take unto himself for
better or worse any absolute and I'M
~changeable principle of conduct. II any
inconpatibility of temper should arise
in the former case between inclination
and moral conduct, or should a line Of
action cease TO be useful in the second
case, an easy remedy is forthcoming.
Both can apply TO the court OF their
convenient philosophy for an absolute
divorce from their announcement morality.
These reflections suggest the most
vital OF all differences between Catholic
and non-Catholic education. Catholics
possess and teach a complete. consistent
system OF PHILOSOPHY. 1t is neither ma
tional nor racial. 1t never was a one
man creation. II is in complete har-
mony with Christian revelation. Like
the Catholic faith, II is international.
universal. 1t has assimilated the wis
dom of the ages it speaks with no un-
certain voice. II II believes in the
supernatural il is a reasoned belief; X
1t respects authority II Is a rational
respect. Though II does not break with
the past. it is free TO develop with a
healthy internal growth.
Any one who is conversant with nom
Catholic PHILOSOPHERS must realize their
incompleteness. their fragmentary char
aCter. their i~ncapacity to endure the
criticism Of fair discussion. They are as
a rule racial or national. They ever
speak with an uncertain voice. because
they ignore the one ~stupendous fact of
human histOry-thc Christian R.Vela-
ton. What tan We expect from their
codes of morals founded upon such
shifting foundations"
The kingdom Of self, as every man and
woman knows. is strong for evil. is fee
NE lot Btpu. 'tlllblt'N hlhN Hf ollSll
of this Unborn faint of nature. Weak
self reinforced by passion is Stronger in
the conflict of good and evil than self
sustained by cohweb motives Of ever
changing systems Of rationalistic philos-
ophiss. To he successful in the conflict,
self needs an external ally. This cN-
ternal ally can only be supplied by
religious motives which flow from the
knowledge and belief in a personal God.
in a divine Redecmer. in His sympathies
and love. In His supernatural helps, in
His warnings and encouragements, in
His rewards and punishments.
In conclusion let us frankly say that
II has not been our purpose to quarrel
with those conceptions OF life which OBJ
tain in non-Catholic schools. nor with
the systems OF education which are the
logical outcome OF those conceptions
But since the root principles and the
outlook upon life OF Catholics and non-
Catholics are unhappily at present ir-
reconcllably at variance, neither can IL
he expected that the spirit which anil
mates their systems of education should
agree. We would only gently remind
Catholic parents and Catholic youth not
to be caught blindfolded in the meshes
OF educational systems, however fair may
be their worldly rewards. which no in