The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-01-01
A MoMENToUs NEW YEAR.

read the record which its passing
days will inscribe on the scroll of
the worlds history. Who is there
who would not outstrip, if pos
sible, the swift fight Of time and
pass in review the events of the
next twelve months ere they trans
pire, so eager is each one to know
what the future holds in store.
But a merciful Providence Who,
in the physical order, sets a hori-
zon beyond which we cannot
discern the things of earth, has,
likewise, limited our ability to
peer into the future with any de-
gree of certainty. From the events
of the past we may, tits true, fore
cast the future; but at, best how
feeble and puerile are our efforts.
The new year, then, has its
secrets securely locked up in its
bosom. The steppings of the in
dividual no less than the fate Of
nations are its to disclose moment
by moment and each one must be
content with this dole from the
treasury Of time.
But we need not be endowed
with prophetic vision in order to
read the signs of the times and
attempt to appraise the new year
at it's true value. Even a super
fetal acquaintance with current
events suffices to convince us that
the year upon which we are now
entering will be fraught with
tremendous consequences for man
kind. Not a few think that the
distress Of nations which we
now witness, pfesages. the be-
ginning Of a new era in the
worlds history, and that ont of
this crucible in which the war-god
is. soaring the souls Of men will
arise a purified and chastened
race who will convert swords
into ploughshares and reenter the
pathways OF peace.
But whether or not this year
witnesses the contamination of
that peace among nations for
which we devoutly pray, it can
scarcely be denied that it viii go
down in history as one OF the most
momentous of the century. In all
probability it will decide the fate
Of more than one European nation
and change the current of the
worlds history. 1T will bring
heart-searching s to warning poten-
tates; it will drench new battle
fields with human blood; it will
choke the trenches with CHASTITY
corpses; it will desolate the
hearths and homes Of multitude
Of families; it will. bring sorrow
and agony to millions of innocent
and helpless victims; and saddle a
heritage Of misery and woe on
generations yet unborn. All this
the coming year will witness if the
portents of its dawning hours be
interpreted Alright.
The other side Of the shield
shows Christendom on it's knees
before the great White Throne i'm,
ploring the eternal Father to stop
the onward march Of Mars and
breathe forth once more His beni-
son above the entrenched hosts of
rulers mad with the lust for power.
We dare not doubt that the in
cense Of this spiritual holocaust
will ascend as a sweet perfume be-
for the throne of divine grace and
move the omnipotent Ruler of the
Universe to bid the clash Of arms
be still and the gentle dove of
peace extend her wings once more
over nations reunited in the bonds
Of friendship and cooperation.
For the individual as well as
flor the nation this will be a mo-
mentous year. Each one will have
his battles to fight against the
forces Of evil and the temptors
who assail his spiritual citadel
unlike the world-war, this indi-
Evidual battling must continue to
the last moment Of life. Like the
world-war it will bring its heart.
burnings and agonizing moments
it will leave it's scars to speak oil
Victory or to proclaim defeat. The
victory must be won on the battle
field Of the human heart through
sacrifice and prayer-the spiritual
weapons which will put to flight
| the evil one and call down from
on high the healing and strength,
ening grace of God. Whether the
year 1916 be inscribed on our
| tombs or not, it is destined to be a
momentous one for all. Let us
hope that when its last hour has
been merged in the silent past,
leach one viii merit the commenda-
| tion of Him nnder Whose standard
The bears with sequanimity the
burden of the day and the heat.
WHY BLAME THE CHURCH,
L + - ~ -.