The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-27

vorce and of anarchy and there IS spreading a fatal disregard for the sanctity of human life and of the family and a general irreverence for authority. These evils are the logical outgrowth of those pagan, principles that are being propagated through books and periodicals, from platforms and even pulpit and are taught by teachers in schools and universities that are shamefuIly materia1isttc and atheistic They attack the Rock of Ages; they deny the immortality of the soul and deny such places as Hell and Heaven; they laugh to scorn such thing a, moral law. They are striking a terrible blow at the very foundations of human society which are religion and morality.
 f"rhe present war with it's barbar- ous methods of killing even the young and innocent, with it's ruthless viola tion of maidens and mothers, with it's wanton destruction of the homes of religion genius and art-in the last analysis it is the direct result of those very pagan principles that have been sedu1ously taught in many of our Flu ropean universities.
 Religion the Remedy.
 Many remedies have been tried to withstand these disintegrating evils but they have proved to be frai1 and futile. Religion alone is the effica- cious remedy.
 eff men and nations have gone astray, they have done so in spite of the restraining influences of Chris tianity. Christianity has not failed, but man and government have failed to profess and practice the Christian code of conduct. %
 lt'The Catholic church has c1ung with an undying tenacity to those ire fragable principles of religion and mo- rality. She has undergone many sac rifces to teach them to the young in her schools and she has never com promised when promulgating them from her pulptis. As a, consequence, men of Christian minds are turning to the old church in these days of war and confusion and hate, to find 8 place of religious peace and moral certitude It is pleasing to note here that 500 converts were confirmed last Sunday in the Cathedral at Boston.
 ! Besides the needs of society the very nature of the individual demands the protecting arm of religion. Man by nature is a religious being. In the worst of the pagan days when the Knowledge of the true God had almost disappeared from the earth man in his cravings for something to worship bowed down before the lowest things of creation and adored them as Gods. It is the most necessary function, therefore, of education to teach the child not merely the things of the mind but principally the things of the soul. to know God, to love Him and i to serve Him here and be happy with Him here and hereafter. r This is education in it's truest and highest sense-to know God for that I-is mental culture-to love God with thy whole heart, that is religion stl- preme-t ofol1ow God with a firm res- olute will, that is virtue and morality ] he afr Of Christian cultureAintel1igent religion and morality. The Catholic church i in her efforts to train her children ac- cording to that i'm portant standard is 1 indeed the friend of the individual and
 society.s The man trained to be a
 good Christian must needs be a good
 Advice to Graduates. I Nov my dear children you are to I leave the hall and influence of your | teachers and school to enter into new and strange conditions of life Your training is sufficient to make your fu- ture a success.
 Tt is scarcely necessary toArennind 1 you to, be. faithful in the practice Of
 your religious duties which are the sure guarantee of success. Be con stant in prayer and frequent in the reception of the Sacraments Having God with you, you need not care who may be against you. sHo1d in grateful remembrance the sef-sacrAcing Sis i ters who nursed you from childhood f with a mothers love, as also your i principal, Father Mooney your friend i and father Be young men and wo-
 men of honor and chivalry, reverence ing old age in parents and others. re- lspecting all things that are holy and honest and pure Then you will be I realizing the best that is in you and your class motto will be the patent ot I your nobility-'.Virtue Leads to Hap I piness.'' Af