The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-10-28
CHRISTIAN oesERVANcEs.

In many historical notes and ency-
clopedic treatises on the original prac-
tees and ancient festivals of the
Church the spirit CT prejudice and big
otry is apparent in representing the
policy of the Church as one supplant-
ing heather customs by Christian OBJ
servances.
The impression left upon the minds
of the uniformed and the unstable is
many times disastrous, illuminating in
an odious light the wise and sacred
institutions of the Church. But the
plan of the fathers Of the faith was
modelled upon that of the Divine
Guide-that left not empty the swept
and garnished rooms of mems hearts.
Where idols had desecrated, affairs
sanctified. And when the fatal upas
tree Of pagan practices was uprooted
the tree of life was planted therein.
The soil was the souls of men. A
space Of soil left unclaimed soon be-
comes the resort Of wasting forces
and so the souls of mankind. The
powers of evil are ever alert to scat
ter seeds of eternal ruin, and if we
overcome unclean and embittering
thoughts, and open not the gates i'm
mediately to the sower of noble re-
solves, the violent enemy returns in
numbers seycn,fold and destroys.
Self-loyc, dependency and wicked
speech consumes and chokes UP the
way that leads to wisdom and happi-
ness. Keep thy heart with all dill
gence for out of it are the issues of
life.
Then wise indeed the wisdom of the
Church when pagan practice was abol-
ished in favor Of the HOLIDAY Of Chris
tian obserVancG-but what of today?
What strange conditions confront us
as We look around and behold scenes
that ~out-pagan paganism in place of
the holy ceremonies. Consider for a
little space of time with me the COM
ing feast days, All Saints and All
Souls. The Church bids us regard
them as solemn occasions, but what a
monStrCus mockery is made of attend
ant sacredness by many of this gen
Grafton in which we live. But the
sin Of unbelief does not touch u.s." say
some. All, but what about the chill
dren?: Is your faith strong and con-
vincing enough to couGteract the infu.
ence that is like fire in the pulse of the
world? What sort of understanding
of the s~acredneSs of that tomorrow
permeates the mind of the child who
Is abroad under cover of the darkness
OF the evening before reveling like a
spirit loosen from internal regions?
In place of quiet and respect due the
vigil Of a feast day, we must suffer
embryo riots, by name cabbage night,
halloween night, and ticktack night
Are the majority of these miscreants
children from Protestant homes? Yes,
but strange as it may seem, Catholic
children are not ~infrequently found in
terspersed throughout the motley
crowd, apparently having no deeper
conception of the true significance oil
the occasion than their companions.
When we read of the beautiful Gus
toms still prevailing in Catholic coun-
tries among the children on All Souls
~ NAIOIlOIO VI bOI1OW Ill Tic uSdTt
for the little ones of our own land,
who, know nothing better than mis-
chievous frolic. We read of the prac.
tice of the children going from house
to house singing sweet, simple songs
and collecting contributions, aims Civ
en- by the pious for the suffering souls
yet i'll a state of purgation-those
paying their last farthing," they who
hasted not to be reconciled by the way
and are low suffering their few or
many stripes.
What lessons of sublime charity to
be lnstilled into the hearts of little
children, SO tender, so absorbent! If
we ourselves are earnest and know
the right, how We may touch and
train these little ones.
So close they dawn together, All
Saints and All Souls, that the mean.
ing of one merges into that of the 9th
er. Praise and gratitude for the mar
tyrs blend with pity and s%upplication
for the expfating sufferers. Oh, Church
Of God, Communion of Saints" how
infinite the privilege to be thy child.
And yet we mock thy obligations for
our W salvation, and glut thy gate
ways with u baby prayers and tepid
fervors. And our children, if they,
spew them out of their mouths. will
not God hold us as most blameable?
Human reason is arbitrary; it builds
up its W standards and works out
its conceptions of belief, but
faith enters the soul, like q virgin
martyr before the idols of Rome, and
lifting up her eyes to God, prays, and
10. down crashes all our private inter-
probation, and we are no more tossed
to and fro with doubts and imagina.
tons, and carried about with VARYING
winds Of doctrines. We are at peace.
Napoleon said. Tie distance be.
tween Christianity and any other re-
ligion whatever is INFINITE If this
We're all that history recorded of him,
it is en~ough~to stamp the man with
greatness
~ -. 49,