New Britain herald., 1917-11-01

| are not alone.
Christ prophesied unto you thai
THE servant is not greater than Hill
master. II they have prosecuted me
they will also persecute you; and
Christ keeps the promise He has
| made. '-
But in the hour of farewell, Christ
! also predicted that He would dwell
with you until the contamination Of
the world. Here. again, He has kept
His word. He promised to send you
His Holy Spirit, Whom He has sent
and he who will yield his heart to the
divine love, shall surely feel in him
self that Christ is with him and lives
In him evermore.
No longer. either, is the Christ the
defenceless Lamb, who is led to the
slaughter He 10 no longer the Jesus
Who suffered Himself to be reviled,
Knocked and crucihed. He is now the
victorious Lamb, the avenger OF truth
and right, the Monarch steadfastly as
sured of the final triumph awaiting
Him. He IL. says st. John. 1.-The Prince
of the Kings Of the earth" When He
shall will 1t. "He shall rule them with
a rod of iron" "Emperors and kings
are but His servants. When they shall
fight with the Lamb. the Lamb shall
overcome them" The day shall come
when the great men. and the rich men.
and the chief captains shall tremble
before Him like the last of the bond
mgn. "Fear not" said He to His
Church, II am the first and the last.
And alive, and was dead. And, be-
hold, I am living for ever and ever.
and have the keys OF death and hell
1T - t.
bolised in the Apocalypse by q Book.
whose pages are sealed In seven differ
ent places with SEALS which He alone,
the Sovereign Master of history, the
New David. is worthy and able to
break.
The breaking Of the seals gives rise
to a long series Of famines, plaques.
wars and prosecutions; but above all
ing hovers the heavenly smile OF Him
Whom you have heard. the tribes OF
Israel and the serried ranks Of the
blessed hail as their Saviour and their
God. "01. -1. -'-. 7.5sF' -
How good it Is. nay Brethren, In our
hours Of distress and ruin, in the
weary waiting for our deliverance at
hand. to listen to the prophetic words
I have already recalled to you---"And
one of the ancients answered. and said
to me: These that are clothed in
white robes. who are they? And
whence came they? And said to
Him. My Lord, thou knowest. And he
said to me: These are they who are
como out Of great trfbulation and have
washed their robes and have made
them white in the blood OF the Lamb.
they are before the throne
Of God; and they serve Him day and
night in His temple. And He that
sitteth on tho throne shall dwell over
.hem. They shall no more hunger.
nor thirst, neither shall the sun fall
IN them, nor any heat. For the Lamb.
which Is in the midst OF the throne,
shall rule them, and shall lead them
to the fountains Of the waters OF life,
and God shall wipe away all, tears
from their eyes," :SI
BY the light Of these predictions.
the most torturing problem that can
harass the conscience OF the people 1s
set at rest, doubts disappear. and
are brought to confusion.
For the moral point Of view the
great problem Is that of evil and SUI
fering. >.
Why must we suffer as we do? Why
have the innocent to suffer? And
why, I add, why are they the victims
chosen for such suffering by God?
Every European nation IL at this
moment overshadowed by sorrow: but
does 1t not seem that Providence has
singled out the most Christian races
from among them to take the largest
part In the sacriQce?
Poland, whose name alone conjur0s
up in our minds the idea Of MARTYR
dom, Poland obstinately faithful to
her faith and freedom, IL ravaged,
Numbered, and immersed in blood.
Her episcopate has addressed an ap-
peal for help to the Catholic nations.
We must make 1t our endeavour to
reply to this appeal with our prayers
and our offerings OF charity. tried
though we be ourselves.
Must I speak to you once more OF
our own troubles?
The whole life of our nation IL sus-
pended; our workshops, our factories
and our universities are closed; our
King is absent from amongst US; hum
dreds OF young people and heads OF
families langu1sh In foreign prisons
or expose their lives day and night
on the field of battle. Wives and
mothers are in tears; and in the words
Of our Holy Father Pope Benedict
XIV, the hour is charged with hatred
and bloodshed.
Yes. indeed, my Brethren, the
Christian nations suffer They are the
heroes Of the devastating tragedy OF
1914-15, a tragedy which proves once
more that Providence has no mind to
depart from its general law, which
would have those it loves best occupy
the position Of greatest honour in the
solemn procession OF sorrow.
Why, you will aske me, why this ap-
parent stern determination that the In &.
nocent should suffer? "wherefore, o
my God" said Job, "Why hidest Thou
Thy face, and thinkest me Thy enemy?
Against a leaf that Is carried away