The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-09-08
Are Catholics free to read the novels

the Paris papers. In 1866 he became
famous by his novel "L'Affaire lie
rouge" which appeared in lie Pays.
His most famous creation is Monsieur
Iecou." the prOtOtype,/it may be, OF
Sherlock Holmes. AS literary artist
he does not rank very high, his spe-
cialtv being the detective story. In
this department, however, literature
owes him gratitude for having raised
the detective story from the realm OF
the penny dreadful to plane where
it became recognized as a theme by
real literary artists, such as Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle and Edgar Allen Poe. In
deed. 1t can hardly be doubted that M.
Lopin in "L'Affaire LerOuge" inspired
Poe with the character NJ. Dupin in
his Murders in the Rue Morgue." In
general. Gaboriau's works present no
particular moral interest: nor are they
deserving of special commentator.
The entertainment derived from them
might serve as Distraction; but the
reading of them should not be an oc-
cupation.
,Asw
Does the present worId-War indicate,
according to Our Lords prediction, the
approaching end of the world?
In the twcnty-first chapter of st.
Iukes gospel Our Lord in speaking of
the signs that shall fOretell the end OF
the world says: When you shall hear
Of wars and seditiOns, be not terrified;
these things must first come to pass;
but the end is not yet presently Then
lie said to them: Nation shall arise
against nation, and kingdom against
Eingdom. And there shall be great
earthquakes in divers places, and pes
tilences and famines, and terrOrs from
heaven; and there shall be great signs.
Watch We therefore praying at all
times that you may be accounted
worthy to escape all these things that
are to come, and to stand before the
Son of Man.
In the nineteenth and twentieth
chapters of The Apocalypse, st. John
speaks of the battle that shall precede
Christs reign over the world for a
thousand years, and of the final battle
that shall be waged between the devil
with the nations Of the earth whom he
shall seduce and the saints with those
in the beloved city. Thus far the
Church, the only authoritative and in
fallible interpreter of the holy scrip
lures, has not told us the specific
meaning of The words just quoted from
the gospel and the Apocalypse. Until
we receive such definite guidance we
ale free to draw from the text any
meaning that does not conflict with
the present teaching of the Church
The prudent course to follow, however
is to be always prepared, rather than
TO occupy ones time in discussing the
signs that shall precede the end OF
the world.
Shall we know one another in the
next world, and be as dear to one an
other; or, shall we be just one large
family?
One of the secondary joys of HEAVIER
will be the happy association of the
blessed. These will all rejoice in the
company of one another and in theil
common love Of God. Those amons
them, however, who made the greater
sacrifices in their earthly life through
love for God, will have in heaven {
more intense happiness in God and il
one another. We all love our country
The soldiers of the civil war who say
cd the Union, who carry through life
the marks purchased on the battlefield
have a deeper and stronger love
for their home than those who have
not paid so great price for the bless
ing they enjoy. Among the veteran!
themselves, those who marched ant
fought and suffered together, are
bound together for life because of tn,
sacrifices that they endured together
by the strongest bonds of affection
Similarly in the spiritual order, thos,
who have borne the burden of the da!
and the heats together, those wh(
have carried the same yoke in the war
fare Of life, will be thereby the NOR,
closely bound in their love for one an
other and in their common love of God
Nor will there be any cloud of jeal
Cusy to Garken the bright sentiment
OF cOngratulation that each will have
in the noble works of the other Rela
tives in this life will have this furthe
bond of union in the world of thu
blessed; the love for one another tina
nature and the law of God command
will be intensified in the mutual re
jOicing of their common happiness AM
fin their common love of God, Himself
is it sin for girls to don boys
clothes and so have their pictures tax
en-?
The manner OF dress that is con
sidered proper is very much a matte
Of custom; but, modesty should al
ways hold a controlling influence. W.
cannot consider the change of gar
mentioned in the question as CORE
sponding.to any ordinary ideas of mod
esty. Hence we would consider tina
those who followed the course sug
gested in the question might be guilt.
of sin.
Why are Catholics forbidden to joi
the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pytk
las lodges?