The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-11-29
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE
VIRTUE OF TEN e RANC c
CHECKS ILL-REGULATED BOD
lily INDULGENCE.

The many discussions concerning
prohibition direct our thoughts to the
| Christian virtue of temperance. 1t is
| a virtue whose true meaning is often
misunderstood. 1t does not only mean
avoidance of over-indulgence in in
toXicating drink. 1t goes further than
that. 1t implies moderation and self
restraint in the satisfaction of bodily
appetites and in the indulgence in
creature-comforts, even though legiti-
mate use of these things be not sin
full. Temperance, in this sense, is
| the righteous habit which makes a
man govern his natural appetite for
| pleasure of the senses in accordance
with the norm prescribed by reason
Holy Writ inculcates this virtue in
many inspiring passages. There are
many warnings against the sins Of
| gluttony and drunkenness as we'll as
against sensuous excess of all kinds.
| We are told that those who are guilty
of such things shall not obtain the
| Kingdom of God. At certain periods
OF the year, especially during Advent
| and Lent, the children of the Church
are earnestly eXhorted to make use
| of modification and self-restraint.
| These practices help much in
strengthening the cardinal virtue of
| temperance. 3
When we see how the victims of
worldly lusts and vanities spend their
precious hours and days in the pursuit
of the phantom. of pleasure, and
when We realize how they are received
in their mad quest, we find all the
more reason to lay deep and strong
the foundation of temperance and of
moderation in the use of creature COM
forts. Very many learn only by bit
ter experience that the promises Of
the world are deceitful and that eX-
cess in self-indulgence leads to degra-
dalton and spiritual ruin. A warning
in time might have saved them OF
| better still, vigorous resistance to
the first whisperings of the evil voice
would have held them back from the
abyss. il
Education today does not lay much
| stress on the need of cOnquering the
| "
self-indulgence and ready response to
the clamorings of sense are some
times justified. Christian mortifica-
ton and self-restraint are regarded as
old-fashioned, and as unsuited for a
vigorous life in this EZRA of enamel
patton
By one of those strange inconsis-
tencies of which we see so many eX-
amples today, persons who are loud
est in their advocacy of the "prohi-
bition movement sometimes allow
wide license to the satisfaction of
other carnal cravings. These 'prohi-
bitionists" falsely identify temper
ance' with complete abstinence from
strong drink. But as already remark
ed, Christian temperance has much
| wider scope. 1t checks any ill-regu-
lated quest for bodily indulgence.
That excessive use Of alcoholic liquor
is opposed to Christian temperance,
| and that it degrades the man, no SEN
sible person will deny. But at the
same time the person who abstains
from alcoholic liquor cannot by virtue
of this fact alone be said to excel in
the practice of Christian temperance.
A glance at the crucifx ought al
ways to be of immense help to the
Christian in the matter of practicing
the virtue of temperance or self-re-
straint. For on the cross hangs the
Saviour Who was done to death for
the sins of man, especially the brutal
sins of the flesh. His death has pur-
chased for us grace beyond measure
and all the necessary help to silence
the clamorings of passion and self
love- Let us have recourse to the
Cross of Christ in the hour of con-
fict, and then we need not fear the
onslaught of the tempter. For in the
Cross is salvation,' and the Crucified
Saviour enables all those who CO.
operate with the merits of His Sacred
Passion to conquer the weakness Of
lower nature and to walk worthily IN
the path of justice.
Rep. A. Muntsch. S. j.