Evening star., 1939-10-27

No icSS HaTMIul IN the second
place is the error which pretends
to absolve civil authority from any
dependence whatsoever upon God
and therefore from every bond
transcendant to law, thus setting
up the state as the final end of life
and supreme criterion of the moral
and individual order.
This absolute authority is con-
trary to the principles of natural
reason and Of Christian conscience,
since 1t reduces everything to a
utilltarian morality and deprives
human law of that moral authority
which is its foundation.
The activity of the state should
cooperate to common good; if the
state is considered as an end in
itself, this cannot but be harmful
to the prosperity of nations, since it
is damaging to private initiative, dis
advantageous to public welfare and
compromising to the growth and
Well-being of the family, which,
with the individual, is by nature an
terror to the state.
sacred and inviolable. The state
may lay claim to position and blood.
but never to the soul redeemed by
| Christ.
Youth should indeed perform with
intelligence, conScientiousness and
pride the noble duties of the nation,
but cannot and must not close its
eyes to the supernatural fatherland.
1t would be crime lese majesty
against the King of Kings. And most
bitter would be its fruits.
Counter to Unity
OF Supernatural Society.
If this error-as the Pontiff OBJ
serves-brings harm to the internal
life of nations it is equally harmful
TO the relations among peoples since
1t goes counter to the unity of su-
pernatural society. cuts away the
foundations and values of interna-
tional law, leads to violating rights
of others.
The human race. although divided
into social groups, nations or indie
pendent states, nevertheless is bound
by moral and juridical ties which are
ordained for the welfare of all. Mu-
tual confidence, provision and per-
suasion of reciprocal fidelity to
plighted word, conviction that better
is wisdom than weapons of war are
indispensable presuppositions and to
all peaceful neighborliness among
peoples.
International law cannot be torn
away from the anchor of divine law
without abandoning it to the cap
rice of private interests or collective
egoism, thus opening the door to
the domination Of force giving legal
standing to accomplished fact which
is inconsistent with treaties and
doing away with reciprocal conf
dence among nations. These are
conceptions which have brought the
world to the present horrible abyss.
Turning his gaze toward the fu-
ture, the pontif1 asked what will be
! the new order of things when the
tempest of war shall have ceased.
Will there be repetition of past
mistakes which put the right of VIC
tors above every sense of justice?
Signs of Generous
Courageous SPIRIT.
Salvation comes not by the sword.
The new order must rest upon the
rock of natural law and divine rela.
tons. The human must be re-edu-
Gated spiritually and religiously and
this need starting from Christ as an
indispensable foundation must pass
along the ways of justice and charity
as they are announced in the gospel
with view to the Kingdom of God.
For the triumph of this kingdom.
all fine upright spirits must strive
frankly and courageously even at
the cost of greatest sacrifices.
1t is comforting-the holy father
notes-that in all quarters of the
world there appear evident signs of
TINS generous, courageous spirit.
From the Eucharistic Congress
movement to the activity of Catho-
lie Action there sprang forth foun-
talns of grace and reserve force.
Above all, the pontiff sends his pa
ternal gratitude and his thanks to
that fruitful phalanx of men, wom-
en-, youths and maidens which, in
close collaboration with the hier-
archical apostolate of church, are
making of the laiety, so to speak,
ministry of Christ
He then emphasized the special
mission of the family, shaper of
young generations, providential GUS
todian and refuge of faith in times
of persecution, when the church is
not accorded that liberty and, there
fore, that possibility of action to
which in divine mandate it has a
sacred and uncontrovertible right.
From that right comes stream of
happiness and tranquility to nations
Since human expedients had mis-
erably failed. from church alone
can come salvation to a medium
of unity of religious and moral
doctrine towards which turns the
desire of numerous members of
the church as of many rulers and
also many noble spirits who are
separated from it.
Ready to Offer Aid
In Spirit of Christ.
Against suspicious in certain quar-
tiers the Pope declares that the
church is absolutely foreign to
any idea impairing the foundations
OF civil authority or usurping its
rights; it is interested not in dom
mating but observing; it is ready not
to take the place of legitimate au-
thority but to offer it's aid in the
spirit of Christ, intoxicating obed;-
ence and respect; not retarding but
accelerating civil progress in the
peace which comes from practice of
the love of God, of neighborliness.
Approaching his conclusion the
Pope recalls his efforts to avert
the scourge of war: His warnings
respectfully listened to but not fol-
lowed
The church and the faithful are
living IN difficult moments, but