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‘Vol. VIIL—_N
“THE CATHOLIC HERALD
18 PUBLISHED EVERY: THURSDAY BY
I. FITHIAN, ,
No. 61 North Second Street; Philadeiphia.
Terms.—Three Dollars per annim, payable half yearly
tn advance. Five Dollars will be received for 2 copies, or
copy for two years.’ All arrearages must be settled prior to
ordering a paper to be discontinued. All Communications,
except from Agents, or Subscribers enclosing remittances,
must be post paid, and addressed *'T'o the Editor of the
Catholic Herald, Philadelphia, Pa.’’ <
Poetry. ener
Written for the Catholic Herald,
THE TWO -DEATIC-BEDS.
be An aged maa on his death-bed lay,
"Phere were tears in his sunken eye—
For his spirit was passing from earth away,
‘And shrinking with terror and dark dismay ,
At the thought. that he was to die.
‘Though every charm from his life was gone
‘Though his eye was dim, and his cheek was wan,
Yet still with a heart by anguish wrung
‘To the perishing things of earth he clung j
And deeply the spirit of grief and dread
‘Were hovering over that dying bed.
‘A fair*young girl on her death-bed lay—
s ‘On her brow was a radiance bright,
So gladly her spirit was passing away,»
‘To a brighter world of unending day,
©» Ta the regions of life and light.
+ From the looks of affection that o’er her shone—.
From words of love, breathed for her alone,
In life's morning march, and in beauty’s bloom,
<> She was hastening away to the-darksome'tomb,
“~-Unshrinking she entered its portal lone,
vc While p smile of joy o'er her features shone.
O! why in the glow of her beauty bright,
Ere sorrow had shaded its lovely light» *
While every joy that could "lure her stay,
Was smiling bright o'er that maiden’s way.
O! why could she turn from them all, and die
With a tranquil brow and a tearless eye: .
While he whose form was bent down with age,
Stil! turned to look on Life's darkened page,
And saw with a heavy and hopeleas heart,
‘The fading lines from his eyes depar(?]
For one there was nothing beyond the tomb
‘To brighten his way thro’ its rayless gloom,
For the pleasures of sin o'er his soul had cast
«iy Their cursed chains thac had bound him fast,
Till the bridegroom had risen, and called for him
With his oil yet out, and his lamp stiil dima; ‘
But early the maiden bad turned her eyes
To seck for the riches beyond the skies,
And there on the verge of life and death,
Having laid up the treasures of priceless wealth,
When Death with his conquering sword draw nigh,
And sundered forever each earthly tie—
' The hoje that she cherished forsook her not,
And her Saviour’s promise was unforgot,
For her soul was sta ed by his staff and rod,
. Asthe vale of the shadow of death she trod,
Frankfurd, Pa. ‘* .
et
~ SLL
acme
Warwickshire, Shropshire, $e.
‘Whereas by youl have been driven . oy
. From House, from Home, from Lope, from Heaven, © *
* And placed by your most learned society, ,
* In Exile, Anguish and Anxiety,
And used (without one just pretence)
With Arrogance and Insolence, ‘
+! Thereby ask for restitution, ae
“>And beg you'll mend your elocution: sek
+ A Petition from: the Letter H to the Inhabitants of Worcester,
Sa er cn ANSWER.
Whereas we've rescued you, ingrate,
‘ ‘From Hell, from {orror, and frem Ilate,
From Horsepond, Hedge, Hive, and from Ilalter,
", And conrecrated youin Altar; }
‘We think you need ao restitution,
And will not change our elocution.
mn 5 . 4
“Philadelphia, Thursday, June 25, 1840.
PASTORAL.
iy
FRANCIS PSTRECK, .
By the Grace of God, and authority of the Apostolic
See, Bishop of Arath, and Coadjutor of the Bishop
of Philadelphia; i , OT RR
‘No the Clergy and Laity, of the.
- Diocess of Philadelphia. ‘
Venerable brethren of the Clergy,’ and ‘beloved breth-
' _-sren of the Laity. .
The pastoral letter recently published ‘by the pre-
lates of the United States,: assembled in provincial
council, has communicated to you the result of our joint
deliberations on many topics intimately connected with
your spiritual interests. It was not our intention to
address you at present in our individual character, as
peculiarly charged with the care of your immortal souls;
but the repeated and earnest solicitations of several ‘of
our Clergy, and the known. wishes of many of the
laity, call for the special expression of our views and
judgment in reference to one of ‘the objects contempla-
ted by that important and authoritative document. ‘The
unchangeable principles of the xChurch in regard to
temperance are’ therein set forth > equally remote from
licentiousness and from the éxtravagancies ‘of fanati-
cism.' Distinguishing the use of the creatures of God,
which are all good, from the abuse made of them by
human weakness and malice, the.Church has ever de-
tested the excesses of intemperance, whilst she has
left to the free choice of her children the practice of that
high degree of self-abnegation,--whieh consists in a
total abstinence from the us¢ af all’strong drink. "This
exercise of perfection becomés, nevertheless, in some
cases a necessary remedy, and as such has always been
enjoined in the tribunal of penance on those, whose
frailty andhabits could not otherwise be guarded against
the dangers of excess. ‘To impose on all an obligation,
grounded on the peculiar frailty of some, would not be
consistent with that mild and equitable exercise of au-
thority, which characterizes ecclesiastical legislation :
but the council strongly commends the prudence of
those, who shun danger even by greatsacrifices of law-
ful gratification, and earnestly urges the Clergy to use
every means that zeal can’ suggest to extirpate effec:
tually the baneful vice of intemperance. * In harmony
with these views, several of our‘ zealous Clergy have
proposed to establish a Society similar to that, which
has beenestablished by the zeal of an humble Priest in
Treland, with a pledge of total abstinence from all in-
toxicating liquors. The end and object of this asso-
ciation being the extirpation of vice, itis deemed expe-
dient that its members should not confine themselves to
the renouncing of any special drink,” which. may more
frequently be the cause of intoxication, but of all that
may intoxicate, so as to leave to the weak no occasion
of temptation. Ina spirit of generous devotedness,
thousands, of most temperate habits, have’ joined the
Irish Association to encourage others by their example,
and to afford to all the facility of practising without
shame that total abstinence, which to some is absolutely
necessary. | In the same devoted spirit several of our
Venerable brethren, whose’ exemplary piety and zeal
console and sustain us in our arduous charge, have
come forward, anxious to redeem from the thraldom of
perverse customs and inveterate habits, the weak and
the unfortunate who struggle with this infatuating pas-
sion. “We cannot but applaud the zeal, from which
this «proposition has sprung, and express publicly in
strong terms, our approbation of every effort, that our
Venerable brethren may ‘make in the’ various congre-
‘| gations committed to their charge, whether on that plan
oron sucha plan, as in their prudence may be found
suitable to the local circumstances, and may finally lead
to the great result desired by all—the total extirpation
of the vice of intemperance. : rye
We leave to their prudent ‘and enlightened zeal the
arrangement of all the details of the various branch asso-
us - Whole Number 389. :
eae Rt Abies Bet
ciations to be formed throughout the Diocess ; andonly °
renew the earnest exhortations of the council to use
every effort to remove from the Christian name the ig-
nominy which the frailty of :many ‘has ‘cast upon it.
Let them be instant, .in ‘season and out of season; Jet
them reprove, intreatyrebuke in all patience and doc-
trine ; let them teach all to live soberly, justly, and pious-
ly in this world, looking for the blessed hope and com-
ing of the glory of our great God ‘and Saviour Jesus, .
Christ. « Let them warn all not to deceive themselves:
God is not mockéd: DRUNKARDS SHALL ‘NOT. INHERIT
THE KINGDOM oF Gop.’ . se cent EET
. .T'o such among our flocks as may be unhappily slaves
to the vice of intemperance, we renew our most pressing
entreaties to break the iniquitous bonds, by which Satan
holds them fast according to his will, avd: to turn. to
God, humble and penitent. \ The grace of our Lord Je~
sus Christ has visibly triumphed in. the conversion and
permanent reform of many habitual drunkards, since the
humble priest, to whom we before made reference, enga-
ged in the holy warfare against this vice.. Of far more
than a million who have pledged “themselves to total
abstinence under his direction, scarcely any have proved:
delinquents. Though we are willing to admit that the
number of habitual drunkards bears but a small propor-
tion to the aggregate number of ; the-associates, yet the |
reformation of many thousands must be a matter of joy’
exceedingly great to the Angels of God, whilst it encour- |
ages the: unfortunate to undertake resolutely. the great
work of conversion: “Why cannot you do whatso many:
others have done? The. same grace is proffered you: , -
the same Sacraments are within your reach to heal the. »
wounds of sin, and‘ impart strength and‘vigour.: ‘A.
voice was heard in the high ways, weeping and howl-
ing of the children of Israel: because they. have made
their way wicked, they have forgotten the Lord ‘their
God. Return ye rebellious children, and °1 will’ heal
your rebellions. » Beliold, we come to thee, for thou art
the Lord our God.’ ! si : Baas Say gi gel |
To all ourbelovedchildren in Christ we now address~ ..,
ourselves, and entreat aik by: prayer, timely admonition: ->
and edifying example, te concur. in the: great effort to
stem the overwhelming torrent of vice. * Let each one
hate and abhor iniquity, and deemno sacrifice too great °
to secure his own perseverance in virtue, and the con-:
version of the sinner from the error: of his way { ‘for:
he who causeth a sinner to be converted from the error
ofhis way, shall save his soul from death, and shall co-
vera multitude of sins.”. Brethren, :*pray one for
another that you may be .saved,’’ The grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Amen... :
Given at Philadelphia, this 24th day of June, in
year of our Lord mpccoxt, -
‘
the.
’
t FRANCIS PATRICK, %
Bishop of Arath,’and Coadjutor of the Bishop
red of Philadelphia,
P. X. Gartianp, Secretary.
From the Phenix.
FOUR'LECTURES
On the Ceremonies of Holy Week, by N. Wiseman,
D.D.—Dolman, London. 9 os
Lecture the First-—These Lectures were delivered
in Rome at the desire of the late Cardinal Weld. Their *
object was to instruct the strangers who flock to Rome *
at that season, of the spiritin which those ceremonies |
are performed, ‘and which runs through them from end
toend. We must not expect, therefore, a minute de- ,
scription of each particular ceremony, but if we may |
use the expression, the philosophy of the external wor- |
ship of the Catholic Church: A truly noble subject, '
embracing everything most venerable in antiquity, most
sublime in art, most touching in sentiment; but a sub-
ject difficult to treat worthily, on account of its great
worthiness. What learning. to’ investigate that anti-
quity! What tasteto ‘comprehend that art! What
tender devotion to appreciate that sentiment, are not
here required? “How happy that so noble a theme . -
fourd one duly. qualified for—shall we say—the task 2
No! but for this labour of love. Itneeds no testimo-
ny of ours to prove how well the work was done; the _
name of the accomplished author is ‘enough. What
we desire is, to draw the attention of all men, Catholic.
* 4 foow,