Part 7

This tendency of those who abandon themselves to earthly pleasures is confirmed by the testimony of the same inspired writer whom we have just quoted. According to him, they say within themselves, "Let none of us go without his part in luxury; let us everywhere leave tokens of joy; for this is our portion and this our lot. Let us oppress the poor just man, and not spare the widow, nor honour the ancient gray hairs of the aged. But let _our strength be the law of justice, for that which is feeble is found to be little worth_"--(_Wisdom_, ii. 9). How often are these words illustrated in our own days! Men who throw away thousands on horse-racing, gambling, the theatre, and fashion, frequently persecute the poor, deprive them of their just rights, and envy them not only the smallest enjoyment, but even the necessaries of life. Many political economists go still farther, and endeavour to exterminate the poor altogether, lest their rags and their suffering should offend the eye of the wealthy. Indeed in the present day and among ourselves, "_strength is the law of justice_", and the artizan and labourer are looked on as mere instruments to promote the wealth and pleasures of others; "for that _which is feeble is found to be little worth_".

Having treated of a life of pleasures in general, the learned Redemptorist examines some of the amusements now in vogue, and treats at considerable length of modern dances, proving that many of them ought not to be tolerated in Christian society. St. Francis de Sales, indeed, and St. Alphonsus, both remarkable for their charity and meekness, admit that dances may be allowed when conducted with Christian moderation and propriety; but where scandal is given, either by immodest dresses, or gestures, or movements, and where there is danger of sin, they prohibit such amusements altogether. Gury, in his valuable compendium of moral theology, having quoted the authority of those saints, adds: "It is clear that dances rendered immodest by the dresses or the nudity of the persons engaged in them, or by the character of their movements or gestures, are grievously unlawful. To this class of dances are to be referred the polka, the waltz, the galop, and other similar modern introductions". He adds: "In practice, as they are generally very dangerous, all dances in which persons of different sexes engage are to be prevented as much as possible. Hence, parish priests and confessors should endeavour to withdraw their subjects and penitents from them".

Our author confirms the teaching of Gury by the authority of several French and Belgian bishops. The venerable Archbishop of Lyons, Cardinal de Bonald, writing on this matter, says: "If you assist at a modern ball, will you not be tempted to inquire whether it is not a pagan spectacle to which you have been invited? Looking round in search of modesty, decency, or even propriety, you will not know where to rest your eyes, in the midst of shameless nudities and of lewd and slippery dances. Such assemblies ought not to be called Christian: they are unworthy of that name.... We are not surprised that the dances referred to have been carried from the great cities even to the remotest villages, for it was to be expected that the powers of Hell would endeavour to propagate a fashion, the origin of many evils, and well calculated to excite passions that cause many bitter but useless tears".

The Bishop of Gand says: "Many who take part in modern fashionable dances justify themselves by the necessity in which they are placed; they must do as others do; they must keep up to the fashion of the day. Let such persons enter into themselves for a moment before the crucifix: there they will learn that Christ has not said, I am the custom or the fashion, but I am the way, the truth, and the life; that He has declared that no one can serve two masters; and that on the last day He will judge us, not according to the laws of fashion, but by the precepts of the Gospel--not by the example of others, but by the promises of our baptism".

The same bishop continues: "I see with grief that a rage for amusement induces Christian mothers to bring their daughters into assemblies where immoral dances are carried on. These same females sometimes exteriorly profess piety, and even approach the sacraments. They pretend that they do so under the direction of their confessors. I cannot believe their statement. No confessor could tolerate such abuses: doing so he would cooperate, by a culpable negligence, in the scandals given by such penitents, and would entail a great responsibility on his conscience before God".

These words of the zealous bishop prove that those who have the care or direction of souls ought to be most active in preventing scandalous dances, which give occasion to so many sins. Certainly those who indulge in such amusements are not worthy to be united to the Immaculate Lamb of God by receiving the sacrament of the Blessed Eucharist, until they determine to abandon their bad habits.

Many who take part in modern dances, and who spend their nights in the excitement of the polka and the waltz, say that they are not conscious of having committed sin, and that they have a right to approach the sacraments. Our author would not believe their assertions or admit their claims. They appear to forget that there is such a sin as the waste of time, such a sin as scandal. Though imagining themselves free from guilt, they may have been the occasion of the spiritual ruin of others by their example, or by their improper dresses, and have a grievous responsibility on their souls. Anyhow, it is not edifying that persons who during the week continually indulged in vanity or impropriety of dress, and in dangerous amusements, should be freely allowed to approach the holy altar on Sundays. Spiritual directors must take care not to render themselves, by their laxity, responsible for the sins of others. Though their penitents say they committed no sins themselves, yet that is not sufficient. It must be seen whether they have not made others commit sin, or at least put them in danger of doing so.

A translation of the work of Father Dechamps into English would serve to give accurate ideas on modern fashions, and to correct prevalent abuses. Indeed, everything ought to be encouraged that tends to check the growth of an effeminate spirit and the extravagant love of costly and corrupting fashions, which cannot fail to bring great scourges on the world.

II.

_Obnoxious Oaths and Catholic Disabilities: A Speech of Sir J. Gray, etc._ Fowler, 3 Crow Street, Dublin, 1865.

Sir J. Gray deserves great credit for the force and learning with which he has brought the question of obnoxious oaths before the public. Every one is aware that for nearly three centuries the Catholics of Ireland were reduced to a state of thraldom by the operation of such oaths; for unless they consented to renounce upon oath some of the most sacred doctrines of religion, they were excluded from all the rights of citizens. This was the system adopted to propagate and uphold Protestantism, which still pretended to leave to every individual the right of judging for himself. The anti-Catholic oaths have latterly been set aside; but Catholics are still required to take useless oaths, apparently introduced for the purposes of annoyance and insult, before they can occupy any public office. Such useless and offensive swearing ought to be put an end to.

The oaths still taken by Protestants are most insulting to Catholics, and must be the occasion of great remorse to every delicate conscience. The Lord Lieutenant, on arriving in Ireland, is obliged to perform the disagreeable task of insulting those whom he is come to govern, by swearing what he cannot know--that some Catholic doctrines are idolatrous and superstitious, and, moreover, swearing what everybody knows to be false--that the Pope has not any authority in Ireland, where every day he exercises a most extensive spiritual jurisdiction. Other officials of the state and of the establishment take similar oaths, insulting to the Catholics of the whole world, and certainly hurtful to the consciences of those who take them. Every Protestant, when swearing that the Pope has no power in Ireland, must feel that he swears to what is in opposition to the known truth. It is time that such a system of perjury should be done away with. Sir J. Gray deserves well of the country for having placed this question in its true light.

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FOOTNOTES.

[Footnote 1: See _Record_, vol. i. part i. p. 194.]