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Show II YACINTHE'S MARRIAGE. Pere Flyacinthe writes a long letter to the New York "Independent," concerning his marriage. Ho says there came to him at the very moment mo-ment when he seemed to be abandoned, abandon-ed, renounced by friends and kinsmen, and exiled from church and country a noble affection, a sublime devotion, rich in tho gifts of intellect and of heart. Recognizing this blessing which God thus gave him ho sought for it tho consecration of marriage. His letter closes as f dlows: Let us bow to the Spirit of God, if we believe in its power to maintain in the midst of a chosen band of priests and daughters of charity whose celibacy, celib-acy, always free and always voluntary, shall bo truly a state of purity, a state yf joy, or, at least, of peace, in sacri fiee; but at the eamo time, let us hasten the moment when the law of the church and tbo law of France shall constitute in liberty, in puritv, in dignity the marriage of the clergy that is to say, the consecration of all the influences of family and religion in the model of a Christian home. I am nothing, 0, my God ; but 1 feel myself called by thee to break the chains which thou hast not made, and which weigh so heavily, often, alns I so shamefully on the holy tribe of thy priesthood. I am a Irail and fallible man ; but, nevertheless, thy grace hath made me strong to brave tho tyranny of opinion, to refuse to bow before the prejudices of my time and country, and hath made me steadfast to act as though there were in the world naught save my conscience and thco. In shorter phrase Pere Hyaointhe fouud a woman he wanted for a wife, and ho married hor, his vow of celi-baoy celi-baoy notwithstanding. He may still claim to bo a lloman Catholic, but the little of it that remains with him is not worth making much bother about He should, however, with his change of sacerdotal habits resume his proper name and drop the sacerdotal one of "Pere Hyaointhe." |
