Temperance And The Pope

Pius IX. has sent the following on the subject of teiuperauoe, to the Catholic Union Tewperanoe Societiesin Massachusettg, in answer to an address thoy directed to him : Behmed Chüdren. Health and Apoatolic Benediction : Xc have heard, beloved ohildren, with great joy, not only that ycur State Union had mei in convention, but that your sister Unions had taken oounsol together as to the most eö'ectual means of preventing the ovila thatflow froin inteniperance. Drunkenness, it is certain, fosters and stimulates every species of strife and wickedness, as the inspired word teaches. - " Wine is a luxurious thing and drunkenness riotous." Wherefore St. Augustinc writes, "Drunkonness is the mother of crime, the root of vice, the wreek of chastity, the spring of evil, the overthrow of reason, the ruin of the body and a loathsome disease of the soul." By druukenness, therefore, morality is vitiated ; a néglect and conteuipt of Di vine thingg. is gradually superinduced, and when these pillara of social order are shaken public tranquillity is jeopardized, the faniily is reduced to want and its members torn asunder; at last health itself gives way, for lie -who loves wine and feasting will he poor, and they who gire thernselves to drinking will be consumed. In your zeal, consequently, to abolish the disreputable and promiscuous custom you not only struggle against one vica but, in your efforts to stem tho numberless evilsflowing from this source, you also advance the interests of your religión, promote the welfare of your fellow man, and the prosperity of your country. And should you, with God's grace, prosecute the movtunent to success you will cali down manifold blessings on your own peoplo. For thu same 8t. Augustine observes, " Sobriety is the mother of all virtues. It puts to flight sin and exime, snuns tne danger, istaitlitul to duty, and rules over the home and the familj with caro and moderation. We exhort you, therofore, for the true welfare of yjur country, to rigorously urge onward the Total Abstinenco movement undor tho guidanco of the Church. Thus will you, beyond all contradiction, deserve well of God, of the Church, and of your follow uien. We most cordially wish you tho largest iupasuro of success and the happiest results to yöur labors, and in toben thereof, and as a pledge of our paternal ten'lerness, we most loviiïgly impart to you, beloved children, and all those who will engage in the same work with you, tho Apostolic Benediction. Given at St. Peter's, Rome, the fourtli day of December, 1873, twenty-oighth year of our Pontiüce.