The 21st U. S. Infantry Passing in Review Before Archbishop Martinelli, Bishop Watterson, Bishop Gabriels, Vicar General Walsh, and Father Lavelle, President of Summer School. the idea that underlies it, but the investigation of the subject with the view of apply ing its principles to man's conduct in all his deliberate actions on his road through this world to his destiny. It is derived from rational principles, that is, it is not Catechism, nor preaching. It builds with the aid of the light of reason alone. The use it makes of revelation is to test all its conclusions by that greater light which proceeds from no earthly luminary, but from the substantial truth of God himself. It directs human acts, which is to say, acts which a man performs with the utmost deliberation and for the production of which is necessary the concurrence both of intellect and will. He unfolded the scope of the science which treats first of responsible acts, their origin, their end, and everything that qualifies or modifies them. Having discovered the na ture of this responsible act, it applies the results thereof to man as an individual, to man as a member of the family, to man as a citizen or subject of the State, to the State in its intercourse with other states. The province of Ethics therefore is to erect a standard through the agency of unaided reason, wherewith man, whether an individual or a member of the family or a citizen, wherewith also the State as an individual in its attitudes toward other states may follow the straight line in all deliberate perform ances. Tuesday, July 27. THE HUMAN WILL AND MAN'S ACTIVITY-CHARACTERISTICS OF FREE ACTION-HUMAN ACTION AND ITS MODIFIERS THE PASSIONS, MORALITY: ITS CONSEPT AND FOUNDATION-RIGHT AND WRONG SYSTEMS. In his treatment of the rise and progress of Moral Philosophy, which formed the theme of his second lecture, Father Halpin said that he had leisure to summarize only. In the beginning. Moral Philosophy was merely a code of laws, afterwards, in Greece especially, it became systematized. Aristotle and Plato were its chief exponents. Christ came. He in His own authoritative and Divine way simply reiterated, with some additions, the mandates of Sinai. The Apostles followed in His footsteps. Then came the Fathers of the Church, who corroborated by arguments derived from either Aristotle or Plato, the law laid down by the Heaven sent Teacher. The schoolmen appeared and systematized, following, some Plato, some Aristotle, the formost principles of Ethics. The Reformation cut away from all the past and laid down as a principle that the reason of each individual man was independent and in it, as he understood it, was contained the solution of all practical matters. This principle has been at work for over 200 years. Its disastrous consequences the world is reaping in the innumerable Ethical systems of the day. The lecturer proceeded according to the plan indicated by the definition of Moral Philosophy. Since Moral Philosophy was to direct human or responsible acts, it became necessary to investigate the nature of this human act. Essentially it proceeds from the will, illuminated, of course, by the intelligence. How does this human act come into being? It is aroused by the presentation of some good. Nobody has ever deliberately intended evil as evil. Take the case of suicide in which man works himself so much harm, he is induced thereunto by the expectation of some good, negative or positive, which is to ensue from his suicidal action. Everybody is engaged in the attainment of happiness. Not any kind of happiness. Since time began and everywhere, with everybody, it is an ascertained fact that there is an unceasing longing for happiness which is perfect in its nature. It shall be our task to answer three questions: First. Is there anywhere perfect happiness? Second. Where is it? Third. What is it? Is there perfect happiness? We think that such a state exists. In every human breast there incontestably exists a desire for boundless beatitude: that desire is a natural one. Being a natural one it is implanted in the heart of man by the Author of nature. Hence we infer that since to Him we have to trace the origin of this sleepless hunger and thirst, He is obligated by the very perfection of His nature to hold that happiness ready for the reaching out of man, if man struggles for it, along the paths indicated to him by unprejudiced reason. If the deity is the cause of this incessant yearning and does not satisfy it when pursued legitimately by His creature, then blasphemous though the inference may be, we must proclaim Him a deceiver of men, a crucifier of the human heart and a relentless Wednesday, July 28. LAW IN GENERAL-THE ETERNAL, THE NAT- In alluding to the systems of Moral Phi- only one part of man, his sensual nature, besides every indulgence in pleasure takes away from the keenness for enjoyment of the faculties, and finally renders them dull and impotent. Gold is only a means to procure pleasure-is not pleasure itself, and is not by any means a guarantee of perfect contentment. What we have said of these things we may say of health and even of life itself. Whence we may infer that nothing under the stars can bestow perfect happiness. Where then are we to look for it? Evidently since it is somewhere, and not here, evidently beyond the stars. This seems to be an unimpeachable consequence of all that we have been saying. Nothing created can satisfy because everything that is created is limited, and nothing limited can bring satisfaction to the boundless yearnings of man. So the infinite only can appease this ceaseless hunger of men for per fect happiness. Where is perfect happiness? Beyond. What is perfect happiness? The Deity. So we have come under the impulse of these elementary principles to the recog nition : First. Of the hereafter. Thirdly. Of the eternity of the duration beyond the grave. Having found the cause of the human or responsible act we may say that there are three things that can modify, that is lessen or intensify its responsibility. They are ig norance, fear, violence. Having shown the end of all human action, the task is incumbent upon Moral Philosophy of pointing out unmistakably the path. The only happiness here below is the happiness that is found in traveling on the road which leads to the goal and the cause of all deliberate activity that is perfect happiness. The mission of Ethics is to indicate that road. Thursday, July 29. POSITIVE LAW-WHENCE IT DERIVES ITS ORIGIN CONSCIENCE-VIRTUE-VICE. AND FORCE. Father Halpin said that the last lecture pointed out the goal. The next task of Ethics is to show the road. Our journey toward perfect happiness may be accomplished by ourselves only. No earthly transportation company can bring us there. Our responsible acts are steps that lead there. |