Catholic Mission in Patea.

Patea Mail, 20 February 1882, Page 3

Catholic Mission in Patea.

Father Le Mcnant de Chesnais opened a mission in the Catholic Chinch at Patea on Sunday evening. His fame as a preacher had preceded him, and a large congregation assembled to hear his opening sermon. The snhject of the discourse was *• Happiness,” and Father Le Menant argued that a man in mortal sin cannot be happy. Solomon had wealth, honors, palaces, and was one of the most learned men of his time; yet he was not a happy man. Supposing a man to be seeking public honors, say as a member of Parliament. He would first expect to ho elected to the coveted position. What unhappiness he would feel if rejected. How he would envy the man who had been preferred before him. But say he succeeded in securing the position. You would suppose he would then be happy. But, no ; after a time he would find that there were many in the House cleverer than himself, and having more influence. Ho would strive hard, and might at last get to be leader of a party. Ho would still be unsatisfied, and would set himself to overcome the other party. How unhappy he would be if thwarted 1 Take also the story from the Scriptures of the king who had palaces, wealth, and many courtiers. Noticing that a poor man had a small cottage and vineyard near his court, he coveted it, as it would make an addition to his vineyard. He told his wish to his officers, and sent one of them to the poor man who owned the property with an offer of a large sum of money as purchase for the place. The poor man said : “ How can I leave this place where my ancestors lived for years,” and, pointing to a tree growing near, he added, “ I planted that tree when 1 was a little boy, and it is hard that I should be asked to leave this place in my old age.” When the king heard his answer, he fell into a violent passion, and cried with anger. The queen enquired the cause of his sorrow. On being told, she ordered the poor man to be killed, and his property to be seized. This was one of the many instances of persons who had wealth, and everything that should make a man happy, and who were so ambitious and covetous that they were never satisfied, A working-man would say “ I would be happy if I had a house of ray own. ” When he got the house he would want a farm, when he got the farm he would want to he a squatter, and if he succeeded in altainining that position, he would be unhappy because he was not as rich as some of his neighbours. Again, a tradesman would be envious if you spoke in flattering terms of another tradesman. You would not say a word against him, but still he would feel injured. The preacher had, in the course of his travels, met many men of wealth, and on his remarking : “ You must be very happy: you have lands, houses, and more money than you can possibly spend the answer always was : “ Oh, I have liabilities; you don’t know what difficulties lam in.” He never knew a man to own that he had enough riches. If a man saw a neighbour erect a fine honse, and make improvements to his property, he would be unhappy and jealous. If another person owned fine horses, the man would not be satisfied until he had some equally as good. A man in mortal sin, no matter how rich he might be, would be always in dread of his crimes being fonnd out. If he saw persons talking, he would fancy they were speaking of some of his misdeeds. But how different the man in the state of grace. He can go through the world, and no one can point the finger of scorn at him. Father Le Menant spoke for about an hour, and was listened to attentively. After the sermon, there was benediction of the sacrament. The mission will continue during the week.