November 28, 2019

MY CORNER by Boyd Cathey

A THANKSGIVING MEDITATION

Friends,

I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a most joyous and blessed Thanksgiving, and to thank you for being readers of this column over the past year.

I recognize that these pages have reflected my own particular idiosyncrasies—that much of what is passed on to you is not necessarily what dominates the nightly news. Indeed, with so much coverage, via radio, the Internet, and television, it is difficult to keep up with events, whether the Russia Hoax or the ongoing latest charade, AKA the Impeachment “investigation.”

So, I concentrate on other, perhaps less discussed topics and concerns, items that I believe also deserve publicity and commentary, and, most especially, the defense of our Southern heritage. For that heritage has been and continues to be essential to any true understanding of the Founding of the country, and its eclipse upon defeat of the Southern Confederacy paved the way for the aberrations and the revolution we have experienced since then.

I normally do not traffic in counter-factual history—the “what ifs” of history. But, I have to think that had the Confederate States of America somehow managed to win its just independence, that our contemporary situation, our society in 2019, would be far different. Thus, even those commentaries that I offer which appear not related to the tragic events of 1861-1865 and afterwards, have a connection to that watershed period in our history and culture.

Since at least the French Revolution and before, the forces of radical change—the forces that see history as an evolving, progressive advance in wisdom in which old truths and verities, traditional beliefs and standards, must be thrown out or at least subverted—have been on the march: “onward and upward,” they scream. Whether it be the minions of 19^th century liberal democracy demanding the end of the Old Order, or the siren call of the Socialists demanding the redistribution of wealth, or the violent assaults by frenzied Communists, or the latest attacks by mindless race-and-gender “social justice warriors” who have been indoctrinated and had their minds poisoned in our universities—the goals are the same: the destruction of the natural order of things and the upturning of Divine Positive Law in society. Or, as the French Revolutionaries did: the enthronement of the “Goddess ‘Reason’” in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.

This—the Revolution—is indeed not only a Revolution against God, but also against the true humanity of man, against the Natural Law, and against the Divine Positive Law. In that sense, it is indeed satanic, in the full sense of that designation.

And thus it must be vigorously and totally opposed, not because we believe that we will, ourselves and alone, be successful, but because we have the assurance in Faith that our cause is just, and, that with God victory is possible.

For that reason alone we are justified to continue, intoning the great traditional hymn “Te Deum” (Fourth Century A.D.) as we continue, smiles of confidence radiating from our faces, our Hope to be fulfilled even if we do not, individually, live to see it so:

We praise thee, O God: we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee: the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud: the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim: continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy : Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty: of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles: praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets: praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs: praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world: doth acknowledge thee;
The Father: of an infinite Majesty;
Thine honourable, true: and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost: the Comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory: O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son: of the Father.
When thou took upon thee to deliver man: thou did not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death:
    thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God: in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come: to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants:
    whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints: in glory everlasting.
O Lord, save thy people: and bless thine heritage.
Govern them: and lift them up for ever.
Day by day: we magnify thee;
And we worship thy Name: ever world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord: to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us: have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us: as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted: let me never be confounded.

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JEFFERSON DAVIS' THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION OF 1861:

WHEREAS, it hath pleased Almighty God, the Sovereign Disposer of events, to protect and defend us hitherto in our conflicts with our enemies as to be unto them a shield.

And whereas, with grateful thanks we recognize His hand and acknowledge that not unto us, but unto Him, belongeth the victory, and in humble dependence upon His almighty strength, and trusting in the justness of our purpose, we appeal to Him that He may set at naught the efforts of our enemies, and humble them to confusion and shame.

Now therefore, I, Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States, in view of impending conflict, do hereby set apart Friday, the 15th day of November, as a day of national humiliation and prayer, and do hereby invite the reverend clergy and the people of these Confederate States to repair on that day to their homes and usual places of public worship, and to implore blessing of Almighty God upon our people, that he may give us victory over our enemies, preserve our homes and altars from pollution, and secure to us the restoration of peace and prosperity.

Given under hand and seal of the Confederate States at Richmond, this the 31st day of October, year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty one.

By the President, JEFFERSON DAVIS

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Then, gird on your swords and take up your shield of Faith! The battle for our civilization, our culture, our inheritance, and our Faith rages…and with God’s good grace we shall go forth. And should we perish, not to fear, that in the end we may share in His victory.

Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!