, 1855-04-07

and gentle word-Outside Of peculiar confession Of
faith and we maintain that any spirit that would per
secute catholic, or an avowed infdel and deny to
him his just rights to citizenship, franchise and the
right to hold Office in this country, is not only anti
christian, but would be but one step further to mon
archy and the union of church and state.
No religious test shall be raised against any man
under the constitution Of the United States and the
catholics, therefore, have the same rights here the
most favored, and none have the right to interfere
with them on account Of their religion. If catholics
commit overt acts by interfering with the civil or
ligiOus liberties Of Others, otherwise violate the
laws let them be punished as CITIZENS according to
the laws but nothing can justify their opponents in
assailing them on account of their religious scnti.
ments or attempt by force Of arms to prevent them
from building houses of whorshp and from assem-
bling, peaceably to worship in thciro own way. If the
catholics shall, by any fair and lawful MEANS cycntu-
ally obtain the majority in this country over all other
denominations why then. according to the fundamcn.
tai law of the land, it will be their right to govern
and to change that law, too to remove every i'm.
pedment in the way Of carrying out their cherished
views.
But this government must be subvcrtcd, and the
whole face and organization Of society changed be-
fore such result can take place and by glance at
the statistics Of the churches in the United States
compiled from the report Of the last ceneus it will be
seen at how utterly absurd and chimcrcal is the
idea that such a result is probable, or even possible
upon any rational principles.
"There are in the United States, including the Di,-
rct Of Columbia and the territories, 3622l churches
by which to understand houses Of worship, aud
1867 Al under the head of aggregate accommoda-
tons by which is meant the total number of seats
forindividuals the congregations in the aggregate
including the members OF the churches proper and all
that attend worship, or that can he accommodated
with seats. In this estimate there are ,269 Roman
catholic churches, and 70j 1888 seats leaving for all
the other sects, which may properly come under the
head OF professionals 1852 churches, and $4,000 2G4
average accommodations. These embrace about 20
denominations among which the Baptist, COngrega,
tional, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, and Prcsby-
terian are the largest.
Compared with the Catholics the Baptsts outnum.
her them In churches about fold and in their
congregations fold; the Methodist in their church.
cs about nine fold and in their congregations six fold
the Presbyerans in their churches, nearly four fold
and In their congregations about three fold. The
COngegationaliss exceed them in the number Of their
churches upwards of four hundred, and about nine
thousand in their congregations and the EpiscUpa.
lans exceed them about two hundred in their church
es and nearly equal them in their aggregate accOmmO
datiOns. G.
at must be borne in mind that by the acquisition Of
New Mexico territory there was an accession made to
the numerical stength OF the Koman CathOhcs oil
lag churches and 76 100 members, which is embraced
in the estimate given and, as they now stand all the
other denominations combined (and though they diff.
fer among themselves, yet they make common cause
against the Catholics) exceed the Catholics in their
churches twenty-sevcn and half per cent, and in
their congregations eighteen and thrce-fourths.'
With these data before us, how can any sane OF
reasonable man harbor the thought that we are in
danger from Catholic ascendency? Rather we should
Judge that those who have raised the hue and cry
against the Catholics, under existing crcumstant
have formed a determination towards an alliance with
the State, and would do the very thing they affirm is
the design Of the Catholics. At all events we think
1t adyisable-as eternal vigilance is the price Of
liberty"-tO watch THEN as narrowly as we do the
Catholics; for II we are to have STATE RELIGION
we would as soon be under the Holy MOTHER as any
| Of her DAUGHTERS.