Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-02-28
CLEARFIELD, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY %, 1855

out their hearts before them as the spirit with
in dictates, is the pride, the glory, and the boast
of every American freeman. But when a church
or sect steps beyond it's legitimate sphere-
| when it relinquises the altar for the arena OF
politics:-when it rudely and lawlessly grasps
the sceptre OF state-then, and moi tt then, pro-
test and wage war against 1t. The religion of the
| individual concerns only himself and his God,
but the policy of a church, or any other organ
ization, acknowledging allegiance to foreign
power, concerns every true lover of his country.
! The history Of the Romish church for centu-
ries has been but continued series Of plots,
! intrigues, ,conspiraciesagainstg governments, and
aggressions upon the peace of the world. The
Jesuits were deeply implicated in the assassi-
nation of Henry III. of fFrance.-they attempt
ed the life OF Elizabeth of England, concocted
| the gun-powder plot,-planned the Spanish Ar
mada: da:-instigated the murder of Henry ". Of
France,-efEected the revocation of the cdict
Of Nantz, and the consequent persecution Of
the Protestants which followed it, one Of tie
darkest, bloodiest and most damnable pages
in the worlds history and were deeply en-
gagged in all the miseres and atrocities that
for two centuries desolated Europe. So long
has Jesuitism thus conyulsed the Old World,
and of so much war and bloodshed has it been
the cause, that means have been taken in eve
ry kingdom and principality to prey mt its fa-
tai influence. America is therefore the only
country in which Rome can now work without
impediment-the great stage OF papal action,
where Irish Priests, German Monks, Italian
poIa -,
advance the interests of their sholy father the
Pope, and to destroy our religious and civil
liberty-to which, the policy of their church
is, and ever has been, ipimical, This is their
promised land where no con nexion Of
church and state exists to stay them
in their onward progress. Here under the
sanction Of religious liberation, they hope TO
have full sway and of all other enemies 10
republic, political institution, dressed in the
garb Of christianity,is the most to be feared
They have already made rapid strides towards
the ascendency, and in fancied strength have
boldly declared that, if dominant, they would
revolutionize our goYernment,and destroy re-
ligious freedom. They have openly sought to
shut out the Bible-the Magna-Chart Of
American Liberty, from our youth, and only
await the proper time to arise and crush out
that very liberty, under which they hare been
permitted to prosper.
1t is no idle charge that the policy of the
Romsh church is inimical to liberty of con
science. In all the productions of her school
men, in all the DEGREES Of her infalliblc coun-
cils-in all the bulls of her popes,--in all that
her doctors, cardinals, bishops and priests
have said or written, she claims to be the uni
versal dictator to the consciences Of men,
and denounces religious liberation, and free
dom Of the press. In the cncyclical letter, |
or inaugural address, of Pope Gregory XVI, |
liberty of conscience is stigmatiscd as sEpes-
tilential error and freedom Of the press spo-
ken of, as 'sneyer sufficiently to be eXecrated |
and detested!'' Now when we reflect that !
every wave that breaks upon our Atlantic |
coast bears upon its bosom, some Of those who |
are sworn to obey the mandates Of the infalli- t
bic head of that church-who are trained from t
their earliest youth in the schools Of peTsecu- !
tion, and who are taught that s'the union Of I
Church and State is dreaded only by the pro-
fame lovers Of liberty"-and that religious |
liberation is ga pestilential error, when we t
reflect that these hordes from the Papal States /
of Europe arc 'sseeking to engross the educa- |
tion of the country is there not some ground |
to apprehend danger to our republican insti-
tutions Is there nothing to fear from band |
of cunning, sneaking. intriguing and immor-
al Jesuites, serving under the banner of for
eign potentate, and not under the Stars and |
Stripes OF the Union? y band whose history |
is but bloody catalogue Of court intrigues, |
and bloody revolutions; of Unholy schemes |
and midnight assassinations! Nothing to fear |
when we behold the bible, the chief corner |
stone of our national structure, shut out by
the hand of authority from our youth, because /
it is not to be read without the Interpretation |
of bishops and priests Nothing to fear, !
when our Common Schools are publicly de-
as ssbrothels," :spits of destruction., ;,
sspeSt houses,' and ''felon manufactures, ;. bv /
church dignitaries under an oath of allegiance
to foreign power2 And whence comes this |
to our system of pupular educa-
ton Go mark the attempts of Jesuitism in
Europe to .sgrasp the portfolio of popular in |
struction, so as to have all the educational es-
under papaf control,'' and then |
tell me, if they could accomplish this design |
in our land, how long they would be in sub /
verting our institutions, by training up our t
youth to become opposers of the laws,-ene-
mics toreligious freedom, and rebels 30 the /
State 1t is with this object in view that they |
seek division of the school fund. By it |
they would obtain sectarian legislation and |
onen nj, a way for Roman Catholic recognition |
on o,r statute books-they would extend their