American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-04-19


OF Protestantism as dogma, although ron
know very well don't believe it: speak
lot j, simply in its political relations, Of its
power to assist us in these difficulties to
which our Government is subject. | think
have shown you pretty clearly that it can.
mot answer the purpose, because il has no in.
dependence it must follow public opinion;
1t cannot control it. Public opinion acts
on oil the secIs. Have you not Methodss
North and Nethodlsts South?. Have vCu
not Baplists North and Bap,ists South D.
Did you not come very near haviCG Prcsby
terianism North and PresbyterianRn South?
Sects divided by geographical line end
holding OH one side thing 10 be a mortal
sin, and very nearly to be christian virtue
ON the otherf lApplause.l Here your
Methodis,s are kbOl:tionS;s. South OF Ma
son and Dxon's line Methodism is Pro S!a-
very. why Because the opinion in the
North is Auti.SlavPry, and in the South it is
Pro Slavery. What can a religion thet di-
vides in this way do when one OF these en-
ergencics arise, rendering it necessary to form
public opinion, and not merely TO follow il, =,
when II is necessary 10 resist il, and oe abe
to act independent Of ito follow truth
and justice instead OF following the caprice
of the moment! .s..
cATHoLICITY THE RELIGION WANTED.
geographical lines What is Jus, aud rsh,
here is just and right a, the South. What
is true to-day was true a thousand years ago,
and will be a thousand years hence. Virtue
is virtue, The world over. And no religion
sable ~ accomplish the object 1 have sup.
posed but thai which is Catholic; for If il is
national, il will follow the national opinion;
it will be subject to The national authority.
And unless ii IL independent Of all nations
speaking 10 all nations one and the same
language, suffering itself to be changed or
modified by no difference Of race or Of ma.
ton, which has The same cradle for The king
and The subject, for the proud Caucasian *
for the humble end degraded African. 1t is
only snch religion that is competent 10 the
end have supposed and that religion a.
gain, must be something more than a mere
man.made religion, or a sEiI(ul human con
trlvance. II must come from above, and
speak from high TO low and not from low TO
high. PIotestaniisn, be it ever so good. ev-
er so true, speaks and operates always from
low to high; The flock guide their shepherd;
the people teach their teacher, and sit in
judgment on his doctrine, and il he teaches
iihem, they dismiss him, and saw, eve want
you not; you may 30 and find congrega.
ton TO suit yourself. il you can"
Well, now, wis, religion will answer this
purpose? Evidently mono but the Cethoic
religion She is Catholic; she is not nation
al. That is 10 say, she has not her centre
in any particular nation. She is not an En-
glsh religion, nor a French religion, nor an
ltal liam religion, bat can be at one and the
same time the religion Of all nations, with.
out interfering with their nationality. cloud.
appausc.) She does not seek The suppress
sion OF naiioRalities. Though her centre is
m Rome he M It,l;.
She left them all their peculiar nalionaIiles,
their peculiar national distinctions, and na.
tonal institutions and customs, in so far as
they we're not repugnant 70 The law O. God
When the Catholic Missionary goes 10 Chi.
na, does he attempt TO make the Chinese al
Italian orr FTcnchman. He leaves the Chi.
nese Chinese, as Father De Smet leli the
North American Indian an Indian, notwith-
standing that, by the grace Of God he had
converted his soul 10 the truth and made
him an heir OF Heaven. Checrs.l 1t is no,
national in the sense ihat it belongs to ans
particular nation, or that aDy particular ma.
ton can control it. It's Catholic inasmuch
as ii is superior TO all, over oil. in spiritual
matters, and reaches all. Thus it is, one nn.
ton cannot change its creed because all the
other natlOnS that are Catholic would rise
mp and condemn il. With Englshrnen.
ScotChmen, lrishmen, or Americans, lis doc
ttlnes and its discipline, as 10 all lis princi.
pies. must remain everywhere the same EN-.
anatlng from one centre, and therefore un.
der The control Of no party or faction. ILoud
applause. IT speaks with divine authority
and II derives lis power not from the people
but from q source independent Of them and.
! therefore is in our midst,an Institution which
I the popular will cannot control, which
leaves the popular will free as long as thai
VIII is just, and does not 90 against the Law
OF God, or natural equity aid Justice, but
fesists il whenever it would do wrong.
! ITS CONSERVATIVE AUTHORITY.
! III also Ihtrodnccs into our country an element
which VIC need; in politics and in society wo
: live and breathe al element of freedom IL is
WE'LL II is Just, il ought 10 be so. But nr?m needs
authorty thai IL, no needs an authority 10 which
ho must DO sabnissye, an authority 10 which he
! must TO subjected. You sec il in the very fact
that when God made man and placed him in the
garden, tic gave him a law; no gave him 2
commandment that ho might learn to obey
And That lesson Of obedience we all ncod. I'm
less there is something authoriiv---somc
power 10 which wc bow The fingst and noblest ,
Qualities of our minds and hearts, our nature
VIII never be developed, and so !ioty will never
attain its just order and orgaNization. The
Cburch introduces this elon,Ynt Of authority In
tho midst Of our freedom, and IL introduces il in
The spiritual order, and asks obedience only 10 !
The law Of God, and Will Of tho Highest in |
these days IL answers and il will answer as n /
mediator between thc6G two elements of society !
binding into ono tho element, Of authority and |!
the element of liberty, go that wc shall have no |
danger on the one hand Of dcspotisrn aud ON The |
other of anarchy. Such is tho political and so !
cial mission Of the Church in this country, such
she is perfectly competent TO DO, and fcovo #
TO you 10 judge whether her existence e. spread
in this Republic would be favorable or uniayor
able 10 Ropublicanism.
:. The lecturer referred 10 tho objects Of tho
Now Nothinos, ms party organized 70 drive
the Church from tho connlry, and declared don,
to DC appropriately designated, for thcy were IL.
noront alike of the principles Of tho Church and
OF AmcticamRcpuJlicap Iic mentioned il,c
fact, that hc had been identified with ttis c9nntyv
for eight generations, aud claimed lilo RIGHT to
annnh m Annnri.-.n- ill. q. ..-..nh .-.....L