The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-11-29

political bigotry, to read such aight.forward
manly, and truly Christian article as appeared
few days ago in the Christian Adoocate, a
Protestant religious journal:
"The Catholics are increasing rapidly, very
rapidly; no doubt about that-and if you had
attended to your own legitimate work, and had
worked As faithfully during the five years las,
past as have the Catholics. you would have in.
creased as we'll as they. The Catholics, priests
and people, stuck to their work-"all at it. and
always at it." Had you done likewise, it would
have been more creditable to yourselves, and
much better for the interests of Professionalism
The Catholic believes the teaching of his
Church. and labors to spread its influence -
And who blames him for that2 Would you
not increase the influence and numbers of your
Church! You claim 10 lie honest. So does
the Catholic. You say you are sincere So
| is he. You believe ho is in error, and talk
about fighting him. He believes you are in
gets the power he'll force me" Well, if be
were to-that's precisely what you talk of doing
with him. Would it be any worse in him than
1t is in you? "But the Catholics are seeking
to get the control of this Government" Well,
suppose they are-which the Aduoeate is GER
tainIy not inclined to affirm-but suppose they
are, End come out "houor BRIGHT" and say If
you have not been aiming at, at least indirect.
y, to do the very same thng7 Don't get mad
It will do no good. Anger is not argument
Honestly and canddy, has not Puritanism, as
represented by you, been trying. for years, to
accomplish tie same end? The Adrocate
makes no charge, but simply asks question
or two.
Your course as ministers, the course of your
press, and the course of large portion--a
majority. perhaps-of your people during the
few yeara last past. is well known. The effects
OF it are plainly to be seen. All this while the
Catholics have worked-iD the camps, on the
fields, in the prisons, in the hospitals, and
wherever else they could find an opening
They desired to increase their numbers and
influence; they labored earnestly and constant
ly for that purpose: nor have they labored in
vain Why did you not pursue similar course!
Had you done so. you would have had less to
complain Of; you would have increased in num-
bers and in influence; and hundreds and thous-
ands OF men and women who have gone into
the Catholic Church would never have done so
had you and your co laborers always maintain.
ed in principle and practice pure on,secular
Church
You did not do this; and the result is, you
have lost more than will be speedily regained
Don't blame the Catholics, blame yourselves;
yours Is the fault and yours will be the sorrow.
The Advocate is not set for the defence of the
Catholics, however. A large portion of their
teachings and usages it does not receive. The
Aduocdte is Protestant to the core, but its re-
ligion is not of the quarrelling and fighting
kind. The weapons of its warfare are not car
nal. 1t is willing to do justice to Catholics,
desires to treat them kindly, and if called on
to debate any point Of doctrine, or any usage
with any of them. to do so respectfully, kindly
nd wit IN al; ;o;t
Catholics, for the greater part, have, during
the few years last past, acted consistently
There have been a few exceptions, but ex-
ceptions do not form the rule. They have
acted consistently, and that's more than Puri-
tanism has done, whether it were represented
by COngregationalists, by Unitarians, by Pres.
byterians, BY Baptists. or by Methodists And
Purtanism prevails extensively in all these
sects, in the East and North. They have act.
ed consistently with their professions, while
Puritanism did not. There's the difference,
and difference which led to widely different
results. Gentlemen. these are stubborn facts,
and the more you butt against, them, the worse
will you hurt your heads.
Consider well whether you had not better
leave off that Pharisaic prayer, "God thank
Thee, | am not as other men," and adopt that
Of the publican, "God be mercilul to me a
sinner" Then. just so FIR as the Catholic can
"be put down" ;" by the faithful preaching of the
pure Gospel of Christ; by holy, upright living;
by humble, penitent prayers, offered in the name
Of Christ, for things agreeable to the will of
God, and offered in humble submission to that
will; by the exercise and manifestation of the
spirit Of Christ, the spirit Of love, OF pity, of
gentleness. Of meekness, of patience and long
suffering, of forbearance and forgivncss, why,
just in SO far will the Aduocate aid you. You
may depend upon that. And then, if we can
not put down the Cath olics in that way; il we
cannot or will not, preach better, pray more
fervently, and more acceptably, live more holly
and unbamably; If We cannot evince a higher
degree of Christian attainment, be more up.
right and consistent than they. and do more
good than they, why we will have to let them
alone. De let poor, sin-cursed world have
the best form and manifestation of religion it
can get; and if in this we caunot surpass the
Catholics, let them alone"