Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-10-30
gailg Gmpire.
From the St. Louis Christian Advocated
"The Catholics-Oh the Catholics !

eous preachers and people in the country who
profess, lust now, to be terribly alarmed at the
rapid, unprecedented and Fearful incr Sc
ofthe Catholics in the land-their increase in |
numbers, their increase in wealth. and their
increase in influence. "0hl it's dreadfulr |
say these preachers. Its dreadful cry out
the people. Something must be done" say
they all, with one voice; "somethicg must be
done" WE'LL what are you all going to do II
I Form League, appoint Detectives, and have
curious, and unprincipled men and women,
spying about their neighbors premises and
prying into their sffairs2 Is IL that, or some
thing else, what is it2 The last General AS
sembly of the Old School Presbyterian Church
resolved on something Of this knd--not much
( to their own credit or to the public good |
and report says number of these anxious
preachers OF various churches, proposed, not
| long since, to form Leauge; but when they
met, scarce any two or them were found to
agree So the matter was suspended. There
are those who have limited that war must grow
out OF this increase Of the Catholics Do not
be startled, good reader. This is no joke. 1t
is true. Some have more than hinted it--they
! have said so, openly, again and again Yes,
! wat-war TO put down the Catholics And
! they have evidently began to lire the public
mind" for the occasion that is TO say, they
have begun their effort TO irighten, and arouse
fools and fanatics that they may be prepared
TO do their bloody work. "Tis true tbs pity;
and pity It's, It's trner But there is no use
trying to deny or to hide it. They have
4 spoken, openly, and through papers. True,
they are not, as general thing, entitled to
much credit; still they may possibly be be-
lieved in this particular. AT ell events, they
are in terrible Clutter about something or
other and Phsrisaic Puritanism is dreadfully
exercised.
Perhaps come of these distressed ones will
listen to the Advocate for moment. II so,
then it speaks thus to these papers, preachers
and people, all and singular let the Catho>
;, lies alone and attend to your own business.
That's the first item in the Advocates adj
vice. Ft.
The Catholics are increasing rapidly, very
Irapidly-no doubt about that---snd il you had
attended to your own legitimate work, and
had worked as faithfully during the five years
! last past as have the Catholics, you would
have increased as we'll as they. The Catho-
; lics, priests aud people, stuck to their work.
'all at IL, and always at it !" Had you done
likewise, it wonld have been more creditsble
to yourselves and much better for the inter
ests Of Protestantism. The Catholic believes
the teachings Of his Church, and labors to
spread it's influence. And who blames him
for tbat9 Would you not increase the nuns
bers and influence of your church You
claim to be honest So does the Catholic
: You say you are sincere. So he You be-
= lieve he is in error, and talk about fighting
him. BE believes yon are in error; he tries
to convert yon. "0h but If be gets the pow
: that's precisely what you talk Cf doing with
| Wnnld ha n him than il
is in you 2 "But the Catholics are seeking to
get the control Of this Government" Well
suppose they are-which the Advocate lie Ger
/ tainly not inclined TO sGirm-but suppose
Q they are, then come out, "honor bright" and
. say if you have not been aiming, at least in
directly, to do the very same thing2 Don'l
= get mad 1t will do no good. Anger is nc
argument Honestly and csndidly, has not
Puritanism, as represented by you, been try
ing, for years, to accomplish the very same
end The Advocate makes no charge, but
simply asks sques.ion or two
Your course az ministers, the course ofyoul
, press. and the course of large portion--s
majority, perhaps--of your people during the
few years last past is well known. The ef-
, fects of it are very plainly TO be seen. AL
J this while the Catholics have worked--in tht
/ camps on the 6elds, in the prisons, 10 the
hospitals, ana Wherever elbe tney couiu nno
, an opening. They desired TO increase theil
b numbers and Influences they labored earnestly
and constantly for that purpose nor have
) they lsbored in vain. Why did you not pursue
a similar course Had you done so, you
would have had less to complain Of; yoU
would have increased 10 numbers and in in
Ruence and hundreds aud thousands Of meT
and women who have gone into the Catholic
Church would never have done so had you anC
:, your co-aborers always maintained in prin-
ciple and practice pure and non-sscular
Church. You did not do this; and the resul
is, you have lost more than will be speedil!
regained. Don't blame the Catholics, blam'
7 yourselves yours is the fault, and yours vii
be the sorrow. The Advocate is not set fo
RS the Catholics, however A large portion o
w w their teachings and usages it does not receive
le The Advocate ia Protestant TO the core, bn
ae its religion is not of the quRrrelinR and fight
- ing kind The weapons Of its warfare are no
carnal. It's willing to do justice to the Cath
, olics, desires to treat them kindly, aud !
Y. called on to debate any point Of doctrine, o
s. any usage with any OF them, to do so respect
2, fully, kindly, and with desire only to elici
truth. The Catholics for the greater part
have, during the few years last past, aetec
consistently. There have been few excep
70 70 tons, but exceptions do not form the rule
They have acted consistently and that's NOR
than PuritAuism hssdone, whether il wer'
represented by CongregstionAlists by Unitar
iAns, BY Presby.erians, BY Baptsts or Metho
'rs disss And Purtsnism prevails extensivell
m in all these seots in the East and North =
Thay hava actod conaiatentlv Nth THAR nro