Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-03-31
IFrom the .PetersBurgindex-l
The Catholic Church ia America.

IFrom the Petersburg lndex.l
The Catholic Church IN America.
The wonderful progress of the grand old
Catholic Church in this country is beginning
to attract attention, and it is certainly deserv
ing of it. There can be no doubt that every
movement of mankind, which has permanent
ly affected the race for good or evil, has had
religious basis. That part of his being
which takes. hold on eternity lends "a portion
of its perpetuity even to the vanishing shad
ows of his earthly existence, and redeems the
insignifcancc of earthly life by linking it with
questions touching his eternal veal
OF the theological questions which mark
the diversity between churches, sects and de-
nominations, we have nothing to say. But
as public journalist it is our province to deal
with all the phenomena of social life as affect
ing the well being of the nation. Why is it
that the old antipathy to Catholicism, which
the American people inherited from their
English and Scotch ancestry, seems to be
passing away? There are many reasons for
this-we call attention to only u tcw-thosc
having a more direct relation to our national
future.
And first-there is the accession to Cath>
olicism from emigration. The Professionalism
which eliminated in the inquisitorial intole
rance of the Pilgrim Fathers is being diluted
by the infusion of warm and generous Celtic
blood. Tho hard, dry, fanatical, and unat-
tractive Yankee is having his sharp angu-
larities and repulsive peculiaritics toned down
so as to make even a New Englander, who
has undergone the diluting process, being
for whom the rest of mankind can feel affec-
ton and respect. Those with whom he is
thrown in contact canEot but feel grateful TO
the agency which has brought about the re-
formation, and VIC thank God that anything
| has madea descendant of l}arebones endura-
| BILE. Irishmen and their offspring are said to
be rapidly gaining the ascendency, even in
! Massachusetts,, and when the ull-blooded
| Yankee has ceased to exist there, it will be a
State to emi CRATE to.
Again-protestantism in America has be-
come less and less solicitous to inculcate in
the minds of its youth those peculiar religious
tensis which usually give such bias to all
our after thoughts and opinions Young
America has been left to flourish not by cul-
turc but neglect. One consequence is that
he has fallen into habit Of using his own
eyes, and not having been able to discover
under the robe of the Catholic Priest the old
traditionary hoof, he concludes that his fore
fathers must have been mistaken, and that a
Priest, after ALL is not to be Stunned or dread
ed Should his thoughts even turn seriously
to the great religious problems of the age, it
is even probable that among the many voices
which distract his ear, he may incline to that
of the Old Church, which comes to him
through the ages, speaking as one having
authority.
Again-the Catholic Church has been the
grand conservator of the Past Whatever of
culture came to us athwart the dark ages of
barbarian conquest and feudal misrule-came
to us through her. Though her hand may
have sometimes lain heavily upon those in
dividual intelects which struggled towards
the light of scientific truth, and though she
may have hampered with dogma the first steps
of such sciences as Astronomy and Geology
yet this mistake of theologians in making
dogma the authoritative voice in a domain
| where it has properly no voice-is'a mistake
not confined to Catholicism. 1t is inherent
in human nature and pervades all sects. 1t
is the struggle of the old against the new
The Catholic, like all other churches, is be-
ginning to discover that science is the hand
maid aud not the foe of religious truth. And
true scholar cannot but feel grateful to her
that through herhe has access to all the learn
ing of the past. All that is left of the glory
of Athens and of Rome is borne to us in her
hand Here then VIC find she commends her
l
always accompanies culture, and that, always
a large proportion of mankind, who, weary of
I eternal agitation and change, long to pass
their lives in peace and quietness:
Again-the course of the Catholic Church
at the North during the war, as contrasted
with the protestant denominations, suggests
comparisons, which cannot fail to elicit in
voluntary praise, even from those who are
most hostile to her spiritual pretensions.-
But there is one thing which has had strong
or tendency to make Christians of all shades
of opinion more tolerant among themselves
than any other cause. 1t is the rise of an in
fidelity which threatens the existence of them
all, the insiduous progress of which, If not
checked, will end by leaving the nation with
out God and without hope in the world. We
think there are few parents, Whatever may
be their own faith, who would not rejoice to
see child safe in the bosom of the Old
Mother Church rather than a disciple of
Paine or Compte. As to the theological truth
or error involved in Catholicism, we express
no opinion, for we are not competent to do so.
Merely as a looker-on and chronicler of pass
ing events, we have indicated few of the
natural causes which are tending to make the
Catholic Church predominant in America
Whether it is to be lamcnted or rejoiced at
is question which our readers must deter
mine for themselves. Being what is usually
called an outsider" we practice the maxim
of Leigh Hunt, "to like what is likeable, AID
love what is loyeable" We bid every Chris
tian enterprise God speed. Oar whole prac-
tical creed at present is. comprised in three
words, "DowH ,0ih Radic0lisn,, be it reli~
gious, social or political