The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-05-02
More Questions.

4
partment of this paper. In the perturba
tion of the moment it has fallen into some
confusion both as to the statement of fact
and the comprehension of onr position. L
speaks as follows:
We have said that if Rosnanism be true
it is able to give q solution of the present con
dition, of Mexico, Italy, Austria, Spain, etc
We think that such Inquiries are seasonablt
and interesting ut this time, and have suggest
ed them to our contemporary, tho MORNING STAf
AND CATHOLIC MEsSENGER, of this city. In
reply the STAR says: Being secular and not
a refi gious paper, we cannot be expected to
treat, editorially, questions strictly theology
cal.D W hte - So
The sentence quoted from us is not In
reply to the questions as to Spain, Mexico,
etc., but to general assertion of the Pres
byteriaa that the STAR "ans,Oers no CUES
tions.n This assertion is made in the same
article which propounds the above men.
tened interrogatories, and consequently
must have referred to some previous ones.
Our reply, therefore, was to that charge,
and not to the accompanying questions"
This is the confusion as to the statement of
facts which we have above imputed to the
Presbyterian. s%
Now, as to the misapprehension of our
position. :
We do not hold ourselves obliged to an
it is the Church which is commissioned TO
teach, and not a newspaper.
An attack upon our holy Church would
be different thing, and if it were of snffi-
cient Importance and responsibility to merit
an exposure, we should certainly furnish it,
though perhaps not editorially.
What we do consider strictly within our
every question-social, political and his
torical-where the ,corking OF the Church
is involved. We shall not attempt to in
terpret the revelation of God, but the pages
of history, the operations of pure reason,
and the teachings of nature, are open to us.
Not the Church in it's constitution and dog
mas, but the Church in its relations with
men, is the propeTs sphere of secular COM
ment. The gardener knows the tree by
unerring science, but the whole world has
been authorized to judge it by its fruit.
Therefore the phenomena presented in
the political and social aspects of Spain,
Austria, Mexico and other Catholic coun-
tries, are fairly within our province, and we
shall be happy to answer any respectful
questions in reference thereto. The pres
emit interrogatories, however, being of the
most general character, we shall content
ourselves with general answer, especially
as this article is already growing sufficiently
long, and space is about to fail us. III
AS to all such speculations upon the con-
dition Of Catholic countries, several things
must BIO borne In mine. -
LIST. That Christianity is not responsible
for the temporal and material welfare of a
people, but only for, their virtue and then
under certain appropriate conditions only.
What would the PresbyteriaH think of some
humble brother of its fold, who had been
through life honest, pieasA and industrious
but poor, and who should finally argue
after its own manner, and say, the Pres
byterian Church to which belong can't be
a Christian Church, because have never
become rich and prosperous"
I'd. The Church is not responsible for the
discipline and morals of Catholic people
where great impediments are put in the way
OF Its free communication with that people.
Mexico permits scarcely any control of its
clergy BY the Roman See. The authority
of the Universal Church is there almost
entirely set at naught, and that country
is almost in open schism with the Church.
Rome has but little more control over Mex
leo than over Russia, and but little more
for one than the other. This
is more or less the case in all monarchies.
GoHernments generally interfeFe very inju-
riously with the spiritual control eff the
flock within their, canfnes. In fact, the
only country outside of the Papal States
where the Church is untrammeled by the
government is the United States. So that
the PresbyteriaR, and other anxious en-
quirers, need not go from home to scrutin-
ize the genuine working of the Catholic
Church.
Sd. Even where there, is no interference
by government, and the Church has every