The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-04-18
II Answers No Questions.

| The New Orleans oYesbytcrian of last
Thursday makes the above charge against
| u.s. 1t admits that the MORNING STAR has
alinded to some of its contemporaries in
terms which display sufficient energy, to
say the least, but yet g it ansgerS no q,tes-
| TONS" .2.i1sor f3G
The Preebyteriai. may have propounded
various g posers'' to us, bnt the only inter
trogatoryon facts and articles that we can
call to mind at present was something in
reference to the qBE'ilbpler2 ogA Sy00a
Now, the inquiry arises whether we are
held, either through courtesy or under the
penalty of imputed defeat, to "answer
questions" in all casese7 TAif,ifst2
IL the first place, being secular and
not religious Journal We cannot be <ex-
pected to treat editorially any questions
strictly theological and secondly, there
are many inquiries propounded as ques
tions which are not really such.
| ! A question, when respectful, implies.
doubt. It seeks an answer for information,
with a consciousness of its waRtp and a
Willingness to receive it, Amy other form
of it implies the relation of accuser and ac
cused, or Of judge and culprit. II, ;, :ess
r. Now, the Presbyterian's inquiry as to the
Catholic idea of the Bible and its use did
not convey to us the Impression Of a search
after truth, but rather an accusation at the
bar of public opinion. Why seriously en-
! deavor to give information which is not
| really desired, and would not be received,
or treat as candid investigation what is
| o
The "qnestion" which we have not an
swered is merely a charge put in the inter
rogative form. '9
Are we obliged to meet and expose evely
charge that every journal may choose to
publish to the world against Catholics or
their religion7 We certainly should have
our hands full in that case, and our columns
more than full. If something having a lit
tie air of novelty is brought to light, or if
an old accusation is revamped with a de-
cent pretence of originality in some detail,
we may think fit to give it aSnotice, but we
shall not certainly commence with the most
stupid and absurd of the old threadbare
calumnies which no human being with
little knowledge of the facts can believe for
a moment.
AS our readers may doubt that the real
old original falsehood is still adhered to,
we quote the language of the Presbyterian
Compare the activity of Protestants, in cir
culating Gods Word, with the aversion or hos
tllity of Romanism towards the circulation of
the scriptures. Why is it that n Church de-
irving it's credentials from the Bible should be
so unwilling to have men read the Bible Our
Romish neighbor does not even attempt to an
awer that question. ~
The Catholic Church hostile to the circu-
1ation of the scripturesl And does our
candid and ingenious neighbor really want
it explained why this is when it knows that
it is not? sst,.l....a
How any man connected with printing
establishment could pen such paragraph
we can't see, except upon the presumption
that he is far too immaculate and pure of
heart to have anything to do personally
with such men of sin as practical printers.
Even in that case, the very devil, with
whom he must certainly have communica-
ton in order to make his manuscript avail
able, could let him more into the mysteries
of the craft. ..-- ..s--
"Why, Mister" he would say, " dc. you
suppose any Catholic publisher would be
so green as to get out book that wouldn't
sellH" We need not add anything to this
gentle reminder from the demon of paste
and proof. If the circulation of the Bible
is discouraged, in what bad odor with the
Church must be those thousands of eontu-
maeious Catholic publishers IN all countries
who insist on flooding the world with SO
many copies of the forbidden work in all
varieties of editions, little and big, costly
and eheapqa 7"
Why, then, should the Presbyterian per-
sist in making, in the form of a ques-
ton, a statement which is utterly false
If it should ask why the Catholic Church SO
urgently recommends the reading of the
Bible, there Would then be some reasona-
bleness in the question, and we could an
swer it without any trouble. We would
simply refer to the Catholic editions of the
Bible itself, in many of which will be found
the exhortation of the PONIES in favor Of IFS