The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-12-18

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vsCalv inism IN our dry hss become Evan-l
eslfcAlisH, and EvaDgelioalisn has boz
ID a ss Il
softened, and it now attempts to- do in the
name lof humanity and philanthropy, what
1T did in Geneva Scotland and the New
England colonies In the name of God and
religion. It's ethical code has been but
slightly modified, and it seeks now, as for
meriy, to enforce it i'm all its parts by civil
enactments. Having declared intemper-
ance SIN against humanity, it calls upon
the State to punish it as q crime. But if no
Intoxicating liquors could be bought, there
conld DC no intemperancel in drinking;
therefore it calls upon the State to pro-
hibit all traificing in them as a beverage,
under heavy penalties, fines and imprison-
ment. The same principle would require
the state to enact sumptuary laws, to
regulate our food and apparel, and prohibit
everything liable to be abused. 1t has OBJ
tanned the abolition of slavery, enacted ne
gro civil and political equality, and now
insists that the State shall enforce negro
social equality, and prohibit by statute no.
tel keepers, railroad companies, stage pro-
prietors, proprietors and managers of the
aires, and other places of public amuse-
ments, from making any distinction against
the negro on account of his race, color or
former condition of servitude and we may
expect 1T will soon demand laws furnishing
the proud white man who refuses to receive
the negro into his parlor, or drawing room,
or to give him his daughter in marriage,
because be is blackor cOlored. Why not
Are not negroes men, and are not all men
equal by the law of God, or OF nature7 1t
would seem, by recent legislation, that our
Evangelicals or philanthropists hold not
only that the negro is the equal of the
white man, but very much his superior.
When once the principle is adopted that
T.nr
that all the precepts and prohibitions of
the law of humaEity, as interpreted by
philantropists and fanatics, are to be en-
forced by civil legislation, there is no stop
Suppose these philanthropists and fanatics
SHOULD take it into their head that the Ca
tholic Church is contrary to the interests
OF humanity-that is, to their own-why
should they not demand of the State
her suppression in the name of humanity
name of God and religion9 They could do
1T while protesting to be the champions of
religious liberty, as they did in the Cays of
Good Queen Bess." The Queen would
not that Catholics should be hung, drawn
and quartered because they were Catholics.
of the rights of conscience. But she passed
law making the profession and practice
of the Catholic religion in the realm high |
treason and they executed them at "
burn, not as Catholics, but as traitors. WHO
can pretend that the execution of men fori
treason to the State is any violation of re- |
hgious liberty, or the sacred rights of con-
scienceq q .iyss5-i=n =,
Calvinism becomes, in its DEVELOPMENTS.
Humanitarianism, makes the State the in
strument or tool of philanthropists or IA
natics, who have no criterion of right and |
sions, theories and crotchets, all Of which
are despOtic in their nature. They are re-
strained by no moral or physical force, and
their very principle requires them to use
the State, and they are sure to do so when
ever they have the power, to carry out
the interests of humanity or society, re-
CARELESS of everything else. They are per-
Fectly unmindful of vested rights, and of
Individual or personal freedom. Humanity T,
is more than individuals, and overrides all
personal or private rights, and ,cc, philan-
opinion is humanity's opinion, and if you ;
oppose us, you oppose hym ,nity, and f,
therefore humanity's God, ifGo cd there is
lbove humanity herself. We represent hu-
nanity, and we have the right to make our
viii prevail, because our will is hers, and
o require the State to clear the track of
very obstacle that would impede our
march.
There is a more serious danger from the
I'D Calvinistic spirit, because no longer
heocratlc, but anti-theocratic, now waking
n American society, than even Catholics
n general apprehend: Popular opinion or
public opinion is taken to be the express
zion, in a given time and place, of human
ty; that is, of God. The philanthropists 3
md fanatics have only to agitate till they
have formed public opinion in favor of their
projects, and then to embody them in law, .
and bring the whole force ofthe State to car
~ them out. five wish to break down some
sacred institution, marriage, for instance,
we seek to form or direct public opinion
against it, and when we have rendered it
unpopular, we call upon the State to abol-
sh it. n we wish to introduce Il reform,
we pursue the same process. We do not
aim to show it as right or wrong independ-
emily of public opinion. Public opinion is
infallible. Get a measure to be popular,
and it is right, or decry it, render it un-
popular, and it is wrong. Acting on this
principle, however transformed, Calvinism
Introduces, wherever dominant, the most
as we'll as the most odious des-
potism, and of this despotism the American
people are rapidly becoming the victims
N. Y. Tablet.
Rev. Gabriel Richard v. G.