Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-09-02

Such language rs this indicates very
plainly the principles and position of Ro-
manism. SO far as our political institutions
are concerned, il is avowedly revolutionary.
A State not informed and directed by ''the
infallible and holy Church of God''--as ours
is not--is informed and directed by "tho
synagogue of Satan.n Such "godless''
State, based on 'poltical athesm,'' "rests
ON no foundations" belongs to the class of
''usurpations, tyranuies, without right"
''The whole secular order depends" on "the
Catholic hierarchy.n
A Papal encyclcal could scarcely go be-
yond this. 1t subjects all civil and relig-
ions rights TO the dictation and control of
''the Church." Logically, it creates union
of fChurch and State, in which the State is
q helpless and subordinate factor. 1t
logitimates nothing which The 'hierarchyn
does not sanction. In word, il demands
al entire and unconditional surrender ofall
the institutions of free Government to the
Pope of Rome--to the control ofthat Church
that has been for generations in the closest
league with persecution, intolerance and
the violent suppression of free thought !;
that has been the steadiast prop of old
world despotisms, and has not beled its
history when transplanted to these shores.
Such is the position and attitude of Ro-
manism-on "thc Church''-as it at length
fully unveils its features to our Amer
ican gaze. What is it, and how can it be
described, except as an organized intolcr-
anccp The generations that have passed
since the Reformers of the sixteenth con-
tury encountered it with pen and sword,
have left it unchanged in spirit. 1t is the
! same absolutism now that it was when it
! dcposed kings, or attempted TO thrust the
! Inquistion upon the Netherlands. 1t has
! imbibcd nothing human or Christian from
the succeeding centuries. 1t has learned
nothing; forgot nothing. Doubtless it
numbers many nominal adhCronts who ig-
norantly follow and sustain in-multitudes
who, if they fully understood them, would
promptly rcpudiatc lis claims. But its
avowed programme is hostility to the
! Statc-hostility to whatever does not sub
init to its yoke. Expol the Rihle from the
public schools at its dictation, and it con-
fesscs that this would not satisfy it. 1t de-
mands the unrestricted control of cduca-
! ton. the shaping and sanctioninS Of laws.
! 1t insists on being the soul, while the State
! is only the body. Professionalism is only
'thc synagogue ofSatan," disqualified to
inform or direct the secular order.
This is no fancy sketch. lit has any
/ features of caricaturc, the Catholic World
( is responsible for them. We have not con-
/ sciously exaggerated q line or an iota.
Such claims OF superiority over "tEc secu-
/ lar order" arc here and now put forth in
behalf of "the Catholic hierarchy" arc SIM
ply revolutionary. They cannot be enter
tanned without the implied surrender of
the independence and autonomy OF
the State. All the talk of the
! Cuitolic World about the divine fo,mtla-
tons of government, is simply irrelevant.
No student of political science can call in
question the principles OF natural law, No
student Of the Bible will hesitate for Il
moment to admit that government is ''an
| ordinance of God" Bnt when the Roman
Catholic Church attempts to monopolze
these principles as its exclusive heritage, or
to inyalidatc them except they have its
formal sanction, ii sets itself alike against
logic, justice and the authority ofScripture.
Our Republican institutions must be low
/ ebb, indeed, when we feel ourselves neccs.
STATED to invite to their support an organ
izatiou the history of which for centuries
! has been one of alliance with despotisnl
and of irreconclGble antaSonism to civil
and religious freedom.