Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-05-05

II Il
| If the question before us be as to the
efficacy of the restraints of Romanism on
one hand, or of those of Professionalism on
the other, in restraining immortality and
| vice, let it be tested by q comparison oil
Roman Catholic Austria with Protestant
Prussia-two countries Inhabited by the
same race, speaking the same language
and situated in adjoining districts, taking
the ten most populous cities of Austria
and the ten most populous cities of Prussia.
The result in Roman Catholic Austria j.
FoRTY-FIvE per cent and in Protestant
Prussia SIXTEEN per cent. These results
| must be left to speak for themselves.
| Father Finnegan asks for :" facts drawn
| from more reliable sources than those
before given. / knowLnot how to find
9 more reliable sources These tables are
taken from the actual government retxrns,
/ can give nothing more reliable. To- '"@
What the value Of the Fathers figures
may be do not know. Those that touch
! the relative influence of the two forms OF
teaching are private and to me unknown
authorities, That they are false or Juita-
ctous have not doubt, since they are in
consistent with other statistics which are
not private, but public and authoritative.
With regard to the Fathers logic, which
he gives us in Latin formula, have on
" to suggest that he be little more care
full with his Latin NEXT ime.
AS to the question Of alteration Of the
Virgin am sure I have nothing new that
I wishto say. leave him to the execu-
tioner-Lexicon. Go not care to go be-
yond that. = s4a - Il ..1'1dxs1i
The Fathers strong, language about
moral courage, n-"base calumnyn repeat
+ ed, want of honesty" &C., may go
for what it is worth. It does not hurt
me. But when he says, with considerable
disrespect: "How honest to compare the
southern portion Of Europe with countries
situated in the north pira must beg in my
simplicity to ask why is IL not honest,
Are not these southern countries the home
of Priests, religious orders" converts and
nunneries? In Naples and Sicily there
were a few years ago no less than 16, 455
monks and 5000 nuns, besides the vast
number of Priests, all teachers of the peo-
pie according to the Roman Catholic sys-
tenn, and. yet there has been the largest
proportion of crime in the world. Where
there is the improperly of comparing their
country with those of Protestant people
further. north 17sze . les TX. - --;T -
One other point must beg to notice. I
said in connection that am sure war
ranted the statement Of what is undoubt-
ediy true, that the Church whose agent
talked of liberty, had stained every page
of history with arbitrary prescription" /
was tempted to use stronger language, and
would have been justified in doing SO by
the facts of history, but used the miider
terms to avoid even. the semblance of ex-
.travagance OF partizan!spirit. The Father
calls this "a most foul assertion" and asks
~ We'll. I cannot put o"every page of
history" in a newspaper column. But
I will refer to facts. just now pas
sing into history. Rome is the CEN
tire of Roman Catholic authority.
Just now, since the triple crowned head
of the church has been driven from power,
Protestant worship is allowed freely and
Protestant books, and even the Bible, are
allowed in unchailenged circulation IN the
Papal States, and even in ssthe Eternal
City itself. But why isit that before, Pro-
testants could have no church in Rome,
could only enjoy their worship under
severe restriction. and could not even car
nv their "hereticap' books with them
there? Was there not arbitrary proscrip-
ltionn there at the very foundation Of
Catholic authority. where the Priests were
the supreme rulers? Let US quote a little
Latin for the, Father; Er uso disco
som,ses.i,iFrom that one comprehensive
ease we will learn to Judge of all. 1 only