New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-08-20

gressive steps in every case being the en-
deavor to exclude the Bible from the pub
lie schools. To ward of these dangers
the Harper publications, especially HQr-
per's Weekly, are endeavoring to rouse the
people to a realization of them by means
Of infamatory articles and incendiary pic
lures; but the public remain obstinately
apathetic, and viii not get scared. The
truth is that there is nothing to be scared
about, and that the warfare which the
Catholic Church militant is so energeti-
caIly waging in the forms above men
toned is purely a defensive one, and a
desperate one at that; the spirit Of Roman
ism and the genius of American institU-
tons being SO antagonistic, that
the former unquestionably the weaker,
has difficulty enough in holding its own.
Not that there is, or ever has been, any
intentional warfare against the Roman
Catholic Church on the part Of any con-
siderable class in this country, but the
very atmosphere Of freedom is detrimental
to an institution based upon implicit faith.
Hence all its seeming success is merely
seeming. 1t is an exotic, and never can
thrive outside Of the lighthouses of priestly
influence. True, it is erecting churches,
converts and schools devoted to its inter-
ests. But enter any one ofthose churches
during service and what is to be seen. A
crowd of kneeling worshippers, so alb
sorbed in their devotions, especially at
certain portions of the service that not
head is raised. Look again, and the
most noticeable fact in regard to those
worshippers is not so much their devo-
ton as. their sex. The majority Of them,
an overwhelming majority, are women a
fact in itself sufficient to allay the fears
which the papers alluded to and others Of
like character would seek to arouse.
But these papers may say, care
not the women the formers, the trainers
Of the minds Of men in their earliest and
most imprassionable years.? True, and
the Roman Catholic mothers do their best
to aid the priests by their instructions
and their influence but with what effect?
The bands which hold the minds Of their
sons in childhood and youth snap assun-
der when they reach mans estate, or be-
come SO elastic as to lose all binding
force. Still as the power Of first impress
Sions is one of the strongest, it IS no wd
der that the zeal Of the sincere Catholic
should lead him to struggle still for the
mastery Of the youthful mind and in this
to make it a sine qua non, when
ever he has the power, to exclude the
Bible from those first fountains Of instruc-
ton, the public schools This step was
taken years ago in this city, and it does
not appear to have in the slightest degree
unsettled that principle which the Bible,
subjected to private Interpretation, is sup
posed to represent-tLe principle Of re-
EgiOus freedom.
We would suggest, therefore, to the
Harper papers, and others which are like
wise afflicted with a papistphobia, that
questions relating to the supremacy Of
forms Of faith will settle themselves in &C.
with the providentiaI arrange
ment guaranteeing the ultimate triumph |
Of truth; and that, in the meanwhile, as
that triumph can not be promoted by ap-
pealing to passion and prejudice, they had |
better devote their talents and energies to |
The remedying of some more pressing evil |
than the danger Of Popish domination. !