Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-11-21
Catholic American, ngnin, to Rev.
Father 0.rScefc.

regard my letlcl us an 'NnNaffanlcu Htiack,
rather than grand opportunity for you TO
elucidate those great principles 10y which five
millions Of Roman Catholics ask thlfty-fiv
millions of Protcstants to give up their cher
ished principles. | was much disappointed
in that you had so little to say on the subject,
for CatholicAm,rican seeks knowledge. Aud
now sir in returning to the subject again
plead not for sect or the Protestant version but
for union on broad national basis. At Gin
cnatti recently the enemies of II free Bible
secured a school-board who felt it their duty
for the sake of peace to dishonor American
christianity to the extent of excluding theBibe
from the schools. But The Supreme Court de-
cidcd that the Protestant Bible as part of
the fundamental law of the land must be re-
placed in the public schools. That was the
decision of those great eypounders of the con-
stitution Of these United States This is a
christian country, they said christianity is the
! law of the land. Not us defined by any sect
| no. Roman or Methodist christianity; not
Presbyterian or Baptist but those great truths
| hela in common by all true christians. Cen
| cral Christianity is the established religion
Of this American nation. We live under the
same constitution, and there is but one God,
one faith, one revelation. True Catholicity
demands, that we ignore minor differences
| for the higher unity. The Supreme Court
| standing upon this broad, liberal, comprehen
| siye ground, ordered that one revr's44''6n a"
the one God to be put into the schools, since
it was the basis of the national faith and the
! national constitution. 4 That sncrcd Book
you say, is forbidden by your church to five mil
| lions Of our ctizens--the Catholics. YoU FOR
BID WHERE THE CONSTITUTION COMMANDS
! charge your church, therefore, with violation
Of the constitution of these United States In
| forhiddiDg thaG Book, you tear down and cast
oat the basis of ,he fundamental law of the
! land. You said that thc Protestant Bible is 9
religious book, conscentiously (orblddcl TO
Catholics Docilc sheep are they indeed, 10
keep away from such rich pastures N that
Book ere imbedded the pr;nci lies of Ameri-
can freedom Il tells the way out of igaor-
ance, and darkness, and tyranny. Is it not
| J
your peopleY Would be te.l.ng yoa re-
cret, when ! say thai it abornGe visa ,,rov.s-
Jon for all our deepest warts There "a balm
there Cor suffering medicine there for grief
visions Of everlasting JOY, TO cheer Vs. andcr tur-
deas. let man bow his heart 10 is holy teach
ings, and be viii rise a freeman; doubts viii
vanish fears be driven away; gloom will be
dispersed; and lfe will grow more and more
luminous with the light Of heaven. Catholic
American has browsed for many years in those
pastures, and knows what there il in every
nook and corner. And, Rev. Fs lher, there IL
the same rich living in The pousy version, and
| warrant you sir, that the sheep over which
you are pastor viii grow faster in all noble
ness, msnliness aud Intelligence, if you will
guide them TO browse on the scriptures instead
Of catechisms. Bat Sir in reference 10 the
Bible which your church forbids 10 Catholics,
consider the position Of the government. The
Supreme Courts Of the States ere the best in
terpreters Of the constitution. Their words
are authorstive. To their unifoun decisions
you, Sir, Is ioysi American muet bow.
have referred you TO the decision Of the gu
preme Court Of Ohio might refer Won Ia
Others, but the Editor compele me to he brief
A test cssc sss thct Of Stephen Gerard Ke
pu; in his viii, by which he lequeathed au i'm,
men-e property 10 educate the poor children
Of Philadelphia, cau,e TO This effect 'No
ecc'etiastc, missionary, or minister of any
sect whatever shall ever hold any station in
said college or shall ever be admitted for any
purpose as a visitor, within the promiscs "My
desire, he adds is that all the instructors and
teachers shall take pains to msil into the
minds cf scholars the purest principre Of ,nor.
atty" Daniel Webster, called afterwards
| 'the great e1Pourder' of the constitution
attempted to overthrow the win bv showing
thst il vas in antsconsn TO christianity, and
The highest tribunal Of the Commonwealth
declared that if the viii wac w sn,agonism 10
/ christianity II could be overtbrown. But
! by the terms Of the will. ii ws> not an inHdcl
( institution. For the Bible nsht he taught
J thtfe az the word Of God. Nav said the Court
IL must be taught, for III no other way could
! The teachers impart tie "pucest morals" Here
was the ruliag of the suprelae Court Of Penn
sylvania, that IN the schools the great unsec.
taTisn symbol Of christianity, the Bible mus,
I be taught in order to incalca.e the uurcst
morality upon the pupils. Substantially You
see the same wi,h that Of Ohio. And vet this
book Is tho book "coGsoicntionsly forbidden to
the Catholics" The church then that forbds
/ II is disloya TO The constitution. 'Now word
as 70 your "a reason. You speak Of the inius-
nee to Catholic tax payers to compel them to
sastaiE schools where the s0-callcd Protestant
version Is read. i the constitution more un-
Just in this than in competing them TO Tay
taxes to support a Protestant chaplain 10
nnnn h.,L Ln-.-n. Il l.,...rn... IL.