The New York herald., 1872-12-15

AHIhIlD, OONDA OHO
among yon pIous society. under the patronage Of
st. Charles ,na, Borromeo' and already scmP,isnS
your pastors in supporting parish schools. to In.
duce the children OF Catholic families TO attend
| them. and to spread and promote right and sound
PRINCIPLES concerning this most important matter
| OF Catholic education. Truly does this under
| evidence OF your charitable zeal, which is the
| more pleasing to us, because we have always re-
aver in shese Of S' has
to the welfare OF Christian youth and especially to
the directing OF their ways by good and careful
training. Hence we earnestly congratulate you,
beloved son, and your associates, on your excellent
undertaking. and we doubt not that following
duty you will so energetically prosecute the
work OF your society as to deserve the hearty ap-
probation Of your fellow citizens, and, what ia OF
still greater Importance. to obtain abundant
compense from God, the rewarder OF all good works
that through the intercession Of Your holy patron
He would c0piously bless your pous labors and
heap upon them the heavenly favors OF his good
AS to the resolutions Of protest against the
| outrages inflicted on this Holy See and OF devot-
At your annual meeting. we have received this
testimony or your affection and fidelity most
turn YOU in this letter, our assurance OF paternal
love. We ask you to consider as pledge OF this,
Me wish az 1o1 he Which We
most lovingly in the Lord bestow on you, beloved
SON, and on all the members OF your society ana on
| Given at Rome at ST. Peters, on the 2sd day OF
October, in the year 1872, in the twenty-seventh
year OF our p0ntifcate. Plus z. p. IX.
Reply to the Rev. ID. McAllfster.
| To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
In giancng over the columns OF your excellent
and liberal journal Of to-day 1nd the report OF
discourse delivered by Rev. d. McAister, before
the congregation OF the Third Reformed Presby
terian church. The reverend gentleman clearly
does not fully understand the subject which he
treats either in its nature or In many OF Its i'm
portant bearings; and I regret to say that his
views are very unfair, very dangerous and very
wrong. From the Alpha to the Omega OF Mr..
McAllister's religious Creed and his structures on
the able decision OF Superintendent Weaver, take
| the liberty OF dissenting, and claim o legal.
constitutional and natural right to do so.
And first, in selecting his text, the reverend
| gentleman assumes the existence Of God, q su-
preme being the creator OF the universe and dis
tinct from it, which he, no doubt. in common with
other churchmen, calls God.
| Secondly, he assumes that this God has made
revelation to man. and that we are responsible to
| this being for our actions
| Thirdly, he assumes that correct record OF this
revelation has been kept, and that the Bible is such
record.
| Fourthly he assumes that because this supposed
God had commanded the lsraelite nation under
theocratic government to teach these things that,
therefore our government has the right, and that
| 1t Is its duty, to do the same.
He says, "Here is the nations duty and as there
Is no duty without its rights, and no right without
its duty here is the national right to the OF the
| Divine WOrd.''
1t is true there can be no duty without right.
but 1t Is not true that there can be right with
| out duty. l can waive or disregard my right to
/ certain things. l cannot neglect or disregard my
duty without violating the law OF the State or the
|
| gentleman tells us, "lf the State undertakes this
work It cannot dispense with the Bible" hold
as firmly that II must dispense with 1t, and that
neither the State nor the nation nor their govern
ments can have any more right to teach the writ
ngs OF supposed prophets than it has to teach the
views OF Emanuel Swedenborg, Of Jefferson, OF
Rousseau or. voltaire.
right to use the Bible and the great principles of
the Christian religion in her reformatories as a
remedial rem measure. who shall deny her right to use
The State has no right to use the Bible nor the
great principles OF the Christian religion in her
ref0rmat0ries as remedial measure when such
are inculcated as supernaturally revealed and l.
for one. shall forever deny her right to use the
reasons are that it would be complete union OF
/ Christianity and civil government which would
be the total subyersion OF our present form OF gov
ernment, founded, as IL is, upon the great and
seli-evident truth that all men are created equal
Secular instruction he SAYS, practically leads to
untrue, and Mr.. Beeclers arguments this
point are conclusive, Mr. McAllister the contrary
years since we rejected the belief in the existence
OF q Supreme Being, distinct rom the universe,
after having listened to the reading OF the Bible
from our childhood in the public schools and there
fore It was not the want OF the Bible in the pub
i lie schools that caused us to regard it legend
and to regard the history Of creation contained In
II as the history OF the earth and the tortoise.
Mr.. Weayeri is right in his decision; he is right
when he aiirms tnat there is no legal basis for
the use OF the Bible in our school system, and Mr..
McAlister's historical researches fail to find any,
that he is greatly dissatisfied with the liberal
principles OF our constitution and OF our govern
fellow citizens to insert in the constitution
an acknowledgment of God and His Bible
Ts s%ack sn not only Of Christian
few Christian bigots, and to which they
interest and every truth. Thanks to an enlght-
ened people, We can look forward with hope for a
biblical imposition shall cease to be an apple of
discord for our people, and when It's sectarian and
dlscOrdant influence in the councils OF our govern
ment shall at last be unheard OF and unknown.
/ Those who favor sectarian schools, such as Ro-
mansts and Others, win be much gratiaed at the
arguments made by the Rev. Mr.. McAllister, as
| 1t would appear that the gentleman Is more
in favor OF sectarian schools with the Bible
supported by the state than State schools without
the Bible. II ever such system should be inau-
| gurated Mr.. McAister, trust, will not consider
public money to the sect that shall teach the non.
! existence OF any other god than nature and its
to tie various sects that teach their disccrdans
ideas OF divine Being and of their relationship to
| Him. ATHE0S.
The Downward Tendency OF Religion.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
In my last weeks letter treated on the great
Importance OF our having a faithful Gospel minis
try established among US, In order to securing
the fruits OF wise and benencent national gov
ernment. Perhaps it is desirable to throw out a
few more suggestions with view to call public
attention TO this momentous subject both on the
part OF the pastors and the Christian people,
We are living in an age when the great mass OF
our fellow men are more absorbed in materialism-
in the secular objects and pursuits OF liie-than In
the tremendous business of our souls salvation.
In no country have greater achievements been