The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-03-28
Religion in America.


rapidly increasing strength of the Roman
Catholic Church. We should not deem
the matter worthy Of notice did we not
know that the result Of these statements
is to revive that feeling of hostility to the
Roman Church that seems to be Inherent
in large portion of our people. The
population of this Rpublic is 3S,S0O,0OO, |
and the Roman Church claims 5000, 1000 |
of these. The aggregate seems at first
sight amazing, but those who take alarm |
at it do not reflect that the natural infer !
ence from these figures is that there is in
the country 3S,800,000 people who are
not of the Latin faith. But some of the
Romanist writer's exc out their case by
comparing the relative increase of the Lat
in aud Protestant churches in America.
To this it might be replied that the in
crease of Romanists in America is merely
the transfer of so many Of that faith from
Europe to America. If they had not EN-
igrated their number and increment would
have enhanced the Latin strength in Eu-
rope.
This is notably the case in Ireland,
where the population has declined nearly
three millions in consequence of emigra
ton, and this movement is the main ele
meut of strength of the Latin Churches in
America Evidently what the church
has gained here it has lost in Ireland. So
it is as regards the German Catholics in
America, who are so much dead loss to
the strength of 1.-The Latin element in
Germany, though the American wriers Of
that faith do not seem to be a ware of the
fact. The asceudancy of Germany in
Europe under Protestant Emperor can
not fail to weaken the Latin cause, especial
ly in view Of the anti-infallibility move.
ment of Doellinger and his friends, aud
the loss of Rome by the Pope. All this
occurs at the very moment that we hear
most of the increase of the Latin Church
in America, and it shows the truth of
what we have said above, that the Church
grows here at the expense Of the Church
in Europe.
By comparing the ratio of incsease of
the Catholic and Protestant Churches in
America, some of these writers undertake
to prove that in a given time the Latin
faith will be in a majority. But several
things are overlooked in this calculation.
Iu the first place the Protestant Churches
include in their computations none but
regular communicants, while the Latin
statements include population. If the
Methodist statistics were made on this
latter basis they would exceed those Of
the Catholic Church. So would the
Prcsbyterians and Baptists. In the
second place this ratio of increase depends
wholly upon the foreign immigration. If
that should be arrested by any means, the
increment of the Catholic Church III
America would fall of rapidly. We may
here suggest that in the course of twenty
years the German and Irish immigration
will both be heavily reduced. lu the
third place, if We allow the past ratio OF
increase to be good basis of calculation,
then it can be shown that Chicago in
given time will have ten millions of in
habitants, Erie about million, and SO on.
Oar own belief is that it is better for
US all that there should be no dominant
Church in America. That the Latin ele
ment has really done good while working
in the minority is beyond denial. 1t has
countcracted many absurd prejudices, aud
corrected the puritanical taste that render
ed America so long land uncongenial to
art or wholesome amusementa and ration.
nal enjoyment. If we look around US we
see Methodist churches rising in all the
nlatchless splendor of white marble aud
Gothic architecture. Presbyteranism de-
corates itself with all the graces and adorn
ment of modern art. Life everywhere
wears more genial aspect, and we can
not deny that much of this is fairly attrib
utabe to the growth aud influence OF the
Catholic Church.
But not one has told US what this
Church, that has been so useful and so
genial in minority, would do in ease it
should become dominant; and yet that is
just the question that every enlightened
American ought 10 ask himself. In Ire
land no concession that liberal govern
meut has been able to make has satisfied
the Latin hierarchy They demand the
control of education there as they did In
Austria. Will they do SO here In
Austria they refused to recognize civil
contract of marriage Will they do SO
here There is one thing our Protestant