New-York tribune., 1872-06-18

noisy, and, we fancy, quite as ineffechsa' ~
seems to us they have acted from misappfe'
hension of facts in more than one instance.
This Christian Association of young men
was founded with the primary purpose Of
bringing Christ's teachings in their highest
and broadest sense to bear upon society in a
more direct and everyday manner than was
possible to clergymen. Wherever they have
done this by striving to reclaim the fallen, or
to carry out plans prompted by His charity
or the human brotherhood which He taught,
they have been successful. Whenever, on the
other hand, they have attempted to become
arbiters on doctrinal points, or in any way
TO further bigotry or sectarianism, they have
signally failed. In neighboring city the IN
ception of the Association was marked by
request made TO all members of churches that
no young man should be employed by them
or kept in employment who had not joined the
Society. The result was that scores OF de-
serving men were turned out Of their situa-
tions to make room for other worthless ones,
who, finding the religious cloak necessary for
bread and butter, had no qualms of conscience
in putting it on. The present decision
that a Catholic is not Christian is every whit
as unwise, to- use the mildest word, and out
of the scope of their duty. Even IL the truth
of this decision were granted, our young
propagators of Professionalism ought to know
one OF two facts before they go so mistakenly
TO work. The Bible is not prohibited to any
Catholic in this country, the Douay tTansla-
ton being for sale in all their shops; and the
missionary knows little of the spirit and pre-
judices of that sect who does not know that
forcing the Protestant version upon any one
of them Is the surest means of rousing the bit
ter antipathies which centuries OF division
have engendered. Our young reformers would
give Just such welcome, we fancy, to the
Qift of q Missal or Book of Hours from
priest. The Golden Rule has its foundation
in common sense as well as in higher mo-
tives
The prohibition of tobacco was wisely dl-
luted into warning against it, most salutary
and just Total abstinence was made, how
ever, a test of membership. Now, total abb
stinence, We believe, with many men, the sole
chance of escape from death of body
and mind. THE TRIBUNE has preached tenn
perance until its every argument is hackneyed
in these columns. Yet we condemn this action
as not only inexpedient but unjust. 1t is
closing the doors of the hospital upon the
sick. There is no, class upon whom this
Association could and ought to exert such
direct and powerful influence as the lads and
young men already diseased by alcoholism and
struggling through pains worse than death to
escape from its hold. If they ever gain safe
standing ground it viii be after frequent falls,
through the help of the tenderest charity, and
patience and long-sufering like His whose
servant this Society processes to be. Yet it
closes its doors upon them until reformation is
complete and assured. The Prodigal Son, let
us remind them, was not only met afar of, at
his first turning toward home, but given the
best robe and highest place at the table.
Their motive for such rule is no doubt the
discredit attaching to the Society from the
probability of backsliding in such members.
But after all, whose interests are first to DO
considered, the Society's or the blacksBders7