The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-09-07

something true laid down in q certain book
ana mat they were to tako that book and read
III every one according to the reasoning of hi.
own Individual mind, and according to his owr
private Judgment was to discover his Who'll
religion. Whatever discovery he makes, what
ever his religion may be, he was bound in con
private Judgment. Now such system as thi
Involves two things, my friends. First, it in.
wolves an inherent right in every man tt
choose his own religion according to his owr
Interpretation of that book which is called tn,
Bible, aud which is undoubtedly the Word O
Cod 1t involves in every man who embrace,
the principle of private judgment not only 6
right but an obligation to select his own reli
glon and stapd by it; and secondly, it involves
necessarily an utter weakness, for it forces 8
man to conform himself to your views. There
fore, what Protestant religion declares is
Redeemed this earth there has not been a fiercer
spirit of persecution existing amongst men
than we find existing amongst these scots OF
the sixteenth century.
a spirit OF religious hatred, lay it down sim
ply as q logical phenomenon and a historical
TACT: know that lberal-minded Professionals
OF the present day detest and abhor the acts of
their forefathers as much as any right-minded
man can detest and abhor persecution. know
very we'll that if the history of that period
were to be written, and if these men-1iberal
minded Protestants Of whom 1 speak-had the
rewriting of it, that the blood which stains its
pages would not he there. But history is his.
tory and TACT is fact. Some Englishmen, using
their right and undoubted right as Professionals,
have disagreed with other Englishmen on tbs
question of religion, and at once they were
subjected to the most terrible persecution
There were Dissenters or Non Conformists of
she sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, they
fed from the persecution which they were not
able to stand in England-they fed from the
demon of religious persecution and bloodshad
They ~ sought refuge in America in order that
and exercise their own religion and opinions
IN peace, and no longer have to suffer for them
No man denies that they were right that they
had reason, surprising the truth of the princi-
any supreme power upon earth to which all
men should bow down in obedience in matters
of religion.
But here again is tho strange fact that no
sooner have they taken possession of that part
of the country which is called tue New Eng
land States, than the first thing they did was
to make laws to persecute every one that dis
agreed With them. There as to be mercy
for the Quaker. I will read some OF their pro-
mDent laws to you about Quakers. Listen to
this: 1t is ordered that whoever shall hence
forth bring, or cause to be brought, directly or
indirectly, into the colonies any known Qua
ker, or any other hlasphemous heretic-atter
the Raakers themselves IL was any one who
should bring them in-every such person shall
forfeit the sum of c100 to the country and he
until the penalty be satisfied, and if any per-
SON within this jurisdiction shall entertain or
conceal any such Quaker, and that the Quaker
be caught, every such male Quaker shall for
the first offence have one of his ears cut off,
and he shall be kept at work in the House OF
Correction until he can be sent away at his
own charge. AVID If he g. LACK again, for the
second offence nc shall have the other ear cut
Off" Like the fellow in Gal way that was eat
ing the goose, he first took off one wing and
leg on one side, and then said he. 1t is u pity
to leave it out of proportion, may as well eat
shall presume to come into this jurisdiction
shall be severely whipped, and that every
Quaker, he or she, that shall third time bere-
through with hot IRON" These are the blue
laws OF Connecticut. What do you think now
about Catholics The game laws that were
there instituted were very severe. They de-
under forfeit or penalty, to shoot game of any
kind. But it was lawful for any man, where
ever he found priest, to shoot him at once.
Their treatment of the Indian II was ordered
that IL should not be lawful for any man to
fire q gun at any kind of game unless il be at
a wolf or an Indian. They were strict men in
their way: Here are more of their laws for
you. will show you in what spirit they were
The court taking notice of the great abuse
committed by persons profaning the Sabbath
or Lords Day, ordain that if any one do any
unnecessary servile work or unnecessary ira
Yelling recreation "-for example, if a man
! play game of ball, or take q walk" he OF
they that do SO transgress shall forfeit for every
such default the sum of 40s., or be publicly
whipped; further, if it clearly appears that
this sin was proudly, PresumptuousIy, aud with
u high hand, committed against the known
| command and authority of the blessed God
such person shall be put to death, or punished
at the discretion of the court" If couple Of
! young men went out to say their prayers un til
| they were black in the face, and to go into tn.
church and hear the Puritans "bummiug and
bumming over their heads" and if after that
they went ont to have game of cricket Of
! take q walk, and that they were asked why
they did it, aud one of them were to say thai
they were tired of all they had heard, they
would be liable to be put to'death. Now, here
are more of their laws "No one shall run OF
| the Sabbath-day, or walk in his garden Of
elsewhere, except reverently to and FROM u eet