The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-06-18

tion stone of the true faith, and yet he speaks
but very oursorily of their labors and
durance Hence if there exists a Church
which has claim on American ground, it is
the Catholic Church, as it was she that first
took possession OF 1t, ana as IL was Cathohc
blood as I said, which moistened the fields of
gellcal labors in thisillustrious part of the
world.
1t was not until later years that the preachers
of the di different sects came but they never sue
ceeded in con verting one Indian tribe to Christ
ianity. What Tertullian said, 100 years ago,
of the sectarians of his time, became true of
them also: "Perrerting they understasd but not
conrertinS' They were able to hinder the Ca
tholio Church in her labors, and to make Of bad
Catholics still worse Protestants, but they did
not understand how to convertible heathe6.
Who can tell what would have been the success
of the Catholic Church among the Indians OF
the North, had she been allowe to continue
unmolested the work which she had begun Let
her to day labor in peace, and give her the as.
distance which is given to other preachers, and
che will soon victorionsly fnish her work.
With the seed of faith, these first Catholic
missionaries carried also the seed of civiliza-
tion; and as far as European Christian civil
ization is concerned, no one acquainted with
the history of nations will dare to deny that
the Catholic Church transformed the wild
hordes that, after the downfall of the Roman
nations, and thus, by educating them for So
cety, laid the first stone of modern civilization.
This fact is denied neither by Montesquieu nor
by Voltaire, and mono of our present " combat
ants for culture" are able to gainssy it.
What would England, Fran ce, and especially
Germany, be at the present day if the Catholic
Church had not exercised her blessed influence
upon their social educationf Most probably
they would still be wilder nesses, and their in
habitants perhaps not much better than the In
dians in the forests behind the Rocky Noun
tains. Even at your Centennial exhibition, do
not the displayss of the Catholic nations
France, Italy, Spain, end even Brazif, in works
of industry and art favorably compare with
those of the Protestant nations, and in ssme
departments decidedly surpass them
The United States of America is the land
which, in later times, has understood how to
make the most practical use of the scq uisitions
of modern civilization for the promotion OF
material purposes, and for the temporal well
fare of its Inhabitants; it has besides given to
it's citizens the blessing of social freedom.
What she needs is that the material progress of
her people may serve them as means to attain
sal vation, and to extend the kingdom of the
Lord; and further, that the social freedom, in
which the United States 30 deservedly glory,
be truly what it pretends to be, and not based
upon false foundation.
Christ says: "If the Son frees you, you are
truly free" This. however, can be done only
through the influence of the true Church of
Christ besto wed the Word Of Life and the
means of salv stop, TO loosen the chains of error
and the slavery of siu.
Were the Church to succeed, and the United
States to become c catholic country, in the true
sense of the term, then would this become
land in which, as in a mirror, the nations OF Eu-
rope and the whole earth might see how happy,
even in regard to temporal affairs, the Church
can make d people when they, as children of
one God and of one mother Church, live in
brotheriy love and harmony, regarding the
events Of human life in the light of faith, and
always following the voice of their conscience
and of the Church, as their teacher, to guard
them and to lead them in the way of virtue.
Hence, highly esteemed paper, which ap-
peared in Rome, heeitated not TO say that the
Church, that Rome, looked upon no land under
the sun with more sympathy than upon the
United States of Aherica, desiring that the light
of the true faith might enlighten them.
And why should not this be SO in tru til Our
hope, iu regard to it, seems to gain strength
when we look at the character of the greater
number of the citizens of the United States of
Auglo American descent. The question is not
as to the opinion of fanatical men or their
preachers, but the question rests solely upon
the character of the American as such. The
American esteems the Catholic Church in his
heart he acknowledges her conservative ele
ments, and ia curious to become acquainted
with her doctrines He esteems especially the
clergy of the Catholic Church, and ifhe becomes
q Cath Ollie, he is generally Catholic Of sterling
worth.
have had, as missionary, opportunities of
becoming acquainted with this fact. If Rm
asked the reason why this is so. answer: Be-
cause the qualities which make the American
q loyal citizen of the United States will, when
united with the religious element, be just those
which characterize the Catholic as Q true son
of the Holy Church. The qualities of the
American character are decision, energy, un-
wearied striving after appointed aim, great
enterprise and self denial, com mbined with bene-
violence and readiness to acknowledge merit.
Are these not precisely the characteristics of a
Jealous Catholic3 The American sees that in
the Church the way is open to every one to
raise himself from the most humble grade in
society to the glory even of the Papal throne,
as in the United States every citizen can aspire
to the Presidency.
He sees with satisfaction that, long before
political psriaments the Church in her Coun-
ellis al ways had entire liberty of speech.
The celebrated Father B BIrke, who had be-
come we'll acquainted with Ameries and with
the American character, hesitatrd not to say
to his oountrymen on his return to ireland,
that he hoped he trould not olUSe MS eyes before TIE
conversion Of the United States to the Catholic
faith. But he has reason to hope this only on
the fu1flment of one condition, which is, that
every child of the Catholic Church in the land
both priest and layman, shall work for this
purpose to the best of his ability and with
united zeal and power
This latter remark leads to the second ques-
ton which propose to discuss to-day, namely
I'm what special relation do the Catholics of
America stand to the Church ~" A parallel
may here be justly drawn between the conver-
sion of the Roman Empire and the endeavor to
convert the United States.
Tt not ba biabopS and nripata wh IN