Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1876-07-06

be the peoples choice, choice OF honest
men from another party, lest the disease
of one political organization infect the
body polite, and lest, by making no
change of men OF party, we can get no
change of measures and no reform.
All these abuses, wrongs and crimes,
the product of sixteen years ascendency
of the Republican party, create neces-
sity for reform confessed by Republicans
themselves; but their reformers are voted
down in Convention and displaced from
the Cabinet. The party mass of honest
voters is poWerless to resist the eighty
thousand Ofice-holders, its leaders and
guides.
Reform can only be had by peaceful,
civic resolution. We demand a change of
system, a change of Administration,
change of parties, that we may have
change of measures and of men.
ROmanism In the United States---A
Jssuit's Picture of the Future.
The following is an extract from a
| Centennial Address to the Catholics of
the United States,' delivered in German,
| by the Rev. F. x. Weninger, D. D., mis-
sionary of the Society of Jesus, at the
meeting of the delegates of the Roman
Catholic Central Society at Philadelphia,
on Whitmonday:
'sThe independence of the United States
has great and important significance for
the Church in general, but especially for
US Catholics, who have sought and found
here a new home.
Were the Church to succeed, and the
United States TO become Catholic coun-
try, in the true sense of the term, then
would this become land in which, as in
a mirror, the nations of Europe and the
whole earth might see how happy, even
in regard to temporal affairs, the Church
| MI 10 hon OH IL
dren of one God and of one mother Church
live in brOtherly love and harmony, re-
garding 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
appeared in Rome, hesitated not to say
that the Church, that Rome, look
ed upon no land under the sun
with more sympathy than upon the United
States of America, desiring that the light
of the true faith might enlighten them.
And why should not this be so in truth
Our hope in regard to it seems to gain
strength when we look at the character
f of the greater number of the citizens o.
: the United States of fAnglo-American de
scent. The question is not as to the opin
. ion of fanatics or their preachers, but
the question rests solely upon the charac
+ can esteems the Catholic Church in hiE
! heart; he acknowledges her conservative
elements, and is curious to become &C
I quainted with her doctrines. He esteeml
a especially the clergy of the Catholi,
] Church, and if he becomes Catholic, he
+ is generally a Catholic of sterling worth
l have had, as missionary, opportuni
a ties of becoming acquainted with thi
: fact. If am asked the reason why this
is so, l answer: Because the qualities
= which make the American a loyal citize1
: of the United States will, when united
4 with the religious element, be just thos
; which characterize a Catholic as a tru
u son of the holy Church. The qualities o
= the American character are decision, en-
, ergy, unwearied striving after an appoint
= ed aim, great enterprise and self-denial
, combined with benevolence and readines
r. to acknowledge merit. Are these nc
IL precisely the characteristic manners of
Jealous Catholic? The American see
~ that in the Church the way is open
II every one to raise himself from the mos
Il humble grade in society to the Paps
throne, as in the United States every cit
D zen can aspire to the Presidency.
l. The question may now arise, In whS
n manner is this work to be begun? Is
; layman to exercise the apostolic offices {
: the Church in her sanctuary? Surel
IN not! On the contrary, nowhere is tn
IN line more sharply drawn between prizes
30 and laymen than in the Catholic Churcl
ce But there are means enough left, Whic
If while lying beyond that sphere which
OF destined for priests alone, yet exercise
ce most powerful influence upon the conve
mt sion of infidels and heretics, as we'll as IL
ty progress of the true Church. There
ry beside the Word which is preached wit
apostolic authority and which includes Il
be distribution of the holy sacraments, al
.ir an apostolate accessible to laymen. III
r. apostolate of good example,; the apost
yo late of instruction; the apostolate of Il
dis press; the apostolate of social life, an
at finally, the apostolate of prayer.
tn United and joined to the one trl
Church, the United States would be,
he the strictest sense of the term, united
nd without the present internal division b
To- tween the various sects. The Unit
W. States, still so strong, notwithstanding
ed many different religions, would soon raj
he itself to an eminence, power to WhiC
" there would be nothing equal upon cart
to This union with the only true ChurC
nm because free from the pressure of dept
ct ism, would secure the perpetuity of t
oh United States until the end of time.
rs If this took place I would, without III
i've itatiOn, apply to the Catholic Unit
IN States the well-known prophecy: al
lev trid crit ie Orbe Wlinla'-'Austria shall
o the last power on earth !'-and sa
the sAmericd crit Ia Orbe altman
,rt- Catholic America! thou shalt rema
ian unshaken, the last empire on earth. I
on foundation of thy republic shall not gi
of way until that of the world itself sh
or melt away, when thou shalt celebrate t
on- last centennial with the forever victoriC
the anu triumphant ChurGh, on the eve
of time, in the morning light of apprOaC
ing eternity"