The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-06-11
'aaoralng Srar and Catholic msssengel:
NEW oRLEAHB SUNDAY, JUNE IL, le"o'
TIE OTIER SIDE OF THE PICTURE
Catholic Journal. /

TGE 0THER SIDE OF THE PICTURE.
JPittsburg Catholic journal ! -
" The progress of Cathoiicity 10 enls
country.is a theme upon whicn speaAe' t
md writer's never grow weary Of descans
Inc IF a convert of distinction, the Rev.
or the Hon Mr.. So and So, has been re-
., ca;ved into the Church, his name 10 fire..
Snently paraded through the columns OF
Catholic newspapers IN manner .nn. n.,;,;tn mtn'
-snnleas he is man of extraordinary virtue !;
and that is calculated to lead many
readers to imagine that his presence sup
niied a deficiency in the Church, and that
she could not have done we'll without MN:
We are not 80 addicted to this species OF
vanity, it must be admitted, as our Engish
neighbors; but it may be questioned II we
. do not do more harm than good-or rasneE
much harm and NO good-by IL: Inc
Church finds, indeed, pleasure In witness
log the fruit of her zeal in the conversion
of souls; not, however, because she ls ~
- need of them, but because they stahd 10
need of her /; and she is happy to see that
they are at length con WINGED of thls truth,
But while much is said Of those who are
seonserted to Catholicity, but little is SAID
osthose who fall away from H. ;sai,ionns ta1Goiios
are accustomed to boast that no Intelligent
person-pf good moral character leaves the
Church from conscientious convictions TO
attach himself to one of the sects, ana we
thinkfhe statement is correct. But with
God there is no respect of persons. Inc
soul of the beggar was created 1or tne same
heaven and redeemed at the same price as
that of the prince and the same hell, too,
is prepared for lost sOnls, irrespective OF
their social position during their mortal
> life. Did the press make as much note OF
those who fall away from Cathoilcity as IL
does of many of those who are converted,
it would excite a feeling akin to alarm
But the detection of apostates ls gradual,
and takes place in a measure unpercelveo,
except in the immediate locality, and fre-
-quentfy not even there.
Some months ago the Irish Wortd-a
paper we seldom read aud schooner admire
-publiShed q number of communications
on tie loss which the Church is sustaining
in This country and the causes OF 1t, that
met with severe criticism from many per-
,sens, not few of whom had far less op.
portuhity Of ascertainiug the actual state of
inquiry should not, however, be concern
ing the agTeeablenees of the statements,
but concerning the truth Of them. We do
not wish to attract attention or excite un-
necessary alarm, but from personal obser-
vRtiop, from conversation with the clergy
of our larger cities, from the writings OF
snch authorities as Archbishop Hughes and
: Bishop England, and from the nature OF
the circumstances in which Cathollcs in
this country are placed, we are convinced,
to our own satisfaction at least, that the
Toss sustained by the Church in the United
States is immense. Reliable statistics
could not be obtained, but if we look at the
comparatively small number OF priests and
of Church accommodation in the larger
cities; at the country districts where
priests are rarely seen at the migratory
nature of many of our people which keeps
some of them too poor, as they say, TO go 10
Church, and prevents strong religious IN
Auence from being brought to bear upon
them at the large mum Der who retain the
name of Catholic when they have no claim
upon the Church at the countless family
names that were known in the old country
to be purely Catholic, but which are not so
here; at the mixed marriages and their
consequences at the system of secular cd
sucation at the baneful influence of secret
orgsnix stons at the spoils made by pro.
selytising societies, and at other local and
general causes, we feel confident that
stRong-far too strong-case can easily Dc
made out against ne. And although the
assertion may startle some of our readers
d. that duripg the present century t,1enty Jtpe
ure lost to the Church for every single con j.,
vert that is added to her ranks in the United
States.
No possible good can come of closing our
eyeB to this iamentable truth but much
harm, since it can but add to our supine-
ness by f1attering us with our apparent 30
curity. Man must be conscious of danger
before he can be induced to guard against
it; and the conviction that we are In
danger will make all classes more vigilant
and energetic in guarding themselves and
,Aheir families.
We learn through communication from Mr
Luther I. Abbott, Assistant Secretary OF ,he
49, Me-; al anti vs.