The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-07

ISL party rs wei nlRn impOSSlDlH, may 40
we'll to compare tho words of st. George
Mivart In tho cssny entitled COntcmpo-
rary Evolution. Mivart points out that
the elevation Of the artisan class. once ef-
fectcd would put an end to their hostility TO
the Church, since that hostility has mainly
arisen from n belief that the action OF the
Church was preiudcial to their elevation. lie
reminds us FIRST that although tho abolition Of
existing religious orders might he temporarily
enforced. 1t woudlm almost impossible to inter-
fero with the practice Of the evangeli-
cal counsels-vountary poverty. chastity. and
obedience. Each successive critical epoch hns
been fruitful Of fresh modes Of their manifesto
ton. some now embodiment OF the ascctc spirit
appearing on the crest OF tho advancing wave
OF Christian aggression on tho world. Hard
work and charity under one form or another
were universally obligatory upon the old re-
ligous orders and TO this day tho Trapplst
works like n day laborcr. It may we'll be. then.
that manual toll in other forms. and n fresh
mobilization Of frntcrnal charity will cause re-
lieious congregations TO bc ms heartily well
coined and beloved by Socialist community
MS ever they were I'm the ninth. thirteenth or
sixteenth centuries. Indeed. n body OF workmcn
who should be only distinguished from their fell
lows by larger spirit OF fraternity and disposi-
ton to take greater share OF labor from others.
while at the same time they appropriated n less
portion of It's fruit. would speedily be popular.
and love for God might soon he appreciated
when II was seen TO be accompanied by self
sacrificing love for man
Elsewhere Mivart declares that when the
Church. mounting the throne with Constantine.
obtained what in the eyes OF tho world was
startling triumph. she took n step attended with
many disadvantages and dangers. Tho sup
NH ob Ia, L..
lend to the secular power has been ill-uuited.
and this perfldy the Catholic scientist estccms
fortunate. for It permits the Church to escape
the popular enmity which tho State is sure.
sooner or later, TO incur. while its perfect organ
ization. he thinks. will enable 1t 10 survive and
flourish the better for the downfall and replace
ment Of the old structure by systom Of natural
freedom for each individual citizen. SO much
for the view taken by st. George Mivart. We
might corroborate his statements by the words
attributed on good authority 10 Monsignor
Meglia. The latter is said to have declared that
except in America. Belgium. and England. the
Revolution was the only means by which the
Roman Catholic Church could hops TO recover
her lost liberties. Now ii If certain that the
change OF policy ioreshadowed In this speech
would strike at the root OF tho hatred felt by
democrats toward tho Church. Tho accumulated
fresh additions would he made to It, and tho
recollectons of past wrongs grow faint in tina
light 81 present services. We must remember
that the Church OF Rome would have singular
advantages in dealing with the communetic
temper which proposes to subordinate individ-
ual to the general good. BY such revolution
her soldiers would have nothing to lose. II
they die they leave no children 10 suffer from
the loss Of n father. Wherever their services
are needed subsistence is secured to them.
and the enthusiasm which springs up IN the
| field soon learns to desire nothing more. These
are strong titles to democratic support. and
though the symrnthies OF tho democracy are at
present with the state. which they hope hereafter
to mould Mt their pleasure. the situation may
undergo n radical change. II the highly central
lied state should become the innexiblc. and the
Church tho most flexible. element in modern
society.
Neither st. George Mivart. nor we imagine
Victor Hugo. looks forward TO any incongruous
| alliance between tho Papacy and the Paris Reds
| To the extreme revolutionary party in France
politics are n religion whose cardinal articles
are probably held with ms much intensity OF feel
ina; rs can be commanded 10y tho Roman Catholic
! Church itself. Perhaps. II the Church should
! take the line indicated in Hugu's poem. it ought
rather he regarded m n rival power bidding
against tho Reds for the friendship Of the poorer
classes Of society II would be quite ms little
hampercd 10y any stereotyped reverence for eco.
nomical laws. For different reasons capital is
scarcely less hateful u tho genuine occlcsiastic
than to the Socialist. and We are not sure
whether the doctrine that property is n trusi
held FOX the benefit OF the needy might moi
| prove quite ~ attractive 10 the beneficiary. rs
tho rival theory that property is only Legitimate
when 1t has been distributed among the poor
! At all events this is the attitude which Le Pap,
| supposes the Catholic Church to have assumed
/ not 50 much striving to win over It's vehement
antagonists, as Offering to the great mass Of the
| people. who are MS yet neither Reds nor Catho.
lies in any definite sense "A creed ~ full Of sym.
patty for their suiferngs yet untrammelled
with promises which it might prove difficult tc
perform. VI. ". II.