The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-04-02
A WElGIITY DELIVERANCE.
TIE DOCTRINE or THE ROMAN CATH
OLIU CHURCU DECLARED.

10 our venerable Bten NJ IA, Ciergy and our Betorcd
Cauir,n N ne Rc,i0ous and Lohy Of the PrVvtnee OF
nprinnnii. Re,Hth and B,nedict,on:
OF the venerable prclatcs That last assem-
blcd in Council to consult for tho interests Of
religion, there remains but the sanity and
venerable Archbishop rich in tho merits OF
cghty-two years OF life and forty-eight Of
episcopal labor. The others have gone to
their reward. while 10 us remains the burden
OF tho ministry. shared by Jealous clergy II
devoted religious and faithful laity.
A review of religion since the last Provincial
Council. twenty years ago. gives ample cause
for congrnulation. Churches and schools nave
been doubled: institutions of charity and learn
ing largely increased; religion has assumed a
more imposing and consolidated form. ana
much has been done toward placing tho
Church within the province more in accord
with the general law Of the Church thus less
oning the missionary character it has hereto
fore had. AS building and tho struggle to Gre
ate shall have passed away. and llxity and or
der shall have come law and forms will natu
rally follow. Meanwhile we must watch lest
while we build up the material We forget the
spiritual mindful of the admonition of our
Lord. What will ii profit man ii he gain the
whole world and lose his own soul ?"
HUMAN FREEDOM.
Not for three hundred years has society been
50 restless us it is at present Change in the
political world and disintegration among non
Catholics are marked characteristics. Conscr-
vatisn is giving place to revolution: new theo-
rios and false doctrines aro suppanting revc-
inton: authority is met by revolt right is
crushed by might religion Ia rapidly losing its
influence on society; the State steadily seeks
to subordinate the spiritual to the temporal /;
a systematic and combined effort both in Eu-
I'll
education. and to substitute. for God and relig-
ion science. and material progress. IT is
claimed that all men are fDce and equal" and
under that cry religion and law are assaulted.
Admitting in the fullest sense mans power to
choose between good and evil and in this
mans responsibility. we cannot but firmly and
uncompromisingly reject the popular doctrine
that man is free to accept or reject Gods reve-
lations. 1t is one thing to have the power to
REJECT truth. quite another to have the right !;
evil. quite another to have the right. Truth
docs not depend on mans acceptance for its
eEEist%pcS or its right TO 5e accepted and
csptancc. RSvelationi is G"i,s word to to- man,
and man has no right to reject it. By free will
God has gifted man with the power to reject
or accept His revelations. but at the
Gods t eSmGnd rGeG mnS
is, "Thou shalt not have strange gods before
revelation is a strange god or an interpreta-
ton Of Gods revelation different from what
and no man. nor body of men. nor Church. nor
State, has right to teach iaisrhood. or change
a yot or little of the law OF God. Yet in the face
OF principles as clear as the above, men claim.
undor the cry OF religious freedom. the right to
try God His law and revelation. and to accent
or reject, according as il agrees with their
reason. In other words such nen make their
reason the court before which God and His law
man. not man ny God
Under tho cry Of political freedom there is
also the widespread assumption that law is to
be- resisted wherever it attempts to. restrain
sS'1 viii SaSSn to as h%
passion religion. thus making the belly God.
God alone is free. bacause God alone is SUI
ton drove the angels from heaven and created
hell When God said to man thou shalt not eat
OF the fruit of the tree OF life. law was imposed
upon him. and WI III law litigation No man is
free to break the laws of God. nor tho Just laws
All men ar born subject to law-if subject then
not free. except so far as III" law makes them
is se God can nsher h la m %S &
nor will. but by the power of God. We cannot
a ' Hepess anG @ ns We 10 u
are, mon speak and reason as il they were free
and independent. "a il Church or State oppose
q barrier, the world cries down with both and
then sings p;eans To the progress of the age.
Man has not the right to reject revelation. nor is
he free to break Just law nor does the truth OF
revelation depend upon mans acceptance
thereof Revelation is Of God. and is therefore
above and beyond mans right to reject.
HUMAN EQUALITY
Nor are all men equal Neither in mind nor
body are men equal. In natural powers no two
nIen are equal; nor with the same CHANCES will
any two men accomplish the same results. In
the sense that God is no rcspecter Of persons,
and that Christ died for all-great and small
alike,it is true all men are equal 1t is also
true that technically before the law II Is as
sumed mat all men arc equal, yet in reality 1t
is Il we'll known fact that men ar" not equal be-
Law Nnslth tim
before the law that poverty mas not, and. polIt
caly the few control the many. This is in the
nature of things. and must be. as IL is ordained
by God that some shall rule and some shal be
ruled Those who are appointed 10 rule have
certain rights that subjects have not. Hencs
priests, are appointed to rule; if to rule, then
are they above those whom they rule Before
God their sins may make them less than
those they rule. but as, rulers they are above
those they rule. Besides this, talents and ac-
man succeeds where another fails. Withou,
this there would be no motive for individual
energy. 1t is hence untrue to say that men
equals Of those who have more, or that all
mems aRor Whether mental or nhhySSlca 4 + t.
cording to the labor and skill they gye-ii
more, they should receive more; II less: then ne.
arc not To- be rewarded equally with labor ana
talent The cry OF equality is the cry Of the
idle and the weak. but cannot, ana VIII not, be
admitted by the industrious and the strong.
LABOR UNIONS.
mans labor is his own. The strong arm Of
the poor and the skill Of the mechanic is as
much his stock in trade as the gold Of tho rich
man. and each has II right as he pleases TO sell
his labor at "a fair price. Men have also right
Ia band together and agree 10 sell their labor al
any fair price within the limits Of Christian
Justice, and 30 long as men act freely. and con
ccde to others the same freedom they claim foi
themselves. there is no sin in labor banding to-
ccLher for self-protectiun. But when men at
tempt 20 force others to work FOR given price
or by violence innict injury, bodily or temporal
they sin. II men are free to band together. and
agree not To work for less than given price
81 others are equally Tree to work for less OF
more. rs they please. All men have right e
sell thuir labor at such price rs hey deem fair
and no man nor union. has right to force an
other to Join Il union, or 10 work for the price
hNcd upOn by a union. Here is where labor
unions are liable to fail. and in which they can
not b. sustained II one class OF men is free tC
band together and agree not Ia sell their labor
under gwen price, so are others equally free
to sell their labor at such price us they may de
termine upon.
Catholics cannot be partners in any attempt
10 cOcrC" others against their Just rights, MOI
can they by overt or secret acts or violence dc
INJURY 10 tho person or property OF others
what one man claims for himself lie must con