Smyrna times., 1882-07-05
Losing their Hold on Them.


10 our knowledge which show that the
Roman Catholic Church is not making
the rapid strides that it is supposed to
be making. The facts have come from
a variety of sources, and rest mainly
on Catholic testimony. There is a
certain increase from immigration. but
TINS Is not sufficient to maintain the
relative strength of the Church. The
Catholic immigrants have fallen off in
numbers, while those from Protestant
Germany and Scandinavia have multi
piled. While there has been this
diminution in the reinforcements from
abroad, there has been a serions decline
at home.
The social and political atmosphere
OF America is not favorable to the
growth of an institution like the Rom
ish Church. 1t was long ago demon
strated that such an institution could
never obtain a hold on native-born
American PrOtestants. 1t became there
fore simply a question whether the
Church could hold the descendants of
those who came to this country already
loyal Catholics. A generation ago it
became manifest that they could not
be held within the Church as things
were then going. The public school
and the newspaper were giving the
children Of Catholics an education that
speedily untitled them to be led by a
priest who demanded, as a first condi-
ton OF religious life, unquestioning
obedience to him. The children were
being taught to think, and think thev
would; and when they had done think
.ng thty showed Il disposition to indie
pendent action which alarmed the heir
archy. The attempt was made to
Romanize the schools and the press.
and failing that, ROmanist schools and
Romanist press were established. TO
which all the faithful were commanded
to give their support on pain of ex-
communication.
The Romanist press has nevar
amounted to much, but the parocbial
school has become an institution of
considerable Importance. It's speciaI
value as means of early blasting the
minds OF the young in favor of Roman
Ism was not exaggerated by the priests
and for time the decline ofthe Church
seemed to be arrested. But this effect
could not endure. The parocbial
school has been made too much q
rehglous propaganda, and too little |
a real school. Catholic parents dis
covered that their children were learn
ing little except catechisms and legends
about the saints, and have risked ex-
communicated in order to secure n
practical education for their children.
Not all the threats of the hierarchy are
Suilclent to induce many parents to
sacrifice their children's interests in
this life to Il pretended necessity of Sc
curing their interests in the life to
come. Many of the rich and influential
catholics persist in sending their sons
to Protestant Colleges, and the priests
decline to interfere with
such a choice beyond the point of re-
monstrance. The result is that the
children of Catholics are constantly
nbiblng principles incongruous with
The religion of their fathers, and so be.
coming insensibly estranged from it.
They may be held in the Church. bv a
oose bond, but their children will be
rec to choose their religious helief as
Dleases themselves.
There is still another influence tend
ng to disintegration among the
and that is the increasing
number of intermarriages between
catholics and Protestants. 1t is be-
coming more and more common for
he son ola Catholic to take a Protes-
ant wife, and Uice Uersa. The Church
'ndeavors to make it a condition of
to such a marriage, that the
'hlldren born of it shall be educated in
he Catholic faith, but it very often
happens that this agreement is re-
undated. 1t has been decided in the
joprts that Protestant father is not
egally hampered by promise of this
ort eStorted from him by threats be-
ore marriage, and that he may edu-
ate his children in his own faith, if he (
will,
In many ways, therefore, the hold of (
he Remish Church on the children of /;
Is most devoted members is losing its I
trength, or failing entirely. This {
of things will continue; the !
auses of it are too permanent and j
owerful to be successfully withstood. I
Is not a cause for special rejoicing,
OWever The loss of Romanism does I
ot necessarily mean the gain of Prot
stantlsm, and as a matter of fact,
'rotestantism does not gain by the
endencies to which we have referred.
he child of Catholics ceases to be a 4
atholic, as rule, only to become an ]
nbeliever in religion. With his
lpersition perishes also his faith he c
epudiates Romanism and Christianity !
lgether. Whether an unbeliever in G
acred things, restrained by no religious /
rinciple, acknowledging no obligation ]
t obedience to higher law than his a
wn will, is better citizen of the re- g
ublic than bigoted but honest be- f
ever, is hardly a matter of question.
is not an altogether easy matter to
ecide whether the growth or the de. "
~ of Romanism is the more to be h
readed.--N. Y. ErGminer. p
Owing to the falling off in the ship h
ing of freight from Philapelphia to s.