Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-10-04

f,r as 1t bearB upon whole society.
What is the object OF society 1t is to
conserve life and property it's object
and purpose appartain exclusively to this
world Whereas, on the other hand, the
Catholic church says: | have mission
to the individual, to instruct him in
truth and to lift him higher till he is
brought into the presence of his God it
belongs to me therefore, to form saints and
fashion them for the other world;my sphere
of government ID of a higher kind, mas
much as | am preparing souls for the
higher end for which God has made
them. But, says the Church, there are
relations existing between that upper
and that lower world, between this
organization which Ia spiritual and this
which is natural there are points where
they touch, where it is for the interest
of the state to be linked with the interests
of higher order In the Church itself.
Hence 1t comes that we talk of the
state and the church of the liberty of
the church and of the liberty of the
state. There are questions like those of
marriage and education, wherein the
state may say, and with good reason
''It is my duty to see that all those who
are under my sway shall be properly
married and properly instructed to fulfil
the duties they have to accomplish to
man." The church Of God may say that
marriage is sacred bond and that these
same children that are To be made mem,
bers of the state are likewise to be made
members of heaven.
Now comes in the old pagan view at
once. The state says: 81 am complete
r IL 7 -. l.. ..
question of marriage in hand and declare
it civil contract; and l will become a
parent to these children and give to them
the measure and determine the kind of
instruction. In this the state, like the
old Romans, is striving to take away in
dividuality and to sink that individuality
in her own self.
Strangely enough this Is the effort
which is being made at this very moment
throughout the whole world-to swamp
everything in the state and make the
state superior to the Individual.
The Church comes forward and says;
My instructions are to take these your
subjects and, while they are fulfilling
their duty towards you, to raise them to
higher position and to make them feel
their responsibility and duty towards
God, and, while they are laboring for
you, they shall raise the labor they are
performing to the higher standard Of its
being the service OF God. Their, fore,
says the Church, "your power shall not
destroy the individual hts of fail 9r and
mother; shall not question the conscience
| and interfere in those questions which
are beyond your province" She, there
| fore, insists that protection shall be
given the child, the parent, the con
! science that it is the duty of the parent
to teach his child not only the ordinary
| branches of instruction, but to cultivate
still more strongly its will. 1t says to
the state, "you have the perfect right to
| step in and insist, If parent neglect his
| duty towards his child, he shalt be
| obliged to perform it but between taking
the child out of the parents hands and
| compelling the parent to fulfil his duty
| you will see there is great abyss"
| The Catholic church says: 81 must pro-
teot the individual; )" the state shall, on
her side, enable that individual to receive,
according to the order which God has eB-
| tablished, instruction and education. In
this, is the Church destroying or taking
away the liberty of the state or the liberty
Of the individual
| II the Church then is interfered with in
the teaching of her children is she to be
obeyed by her subjects This is delicate
ground but there ia an authority higher
than that of any man that tells US we
must obey God rather than Cesar which
instruots us at the same time we are rem
dering to Cesar what is CeBar's, to render
to God what is Gods.
l Ua ha0o,, NTH tho do fa1 rr;,,
oiple that all authority emsnates from
God; that he has given authority to man
for definite purpose and that authority
is restricted to that purpose. Just as a
parent has authority within certain
limits over his children, but must not
transcend that authority and attempt to
exercise the power of life and death over
them, to cruelty msltreat them or TO COM
pei them to do what is illegal or morally
wrong; 80 the state has absolute authority
over me within certain limits. 1t may
command me to put on armor, leave my
home and go forth to battle in its de-
fense; 1t may impose taxes upon me
which are difficult for me to raise; it may
urge upon me the necessity Of looking to
my home and seeing that it is cast in
such form; and these commands |
must obey, for therein the state but
exercises the authority 1t has received.
But allow that the state goes further
and says shall not serve the living aid
true God but shall worship idols, or, not
to go to such gross lengths, that ahall
comply with certain duties which know
are in contradiction of my duty to God.
Painful as is my position, in such case
am bound to abstain from obedience.
But here note the liberality of the
teachings of the Church. Unless the
thing commanded by the state be clearly
wrong in itself, we are bound to render
obedience. Doubt is given in favor Of
those who hold authority and We, the
subjects OF it, must yield until we are
peradventure afterwards better in
structed. q
When 1t come to the delicate question
Of taking our young people to impart to
} them secular instruction and setting
apart for them certain hours of tho day
in which the name OF God is not to be
} mentioned and no religious teaching per
J mitted, we say we must take every pre-
J caution to protect our children nndei
such circumstances conscience obliges
, us to obey God rather than man WI
, must obey in this the dictates of con.
: science. Take away from any one OF nj
, future hope and what would he be
} Rob the poor toiler, who labors for $l.5
per day, week in and week out, to ek'
out bare subsistence, of his sr at hope
: and are you surprised that he shoult
, become a socialist and pervert the word
t "liberty, equality, fraternity 7"
t The Church, knowing full we'll wha
I the heart of man is prone to, says to th
state: "Do all that you can to turthe
, the good of individuals, to raise thsi
! minds to higher things /; let this be- don
by the sacred law OF education, and yoi
are laying solid the foundations Of
t social order that never can be destroyed.
) Her wisdom, therefore, bears ont in tn
a strongest possible way the truth tina
/, servitude to true teachings and servitud
: to virtue must constitute the highea
= order Of liberty and the greatest sourc
Q of good for the nation as we'll as the in
o dividual.
9 In all this 1t is clear that the Catholi
/ church ia but proolaiming thoss essentia
q and primary truths that you must respet
: all authority that is placed here on earth
9 but, while respecting that authority, yo
It must not forget that you are wayfare
on your way to your future home, an
l. that you must be fitting yourself for tbs
b home. The Church is proolaiming at th
l. same time to each individual: Fit you
q self for that everlasting home by inoreai
It ing from day to day in the know
Is edge OF God and of Gods Law
10 in the habit of those virtue
n truth, honesty, temperance. purity, thof