The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-12-17
"aress to the Catholic. or III. u
Srafes

tne attention OF the council: Refer
ence 's made to the great increase q
catholic institutions the nast !,
years, especially in the west. III.
general council of the Vatican durine
the ponti6cate of Plus TX. ia aIlndoS
70 as one Of the most important event,
OF our age, and detailed account 81
its work is given.
The Catholics of Prussia are com.
mended for their good work in avail.
lDg themselves of every legal means
to check the advances of desp0tism
and to save their own freedom AND
that of their country.
The letter then discusses the laws
of the church and Of this country in
the following terms :: We think we
can claim to be acquainted with the
laws, institutions and spirit of the
Catholic church, and with the laws.
institutions and spirit of our country.
and we emphatically declare there is
no antagOnism between them. A
Catholic finds himself at home in
the United States, tor the influence
OF the church has constantly been
exercised In behalf of individual
rights and popular liberties, and q
right minded American nowhere
finds himself more at home than in
the Cath olic Church, for nowhere
else can he breathe that atmosphere
! of divine truth which alone can
make US free.
1--WE repudiate with equal earnest
ness the assertion that we need to lay
aside any of our devotedness to our
church to be true Americans. The
ipsihuation that we need to lay aside
any of our love for our country's
principles and institutions to be
faithful CathOlics-to argue that the
Catholic church is hostile to our great
republic because she teaches that
there is no power but from God
because, therefore, back Of the events
which led to the foundation of the re-
public, she sees the providence of
God leading to that Issue, and back
of our country's laws the authority
of God as their sanction, this is evil
dently 80 illogical and contradictory
an accusation that we are astOnished
to have 1t advance d by persons of Or
dinary intelligence.
We believe our c0untry's heroes
were the instruments Of God. To
the nations in establishing this home
of fl eedom, and to both the Almighty
and to His instruments in the work,
welook with grateful reverence. And
to maintain this Inheritance of free
dom which they have left US, should
it even (which God forbid) be i'm
perilled, our Catholic citizens will be
found to stand forward as one man,
ready to pledge anew their lives, the tr
fortunes and their sacred honor. No
less illogical would be the notion that
there is ought in. the free spirit OF
Re, ublfcan Institutions Incompatible
with q perfect docility to the Church
of Christ.
The attempt to grasp the property
of the propaganda Is severely con-
demned, and our government warm
lv thanked for its action that saved
the American college from contlsca-
tion.
A considerable portion of the letter
ia devoted to the discussion of educa-
ton for the clergy and their pastoral
rights. The subject OF Christian edu-
cation is also treated at great iength:
The letter say: The alpabie fact
cannot be ignored, that the influence
of the school often outwelghs that OF
home and the church. To shut re-
lipion out of schools and keep it for
home and the church, is logically to
train up a generation that will con-
sider religion good for home and the
church, but not for the practical busl-
ness of real life" -
Continuing, the letter says: 1--WE
must multiply our schools till every
Catholic child in the land shall have
within its reach the means of educa-
tion. There is still much to be done
are this Is obtained. They are still
Thousands of Catholic children in the
United States deprived of the benefit
ut a Catholic school. Pastors and
narenfs should not rest until this de-
fect he remedied. The parish is un-
complete until it has schools adequate
tn the needs of it's children"
Christian marriage and the indis-
selubility of the marriage tle are
treated upon. and in this connecti0n
the havoc and wrong wrought Dy tne
divorce laws of the country are oe-
dlored The importance OF good read
inc. especially of the Holy SCRIPTURES
and Cf supporting a thoroughly Cath-
olic pres, is impressively declared.
Reearding the observance OF the
Ior6;s day, the letter says: Far oe
T. from us to advocate such SUNDAY
Iows as would hinder necessary SUI
dev work. or would prohibit sucn
nnnnlar epioyments as are cons1stenC
9th the sacredness of the day. Inere
~ ono wav of profaniDg the Lords
a. which ia so prolific of evil results
ts9+ uy we feel it our duty to utter
.na; .na;rst II special condemnation
sSs. aSat .;s the practice of selling bser
ena. tt;e- =; I;nnors on Sunday or ire
OF a.;n, o.tS, nlaces where they are
qd We hope the Sunday law
SOLO ,,,s no;nt will not be relaxed. but
on Vie mprs rividIy enforced. Ana
oven ' ;mniore ali CATH olics, for the love
~ Gof and their country, never w
" .ake nsrt in such Sunday tranc' nvd
tanH .tronize or countenance II. AnT
we w n t only direct the at'etSiS w th;s aSnse.
nsstors to the repression o, ,a 'S Nance ali
Rnt we call upon them 10 aad an IN the
If their flocks that be engakeu es soon ~ AZ
sale of liquors to abandon ...tt3c 40 S and
thew can, the dangerous ;a@ s." wav to
ou. brace q more DecomIns 1etter
e,sbe a living" The pastora. aarse ,se' Of
;nvnkes q blessing on tne go Iahor-
tn"nerance ~ and on all VINO al arc '1y trne
no for its advancement !"
Cnrls,rIhMid CnE"rhidden societies" is the eatho. ann.
,,h;ect treated of, and wnile Hl s"c;al
suS s;aS re- instructed to sn1n ,I SAt to take
ncs e;e,;es' they are counsellGSu asso-
sssos: sS:y; y: .s':ss ss%sgsissf ssss is The
charcn Of ch5'ss: o5ases with an appeal for for
E; e. ss' e: ss'' :'
III. M. E.pss',''HSi, Edit Nile expe-
.t;sa saa'' /. psd ;a.isv s5in :s1k. f'ss
ranidity. Gen. "ds WoiHth the forces will