Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-11-06
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC
And the Altitude of the Catholic
Church Regarding II.
A Decree of the Plenary Council
which Is AnxfOusIy Awaited.

New YORK, November 5.-The arch
bishops and bishops of the Catholic
churches of the United States at the close
of the third Plenary Council held at Bal
timore in December, 1884, issued a pas
toral letter to the clergy and laity of their
charges. The pastoral letter, as usual,
contained a summary of the DEGREES on
rules passed by the council, and when
published one paragraph attracted consid-
cradle attention. 1t read as follows:
There is one way of profanng the Lords day
condemnation: This is the practice of selling
ns places Where they Sn are soS TSs eracee
tends more than any other to turn the day ef the
Lord into a day of dssipation, to use it as an oc
casion for breeding intemperance. While we
hope that Sunday laws on this point " i'll not be
laxed hut even more ri gid y enforced, we implore
all Catholics, for the love of God and country,
never take part in such traffic, nor to counten-
names or patronize it; and we not only direct the
attention of all pastors to the repre- of this
abu Q, but we also call upon them to induce all f
their hOcks that may be engaged in the sale of
liquors to abandon as soon as they can the dan
gerous traffic and to embrace a more becoming
way of making a living.
This straightforward admonition from
the Bishop placed the liquor traffic in a
new light in its relation to the Catholic
Church. Up to this time it had been the
general impression among those who were
not members of the church, that while she
did not in any way encourage the liquor
traffic, she was not directly opposed to it.
When the pastoral letter appeared, how
Catholic Church in the United
States had resolved to declare itself
opposed to intemperance and the grog-
shops. There were some who shrugged
their shoulders when they read the above
paragraph, and declared that they did not
believe it would have any perceptible ef-
| feet upon the Gquor-selliDg members of
| the church. The matter has not been so
thoroughly brought out before the several
congregations by the priests as it will be
| should the DEGREES which were forwarded
| to Rome be returned with the indorse-
ment of the Pope. As is al
| by the last Plenary Council were
nell rector of the American College and
procurator for the Archbishop of Balti-
more, acting as messenger and embassa-
| dor. On his arrival at the Eternal City
| the DEGREES were delivered into the hands
| of Cardinal Simeoni, prefe CT of the Propa-
| ganda, by whom the DEGREES were handed
over to the congregation of the Propa-
| ganda, body of cardinals, and the Ola
| gians, who examined them carefully. The
congregation OF the Propaganda submitted
| report upon the DEGREES to the
Holy See. The Rev. DIR. O'Connell, who
| has been absent nearly year, is now on
his year. is now on his way back to the
| United States with these DEGREES, which
have been duly examined and passed
upon by the Holy See. There is now
much speculation in ecclesiastical circles
as to the manner in which the DEGREES re-
lating to the liquor traffic were received
by the Pope. If the Pope has given il
his approval and Endorsement, it is ex-
pected there will soon be inaugurated in
this country a crusade against the liquor
business Of an ez ceedingly effective char.
acter. The organization Of the Catholic
| Church is such, a distinguished clergy.
nan said tonight, that it can, with the as.
sistance of the Pope, do more to cripple
the business of the grog-shop than any
| other religious body. DIR. OConnel
is expected to arrive at Baltimore within
a few days. The DEGREES will then be
published, and the priests and bishops
and laymen will then be able to know
the attitude of the church to the liquor
traffic. Archbishop Corrigsn last evening
said that it would not be polite for him te
say anything whatever concerning the de
crees. He did not know what action haC
been taken by the Holy See in regard tt
tine special decree sgainst the liquor traffic
and would not know until after the arriva
| of DR.. O'Connell.