The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-11-19
Sunday Liquor.SelIing.

The Archbishops and Bishops of the
Catholic Church of the United States, at
the close of the third Plenary Council
held at Baltimore in December, 1884,
issued pastoral letter to the clergy and
laity of their charges. The pastoral let
ter contained summary of the DEGREES
or rules passed by the Council, and when
published one paragraph attracted con-
siderable attention. 1t read:
There is one way of profaning the
Lords Day, which is so prolific of evil
results that we consider it our duty to
utter against it a special condemnation.
This is the practice of selling beer or
other liquors on Sunday or of frequent
ing places where they are sold. This
practice tends more than any other to
turn the day of the Lord into day of
dissipation, to use it as an occasion for
breeding intemperance. While we hope
that Sunday laws on this point will not
be relaxed, but even more rigidly en-.
forced, we implore all Catholics, for the
love Of God and of country, never to
take part in such traffic, nor to continue
or patronize it. And We not only direct
the attention of all pastors to the repres'
sion of this abuse, but we also call upon
them to induce all of their focks that
may be engaged in the sale of liquors TO
abandon as soon as they can the dan
gerous traffic, and to embrace more be.
coming way of making living.
This straightforward admonition from
tba R;chona ehowod iha aftifI1da of the
Roman Catholic Church toward the
liquor traffic. Up to this time there had
been mistaken impression among many
who were not members of the mother
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, however, it be-
came evident that the Roman Catholic
Church in America was opposed to to in
temperance and the grog- shops, There
were some who shrugged their shoulders
when they read this paragraph, and de.
clared that they did not believe it would
have any perceptible effect upon the
liquor. selling members of the Church.
Tie matter has not been so thoroughly
brought out before the several cougrega-
tions by the priests as it will be, should
the DEGREES which were forwarded to
Rome be returned with the endorsement
of the Pope.
AS is always customary, the DEGREES
adopted by the last Plenary Council were
forwarded to Rome, the Rev. DR.. O'Con.
nell, rector of the American College and
Procurator for the Archbishop Of Balti-
more, acting as messenger and ambassa'
dor. On his arrival at the Eternal City
the DEGREES were delivered into the hands
of Cardinal Simeoni, prefect of the Pro-
paganda, by whom the DEGREES were
handed over to the Congregation of the
Propaganda, a body of Cardinals and
theologians, who examined them careful
". The Congregation of the Propagan-
da submitted report upon the DEGREES
to the Holy See. The Rev. DR.. O'Con.
nell, who has been absent nearly G year,
is now on his way back to the United
States with those DEGREES, which have
been duly examined and passed upon by
the Holy See.
There is now much speculation in
ecclesiastical circles as to the mauLer in
which the DEGREES relating to the liquor
traffic were received by the Pope. Ifthe
latter has given them his approval and
endorsement it is expected that there
will soon be inaugurated in this country
crusade against the liquor business of
an exceedingly effective character. The
organization Of the Catholic Church is
such that it can, with the assistance of
the Pope, do more to cripple the business
of the grog-shop than any other religious
body. DR.. O'Connell is expected to
arrive at Baltimore within few days.
The DEGREES will then be published, and
the priests and Bishops will be able to
ascertain how far they are to have the
| assistance of the Holy See in carrying
into effect the DEGREES against intemper.
ance-Ne,y York Sun.