St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-26
POPE LEO,S LETTER.
An Exact Reversal in Importan
Matters of the Policy of Plus TX.

BALTIMORE, Nov. 25.-The first full
and authentic translation into Engling of
Pope Leo's encyclical letter to the Christian
constitution of states appears very different
in this full form from the cable condensa-
lions already published. Instead of con-
demning in any way modern civilization or
states as they exist at present, the pope
highly approves of all real progress and
true freedom. 1t is, in short, an exact re-
versal Of the policy pursued by the late
Plus *, whose encyclicals invariably con-
demned modern civilization as atheisstic
and pagan. In order TO show this few
extracts will suffice. After condemning an
archsm and lawlessness, he continues:
If man will only judge dispassionately no
form of government is per Sc condemned so
long as it has nothing repugnant to Catholic
doctrine and is able, if wisely and justly man
aged, to preserve the state in the best cOndi-
ton. There is no cause that any one
should condemn the church as being
too restricted in gentlenesS Or inimcal to their
liberty, which is natural and legitimate. In
truth the church judges it not lawful that the
various kinds of divine worship should have
the same rights as the true religion, still it
does not, therefore, condemn those governors
of states who for the sake of acquiring some
great good, or preventing some great ill, pa
that each kind Of religion has its place in the
state. Indeed, the church is wont diligently
to take heed that no one be compelled against
his will to embrace the Catholic faith. For a
similar reason the church cannot approve of
that liberty which generates contempt of the
most sacred laws of God and puts away the
obedience due to legitimate power, for this is
license rather than liberty.
In very truth, whatever things in the state
chiefly avail for the common safety, what
ever have been usefully instituted against
the license Of princes, consulting all the in
terests of the people, whatever forbids the
governing authority to invade municipal or
domestic affairs, whatever avails to preserve
the dignity and the character of man, in pre-
serving the equality of rights in individual
citizens, of all these things the monuments of
former ages witness the Catholic church to
have always been either the author, the pro-
moter or the guardian. Since every finding
of truth must impel man to the knowledge
ever may happen to extend the range of
knowledge, the church will always willingly
and joyfully accept and she will
as is her wont in the case of other depart
ments of knowledge, studiously encourage
and promote those also which are concerned
with the investigation of nature, in which
studies, if the mind finds anything need, the
church is not in opposition.
After quoting the action of Catholics in
former times even under the Roman EN-
pre- the pope continues to exhort the faith
full to renewed efforts in the political world.
But if inquiry is made about principles,
merely political, concerning the best form OF
government, of civil regulations of one kind
or other, concerning these things of course
there is room for disagreement without harm.