West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-05-04
"PETER" AND POLITICS.
n. Y. Times April 26.

n. \. Times April 20.
Mgr. Bouland, who has just with
drawn from the Church of Rome
and Joined the ministry of the Pro
testant Episcopal Church, is by no
means another DR.. McGlynn. If
DR.. McGlynn, when he found that
obedience to his ecclesiastical super
Tors restricted his liberty of speech
and action as an American citizen
had frankly withdrawn from the
priesthood he would have deserved
nothing buS respect for his courage
and his self-sacrifice. What has
left him without support among reas-
enable people is the fact that he tried
to retain his office while refusing to
conform to its obligations. The Ro
man Church could not do otherwise
than subject him to discipline to
the extent of degradation if his con-
tumacy rendered it necessary, as it
undoubtedly did.
y =
But n wv comes Mgr Bouland and
resigns his priestly office upon the
ground that "the Roman hierarchy
constitutes in the United States q
danger ever on the increase" vi
tramontanism, he says, 'claims abso-
Lutte authority not only in matters
religious, but also in matters scien-
tific, ph'losophic, social, and politi-
cal" He adds that ''such preten-
sions history proves to be destruc-
tive of religion and public liberty"
1t is at least evident that if they are
acquiesced in by any considerable
body of American citizens they con-
stitute danger to the country, ana
that nobody who acquiesces in them
can be a good American citizen.
The question is one Of fact whether
the Roman Catholic Church in this
country does make such pretensions.
Mgr. Bouland, who is competent
and disinterested witness, declares
that it does. Nor is there wanting
other evidence in the same direction.
A priest in this city some time since
told his congregation that whoever
said he would take his religion from
Peter, but not his politics, was not
good Catholic.
He subsequently explained that
he meant that man who would i'm
pute to the Pope disposition to
dictate upon secular questions was
not a good Catholic. That is to say
it is the business of a good Catholic
to accept the assurance of Peter"
that he does not lay down the law
outside of his own proper province.
A good Catholic must not only ac'
cept the decision of "Peter" as final
and absolute upon questions offaith
and morals, but he must also accept
his decision as to what are matters
of faith and morals. This really
amounts, as Mgr. Bouland declares,
to a claim of absolute authority in
matters scientific, philosophic, So
cial, and political, as well as religi-
Gus. fit be admitted, then ''Peter"
may at any time direct the faithful
to disregard the laws of the land
and compel them to choose between
beinp bad citizens and bad Catho-
lies. Until he actually does this
there will not be any occasion for
such conflict as has been fought in
Italy between the pretensions of the
Church and the prerogatives of the
State. But if there be any consid
cradle number of American Catho-
lies, priests or laymen, who would
in such q case take their politics
from Peter" it is true, as Mgr. Bou-
land says, that "the Roman hier-
archy constitutes in the United
States a danger ever on the in
crease"