St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-05
MINNEAPOLIS.
THE CATHOLIC QUESTION.
1t Is Calmly and Dispassionately
Discussed by Rev, Mr.. Shutter.

THE CATHOLIC QUESTION.
1t Is Calmly and Dispassionately
Discussed by Rev. Mr.. Shutter.
Rev. Marion D. Shutter preached at
the Grand opera house from Romans
xii, Is. Said he: sit is hardly neces-
sary for me to say to this congregation
that am not Roman Catholic, how
ever frequently | am told that my APP
pearance is against me. admire the
sanity lives and the good deeds of
many who. are members of that COM
munion. But should never hand over
my reason to the authority of any
church that ever did exist or ever will
exist upon this planet. do not agree
with the Catholics, but do not malign
them. 1t would be great misfortune
if their church were blotted out of eX-
istence. The world could not afford to
lose its work. Many minds need It's
domination. In temperance work it
reaches class that could be touched by
no other agency. While do not abuse
the Catholics, deplOre the fact that
others do. The greatest danger we
have to fear is from those flaming fanat-
les who vindicate the Divine love
by human hatred. The TRADES of such
men as Justin d. Fulton are an insult
to the spirit of this century. The I'M
mediate cause of all this excitement in
Boston recently was the objection
raised by certain Catholics against a
statement in one of the text books, and
the comments of one of the teachers Oh
the subject of indulgences. 1t was
claimed that beth text book and COM
ment misrepresented Catholic doctrine.
u, Hnfl nls III do
the exclusion of that text book and the
removal Of that teacher. If we are
going to have nCn-sectarian schools, let
us have them. Let us have them as
free from the virus of Protestant Sec
tarianism as from that of Catholic.
Even if there had been no dispute as to
the matter of fact, no teacher has
right to give that sort of instruction in
the public schools. There are other
places in which to teach religion and
religious history.
One effec. of all this discussion has
been to put breath of new life into the
dry bones OF the old charge that the
Catholics are enemies of this country;
that they would bring back the days of
persecution; and in that event some of
our ministers think themselves of suf-
fcent importance to incur the distinc-
ton of martyrdom. There is nothing
in the past history of Catholicism in this
country to warrant the charge. Ac-
cOrding TO Bancroft the Catholics of
Maryland placed all Christian sectS
upon POLITICAL leyel; and, when Prot
estants came into power, Catholics
were themselves subjected to civil and
religious disabilities. They brought
the gospel to the Indian, while other
%s.x,sy TO- IN, L,
finding .their authority in Joshua's
of Catholics are appended to the Decla-
ration of Independence. They fought
for freedom in the war of the Revolu-
ton. In our own civil war Catholics
stood side by side with Protestants.
Could any order from the Vatican
even had it been given-have turned
the sword of Philip Sheridan against
the Union? 1t must be admitted that
in the matter of public schools the policy
Of ROmish leaders is against state schools
and in favor of parochial. But are
Protestants unit for state education?
Other churcheS-n0tably the Episcopal
have parochial schools. Other denom-
nations have their academies which
correspond to high schools. Many of
the wealthier people send their child
rem to private schools or employ private
teachers. 1t is common with the Prot
estant denominations to oppose higher
education by the state. Every sect that
has its own colleges is standing pro-
test against state universities. They
declare that the state has no right to
take charge of the higher, as the Cath
Ole declares it has no right to take care
of the lower education. Is there not as
i'm ho Of in
the other? The logic that lays the cor
nerstone of the common school, puts
the roof upon the university. To be
sure. so long as private and denomina-
tional schools make no demands upon
the public funds, we have no right to
object. But we must let the Catholic
have his way in this matter, if we are
going to have ours. On the other
hand, large aud increasing
number of Catholics are in
favor of the public schools. Let
US encourage them by removing all just
ground of objection. Let us encourage
them by putting away all harshness and
bitterness and evil speaking from among
us. Honesty, industry, trnthfulness,
honor. justice, lOve-all these founda-
ton virtues can be taught in the public
schools without reading either the King
James or the D0nay version OF the
Bible. They can be taught without go
ing into ecclesiastical history. DR.. Dur
yea testifies to the loyalty of the Cath
Ollie members of the school board in
Boston to the schools. A Catholic
writer in the North American for Jan
uary, 1888, says that the Catholic people
want the public school. In Boston it
self, where there are $4,000 children Of
Romish nativity, there are only $500 in
parochiaI schools; the rest are in the
public schools. Let us see to it that
Protestant sectarianiSm does not check
the progress of Catholics in this direc-
ton.