The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-03-11
Notes.
PULPIT AND PLATFORM
CONGRESS SQUARE CHURCH.


A very large congregation, filling the spaci-
Gus interior of Congress square church, was
present yesterday morning to listen to SER
mon by the pastor, Rev. Henry Blanchard,
on 1.-The Attitude of the Catholic Church to-
wards other Churches and our Public
Schools" Taking as his text-"We use
great plainness of speech" from III Corinth.,
iii chap. 18th verse. and Speaking the truth
in love-" from Ephesians Nv. Is, Mr.. Blanch-
ard said: "There are three events which
have transpired recently which deserve the
earnest consideration of all thoughtful men,
The first is the letter of the excellent Roman
Catholic Bishop of Portland to the people of
his diocese concerning marriage and divorce.
The second is the attempt of Roman Cath
olics to persuade the legislature to grant
them additional privileges at the Reform
School. fhe third is a recent encyclical let
ter of the Pope condemning our public
schools, which was read in the churches of
New York on Sunday, Feb. 18th.
These events have not received the atten-
ton they deserve. The speaker felt it his
duty to consider them, especially as it was
well known that while he was strongly OPP
posed to the system of government by which
the Catholic church Is controlled, he was
warm friend of Catholics, and always glad
to recognize and declare the great services to
civilization which had been rendered by the
Roman church. We must consider, first of
all, what this church is. 1t is composed of
those disciples of Christ who declare that the
Pope at Rome is the head of the Christian
church and the representative Of God on
earth, and whose system Of government is a
monarchy.
There is the one ruler; there are the car
dinals, archbishops, bishops below him, and
these are not elected by the people, but ap-
pointed by the Pope. The laity have no
voice in the government of the church. Now
these facts are of great Importance Indi-
viduals in the church imay say there is SAL
walton outside of the church. Lords Balti-
more and Maryland are witnesses of indiyid-
uals defending freedom Of thought, but the
question is what does the church say on these
points? Mr.. Blanchard gave several illustra-
tions. The attitude of the Catholic church
towards other churches and our public
schools. therefore, is one Of assertion of SUI
premacy and condemnation.
What shall we say of this? First-this at
titude is Inevitable. She claims that Christ
founded His church on Peter; that the popes
are his successors; that she Is the custodian
of the scriptures of the New Testament; that
tradition is of equal authority with the New
Testament; that the church must interpret
these scriptures. Hence she claims author
ity over the individual; she must decide
what is right; she must educate. Grant her
premises, and she is right.
But we must say. in the second place. that
churches towards the Catholic
church is also inevitable. They
| cannot grant her claims-they will not allow
her supremacy-they will disregard her con-
domination OF themselves and schools For
| they hold that Christ built his church upon
the confession of Peter-his spiritual allie
| glance that that allegiance is the 'rock" on
| which the church is founded; that his words
about binding and loosing', we're uttered to
teaches men to judge for themselves, that
tradition becomes perverted; that individ-
uals must not yield their consciences to any
body of men.
We must say. then, In the third place, that
we will have only unecclesiastical education.
We must select authors and teachers because
they are competent, not because they hold
certain dogmas or favor certain systems of
ecclesiasticism. We must have our schools
ACb6iOuo, Out uOt ocCbdlldu. OuI Tree eQu-
cation, then, will show what the New Tesla
ment really teaches-what tradition has
done in adding to original tenets. 1t will
make the people develop and use their rea-
SON. 1t will show the gradual growth of the
papacy. 1t will teach US what immeasurea-
BILE service the Catholic church rendered af-
ter the fall of Rome. But it will, also, show
how. an organization which rendered vast
service in the past may be an obstacle to
progress now. The Roman church helped
education he
would impede them now. We must appeal,
therefore, to Catholics in America to remem-
Der their duties as American citizens. The
speaker here recited some interest
triotism and liberality Of American
Catholics. But they are only individuals.
They must learn for themselves what the
CATHOLIC hierarchy demands. An Encyclical
says: The Romish church has a right to ex-
ereise its authority without any limits set to
1t by the civil power. The Pope and the
priests ought to have dominion over the tenn
goral affairs" There are American Catho-
lies who would conspire against the Pope as
aseyereIgn, while they revere him as their
spiritual head. There are Americans who
VIII not take their children out Of school at
the bidding of priest or bishop. But what is
the demand Of the church? What would be
done if she bad power?
:, The speaker would have American Catho-
lies study anew the doctrines of their church.
There might be Catholic church without
the Papacy. There may be reasonable. spir-
itual interpretations of old dogmas which
might make the church glorious and be:
loved.
He would have his Catholic fellow citizens
demand participation in the administration
of the church. The late council at Baltimore
looked in this direction. There are noted
prelates who believe in this.
Last of all, Mr.. Blanchard earnestly
pleaded that American Catholics should
study the history of their country. Its
equality, liberty Of thought, separation of
church and State. These produce passion
ate desire to defend them. These have made
the Republic power. These will give
greater power to enable 1t to uplift all the
nations of the earth. Whose shall try to
withstand these will be ground to powder.
He would have all Americans work for these.
So may there come a church-uniyersal in
deed, for Catholic means that-whose head
Is not man at Rome. but the Christ in
Heaven.