Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-02-13
An open Letter to Rev Mr. El.don.

with no local habltatlOn, we
,ould afford to pass over your utterances
md to treat them with the contempt
hey deserve. But you are a regularly
able congregation of this city, and, as
such, are amenable for your public |
If you in your capacity as |
q minister of the gospel wantonly assail |
q large and respectable class of your
fellow citizens, you cannot complain II
they demand from you proof of your
charges. If you, as a public teacher,
utter what is false, you must expect to
be as publicly corrected. In your posi-
ton as minister you are supposed to
labor for the common veal and not to sow
the seeds of discord; you should strive
with holy zeal to bring men to live.
amicably together, not to separate them
Your ministry is generally supposed,
and rightly so, to be one of love not of
hate, and l venture the assertion, that,
no matter how you may regard your
bitter, know-nothlng TRADES, they are
not such as will appeal very strongly to
seem that your sphere of labor in your
own parish were sufficiently large to
prevent your meddling with other peo-
pies business and unless am mistaken
in the character of your parishioners,
they will not and do not sanction your
unchristian method of dealing with your
neighbor.
AS minister you are, doubtless, fami-
liar with the precepts of the Decalogue.
You are aware, therefore, that one is ::
'Thou shalt not bear false witness
you directly and emphatically not mere
ly with one, but with many violations
of this commandment in your address
in Music hall last evening. 1t 10 pitiable
to see a man taking advantage of his
position to play on the hysterlcal natures
of few old ladies, and, in order to
accomplish disreputable purpose, utter
what is unqualifiedly false. In the pub
lished report of your address count no
less than seven falsehoods;; 1t is true,
you may not know that that they are
falsehoods, but your lack of knowledge
cannot shield you.
Passing over the occasion that brought
you to Music hall-an occasion for
which in your cooler moments you
should be ashamed to have counten-
anced-I place before you categorically
what consider to be falsehoods
First-You, stated that the Catholic
element is antagonistic to American in
situations. If you ever made a course
of dialectics you must know, that what
is gratuitously asserted may be graf
uitously denied. Your statement has
no foundation in fact and the history of
this country-not the fapcies of distorted
brains-pronouncef in no uncertain way
on its fa1sity.
Secondly-You are reported as having
said that Roman Catholics cannot sing
as others can MY Country tbs of thee. "
Why not? Has not God blessed them
with voices as well as others ? But you
do not mean this. My dear Sir, were
xpo1 road n tho hict0rv 0f
country, you would have been spared
the shame of 80 foolish an utterance.
You would know that Catholics were
here engaged in the noble works of
evangelization and exploration before
your ancestors in the faith were known.
You would know that the Catholic
name is stamped indelibly across this en-
| tire continent. You would know that
Catholic brains and blood contributed
both to the achievement and perpetua.
ton of eur liberties. The stubborn fact
sir, is that we can and do sing with joy
and pride, America" MY Country
| tits Of thee" and we do not YIELD one
iota to you or yours in the heartiness OF
our singing.
Thirdly-You made the remarkable
statement, that here in Waterbury the
Roman Catholic church is assailing and
denouncing our public schools as god
less. A more reprehensible falsehooC
never fell from your lips. You cannot
be SO ignorant as to believe your OWE
statement. But do you believe it
There's the rub. The statement suited
your purpose.
Fourthly-You stated that Catholic
priest who denounces the public schools
as goddess is a member of the board
The reverend gentlemen referred to il
eminently competent to deal with this
falsehood.
Fifthly-You said that the Catholics
are endeavoring to obtain control of oul
institutions in order to abolish the
public school system. Humbug, nothing
else. 1t is the statement of a worried
brain.
Sixthly-Your statement about Ital,
is on par with the others. For you
information allow me to tell you tina
there is more brain power in Rome alon'
than in the entire Baptist denomination
Sir, the greatest intellects of the worlt
are in Rome, and they are ruling tn,
world very much to your evident dis
ccmfiture. AS to Italy's work in tn
cause of education, she need ask nothin,
from her traducers, except the expires
sion of the truth.
Seventhly-In the face of facts a
clear as the light of day, you stated tina
the priests do not want the people to b.
educated. Well, the public man, VIII
will give utterance to such a statemen
at this late day in the nineteenth cen
tury. is certainly beyond the reach o
reason or conversion. The statement i
is not only a falsehood; it is an unwar
ranted insult to the catholic priests O
this country. 1t may not be within tn
bounds of modesty 70 sound one s owl
praises, but distinctly tell you, sir, tina
there is not priest in Waterbury, t.
say nothing of priests elsewhere, VIII
has not done as much for education a
you have. Nay, if the facts could b
got at, do not hesitate to say that tn
record of the humblest priest surpasse
yours hundred fold.
Now, sir, a word on the school ques
ton. 1t is burning question, but it
teachers like you who have made it so
We ask for justice; you deny it, AM
add insult to injury. But to the point
If the spirit manifested by you and tn
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