The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-01
TIE cHURCH AND FREE STATES.
Protestant AntaGonistn ana Anti.Popery-
A Catholic EecIesIastio Discusses the

| IAhlb' Luh1 l's-l Ihho' bSth
in the letters OF some OF your correspondents
and In statements in the columns OF THE Sun
taken from other sources. that people try to
awaken once more the old dlstrust OF Cathol-
icism preached formerly by the Know Nothing
and Native American parties. The reason or
pretext for this is taken from REGENTS acts and
utterances OF Leo Kill. notably from the In
direct part taken by him in the recent Inter
national Conference at Berlin. and from mis-
understood passages in his encyclical letter
on the civil duties Of Catholics
But the sentiment out OF which has grown
this fear OF the Catholic Church and especially
ofPapal interference In the domestic affairs OF
| the United States. Is not OF recent date. 1t 10
| the old aversion felt By our people for church.
| mons meddlinR In politics. 1t is. In so far "a
the Catholic Church is concerned. the tradi-
| tional hatred Of Popery. the popular belief
| among the Protestant masses, both In Great
Britain and throughout the English speakinR
| world. that the Pope is ever aiming at exercis-
ing his sovereignty and dictation over all ma
tions and their rulers. This Is the old Unborn
sentiment which has periodically found vent
| In the no Popery cry. and no Popery riots and
persecution.
l fancy It would be In vain for any American
Catholic official or scholar, from the Cardinal
Archbishop OF Baltimore to the most enliRht-
ened and liberal professor OF theology In the
Catholic University OF Washington. to deny
that there Is in the teaching OF tho Catholic
Church or In the public acts OF her modern
Pontifrs anything which could afford reason
able ground for this anti Catholic or anti-Papal
dread and prejudice.
And yet. after pretty long life OF careful
study OF the doctrines OF the Catholic Church.
and a fair acquaintance with the principles
and policy which have governed the conduct OF
her Pontins in their dealings with princes and
people. 1t is my conviction. as a Catholic and
devoted American citizen. that American In
stitutions and American liberty have nothing
to fear from the normal growth OF Catholicism
In our free country. On the contrary. believe
as firmly as l do my own existence that there
is not In any other form OF religious belief 80
mighty safeguard for social order, social
authority, and social liberty itself, as exists in
the teaching, the principles, and the public or
private morality inculcated by the ancient
Church which founded Christendom and fos-
tered the growth OF our Christian civilization
In looking around me at present on this Eu-
ropean Continent. shaken evermore by the
throes OF q social CONFUSION which threatens
to overthrow the last remnants OF the old
Christian society, ! cannot help seeing. as l |
look to every one OF those States, covered with
gigantic armies, disturbed by the formidable |
labor question. dominated by the ever-grow-
ing money power. and undermined by the |
Anti Christian conspiracy that what has led |
to all this socialand moral ruin. what has filed
the peoples OF Europe with continual alarm and
dread ofthat spectre OF the unknown or unfore-
seen. Is the general departure from the ancient |
paths. from the social principles. tho law Of |
life for the nations taught by the Catholic |
Church and practsed by every people which
has been n truly Christian people.
No Pontiff in the past has more clearly moro
moro authoritatively explained than
Leo NH. the origin and the nature. tho re-
spective aims and sphere oflactionfof the two
coordinate societies which We call Church and
State. A great deal of prejudice OF bitter ami
mostly even. has been created against the
Ponud by a misconception. whether
wlful or not. OF his teaching. and a consequent
OF his doctrine and his pub
lie acts. These MISREPRESENTATION by the
press. the pulpit. and tho lecture platform
have done mischief all the more irreparable
that the truths Of Revelation. so magnifcently
developed by the Pope In his encyclical let
ters. and In that On the Christian Constitu-
lion OF States " in particular. were more needed
in our age. and more deserving OF the atten-
tive study Of all statesmen and scholars OF all
churchmen OF every denominaton.
One bugbear always stands In the way Of
when there is question Of what the
Catholic Church teaches with regard to the
lolulNo suIellolIlS Vi IuuTCu ONcT Iuo StbtU.
Or OF the State over the Church.
Here there Is. in what Is popularity taught and
said among non;Catnolcs. what have called
this same superiority. Leo MIL makes mis-
conception impossible to any person who will
read his teaching with candid and unpreJu-
diced mind.
God" it is said in tho ,Encyclical Immortale
Del. God has divided the government of the
human race between two .powers-the ecce-
siastical power and the civil power: the former
placed over divine THINGS. the latter over hu-
is lon in ia |
sphere; each is restricted within limits per
iecty determined. and defined in conformity
30 that within this sphere each exercises its
action ire IRE Propr,C by BY its own right y"
that there should be between these two DOW
ers system OF relations we'll ordered. OF
Iormed BY eSanining atteniSey the nature Sh,y Of
each Of the powers; and by keeping in view the
excellence and nobleness Of their respective
interests. while the other aims to secure tho
whatever among human interests Is sacred in
any way. whatever relates to the salvation Of
because of its own nature or because OF its
destination. belongs 10 the sphere and falls
under the authority OF the Church.
AS to other matters and interests pertaining |
they. should be, subordnated to tho civil au-
IN TO God the things that are Gods" . ~nu
~ 10 COHluOu tuluH III CoTJan circles to |
the Pope as claiming that the |
,ivil power Is subordinate to that OF inc |
Church, and that the sovereignty given BY
christ TO His Church and exercised By her
Pontiffs extends by divine right to the ieciti.
nate nate sphere Of the state or civil power, be-
ants who have given this matter any Thought
would say that such has been or is still their
opinion.
The doctrine Of this epcycIical binding. as it
Explicitly declares the contrary. Protestants.
therefore. must take the teaching OF Leo XIII. I
IN this point ns the only Catholic doctrine
Moreover. the Pope declare that God is the
author OF human and civil society as He is OF ,
he ecclesiastical society. He traces the exist
'nce and origin OF human society on the very
nature OF man. with its needs and instincta
ie derives tho authority which holds to9ether
III human society worthy OF the name from
human kind, o
Declining tho meaning of the text of St. Paul, :
All power is from God" (Rompns. xiii. H. the i
'ope declares TINT the public power in SO
ely can only come from God. For God Alone 1
II things, therefore. whatsoever they NAV be- I
must moods be subject to Him and obey film
ience any person who has the right 10 con-. =
nand can only hold this right from God, the /