The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-06-28
government, as they bad failed, Of old.
to save the most polished nations from

who was actuated by supernatural
Christian motives fear of punishment
hereafter and hope cf eternal reward
could never fail in his duty from lack o1
motives since these we're always pre-
sent. Christianity formed in man q
conscience that gave him no rest till he
had performed his duty to his neighbor
TO the state and to God. 1t was impos.
sible to be good Christian without
being a good citizen. Now the time
was rapidly approaching when the
Catholic Church would stand ''the sole
surviving representative of Christianity
Id this land as she was already, nu-
mericallY, though not officially, the re-
preventative religion of America
What was she doing to meet the evils
and solve the problems that already
threatened the stability of our country2
Take. for instance, the divorce evil.
1t was undermining the family and,
therefore, the republic. Where could
we look for a moral institution with
authority and discipline strong enough
to apply q heroic remedy if not to that
Church that had crooked the ire OF a
Napoleon Bonaparte, in defense of the
marital rights Of an untitled American
girl, firmly refusing to annul the lawful
marriage between Miss Patterson and
the Emperor's brother jerome?
Again, our country was shaken to it's
centre by the relentless conflict between
labor and capital. Who was to be the
peacemaker? Was it not sufficient an
swer to point to the two most prominent
figures IN the settlement OF labor Difficult
ties in Europe and America; Cardinal
Manning, the head Of the Catholic
Church in England, and Cardinal Glib
bons, the head of the Catholic Church
in the United States?
Senator Ingalls had recently declared
the negro question the most formidable
and portentous problem eyer subs:
mitted to a free people for solution =
How was the Church solving it? By
Christianizing and civilizing these peo
pie as she had Christianized and civil
lied every barbarous people before
them. Was it not a fact of profound
significance that one of Americas Is rich
est heiresses had suddenly become filled
with the Apostolic spirit and betoken
herself to convent there to consecrate
her life and her millions to the saliva
problem which divine grace and money
hi n q v7of
been namedl
No, the threatening dangers OF plu
tocracY, RIGHTEOUSNESS and anarchy
could only be met by that church that
offered the unparalleled spectacle of
whole communities of men and women
pract1cing the heroic virtues Of poverty,
chastity and obedience.
Mr.. MarkOe saw in our purely secular
system of public education one of the
surest Omens of the future triumphs of
CathOlicity in America. She supplied
the defect so far as her own children
were concerned bv means of Darochlal
schools. While CathOlicity was flourish
ing in America as nowhere else, the
public schools were sweeping the various
denominations into oblivion. But what
had the Catholic Church, the prolific
mother of schools and universities, to
fear from the spread of knowledge?
True knowledge about herself was what
she most craved. She had but to be
known and understood, to be loved and
embraced. The highly developed intel.
lecG was impelled to ask: 'Who am II"
."Whence came I?'' "Whither am
going?' Religion alone can answer
these questions. The state schools are
forbidden by law to teach religion.
But forbidden fruit has always been the
sweetest and the rising generations will
seek this kind of knowledge where
alone it can be found, IN the bosom Of
the Catholic Church. In those days
CathOllcity will burst upon the Amer
ican mind like new revelation. And
if ever asked to make choice what
other church could be found so worthy
of the intelligence, the earnestness, and
No other could offer doctrines SO sub
lime, philosophy SO impregnable, moral
itY 80 divine, traditions so glorious,
charities SO God like, organization SO
matchless. discipline so superb, and
ceremonial so magnificent.
Already the past and the future Of
the Church and the republic are SO
closely interviewer that the United
States cannot celebrate the first CEN
tennial without at the same time COM
memOrating the first centennial of the
Catholic hierarchy, and giving birth to
the first Catholic Congress at Baltimore
America cannot celebrate the quadrl-
centennial OF its discovery by Columbus
without witnessing at the same time
and in the same CITY as the w orId' 8 Fair
the greatest International Catholic Con-
gress in the history Of the world.
Surely Gods plans are manifest
America is tho last ana the greatest Of
nations and He means to possess her
for Himself. Tn the eloquent words of
Mr.. John Bright: II see another and
8 brighter vision before my gaze. 1t
may be only q vision, but I cherish it.
i see one vast confede deratiOn stretching
from the frozen north to the glowing
south, and from the wild pillows OF the
Atlantic 70 the calmer waters Of the
Pacific main: and i see one people. one
language. one law and one faith and
all over that wide continent the home
OF freedom. and 9 refuge for the on
pressed OF every race and every cline, Z