The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-03-09
Rev. Or. Blanchard Opposes Mr..
Cnadbourne's Ecclesiastical Bill.

To the Editor Of the Press:
AS one Of the clergymen Of Maine desire
to put myself on recOrd-in public and EN-
phatlc manner-agalnst the bill introduced
into the House Of Representatives by Mr.. b.
+. Chadbourne Of Biddeford, He Is a genial
gentleman. like him very much. But I
believe that his bill deserves swift and over
whelming defeat. Your correspondent lib
erty," in your issue Of March 9th, has Justly
shown what is the real purpose Of the bill.
1t Is Intended to allow our Roman Catholic
brethren to hold Roman Catholic services I'm
our Reform School. protest against such
purpose.
am warm friend Of Roman Catholics. 1
am relentless enemy Of tbe system of the
Roman church. AS the hearers OF my hlstor-
ical lectures are aware. IL gives me great
pleasure 10 acknowledge the great service
which the Roman church has rendered 10
mankind. They know also, that / deem IL
my Imperative duty, as teacher Of history,
to show men, and especiallyAmerican Roman
Catholics, what Is the claim OF the Roman
church to the sovereignty OF the world.
Very many American Catholics do not
know Of this. have had college educated
Roman Catholic acknowledge his Ignorance.
Moshelm, the celebrated historian, on page
l1U, mas Lutc6 WOIuos Auu 50 lOUE a IL
shall remain the established belief az Roma
that God has given the Romish church and
its head dominion over the whole Christian
world, 1t can never be expected that those
can live In security and safety who renounce
subsection to 1t. For they will always be
looked upon as rebelltous citizens, whom
their legitimate sovereign has a right TO pun
ish according to his pleasure"
might easily quote from the Vatican De-
crees many sentences which show that Rome
claims dominion over the world. The Roman
Catholic Church cannot acknowledge that It
Is but "a segment of the Christian Church.
This fact and her claim TO sovereignty make
all other Christians oppose all granting OF
special privileges TO her. TheY VIII not do
anything that In any way acknowledges un-
ion of church and State In America. All re-
ligious instruction In State institutions must
be unsectarian. Baptists. Methodlsts, Epis-
cOpalians UniversaliStS, may speak In such
institutions, bnt ouly as Christians. The
Roman Catholics must speak as Roman
Catholics. IL will be OF no avail, tnere-
may speciously ask for "fair play" till they
are hoarse. American citizens see that a
church whose monarch resides In Rome and
issues there his DEGREES concerning public
cannot tolerate other churches. American
Catholics need to study the system Of their
church. Tney need to see the deem and m
alteraele conviction OF their Protestant
W nn.osnIeil, tudt Dy no act OF theirs shall the
1soinan rs,y OnuIcn be recognized by the State
flne words, plau ;ible arguments for BREADTH
cIies Oh 'oigotry' and intolerance will be una
valiing. Tne free students OF history know
tnat Rome must, whenever she has the pow
er, oppose all religious teaching which does
not acknowledge her right TO rule. The peo-
pie OF Maine will not allow the entering
wedge. II the Roman ecclesiastc c., exec lent
men as they are. obedient to the commands
from h0me, mean TO press for recognition OF
their churcn by the State, they will arouse
m opposition whose force VIII astonnd
them.
HENRY BLANcHARD,
Pastor Of First uniyersails' Chuieh'
Portland. Me-, March 7th' 1871