The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-09
Tho Religious Outlook for tho Next
Century.

Century.
Among the papers read before the Roman
Catholic Convention OF the Apostolate Of the
Press was an essay. or discussion. by Mr..
GEORGE PARSONS LATHRoP. on the mission
Englerd.
Mr.. LATHRoP is a writer Of agnostio an
tecedents who married the daughter Of
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE. Both he and his
wife are recent converts to Roman Catholi-
cism. She, atleast. is o New Highlander OF the
Oldest Puritan stock, tho founder Of the
HAWTHORNE family in this country having
come over with Governor WINTHROP in 1880.
and having distinguished himself as a
magistrate in the colony OF Massachusetts
by ordering the whipping OF Quakers. On
her mothers side she comes from the PEA
BODY family. Of which 30 many members
have been noted In New England history.
The descent Of Mr.. LATHRoP also. we be-
lieve, Is Yankee. or at least strictly and
wholly and aggressively Protestant.
If such New Englanders as they can be
converted to Roman Catholicism, Mr..
LATHRoP seems to think. there are no rep
resentatives of the old Puritan stock so
stubborn In their Professionalism that the
chance Of conquering them by missionary
effort Is hopeless. The progress Of the
Roman Church in New England. he says.
has been prevented hitherto by the "inde-
scribable dread Of Catholicity" which the
natives imbibed in their early childhood:
but as in his view this dread is mere
"hobgoblin Of the nursery" 1t will vanish
like other superstitions. Moreover as there
Is now lapse Of religious faith In New
England. he Is convinced that the Yankee
mind il ripe for conversion to Catholi-
cism." "It Is cropping for truth 1t recog-
nizes dimly." and which. according to his
new belief. can be found nowhere outside OF
1.-THE true Church." to which he himself
now belongs. Hence he predicts that In the
next century we shall see a tidal wave OF
conversion sweeping millions Of our coun-
trymen into the Catholic Church."
What will happen as the result Of the
present theological revolution the wlsest OF
men cannot foresee. 1t is obvious, however,
that the interest In the subject OF religion
was never before 80 great and general as
now. Men may be changing their religious
views and giving up their former religious
beliefs. but they are not casting aside re-
lRlOQ. 1u0 TclHiOuS beuItlueIL COuCluueS
as strong as ever. and 1t demands an outlet
in worship.
The tendency seems to be toward divi-
sion into two great parties. the one
retaining the sentiment Of Christian
ity only. and rejecting the dogmas
Of theology entirely. and the other venerat.
ing and defending the dogmatic authority
of the Church. Professionalism seems to
tend toward more complete denial OF any
and all authority over the individual judg-
anent and conscience. and Roman Catholi.
cism Is more determined in Its assertion OF
such authority as GoD's representative on
earth. Between these two lines the relig-
ious battles of tho next century are likely
to be fought, with results which wiser heads
than Mr.. LATHRoP's might hesitate to pro-
diet or even to guess.
Eight more years Of the present century
remain. and during even that short time
developments may occur which will make
the religious outlook clearer than 1t Is now.
II not also very different from what 1t seems
to be at tho opening Of 1892.