The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-01-09
SOME CATHOLIC CONVERTS.
Notable Americans Who Have EN-
braced the True Faith, Among Il
Them Isaac 7. Hecker.
CATHOL|ClTY'S ONWARD MARCH.

Protestant Ministers Almost Without
Number Abandon Their Pulpits to
Embrace UatholioitY.
Another indication that to the honest
seeker after the truth all roads leads to
Rome is given in the conversion Of Rev.
DR.. J. +. Spalding, hitherto the Epls-
copal rector OF Christ's Church, Cam
bridge, who. in announcing his resigna-
ton to his former congregation, gave as
his reason his conviction that the Cath
olic Church is the only ene in which
the true dOgmas of Christianity are
taught, and adding that subsequently
he had resolved to join It's fold. Or.
Spalding's conversion to Catholicity is
the result of no sudden impulse, and
his approach to the true Church has
been gradual and we'll considered.
Y ears ago he abandoned Congregations
alism, in which creed he was originally
a believer, and embraced Episcopalian-
ism, and now, after twenty years Of un-
satisfactory experience in that belief,
he comes to the Catholic Church.
DR.. Spalding is by no means the first
eminent American Protestant to be-
come convert to Catholicity. Prob
ably the most illust1ious name on the
roll ct the American Catholic Church's
conquest is that of Orestes Augustus
Brownson, who was brought up in the
Presbyterian fold, left that for Univer-
salism, then became Socialist, Uni
tartan and Christian Unionist, and
finally found the truth he sought for so
long in the Catholic Church. After his
conversion DR.. Brownson was offered a
professors chair in the Catholic Univer-
sity of Dublin, but he thought he could
render the truth better service by re-
naming in this country and defending
1t, as he ably did in his famous Eeyiew
and in many other WAYS.
Let US put next the name Of Isaac T.
Hecker From Brook Farm to Rome
the road seems long. but Father Hecker
found his way over it, aud those who
have followed his progress, as that IS
sold Ia Father Elliott's biography,
know how great was the happiness be
experienced when his wayfaring was
done. 10 Father Hecker the American
Catholic Church owes q great debt. He
it was who gave us the Paullst order,
that relis sious body which has done so
much tor American Catholicism in var
ious ways, aud whose members are still
carrying On the work which Father
Hecker inaugurated. With him, and
through him, too, how many more con-
verts were led into the Church. There
is Father Hewitt, his successor in the
order, born of Congregational parents.
the erudite litterateur and profound
theologian, the skillful contr0versi alist
and reviewer. There Is Father George
M. SearIe, classnaate at Harvard with
John d. Long, able mathematician and
astronomer and now lecturer at the
Catholic University at Washington.
There is Father Walmoth, formerly a
Paulist. now chancellor OF the Albany
diocese. There is Father Robinson
Deshon, classmate with Grant, Wyman
and otnor members of che Paullst com
munily, all Of whom have travelled the
same road which has led DR.. Spalding
iuto the Catholic fold, and to all Of
whom American Catholicity is indebted
for many signal services.
Protestant ministers almost without
humber have abandoned their pulplts to
embrace Cathollclty, and one Protes
tant bishop laid aside his robes and
ring to do the same thing. That was
Levi Silliman Ives, native OF MerideD,
CT, who was at first a Presby terian,
then became an Episcopalian, and sixty
years ago was consecrated the Episco-
palian bishop of North Carolina In
1852 he visited Rome, and there his
eyes were opened to the truth of Catho-
llcity. Seeking an interview with the
lamented Plus the TX, DR. Ives drew
from his fiuger his Episcopal 1ing and
offered it to the Holy Father as a pledge
of his submission to the Holy See. but
with that graciousness that always was
characteristic of him, Plus TX. refused
10 accept it personally, and told Dr..
Ives to go and lay 1t on st. Peters altar,
where it was accordingly placed by the
submissive convert. DR.. Ives never
took orders in the Catholic Church. but
taught in Catholic institutions and
wrote the defense Of Catholic teachings.
Then look at the many eminent con-
verts who are or we're to bs found in
the ranks of our religious orders, at
Father Freltag, the Redemptotist. who
was received into the Church at Balti-
more ana who did heroic duty during
the war in the camps and hospitals
around Annapolis. Look ct Father