St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-07
THE WORLD MOVES ON

turning the sunlight Of publicity on the
darkness of the American Protective
association, it became the advocate of
Roman Catholicism. Minds that are of
caliber to sympathize with the pur-
poses of that order are small enough to
hold such an opinion. Bigotry, in what
soever church il eXiStS-and it exists in
all with which we have had experience
catches no glimpse of a tolerance
which can look with calm disinterested-
ness on all these struggling and quar-
relsome sectarianS. 1t gets its views of
the world through a crevice so narrow
as to exclude breadth Of view.
The GLOBE stands Indifferent to them
all. So far as their purpose is to lead
men and women into paths of right con-
duct, making them charitable, teaching
them that single command of Christ's to
love one another, every sect has our
warm sympathy. Solar as any one of
them assumes function not its own.
seeks 10 Interfere in affairs not related
to its purpose of existence; so far as
any OF them loses sight of the preceptS
OF the Master and INDUCES i'll hatred of
those who do not accept its dogmas: so
far as any of them swathe and conceal
the broad humanity, the all-embracing
love of fellow men enjoined by the
Savior with their dogmas, mere ''com-
mandmentS of men," so far they have
the pity of the GLOBE. When any of
them, Catholic or Protestant, Ell croach
on any right of citizenship or attempt
to degrade or change any of the institu-
lions OF our government, they will have
the open and uncompromlsing hostility
OF the GLOBE.
This much for our attitude. We have
done what we thought to be our duty;
what We saw was right to do, and upon
that we stand. But there are some
points OF view which are worth con-
slderlng while on the topic. Men for
get that the same current which has
moved humanity out of the darkness
carries all alike, irresistibly. 1t is ever
carrying us into broader vistas, WIDEN
ing mems minds as it widens their out
look. The effect is humanizing, liber-
alizing, modifying. None can resist
the influence. Sects drop off beliefs
whose horror the newer, stronger light
reveals; dogma loses its Importance;
the innate spirit shines out as the
swathings fall away. Standards change.
What was thought permissible a cent
ury ago is error now. Men cannot be
measured today by the standards men
accepted fifty years ago. Reluctantly
we know. protestingly. clinging to the
false because it is the old, men are
swept along by the current away from
narrow past into an overwhelming
future.
There is no church organization
strong enough to resist this movement.
If its ministers oppose it they find their
| people moving on while they stand STILL
Revolt. open or silent, results. Every
where we see the consequences of
churchly opposition to the progressive
tendency. Women constitute nine
tenths of the communicates. The COM
| munlcantS are not tenth of the popu-
lation. Ministers complain of the loss
of power over the members of their
churches; their counsel is not asked, or,
if asked, IS criticised and accepted, if
at all, Independently of the idea of
authority. Churches maintaining pa
rochial schools can no longer obtain
pupils by the use of churchly power or
| threats. The power is denied and the
threats laughed at. These are facts
and conditions which any one can see ::
which no Intelligent person will deny.
What, then, Is the foolishness. the Grim
inality of all these efforts to revive and
| propagate in this brighter light the
hates, the jealousies, the animosities
that found their growth in the dark,
dark past, out OF which we have hap
| PLY emerged?