The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-25

l CnurCh ana St8tS.
Here Is remark made by the Rev. DR..
| BuRRELL OF the Dutch Reformed Church
to tho Neu York Times:
-Ithnk It pr.po,terous thing that LEO Kill should
interfere In any way pro con. with our
of national Affairs and particularly In matter so
| fundamental as our educational system.
Mgr. sAIotLi claims ofrcial authority TO decide
what the attitude Of Roman Catholics in America
ought to be toward the public schools IL an etssary
of Queen VICTORIA visit this country for Ike
purpose the mperasnce would at once be recognized
We are very iniugent toward his uonesa"
II the Pope. either OF himself or through
| his delegated authority to Mgr. SAToLLI.
| undertook TO interfere in any way with our
management OF the school system. or with
the management OF any OF our political
affairs. State or Federal, he would
harm the Roman Catholic Church in this
republic irreparably, for the popular indig-
nation against such proceeding would be
shared by the Catholic citizens II Bishop
POTTER made like attempt at Interference
in his ecclesiastical capacity. he would suffer
the same fate. In the United States and in
each OF the States the separation OF Church
and State Is made complete by constitu-
tional guarantees. which are sustained by
determined and unanimous public senti-
ment. Whether tho interference came
from a foreign or q domestic Bishop. the
resentment would be the same. The Ameri-
can people are the sovereigns OF the State,
and they will brook no interference with
their sovereignty by ecclesiastical rulers.
That is the unalterable American principle.
Instead OF undertaking to oppose this
principle. as DR.. BURRELL accuses LEO XIII.
OF having done. the very distinction OF this
Pontificate is that, as our correspondent at
Rome expressed it on Friday, the two great
ideas Of the Pope are ito contribute to the
work OF national unif1cation. and to bring
the Church In line with democracy and the
institutions Of the United States" He is
keeping the Church away from interference
with the State. He recognizes the absolute
separation Of the two in this republic. and
he has made this recognition plainly
understood in clear and statesmanlike
enunciations of his theory and policy. To
the Church belongs only the care OF souls.
To the State belongs wholly the manage
ment Of national affairs." Instead OF To-
menting dissension over the school ques-
ton among our Roman Catholic citizens,
the Pope has accordingly commanded that
it shall cease. His extraordinary step in
sending a Delegate to this country was
taken with that end. Roman Catholics OBJ
ject to the secularization OF education.
essential under the system Of Church and
State: and he advises them to establish
schools Of their own wherever they are
able to do 30. But II they cannot do this.
they should, under the direction OF their
Bishops. make arrangements to send their
children to the public schools.
The Pope. then. Is not interfering with
our political affairs in any way. He does
not address his followers here except as O
spiritual potentate. to whom they owe
spiritual allegiance alone. DR.. BuRRELL
thinks. as he has right to think. that no
body owes allegiance Of any kind to the
Pope. He does not believe in the doctrine
OF Papal infallibility; and being Of that
opinion, he Is not obliged to listen to the
Pope. He can worship GOD in his own way
and preach his own doctrines in this free
and independent country. But the same
liberty which he enjoys permits those who
believe in the Pope. to continue in that
belief and labor for its propagation. What
Is fair for one is fair for all.
Mgr. SAToLLI visits this country. or
rather Is established here, simply as repre-
senting the spiritual authority of the
Pope: and under his commission there Is
no impertnence in his telling Roman Cath
olics what their attitude toward the public
schools ought to be under the law OF the
Church. He has as much right to tell them
that as the General Assembly has to say
what ought to be the attitude OF Presby
terians toward schools Of divinity teaching
the doctrines OF DR.. BRIads. II Queen VIC
ToRIA were the head Of the Episcopal
Church here. there would be nothing
impairment In her sending over the
Archbishop OF CANTERBURY to tell the
American Episcopalians what they should
do about sending their children to the pub
lie schools. under the obligations OF their
religion. Anybody can como here from
anywhere to instruct people In their re-
ligious duties as he regards them. The
Grand Lama can despatch to us an ennis
sary for that purpose, II he Is so minded.
He would simply be following our example
In sending Bishops and other missionaries
to tell the Chinese. the Japanese. the In
dians. and the Mohammedans what they
ought TO do for the salvation OF their souls.
The Pope, In his encyclicals and through
his Apostolic Delegate. Is Strengthening
his adherents In sound and essential prln-
ciples Of democracy by admonishlng them
to be faithful to their political obligations
to the republic and its institutions. at the
same time that they remain faithful to
their religious obligations to the Church.
|
They Believe Only in Science.
We are not surprised that the Rev. Mr..