The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-12-27
THE FORM OF SOUND WORDS.
Well Annlied.

The admonltory note of Bishop A.
G. Coke, of Buffalo, 10 the Christian
Statesman, to "please stop flattering
the Papists by giving them the name
of Catholics You might as well call
them the Christians" inclines me to
mention the following personal mat
ter:
Last month I received letter from
the J. B. Lippincotl Company, pub
fishers of NV United States History"
and "Smaller History of the United
States Il" stating that a certain manu-
featuring company of New York were
offering prizes for errors discovered in
educational works, and enclosing let
ter from said company. This letter
called attention to the alleged incor-
rect use of the word "Romish' in
the phrase "Too much tied to Romish
Interests to complain, and also, in
speaking of Ca.vert, the expression
''as Romanist." The letter contin-
ues-"The way people call themselves
is the way they should be spoken OF
| by those not intending to offend.
Those spoken of this sentence were
Roman Catholics, not Romanish. SO
it is not etymologically correct and ls a
nickname. So it is improper in q book
not intended to be offensive to any
one, as those who know Mr.. Leeds
know he never intended to insult any
Roman Catholic who should read it."
Replying to the above, 1 wrote, after
the predatory sentence: LAS 1T ls
quite uncertain about my issuing a
fourth edition of that book, the plates
NAV not be altered, though if such
issue should be authorized, I should be
quite willing to make the change so
fur as regards the term 'Romish.' AS
to the other, Webster defines Roman-
ist as an 'adherent Of the Church OF
Rome, a Roman Catholic | have
used it as q shorter term for Roman
Catholic, as thousands have done be-
fore me. In the same book you will
notice that have q chapter OH The
Persecution of the Quakers'-the lat
ter being q term which was indeed
given originally in derision, but we
have lived it down, so that have
used the term indifferently, Friend or
Quaker. In the mail which brought
me your communication came mark
ed copy of Chicago daily contain.
| ing an article on 'Newsdealers and
Impure Literature in which refer
ence was made to some efforts bearing
thereupop, by Josiah w. Leeds, a
Philadelphia Quaker No offence
felt, as to myself, and certainly no Of
fence intended by the editor"
Now, while I am in the customary
habit Of referring to the Roman Cath
olics by that name, yet l think-and
presumably our friend, Bishop Coke,
would agree with me-there would be
less of al offence against orthography,
against propriety, and against the facts
of the case were to make use of the
shorter title of Romanists, than there
would be in communicants of the
Church of Rome laying claim to the
exclusive name Catholics, as in the
following extract from the Catholic
World, which I happen to find in q
paper beside: eff the American re-
public is TO be sustained and preserved
at all, it must be by the rejection of the
principles of the Reformation and the
acceptance of Catholic principles by
the American people," Hence "the
way people call themselves" we may
not always feel free 20 adopt, even
though thereby we give ground for Of
fence. =.
So also as regards ;'the Church" +"
The religious society of Friends regard
the Church as 1.-The general assembly
of those whose names are written in
Heaven" and that it does not accord
with the facts, with propriety, and
Christian humility, for any one relig.
ious denomination to arrogate to Itself
the exclusive right to the use of that
name. Let US "hold fast the form oi
sound words. s."-Josiah w. Leeds, in
the Christian Statesman.