The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-06-30
THE CHURCH AND THE FLAG.

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THE CHURCH AND THE FLAG.
One of the falsehoods set afoat by the
members of the American Proscriptive
Association and their Orange allies il
that Catholic priests forbid the Ameri
can flag to be taken into their churches
during the funeral services of Catholic
soldiers. They cay the American flag is
excluded from Catholic churches for the
reason that the first duty and allegiance
OF Catholic citizens is to the Church and
it's supreme ruler, the Pope of Rome
An illustrated A. p. A. paper called
"Uncle SAM" the first number of which
was issued in Chicago on June LIST from
"suite" 7l4-716 Schiller building, has a
cartoon representing a Catholic priest
standing on the door-steps of his church,
with his left hand elevated, and saying to
the pallbearers at G.. A. r. funeral:
"You can't bring that coffin into this
church, unless you take off that flag
In explaining the cartoon the editor of
"Uncle SAM says that the 'disgraceful
scene" was enacted in the city of Coun
Gil Bluffs, Iowa, mot many months ago, "
and that the words attributed to the
priest are not fictitious bnt were actually
uttered by him on the occasion. The
veracious Apaist gives the following &C.
count of the imaginary scene: "a Ro
manist who had defended his country's
flag on many a hard-fought battle field,
and worn for years upon his patriotic
breast the insignia of the Grand Army
OF the Republic, departed this life. The
post of which he had been member took
charge of his funeral and arranged that
the religious services were to be con-
Quoted in the church of which he had
been communicate. Bearing the
casket, about which the American flag
had been patriotically and reverend,
wrapped, the pall-bearers were halted
by the ecclesiastical mandate we have
quoted. The mourning family we're con-
suited and decided-the blood of true
American coursed through the children's
veins-that, while the deceased had re-
vered his Church, he had loved his coun-
try. The consecrated edifce was not
polluted by the presence within it's sa
cred walls of the flag of Washington,
jackson and Lincoln! Does any true
American, Protestant or Catholic, believe
that the dead hero slept less peacefully
or awoke to less glorious life because
no sweet-scented censor was swung above
his bier?"
OF course, it was not deemed necessary
to give the name of the priest, nor
was it worth while to give the name of
tho dead "Romanist," who, strange to
say, had defended the flag with gallantry
on the battlefield and worn the insignia
of the G.. A. r. upon his patriotic
breast" 1t was too trifiing matter for
the Apaist editor to give any particulars
OF that kind. He took. for granted that
his readers would not question his YER
acity. According to the story the SOL
der had loved his country and its flag,
and one would suppose that while blam-
ing the priest, the Apaist writer would
bestow AN encomium on the layman.
But no, he attacks both of them and
asks, "Ought the adherents of such an
be permitted to hold office
in American" Aye, there's the rub. The
Apaists are after political offices, and
care not Zig for the religion of the Gro
maniste,' only so far as to create preju-
dice against them to enable themselves
to get the Offices.
We have frequently seen it stated dur
ing the anti Catholic crusade that Catho-
lie priests in various parts of the coun-
try had forbidden the flag to be borne
into their churches, but after diligent in
quiry we have failed to verify the reports.
They are pure fabrications without par
ticle of foundation aud they have all
from the fertile imagination Of
the A. P. A. rascals who issued the bo-
gus papal encyclicel last year. The
Protestant members Of the G. A.. r. know
that at the funeral of Catholic comrade
the remains are admitted without hesita-
ton into the church, and that the flag is
wrapped r und the coffin except during o
few minutes while the priest is sprink-
ling the holy water and swinging the
thurifer containing the incense on the
casket. ssThe consecrated ediffce'' is not
consid ered too holy for the flag Of Wash
ington, jackson and Lincoln and on the
Sunday preceding last Memorial day the
flags Of Grand Army posts were borne
into the Catholic churches by patriotic
veterans. Last May Archbishop ireland
was asked BY q st. Paul gentleman TO-
gay whether the American flag was adj
mitted into the churches, and the follow.
ing Is his reply I'm reply to your let
ter, j beg leave to Say that the American
fag Is Welcome q every Catholic church
ii the country .#sa A Hundred Thousand