The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1894-10-20
CHURCH AND STATE.

CHURCH AND STATE.
There cannot be any doubt that the
A-P. A., or American Protective As
sociation, is growing in influence and
numbers in the United States, and
that today the members have wider
field Of operations and more sympa-
thizers than they had year ago. This
is caused by an unfounded fear on the
part of American citizens that the
Catholic church is inimital to free in
stituLions, and that its policy is die
tated ny the pope at Rome. This is
mistake. There are members of this
Christian denomination who are as
truly American "a the descendants OF
the Puritans who landed at Plymouth
Rock over two centuries ago, and who
would not under anJ circumstances
follow dictation from the Italian pom
tiff. Their country to them is as dear
as it is to the Presbyterian, the Metho-
dist, the Baptist, or the Unitarian.
They were born here, so were their
ancestors, and individual fresdom Is
paramount to all other considerations.
This is as true of the Catholic as OF
the protestant, and during an eventful
history of more than century no peo-
pie have displayed more unselfsh
patriotism than Americans. The for
eign subjects of European monarchs
fight for their king and queen; but
the citizens of this republic contend
for their birthright, their homes and
their liberties, for they alone are sover-
eigns. Religion can make no differ
ence to the citiz IN, and if he bends the
knee to the trinity or makes confession
every week to a priest, or worships
what he considers the higher ideal OF
one supreme ruler of the universe, it
: cannot diminish in the least his love
of home and country. 1t may be true
that in post ages the Romish church
has attempted the most arbitrary rule
over its communicants, and invariably
united things temporal and things
spiritual; but there has been remark
able change in this regard in all re-
liglous denominations. There was a
time in the histery of England when
Episcopacy was synonym for the
most cruel oppression, when Bishop
Land upheld King James iii his butch
erles in the "bloody assizes" and when
even our own Puritan ancestors perse-
cuted innocent. peaceful Quaxers in
Massachusetts, and hanged witches in
Salem. These are black spots in the
history of Christianity, and if the
Catholic church were more vigilant in
these prosecutions it was simply for
the reason that she had the power to
be SO. Episcopalians, Pres'yterians,
Puritans and Catholics have, in the
past history of the world, created the
ocracies wherever the opportunity pre-.
sented; but the evolution of human
freedom, the light of developed science
and the advancement of intellectual
discernment have proved that the
union of church and state has impaired
individual liberty, has chained hu-
man reason and has been the corner
stone upon which has rested the most
diabolical tyrannies that have disgraced
history. 1t has made the simple doc
trines of the despised Nazarene the
sword by which bigots have slaugh-
tered thousands of their fellow beings.
it has filed the world with heartburn
ings and bitter revenge; 1t has del
uged the fairest countries with the
blood of innocent victims, and made q
Christians hatred more to he dreaded
than the barbarism of the savage.
The advancement of the world has
been such, during the past century,
that union of church and state exists
nowhere now. Even In Italy the af-
fairs of tine state are not dictated by
the Roman pontit, and in Germany,
France and Russia they are widely
separated. 10 England there has
been no danger from this source since
the great Cromwell beheaded Charles
aud his parliament passed the Bill of
Rights. In the United States it never |
had foothold, except in Puritanieal
New England, and the least alarm in
this line would arouse every American
to determined opposition.
The principle If the perpetual sew
CfdDCc VI CauICu otdtC 10 tuC COf-
ner stone of human liberty; but the
alarm of the A. P. A. is unfounded
There is no Catholic citizen who would
uphold it, and if foreign priests, who are
not in sympathy with our institutions.
should attempt to inaugurate il, there
would be determined opposition among
their own communicates. Eternal
vigilance in the price of liberty, but
there is no reason in being affrighted
at shadows that have no substantial
existence.
4 MISTAKE.
Judge Lord, the governor-elect of