Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-08-09

y
We're bound TO conduce To the in
crease Of religion and not to It's in
jury.
Therefore, he resolved TO make gen.
eral what, up to this time had only
applied to new organizations, and In
the beginning of March he issued his
now famous pastoral letter on total
abstinence aud Catholic societies in
relation to the manufacturers and
vendors Of intoxieants.
The very day, however, ON which 1t
was published, hut before 1t was &c
tually sent ont, he received letter
from the apostolic delegate iuclosing
the appeal of the society referred to
and Its correspondence with the 81.
preme president of the union to which
it belonged. In his answer the bishop
related what he had done and his
reasons therefor both in regard to that
society and others under his iuris-
dietion, quoting the statutes and de-
crees OF the synod Of Columbus and of
the fourth provincial council OF Gin.
cinnau, and the plcnary council Of
Baltimore bearing on the subject OF
the appeal, and giving history Of
the saloon business as II Is commonly
carried on in this country, and show.
ing that for its general disreputable
character the liquor men have only
themselves to blame,
The apostolic delegate in his letter
of March Il sustained the bishops nc.
ton in regard to the appealing So
ciety. He told them that the bishop
had at heart only the good OF the 50.
ciety and of religion itself, and that
only by Il complete obedience to the
bishops orders in the election Of Off
GERS and the manner of holding feasls
or entertainments would the society
deserve the name Of Catholic
They were not satisfied, however,
and, hearing that the delegate was
to visit the Josephlnum in Columbus
the latter part of June, they held meet
ings on the It'll and 14th of June and
finally drew up second appeal,
which, few days before the arrival
of the apostolic delegate, tliey asked
the bishop to sign, that It might thus
20 economically to the delegate. The
appeal was presented TO the delegate
a day or 50 after his arrival In Column
bus, together with a copy of the bish-
ops pastoral letter, which, however,
he had already seen.
Wnile this was taking place in Co.
lumlus the national convention OF the
Knights Of St John was going on in
Buffalo \ few delegates from Co
lumbus attempted the unprecedented
thing OF arraigning a bishop before a
convention of laymen The purpose
was doubtless to get the convention
TO disapproye OF his enactmcnts in
order to influence tine apostolic dele
gate in the appeal which they knew
would soon be pending. The good
sense of the officers and the majority
Of the delegates prevented this folly.
The delegate, who was informed Of
this, seems TO refer TO it when he says
in his decision that "the decree Of the
bishop Is not subject to the Judgment
OF every private individual or as
semblage Of Catholic laymen or citi-
zenS."
The second decision of the delegate
Is dated July 3, and addressed to the
secretary OF the protesting societies
The bishop gave translation Of 1t to
the press more than two weeks ago On
lis return from the Catholic summer
school at PlattsbuIg. In the interval,
at the request Of the apostolic dele
gate, he read the document Of the
Ohio total abstinence convention ut
Fremont on the 10th of July, but X
was not given to the press until July
y, nor was the bishop interviewed on
the subject by anyone Meanwhile
some enterprising reporter, hearing
that decision had been rendered, sur
missed what 1t might be, but what 1t
actually was not, and had his sur
mise telegraphed over the country to
the confusing and obsciring Of the
question at isslle. As the letter,
through some mlshap over which the
bishop had no control, was not gencr-
ally published by the press Of the
country, he takes this occasion to pro-
claim the substance OF 1t and In his
own name and that of all who are
interested in the common good, TO
publicly thank the delegate for his
momentous decision.
Mgr. Satolli lays down the general
principle:
''Tnat as it belongs to the Office OF
a bishop to find out In his own diocese
What Is hurtful or helpful to the spir-
itual good Of the faithful, SO 1t be-
longs to his power to command, forbid,
counsel or permit to be done or re-
moved whatever he may judge con
duciye to his own duty and the god
Of the faithful The letter or decree
Of the right reyerned bishop Of Co
lumbus, concerning Catholic societies
and the abstinence 10 be observed from
intoxicating liquors ought by no means
TO be subject to the judgment Of every
priya.e individual, or Of every assen-
blage Of simple Catholics or citizens;
but every Catholic OF good COINCIDENCE
must hold for certain that the bishop