The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-05-22

What is the Reason?
EDITORS HERALD What 10 this clam
or that assaila our ears, reiterated from
pulpit, from press, from private individ-
usls, regarding great Roman Catholic
uprising, and what reason has this noise
for its existence? Who are the perpe-
traitors of it2
Az for the frst question, think it 10
best answered by solution of the
second. Who, then, 10 1t, who originate
these reports? The answer ia, OF course,
those most bitterly opposed to the old
church. The A. p. A. is at the head OF
this list; having for its avowed object.
publicly, the protection OF the United
States against the ascendency of any re-
ligious sect in policies but, privately,
the downing OF all Catholics in public
life by making its members take the
oath OF unemployment of any Catholic,
when Protestant labor 10 to be obtained.
This secret, underhsnd working is what
makes the organization SO dangerous.
An open and avowed declaration OF its
objects would soon bring upon this So
ciety the deepest opprobrium and public
disapprebation; men would be scandal
lied at its spirit OF meaRness. and its
tendency to destroy all our liberties;
but, by private circulation OF its re-
ports, which, creeping to the public ear,
brighten the people by their very myster-
iousness before they can make use OF
their sober senses, q perfectly foolish
and absurd idea is thoroughly dis
seminated. Whole communities are
known to have been thrown into alarm
by these same reports. l have re ad
some of these. and that too, in publica-
tions of the first order, principally, 70.
gret, in q magazine. the organ OF one OF
our first secret societies; and have never
seen but one argument against them,-
that OF Washington GLADDEN., In the
Century Magazine for the month OF
March. Their absurdity and falsity 10
upon the face OF them, in the fact that they
are 80 egregiously exaggerated, and the
acts they pretend to prognesticate so OPP
posed to that spirit of deepest policy
known to actuats slways, the Roman
Catholic church. The policy OF that
church at present. is to gain by polite
and peaceful measures the power that
she has, in part, lost. No one knows
this better than her chief prelates; and
the imputing to them that ridiculous
J alleged papAl bull, in which the 'faith-
fuP' are called upon to kill the Pro-
testants, ON a certain day (the which
many of nay readers have doubtless read
10 net only an insult to the intelligence
Of the people of America, and the know
ledge OF the events of their times, and
of all history, but is forgery, pure and
simple, and therefore q criminal act; for
the names of the chief members of the
Romiah council, even that OF the pope
himself. are fraudulently aligned to this
instrument.
Another of the foolish reports going
the rounds, is that alleging that Roman
Catholics have stationed in every city
arsenals fitted with arms and amuni-
ton. If such is the case, why has not
the whereabouts of one of these at least
been ascertsined fer certainty And
If the knowledge OF these places Is limit
ed to SO few, it might not be inappro-
there has not single known accident
occurred in place 40 essentially danger
GUS az these magazines of powder must
be.
No. These things would be the signs
OF power, not the means to it, and the
latter is what the Romish church IL at
present endeAvoring to find.
But the best refutation OF all these
foolish reports and charges is the age in
which we live. True, Protestants can
never forget the Spanish inquisition
but what has the 10Th century to do with
the rack and the thum b-screw?
Perhaps the fact that these absurd
charges have not sooner been utterly
disbelieved, is because the church her
self has taken so little trouble to deny
them. This, to the thoughtless mind,
might seem to prove them true; but to
the rejecting intelligence, this compare
tive silence will be attributed to the
fact that the Roman Catholic people
cannot believe as yet that such things
could be credited of them; and too, their
disregard may be attributed to that
spirit Of lofty dignity with which this
most dignifed of churches can afford to
view such unworthiness.
Does not the boosted spirit of liberal
| ity of Protestantism fall short OF the &C.
casion? Nay, does not the dignifed,
net to say forbearing spirit with which
the Roman Catholic church has chosen
to meet these assaults against her name
and honor, prove her in this emergency,
at least great in that quality which
''coversth q multitude of sins? ?" Re.
specially, A PROTESTANT.
Los Angeles, MAY 20.