The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-03-10


5L ] IJRI, i
ANOTHER PROTESTANT view.
Rsy. Dr. Parker, Of Hartford, Conn, Finds |
Much 10 Praise In Catholicism.
ri AZ the South church, Hartford, Conn.,
the Rev. Dr.. q. 2. Parker made an ad- |
dress recently on Some Aspects of the
Roman Catholic Church. DR.. Parker
said that the Roman Catholic Church
presented manifold aspects to him. Hell
was, impressed with it's administration
and organization, its faith and worship
and its missionary enterprises. Has pur-
pose was to nay Q few things about the
Church in view OF what seemed to him
unreasonable, perhaps, and unfounded
aspersions on the Church on the part OF
some Protestants. He said that in his
boy hood he shared the common fear and
dislike OF Catholics, but that long ago
he was emancipated from that view. He
believed it to be . true Church Of Christ,
not the true Church to the exclusion Of
Others, not, from his view, q perfect
Church. The Roman Catholic Church
has many serious imperfections, shut, "
said DR.. Parker, II know not OF any
which is perfect. There are dark names
written on the pages of the Church, but
there are also records of heroes and mar
tyrs. The pages Of it's history are bright
With the names Of noble men. love to
think how out of that Church have come
many of the most precious things which
We prize in cur worship, our hymns,
tunes, prayers, sermons, meditations, etc.
If what has come to rs from it were to
be eradicated from our worship, there
would be little left that's good, and of the
book Of common prayer but little beside
the covers"
It was not made to order but is the
outRrowth OF love and faith in Christ.
He doubted if there was any nobler rec
ord than that of her missionaries, fire.
quently sealed with their blood. There is
another and darker side to the Church,
but why dwell on that? Professionalism
has it's dark side also. 1t has burned and
beheaded for faiths sake. The dark
story of the treatment of Roman Catho-
lies in this country previous to the War
of the Revolution when it was found
polite to treat them differently, hangs
over our heads. Let the dead pact bury
its dead. Let the broad mantle OF our
charity cover us all, SO that we can say
from the Roman liturgy, Remember not,
Lord, our offensss, nor the offenses Of
our forefathers."
DR. Parker gave instances OF Il )manists
who hated Professionals, but they we're
Romanists only in name and said Prot.
estants who hated Roman Catholicism
might be Professionals but they were not
Christians. He considered the present
Pope to be the wisest and best man who
had occupied that position for centuries.
DR.. Parker said that he rejoiced with all
his heart that DR.. Tierney had been pro-
noted and he congratulated the people
of Hartford that he was to'be elevated
to the episcopate this week. Hes no.
BILE, devout and loyal Christian, and
when recently in response to my consra-
tulations he saluted me as"Your brother
in Christ" knew he meant it. We re-
spect each other and ought to be on
terms of Christian friendship.
'sSome say that the old dominating
spirit of the church will assert itself when
it gets chance, but I don't believe it.
1t wouldn't if it could and 1T couldn't if
it would. The old conditions have gone
by forever. The Reformation has done
az much for the Roman Catholic Church
as for us, and the world has moved on
upward until religious tolerance is re-
garded as part of modern faith. Some
shake their heads at the beautiful edi-
fees the Catholics are erecting every
where, but if they spend 81 600 where We
give 800, for one honor them for it, il
they are willing to support them. What
ever may think Of their judgment do
admire their devotion. They are loyal,
and their unity, harmony and corporate
power rebuke us. They have an adapta.
bility 70 gather all classes together In
one grand worship and when we can SO
appeal through eyes and ears to the no.
bic and peasant, the civilian and soldier,
the rich and poor, the young and old, the
learned and ignorant, as they do, we shall
have advanced great way"
DR.. Parker dwelt at length upon the
good influences OF the Roman Catholic
Church upon the foreign element and
speculated On what might have been their
condition without some adequate moral
and spiritual control. The Irish in Amer
ica owe everything to the Church, more
than they are aware of. Who ever heard