The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1895, 1895-05-02

or she nust dress as other teach
srs do, and must not carry into
the schools q UNCONVENTIONAL
banner, That seems a reaso sble
provision, and does not deserve the
hysterical snathema with which
the Bishop brands it.
Bishop MoGovern goes on to
say that this has always been a
land of bigotry, and in proof
thereof he quotes the harsh laws
OF the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries against those whose re-
ligious views differed from those
of the colonial authorities. The
point is we'll taken. In New Eng
land as in the southern colonies,
sectarian bigotry was rampant at
the period mentioned, and Roman
Catholics, Quakers, and B.ptists
suffered in consequence. But tbs
good bishop should in fairness
have mentioned that at the time
when -conformism was visited
with penalties in the colonies,
there was no such thing as re-
ligious toleration in any part of
the Christrian world. In Spa in K,
Franch, Portugal and Germany
heretics were visited with the
utmost severity of the church.
Men were imprisoned, fined,
tortured, and executed because
they chose to worship God ac-
cording to their conscience.
Even in England Roman Catholics
burned protestants at the stake
when they had power, and pro-
testants improved upon tho
example when their tu rn
came. 1t was an age of darkness,
superstition, and intolerance, and
it is marvellous that in snch an
age freedom of opinion should
have managed to rear its head in
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and
Maryland. But if the Roman
Church had its way. the same
darkness, intolerance, and super
stition would prevail to-day.
If a feeling antagonistic to the
Papal Church has arisen in this
country, it is the work of the
hierarchy of which Bishop Me-
Govern is q member, 1t is the
legitimate fruit of the efforts Of
the Roman Catholic clergy to
secSsr secular power for their
church. We do not see Episco-
palians or Presbyterians. or
Methodists, or Baptists, trying to
get control of municipal govern
ments, or to smuggle through
legislatures bills in tended to
promote the advantage of their.
particular sect. The Roman
Catholics are always doing this;
and such is the apathetic indif-
ference of professionals that the
servants of the Pope have sue
ceeded in gaining control of some
of the largest municipalities in
the country, and have placed in
Office faithful servants of the
Pope. Americans have seen with
disgust the banding of Roman
Catholic voters to secure the sue
cess of Roman Catholic candida
tes, regardless of party, and the
trucking of conventions to those
who claimed-probably with rea-
son-to control the Roman Catho-
lie vote. Bishop McGovern and
his fellow -prelates are trying
might and main to mako Cath o.
lie Americans Romanists first and
citizens afterward; yet they wond-
or that members of other denomi'
nation resent this attempt to iniec,
sectari rianism into the conduct OF
the pub lie business2
This bishop arraigns American,
for selecting Rom an Catholics fol
persecution. No case ofpersecu-
tion has been brought TO public
notice. But would it be wonder
full il there had been such case
when, alone among the churches
tho Papal organization sends al
AMBASSADOR to represent it in thi'
country, as if it were still (
temporal power, as in the four