The herald., 1895-03-11
PREACHERS AND LECTURERS
Mr.. Bowman Speaks on ROme's
Spirit of Monopoly
RELIGION AND FREEDOM
Catholic Apostolic and Congregational
Spiritual Succession
A Plea for Unitariansm The Aims OF the
Y. w. C. A. Described by
Miss StoweIl

W. c. Bowman yesterday discoursed to
a very large audience on the opening
words of b shop Junger in his Episcopal
letter to the priests of his diocese urging
obedience to the Pope's late encyclical-
"Rome has spoken. The case is settled.
This large assembly, said the lecturer
shows pious interest in Mother Church.
This topic selected itself when | read that
utterance, for my blood boiled, and some
thing said in me- 1t is time to call a
halt when Rome begins to settle questions
for America 1t may have been only
Imagination, but l felt that the spirit
breathing in those words was the same
that kindled the fires of the inquisition
when Rome held the sword as well as the
pen.
But do not misunderstood me. l am
not here to attack the Catholic religion
as such. am frank to say that as be-
tween Romanism and Professionalism in
their purely religious aspects, l cannot,
as Liberalist, espouse the gu ariel of
either side. do not believe in ortho-
dox theol ogy, either Catholic or Protest
ant. Nor again, can | afford as a citizen,
loyal to the American Constitution, to
prosecute or prescribe any American citi
zen on account of his religious faith.
But when the ecclesiastical authorities or
requirements of any church or religion
step outside the proper sphere of religion
and encroach upon our civil liberties and
institutions, then it is duty which we
all owe to our country to draw the line
and call halt, whether the offenders be
Catholics, Protestants Pagans or Nor
mons.
The Church of the New Era stands for
the fearless advocacy of the right and
opposition to the wrong, wherever found, in
church or state. AS a religious teacher OPP
pose the superstition OF Romanism and all
other issues AS moral teacher oppose
Romansm for its spirit OF arrogance, in
science and monopoly. AS a political
teacher l oppose Romanism as an enemy
to our civil liberties and a menace to our
free institutions.
nothing to do in this lecture. But with
Romanism as a religious monopoly and
political menace we shall deal in much
plainness OF speech. AS to Rome's spirit
of monopoly, read Bishop Junger's letter,
demonstration. My soul hates monopoly.
This is what makes me Populist, II So
cialist and a friend OF Jesus Christ l
hate the monopoly of priests and preach
ers on God and heaven and hell as much
as do the monopoly OF mlilionalres on
land, money, transportation and the
bounties of nature. Both these monopo-
lies must be destroyed if the world is ever
to be saved
Here Mr.. Bowman read the Junger let
ter in illustration of Rome S monopolistic
spirit.
But a more serious matter still, Roman
is is political menace in this nation.
What else could it be? By her very consti-
tuition and canon laws Rome claims-al
ways has claimed-the right (not the
power Just now of absolute dominion
over the whole world both ecclesiastical
and civil. She is absolutely intolerant of
all authority, power and function in
church or state, not her own creature.
The speaker read the canon, comment
ing on it freely, in proof OF his asser-
tions.
From this naughty claim she has never
receded one inch in word or thought
though during her disability her Jesuit
cal policy has kept her designs in abey-
ance and ooncealment But fortunately
growth in our atmosphere of religious
liberty has produced in the Romish
church an eagerness for return to
supreme power, which she is unable
longer to conceal.
Although she is only fifteen per cent
of our population, her cunning and
intrigue have captured seventy-two per
cent of the offices of the nation. No won
der she is losing her accustomed tinesse
and is growing bold No wonder her
en1Hlpy toward our lluDllC ScnOOl system
Is becoming more and more pronounced.
No wonder her tactics for capturing the
public funds for her own propaganga are
less and less concealed No wonder she
is beginning to show her claws in the at
tempt to suppress free speech by mobs
and violence. No wonder, indeed, that
she is beginning again. as of old, to utter
forth her great swelling words OF omnipo-
tence, Rome has shaken, LET the earth
be silent.
Still let me venture word OF warning
for the benefit of Her Majesty She will
yet have to learn the lesson, painful as it
may be- that no ecclesiastical hierarchy,
domestic or foreign, will be permitted
with impunity to interfere with the Ii GER
ties of American citizens, or haunt much
longer its proud nsolence in that portion
of the heavens where the American eagle
floats.
Unity Church