The San Francisco call., 1896-01-12
BOWMAN ANSWERS YORKE.


The Editor of the American Patriot Replies to
the Editor of the Monitor.
H. W. Bowman, editor of the American
Patriot, contributes the following letter to
the famous religious controversy in the
form OF an answer to the recent letter of
Father Yorke:
OFFICE OF THE AMERICAN PATRIOT
819 Market street. !
| Editor Of San Francisco Call-DEAR SIR: In
! previous article We called attention to some of
| the political principles of the Papacy mani
tested in the bulls of Popes and the indorse.
mentS OF Catholic writers. The Pepacy here in
the United States upon these principles is an
lncontrOvertible fact. We will restate the prop
ositonS and cite facts to substantiate our state
ments. Proposition l: 1.-THE Romish church
has right to exercise its authority without
any limit set TO it by the civil power" Proof
from American history: The refusal to con-
form to the educational policy of our Govern
ment and the establishment of parocbial
schools in opposition to those of the state is in
controvertibe evidence OF Rome's assumption
OF spiritual sovereignty over the state The at
tempt to obtain state-endowed schools and q
part OF the money raised by taxation to sup
port her sectarian schools is confrmatory evil
dence of the same. Bone has denied the right
OF the state to educate its children.
Pope Leo has quoted with approval the state
ment OF Plus IN in reference to the right of
the church TO educate, independent of secular
limitation. 1t is as follows: 'FBut to exclude
the church which God himself has constituted
from the teachings of youth is
@ great and perniCious error" Quoted in the
encyclical on ''Ghe Christian Constitution OF
States.) The determined opposition of the Ro-
man hierarchy to our school system is self
evident proof OF their adherence to this papal
tenet. In Roman Catholic publication en-
titled "Brownson's Views and pubiisbed bv
Benziger Bros, there is an article on 'Educa-
ton" In 1t the author says: Education
should be under church control"
''This sort OF education can be given only by
the church or under her direction and control;
and as there Is for us Catholics only one
church, there is and can be no proper educa-
ton Tor US not given by or under direction and
control OF the Catholic church"(pege 61). Again
on page 90 he says: "The state has no right
TO educate. AS American citizens we object to
the assumption OF the control of education or
of any action in regard to it by the General
Government. On page 81 he asserts: eve
deny, OF course, as Catholics, the right of the
civil Government to educate, for education is
a function OF the spiritual society" On page
60 he declares: "All education all life,
should be religious, and all education divorced
from religion Is an evil not good, and is sure
in the long run to be ruinous to the secular or
der" That is, in learning arithmetic they
should learn how TO string G beads. and in learn
ing how to sing "Hail, Columbia! !" they should
be taught how TO say, Hail, Mary!'
This is a mere sample OF the tone of the
hostility to American law. Although some
States OF the Union have adopted a compul-
sorry educational law they, in open defiance of
1t, erect parochial schools ana send their chill
dren to them.
Proposition 2-"The Pope and priests ought
to have dominion over temporal affairs"
Secular education is a function OF the state,
yet Pope Leo sends Satoli here to dictate to
the American Government in regard to the
education of youth. The laws of the land
make marriage q civil contract, yet Pope Leo
and his priests repudiate the law of the State
and teach that marriage is q sacrament; hence
marriage by civil law-to use the Pope's own
words-is illegal coDcubinage instead of legiti-
mate union" First Encyclieal) Again, in
regard to the holding OF property, the hier-
archy assert their right TO hold property under
the laws of the church and in defiance to those
of the state. The fact that Pope Leo has die
tated the political actions of American citizens
proves that he claims authority over the politi-
cal powers of his adhereats in America. He
has declared that 'tthe constitution of states
should be modelled after the principles OF the
true church"
Proposition 3-"The Romish church and
her ecclesiastics have right to immunity from
civil law" Civil law taxes property for the
use of the state, Rome claims that her church
property should be exempt from taxation.
Civil law asserts that aiders and abettors of
criminals amenable to the civil courts OF
the land. Rome teaches that her ecciesiastics
may become cOgnIZant OF the most atrOcious
crimes in the coniessional-box and be under
no obligation to reveal them TO the state.
Here in this country the Romanists have
sought TO exempt their priests from civil juris-
dictiCn in various instances. Romish police
men have taken drunken priests to their
| homes instead OF the lookup. In San Francisco,
last spring, priest was allowed to testify
without taking the oath required by law.
Civil law in many States requires children to
attend the public schools, but the Romish
church asserts her right to disregard this law
Civil law declares all marriages performed
by the civil authorities are valid. Rome holds
and teaches that marriage is sacrament,
hence cannot be performed by civil authori-
ties. On January 10, 1880, Pope Leo issued an
encyclical on marriage and divorce, in which
among other things he said: Marriage, at
least in all that concerns the substance and
sanctity of the conjugal tie, is an essentially
sacred and religious act which naturally ought
to be regulated by the spiritual power. which
holds this power not as delegated by the state
or by the consent OF princes
In his first encyclical Pope Leo, after speak
ing OF some OF the modern evils that aff1ict So
clety, says: ave are convinced that the cause
OF these evils lies principally in the rejection
OF the august authority of the church, which
presldes over the human race in the name of
God, and is the safeguard or all legitimate au-
thorlty." 1.-The right of the church to
instruct and educate youth is trampled under
loot" "Oh, that this salutary author
lty had never been neglected or repudiatedl
Certainly the civil power would never have
lost that august and sacred glory which il re-
celved from religion"
The Roman Pontiff, in sending Satolli here as
an Embassador to our Government, set aside the
civil law which teaches there shall be no
union of church and state. In seeking to OBJ
tain funds from the state for sectarian pur-
poses the Romish ecclesiastics have not only
trampied upon constitutional law, but have
enJoyed immunity from the penalty of its yio-
lation. Rome claims the right TO immure
young women in her converts and refuse them
their liberty when they desire to go free. This
is violation OF the laws of civil liberty. If
any other society were to thus rob people of
their liberty the strong arm of the law would
be invoked i'll their behalf. If Rome does not
claim right to immunity from civil law why
are such prison pens allowed to exist in our
land?
Proposition 4-"In case of a conflict be-
tween the ecclesiastical and civil powers, the
ecclesiastical ought to prevail"
That Rome adheTes TO this as q fundamental
docrine and shapes her policy in the United
states IN accordance with 1t is proved by the
following facts: First for over fortv.eigbt
years the Church OF Rome has been in conflict
with the United States Government in regard
10 the education OF youth. Now, instead of
yielding to the laws OF the land and accepting
the system OF education sanctioned by law L
has perslstently opposed it, thus proving that
to the civil power would prove its LOYALTY. but
TO thus stubbornly resist the laws of the land
IS to manifest the disloyalty of the hierarchy.
second, the toliowlng-described attempt TO set
aside the civil law in favor Of tha -