The San Francisco call., 1896-01-16
H, v, BOWMAN TO
FATHER YORKE,
The A. P. A. Editor Says
Rome Is the Enemy
of Progress.
He DRAWS COMPARISONS
Father Yorke Replies to Rev. C.
w. Wendte on Civil
Government.
THE CATHOLIC CONTENTION.
DR.. Wendte Again Writes on the
Foundation of the Christian
Church.

The following communication from H
W. Bowman, editor OF the American Pa
triot, is the latest contribution to the great
controversy:
To the Editor Of San Francisco CGll-DEAR
SIE: For ages Rome blocked the wheels Of
civilization. The dagger of superstition was
used TO kill the children OF the brain. Every
newborn idea was met with Herodian cruelty
Science was chained to tradition and reason
confined in the cells Of Ignorance. She stran-
gled liberty al its birth and cursed all who
dared think for themselves Rome has been
the inyeterate foe Of human progress. She has
mathematical the man OF nralnS ana lmprlS-
oned the scientific diScOverer. The civilization
of to-day has been fought step by step by
Romish intolerance and bigotry. Free educa-
ton for all means liberation from the despotiC
yoke of the priesthood. Hence the priests op-
pose public education because II educateS the
masses.
While civilization is swiftly advancing with
all sails set and banners streaming on the high
tide OF Improvement the papacy alone remains
fixed, moOred TO the rotten wharf OF super
sutton by the chains OF ignorance. A Roman
ize1 nation holds an inferior station. Papal
domination means American sublugation and
the loss OF our civilization. 1t means the tel
escoping of the tenth century into the nine
teenth. Rome wraps herself in the mantle OF
the past and calls upon the nations TO halt as
they go rushing past DER the road OF civiliZa-
tion. The three distinguishing marks OF q true
clVlhZaton, VIZ: knowledge, morality and
wealth, are found in the countries that are
free from the despOtie yoke of Romanism. Mr..
Bslou, in his book Equatorial America, y
speaking OF the progress OF Uruguay and its
rapid advancement IN modern civilization,
says:
one reason for the rapid growth OF the republic
OF Uruguay is because OF its gradually casting off
the slough of Roman Catholic influence, a species
OF dry quite sufficient TO bring about the de-
srUCtlOu OF any Government The same incubus,
which OF so long standing in Mexico, where its
enecI Kept the people IN ignorance ana ferment 1of
centuries. has Al last been abolished and modern
progress naturally follows. In Uruguay the tom
lSh church has lost Its prestige, having hastened
its own downfall by b!indly striving 10 enforce
hf-eeHthcentury ideas upon the people OF the nne-
teenth. Monks and nuns have been expelled and
parish schools have been closed Free schools now
prevail and general knowledge IS becoming broad
cast. which simply means destruction TO ali Popish
control Intelligence is the anjidote Tor bigOtrv,
which explains the bitter opposition OF the Roman
Catholic priesthood to free schools wherever that
faith prevails. pages 24l-242)
The man is lost in the machine. He becomes
q mere cog in the wheel OF Papal power.
Under the corporate character OF Romanlsm
the priests transact all the business OF saliva
ton. The individual has no say. The juGg-
ment OF the priest Is supreme. Just q man
commits himself TO the cars to be carried 10
his destination, so all the man has to do is TO
commit himself 10 the priest, and his saliva
ton Is assured. The result is the loss of indi-
yiduality and a cringing, servile subsection TO q
heart!ess despotlsm. The result, individually,
Is disastrous to morals. It does away with
personal responsibility; il duIls the edge OF
inquiry; il acts q narcotic upon the mind
l. hindeTS the development OF the mental fac
ulties; il checks social progress; 1t prevents
political advancement
The whole tendency OF Romanism is to make
Its victims social crlpples. They are as de-
pendent upon the priest as the cripple upon
his crutCh. When born he SprinEles them.
when youth confirms them, little later mar
RES them, when dying enOintS, and when
dead prays them out OF purgatory-if he is naid
Tor 1t. In TACT, he thinks 1or them, drinks for
them, and steals from them from the cradle to
the grave. He can only use his senses the
priest directs; for when the priest tells him
that bread Is flesh and wine is blood, he must
believe II under penalty OF dsmnauon. When
the priest Is the aileT of the mind il is utterly
impossible for the mind to be free. The spirit
OF manly independence can never be exercised
When the priest Is put IN the place OF God, and
his favor Is thought necessary TO salvation.
While manifold evils have resulted from it
IN It's religious aspects, yetits blighung effects
are seen IN every department OF life. 1t has
locked the doors OF investigation and placed
the keys in the hands OF the priests 1t has
been brake on the wheels OF progress When
men are Lett free to grapple with life's prob
lens 10 solve lis mysteries, 10 search out its
truth, TO feel their personal responsibility,
there is a mighty incentive placed before
every one TO do his utmost. The conscious
ness OF individual responsibility is the main
spring OF Christian endeavor and of moral ac-
uylty. Necessity develops faculties. Respon-
slblllty nanllestS capacity. Opportunity makes
room 1or improvement Exercise is the law OF
development. Use strengthens the faculties
while disease weekens them. Romanism, in
relieving man OF his personal responsibility.
stops the motor power of human progress.
Manly Independence is gone and slavish
fear makes him the tool OF the priest
Thus his mind is eEervated, his spirit
crushed and his conscience darkened.
hhlle circumstances may modify the result in
some cases yet this is the inevitable tendency.
The history OF Europe for twelve centuries tes-
titled to its baneful influence. II chai ned hu-
menlTy 10 the post OF ignorance. II unhitched
the horses OF progress from the chariot OF civ
iiization and Quenched the fires OF freedom.
II not only blocked the wheels of human prog
TeSs, but sought 10 completely DESTROY fhei r
motive power. a torpid mind to truth is blind
The spirit OF individual TesponSibility Is the
nrSt principle OF liberty No man viii wear a
oespouc yoke VINO IS conscious OF his own
rights and the dignity of human nature. Such
love Justice ana advocate the rights OF all
Equal rights for all is their battle crv Hence
when you give the mind q chance humanity
viii advance. Men Will manifest their ability
as they ieel their responsibility. Thus high
type Oh civilization results from the conscious
realization OF individual rights and duties
Ihat popery has been bar 10 human progress
the testimony OF the following witnesses viii
prove. Lord MacGulay says
To stunt the growth of the human mind has beer
her chief object, Throughout Christendom what
ever ADVANCE has been made in knowledge. in
freedom, in wealth and in the arts of life has beer
made IN spite OF her. and has everywhere beeu IN
inverse proporNon TO her power. The lovelies
and most fertile provinces OF furope have pndey
her rule. been sunk in poverty, in political servi
tude and in intellectual torpor while Protest. n,
countries once proverbial for steriIity and barbar
ism, have been tur rned by skill and Industry int
gardens, and can boast OF a long list OF harnay an6
statesmen. philosophers and poets. Whoever
knowing what italy and Scotland naturally are
and what, AGO years ago, they actually were
shall now compare the country round Roms
with the country round Edinburgh viii
be able 10 form some Judgment as tf
the tendency OF Papal domination. The descent o.
spain, once the first among mOnarchies 10 the
lowest depth OF degradation; the elevation of Hol-
land, in spite OF many natural disad van to
position which no commonwealth so small has
ever reached. teach The same lesson. Whoeyel
passes. in Germany. from Roman Catholic 10 !
Protestant principality, in Switzerland from a no
Catholic TO a Protestant canton in IrelauC
from a Roman Catholic TO a Protestant county
finds that he has passed from lower 10 hIebe,
grade OF civilization On the other side OF the Al
lantic the same law prevails. The Protestaats o
the United states have left far teaind them III,
Roman Catholics of Mexico Peru and Brazil IN,
Roman Catholics OF Lower Canada remain inert
while the whole continent round them is in fer
ment with Protestant activity and enterprise.
If it be objected that this is Protes tant testi
mony we will give the verdict OF a Romanist
A patriotic French politician, writing abou
the loss of Alsace and the conquest of his idol
lied Paris by "herteic" Germany, speaks thus