The San Francisco call., 1896-02-11

creed and where of the remaining one-thirtl
only one-haH are enrolled under the banner OF
the great mother church OF Christendom,
wnere IN spite OF the great and, might almost
say, divine doctrine of the constitution OF our
countfy. i shat all men are created free anG
equal, and where all have what never would
nave been dreamed of but for the glorious
truth OF the Gospel, the guaranteed right of
nipess 0eTfy Wbsra ana So,d the Pursuit OF hap
Where capital is combined to strip our fertile
helds OF their products, and bankrupt farmers
Where wealth has royalty OF its own on every
man ufactured article wrung from the life'S
Dlood OF Our free and enlightened working
men; where monopoly holds in its relentless
grasp our mGrts OF trade reducing our once
prosperous merchants to the pittances of
clerks and saiesmen; where the stock exchange
ensnares the unsuspecting to sacrifice their
ineager savings in ruinous speculation and
lorecIose lis mortgages upon the homes OF
WIDOWS and orphans-is it not strange, / say,
mat SO many among aspire to initiate the
poverty of Jesus Christ? Great indeed is the
mystery OF godlineSsl
The age and country we live in are also sadly
blighted by the greatest curse that has ever
1alien upon the human race-unchastity. Who
OF US would not deny this if he could? The
very idea of the sanctity of marriage is lost
among The majority OF those who are not of
our faith. Marriage outside the church is gen.
eraliy only fOr pleasure or worldly advantage,
and children, unless they are very few, are not
considered a blessing from GOD. The number
oi men and women given over to olicentiousness
is appalling, yet we find great numbers with
their innocence unsullied; some of them joy
1ully enter religious communities. If the Lord
should say, II Will destroy San Francisco un-
less lind Ten just persons" where should we
first look for them? believe that all our peo-
pie, Catholic and Protestant, would instinct
lVely turn oour converts and religious houses.
The besetting sin of every country requires
eXplaton, and can be arrested only by pure
souls, healthy and robust souls, who do not
shrink from the burden of the cross, volunta,
rlly sacrificing what they might, If they chose
enjoy, and devoting themselves to prayer and
good works In reparation for the transgressions
OF others, and TO obtain for them the graces
winch they need. There is no greater mistake
than to suppose that religio MS i'll their abnega-
tlon OF the world and its temptations forget
the love OF their nelghbor They are striving
tor the salvation and sanctifcation of others
as well as their own. The VOW of chastity does
not dlscredlt marriage or anything else that is
lawful, but it is sacrifice which procures for
the married the grace to keep the relation
molly and to discharge faithfully all its duties.
When people are SO far gone as to regard the
VOW OF chastity as something contrary to na-
ture, how can they have even the proper ideal
OF the marriage relation? What ought to be
thought OF a man like Martin Luther or any
ex-prlest or nun, who has rallied against the
VOW OF chastity Have they made the world
lowered the worlds standard of morality /?
when such persons claimed the right to set
aside the VOW of chastity, is it any wonder that
consclenceless laymen on the same grounds
claimed the right 10 dissolve the marriage
bond? What shame it is that the multitudes
OF chaste, noble and charitable Protestants
to such q sewer of corruption as this?
But II might be argued, were there not scan
dals IN religious houses to bring them into dis
repute? Even if there were, what, | would
like to know, became of those who had given
scandal? Did they become martyrs, or fee
the country and retire into monasteries for
penance? No, indeed, the change in religion
was most welcome to them. If the Catholic re-
ligion were corrupt, would they not have pre-
terred to remain in 1T? Indeed, it is Il poor eX-
cuse for leaving ary church because there are
unworthy members in it. Those who give up
| their faith on account of scandals are gener-
| ally not much better than those who give the
| scandal. scandals must come" says our
| Lord, .but woe be to those by whom they
come" 1t cannot be otherwise when human
nature is what it is. Church scandals were ex-
aggerated, no doubt, in the sixteenth century
just as much as they are to-day. Permit me 10
say that only few of the alleged scandals
| among priests aud religious of those days can
be substan tlated.
The multitude of obscene stories about
priests and religions that were published and
scattered broadcast in those days are no more
worthy of credence than the calumnies of
anti-Catholic agitators of to-day. 1t is a most
significant fact that in Ireland, where prob
ably the most exemplary priests, religions and
people of that period were to be found, the old
iaith remained. The true followers of our
Lord are indeed 1.-THE salt of the earth," and is
it not blessing that we have a goodly num-
ber of such in our midst? Need we be dis
couraged at the ravages made in our fair land
by error, greed and immortality? Not at all.
Judging from past history it is not unreason-
dDle 10 suppose L0db True OurlSlldn PRINCIPLES
may spread through the length and breadth of
our land and redeem it.
If the heritage of liberty which we have re-
ceiyed from our forefathers remains-and NAV
God grant that greed and lust and oppression
never destroy tit will be because the pre-
cepts and counsels of Jesus Christ live In the
hearts OF our people.
DECLARATIONS IN THE CONSTITUTION
The declarations embodied in our constitu-
ton, says Father Hecker, care some of them
Twin n nIlr ral he Tbnr
divine, inasmuch as they declare the rights of
the Creator in his creature; they are funda-
mental, for without the enjoyment of the nat
ural rights which they proclaim man is not
man; they are practical, for man is or
ought to be, under his Creator, the master of
his own destiny and free from any dominion
not founded in divine right The Creator in
vested man with these rights in order that he
might fulfill the duties insepars bly, attached
to them"
Any power which, if it could, would de-
prive a single citizen of our country of
one iota of the religious liberty which
he now enjoys would offend God, act the
tyrant and be an enemy OF mankind. We may
be sure that the religion which requires an un-
compromising adherence TO the truth of God
will never approve OF a divided allegiance to
the State. popular government like ours,
founded upon universal suffrage, is most eff
cient school to teach us our dignity as citi-
zens and Catholics. If instead of such
a glorious Government as ours we
had only a party despotism. for sordid
gain or despcabie ambition, the weaker ones
among us might possibly be tempted to war
| upon the rights OF conscience of others. for our
own momentary advantage; but, with the
principles of Washington and Lincoln in the
very marrow OF our bones, and fortified and
strengthened by the faith we have learned
| from the chair of Peter, we are the safest and
| most devoted citizens of this great republic.
Although comparative stranger here in San
Francisco, yet, because am Catholic priest
and Paulist, l am trusted; my note with
! every one is as good as gold; but if had come
| here as an anti-Catholic lecturer 1 could no;
get nights lodging in hotel without paying
| for it in advance,
| Love of truth was the first lesson that ever
learned, and never had to unlearn that lesson
| in finding my way to holy mother church.
| traced the principle of truth which l had
| learned to its source, and found its home to be
| in the old church. He whose eyes are open to
| the light of first principles, and has studied
| true history, knows that the Catholic church
| has battled during her whole lifetime for the
| rights of the oppressed. Should it ever happen,
| which God forbid! that any class of citizens
wha tever be their religious creed, should be-
| denied equal rights with all others in the
| practice and propagation of their faith, the
Catholics of this country would be the first tc
| take up their cause and to aid in securing fol
| them the privilege OF others.
Have we not thus far stood for equal rights
! Have we ever wished TO deny to others wha
! we have asked for ourselves? We have some
] times had to suffer because others were enyi
Gus OF our prosperity. Indeed, our enemies