The San Francisco call., 1896-02-17

claiming to be the only true salvation for man
klno: And, to say the least, the arrogance OF
her Claims must be shocking to all who are ac-
quainted with the facts in the history OF her
pi0ouy career in the world.
we do not say that the Roman Church has
accomplished no good in the world, but we do
say that she has been the fruitful source OF far
more evil than good in the world, and that her
efforts for supremacy have marked her path
way Win strife, perse cruelty, tears and
plooo ana her attitude. to-day toward free
lherts lnhorsns tree speech free schools ana mental
Iperty snow her to be the same relentless foe
OF iree religion and true democracy.
we 90 not say that her men are all disloyal
10 our Government, but we do say that their
opposlton 10 our free-school system, and the
statements OF those high IN Catholic authority
against our system of free schools during forty
years past was, as every true American must
ADMIT, an attack upon the very citadel of
american Liberty and the popular theory that
tne perpetuily OF our free institutions depends
tp upon the protection OF our school system; and
tne Catnonc. war and extreme statements, he
ginning with Bishop Hughes of New York
until now, could have no other tendency than
10 create strong suspicion of disloyalty to the
prlnclpies OF free government on the part of
the leaders OF the Roman church, and no
amount OF denial, sophistry and slippery con-
1us!on OIL words can wipe out the significance
schools.
We do not say that Catholic women are not
aulte as chaste and as faithful wives, mothers
ana daughters as others of Protestant faith, or
tuose OF no religious faith. duman nature is
apout the same in the church as outside of it,
Morality, goodness. benevolence and chastity
40 not belong alone TO the church, nor are
tney Que 10 any religious belief, but to the in
s.lncts OF common humanity. And the fact
tnat sisters and nuns are found on the battle
nelo In the hospital soothing the sufferings of
tne uylng ana mlnistering to the wants of the
poor ana distressed no sane person will deny.
put we cannot believe that the ministries of
tnese gooo angels are due to the Catholic
religion, or what these sisters of mercy happen
10 D6lleVe about God heaven DurgatOry
but rather. to their humanity, and that
Ifrotestant women are quite as benevo-
lent ana chaSte as others. And Rev.
rather Wyman's statement In his lecture at
the Metropolitan Temple THAT the idea OF the
sanetlty OF marriage is lost among the majority
OF those who are not OF our faith" was an in
suit 10 every woman outside of the Catholic
church. "He said further that marriage out
side OF their church was for the most part for
pleasure and their children are not consid-
ered blessing from God, and If God should
say Will destroy San Francisco unless find
ten Just persons, where should we first look for
them? All our people would instinctively
turn to our converts and religious houses"
Great heavens, what arrogance and what
cruel lmpertinence is this? Well, it is nothing
new 1t is an open statement OF Romanism,
that the marriage of Protestants is the mar
riage bed of adultery, and their children the
bastards of a cursed union"
This is the language of the highest Catholic
authority, the so-called church of God. We are,
then, to look for virtue in converts and Cath
olic prisons, where men and women are shut
away from the sunlight and green fields, deny
ing themselves OF the natural and kindly asso-
Citations OF human life under the pretense OF
serving God. What lean, pinched-up virtue
this must be. What is this but the mental dis
ease called religion? Heaven save me and
mine from such horrid and unnatural re-
Ggion as this.
But how do we know that virtue exists in
such large degree in the converts and nun
neries? How can we tell what is concealed un-
der the garb of self-abnegation when the out
side world is not permitted to see and talk with
the prisoners? And am 1 to take Father Wy
mans word for all this virtue shut up in these
,unwholesome places called religious?
Would it not be we'll to open out these vir-
tuous retreats at least once a year for ventila-
ton and prove TO the world the superiority of
Catholic virtue?
We think IT good service to the unregener-
ate world TO have the curtain drawn aside and
the cover lifted from the church now and
again so that sinners may know how them
selves compare in point of morality and virtue
with saints OF God. And no doubt the outside
world were greatly surprised and pleased to
ind SO much morality and virtue in Brother
Browns church when the cover was lifted off.
And 60 think that those who have religion
aye almost as good as those who have no re-
ligion. And we suggest to Father Wyman to
have the cover removed from those holy places
of which he speaks before he delivers another
such an unjust TRADE in favor of Catholic vir.
tue.
Now then, as the truth or falsity of the Cath
olic faith turns on the question of the divinity
OF Jesus of Nazareth, permit us to PROFOUND
few questions, partly in the language of a
noted author. to- Father Wyman, Bishop
Riordan and other clergy in this city. touching
the most vital points in the foundation of the
Catholic faith, the chief of which is the
divinity of Jesus What is truth? Truth is
the right relation of things. What is the truth
about Jesus? And is Jesus a correct standa rd
for truth? Nothing but perfection can be
standard for complete truth. And does the
New Testament, show him to be perfect char
acter? And from our reading we must con-
clude that the man Jesus was far from perfeo-
ton, and in no sense perfect standard for
truth.
If Jesus was divine, how could he teach that
moral merit depends upon religious belief
than one can control the color OF his eyes or
the length of his stature or color of his hair !?
How could he say "Let him who is without
sin cast the first stone?" This carried out in
practical life would exempt every criminal on
earth and defeat the ends of justice.
II he was perfect character, how could he
say to the poor woman. .Iti is not meet to take
the children's bread and cast it to the dogs; ;
and why, if God, could he term any of his
children Gentiles and dogs ?"
II perfect or even q wise man, why should
he curse the fig tree because it was barren at
the wrong time OF the year. And why did he
not destroy the devils instead of destroying his
neighbor's property and food for the hungry2
Why, If wise man, did he promise the dis
ciples that, If they would believe in him, they
should sit on twelve thrones, judging the
twelve tribes of Israel? Did they do so?. No
suCu tulllS ever occurred. ana why OlQ he
denounce whole cities, both innocent and
guilty, because they refused his disciples as
their teacher, as stated in Matthew's gospel?
How could he say, if good man, bring
hither my enemies and slay them before me,
those who will not have me rule over them?
In this he proposes to render evil for evil
not much like an infinite God. Had Jesus
been perfect or q wise man, how could he
have laid the foundation of Roman popery and
created the first Pope, as recorded in Matt.
xvi:1S?
Why should he, If he knew what frail, falli-
BILE and wicked men would do, say unto Peter,
acoward and liar, Thou art Peter, and upon
this rock will build my church, +" if he did not
mean to establish Popery in the world? And
why did he Il divine character and with the
foreknow ledge of God, have said to Peter,
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" and
thus establish Popery with its confession-box
and long and cruel legacy of despotism, war,
pr1estcraft, persecution and bloodsheq to es
tablish the abOmination of mental and. spirit
ual slavery and the very throne of Popery in