The San Francisco call., 1896-01-17

ter OF Yesterday was devoted 10 some prelimi-
nsTy remarks on The value OF the authorities
quoted by Dr. Wendte and on the controversial
methods OF those who oppose the Catholic
church. ] then stated that DR.. Wendte WAS
not acquainted with the teachings OF Cath
olicism concerning the relations OF church and
State. That teaching intend 10 set forth now
a. clearly as I can.
MANS INTERESTS.
Asman Is made up OF soul and body he has
eternal as well as temporal interests. This, I
suppose, Dr.. WeDdte viii not deny. Man de-
sires 10 live his life comfortably as he can !;
he wishes 10 secure the fruit Of his labor; he
tries to perfect his mental and his moral tacul-
ties; he would Vlndlcate Tor himself all these
liberties which do not interfere with the rights
OF others or with the common good. Such are
his temporal interests.
Besides these, however, there are interests
which affect the future life. All who believe
in the Immortality OF the soul aeknow ledge
that the present life is but g preparation for a
lie beyond the grave. How 10 fit ourselves for
this other existence Is a serious question.
"What shall I do 10 be ssved?" The answer to
this question comprehends what we call our
eternal interests.
THE STATE.
II Is dictate OF human nature that when
men wish 10 obtain any common end they band
together for the purpose. When. therefore
they all wish 10 secure their emporal welfare
life, liberty and the pursuit OF happiness, they
organize into what Is known as civil Socletv
As God IS The author OF human nature we call
him The author OF society II Dr.. Wendte wrote
book calculated 10 create a bad impression
against any one we would call him the author
OF that impression. When God created being
calculated 10 live in civil society we call God
the author OF civil society.
This IS the teaching OF Leo XIII in his Chris
tian Constitution OF States:
Mans natural instinct moves him 10 live in civil
society, Tor he cannot, il dwelling apart. provide
himself with the necessary requirements of life
nor procure the means OF developing his mental
that he should lead his life-be il family social or
civil-with his fellow-men, among whom alone his
several wants can be adequately supplied. But as
no society can hold together unless some one be
over all. directing all 10 strive earnestly for the
common goo3, every civilized community must
have ruling authority, and this authority, less
than society itself, has its source IN narura. and
has, consequently. God for its author Hence il fol-
lows tnat all pubIic power must proceed from God.
For God alone is the true and supreme Lord of the
world. Eyerythng,' without exception, must be
subject 10 him and must serve him; so that whose
ever holds The right 10 govern holds 1t from one
sole and single source namely, God the Sovereign
Ruler OF all. There Is no power but from God.
(Rom. xiu:1.)
THE CHURCH.
II il is necessary tor men to organize in
order TO secure their temporal Interests it is
just as necessary for them to organize in order
10 secure their eternal interests. But this diff
fculty arises: In temporal affairs men are
compelled by the stern logic OF facts TO hang
together, else they viii END by hanging sep
arstely. No matter how much they may diff
Ter on political questions when ii comes TO the
existence OF the state or the society they are
generally unit. II, however, passion drives
them beyond the bounds, we have riots
anarchy, civil war, and, sometimes, loss of in
dependence. The very nature OF things COM
pels the establishment OF a stable and an
authoritative government. If the people OF e
certain region will not do ii for themselves by
common consent, the people of the neighbor-
ing region viii do ii by conquest aud the
strong hand. Men know at once when their
temporal Interests are in jeopardy, and conse-
queutly they take measures to secure them as
soon as possible.
1t is quite otherwise however, when il comes
10 eternal interests. Whether these interests
=, Ir1r
himself until he is dead. Hence during Ii
he may fall into all kinds OF illusions concern
ing the best way OF maintaining them and
never discover his error. Hence. mistakes in
the matter Of onr eternal interests are not self
corrective, as are mistakes in the matter OF our
temporal interests. As g result. each man is
natUrallye law unto himself, and there are as
many opinions as there are individuals.
But cooperation IS as necessary in attending
to oUr eternal interests as il is in attending to
our temporal interests. AS human nature now
stands this cooperation, though theoretically
possible, Is practically Unattsinable. History
proves this assertion. Hence God himself has
lntervened and has sent his Son TO bring about
this cooperation by founding society which
will do for the eternal what civil society does
for the temporal This society we call the
church.
CHURCH AND STATE.
Leo XIII sums up this condition of affairs in
the following passage from the encyclical al.
ready quoted:
The Almighty, therefore, has appointed the
tne ecclesiastical and the civil; the one being SET
over divine and the other over human things
Each in its kind is supreme; each has fixed mits
within which II is contained, limits which are
defined by the nature and special object of the
province of each so that there is, we may say. ar
oroit traced out, wthtn which the action OF each
brought into play by its own native right: but in
asmuch as each of these two powers has author
ity over the same subjects, and u il m ght come
10 pass that one and the thing-related
differently. but still remaining one and the same
thing-might belong TO the Jurisdiction and de
termination OF both, therefore God, who foresees
ali things aud who is the author OF these two
powers has marked out the course OF each in rigbl
correlation TO the other. For the mowers thar ans
ordained OF God (Rom. viii.2.) Were thl.
not so deporabe contentious and conflicts woulf
often arise, and not infrequentiy men, travellers
at the meeting of two roads, would hesitate IL
anxiety and doubt, not knowing what course to
follow. Two powers would be commanding con.
trary things and il would be derelietion of duty
TO disobey either of the two.
But IL would be most repugnant to deem Tins o
the wisdom and goodness OF God. Even in bhys
cal things, albeit or a lower order, the Almighty
has so combined the forces and springs of nature
with tempered action and wondrous harmony that
no one of them clashes with any other. and all OF
them most htly ana aptly worN together fer the
great purpose OF the universe There must ac
cordingly exist between these two powers Ger
tain orderly connection, which may be compared
10 the union OF the soul and body in man.
The nature and scope OF that connection can be
determined only, we have laid down, by having
regard 10 the nature OF each power, and by taking
account OF the relative excellence and nobeness OF
their purpose. One OF the two has for its approxi
mate and chief object the well being OF this mortal
life: the other the everlasting lows OF heaven
Whatever. therefore, in things human is OF a sa
cred charact er whatever belongs either of ITS oyyr
nature or by reason OF the end TO which il is re
ferred, the salvation of souls or TO the orshiI
of God is subject 10 the power and Judgment of tht
church. Whatever is TO be ranged under the civil
and political order is rightly subject to the civil au
thority. Jesus Christ has himself given command
tnat what is Csesars is 10 be rendered TO CESAR
and what belongs to God is 10 be rendered TO God.
DR. wENDTE's FIRST QUOTATION.
This explanation gives the true meaning of
the first quotation produced by DR.. Wendtc TO
prove his thesis that Catholics believe in "the
supremacy of the church and the su ubordina-
ton of the state to it." That quotation he
ascribes TO Bishop Gilmour. pass no opinion
on its authenticity. l know that several
spurious sentiments attributed to that Bishop
have been floating round ID A T. A literature
AS however, the present quotation is
susceptible OF Catholic Interpretation
neither affirm nor deny its genuineness. II
runs as follows:
''The state is for the body, the church is fol
the soul. But the soul is superior TO the body,
hence the church is above the state" From
this quotation DR.. Wendte mathematically
concludes: Therefore the Pope is the soY'