The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-02-22
A REVIEW OF THE WORK
How, the Catholic Church Stands
at Home and in Other
Lands.
A Gain of Nine r1iIlions in the
United States During the
Present Century.
The Vitality of the Church Never
More StrikingIy Evinced
..e - .-... ..o.s.
-. Than Now.

-ss Han NOW.
The end of a. century affords favora-
BILE opportunity for making up the great
accounts of the world, says B. Morgan in
the Catholic World Science ill all its
ramifications has made great advances;
Literature and art have been popularized,
If not perfected: the education and ame1-
ioraticn of the people have th1iyen apace
and there will be few bold enough to deny
that on the whole the dying century has
been a century of progress. Meanwhile
how have the Spiritual interests OF man
kind Jared, and how has the old church
stood the test of new conditions: The
question is an important one in many re-
spects. The stock argument against the
Catholic church has been that she is re-
actionary-doomed to wane with the
growth of knowledge and freedom. We
accept the criterion of the nineteenth CEN
tu1y and from bald theories appeal to
bold facts.
The religious history of the last hun
dred years has been mainly normal. The
growth or decrease of the different Sec
! tions of Christianity has been i'll large
measure the result of their own inherent
character and activity rather than Of any
external stimulus or opposition. Tnetre
have been, of course, some exceptions to
this rule; but the rule stands, and as
consequence the epoch that is coming to
close affords better illustration OF the
| vitality Of the Catholic church than any
other period of her existence.
Professionalism and Catholicity have
emphasized the characteristics which
differentiate them--each in it's own man
ner. The reformers sowed broadcast the
| doctrine of private Judgment; their de-
scendants are now reaping an abundant
harvest of divisions and contradictions
Luther himself would be aghast were he
alive. e.tpd day and with ness the logicsalfiss1fes
| of Ills pTInGiples. His church embraces
every shade Of belief from that Of the ad-
vanced Unitarian who cannot tell you
wherein he differs from the Buddhist, to
! the Highchurchman who hardly looks
| askance ON the dogma OF Papal Infalli-
bility.
| Little of Importance has been changed
! in the religious aspect of Catholic colln-
tries There have been few spasmodic
but wholly abortive attempts at schism
and heresy within her dominions. In II
ally an apostate priest named Gavaz1i put
himself at the head of what he CALLED
the National Church" !" in 1870. For
few years he kept together small con-
gregation, but the movement finally COL
| lapsed some six years ago, when the TN
happy founder dropped dead in the street
! in front of the Pantheon.
| France, which at the beginning OF the
century was more or less tainted with
Gallicanism and Jansenism, has become
| more Catholics than ever. Even the un-
doubted eloquence and ability OF the apos-
| tate Pere Hyacinth has not suf1ced to
keep open the doors Of his solitary church
in Paris. The old Catholic movement in
Germany, which began its career with
| such a flourish of trumpets after the Vat
ican Council, is dying slowly Of inani
tiou. Austria has given nc encourage
msnt to the sects. Portugal has not
sweyved, Belgium is sturdily Catholic.
Ireland deserves a word OF special men
tion. Her people are intensely loyal to
the old faith as they have always been
in the long course of their troubled MIS-
tory. but in ireland alone of European
countries the population has diminished
during the last hundred years. Toward
the middle of the present century its in
ha abitants numbered over eight millions.
of whom seven-eights were Catholics.
At the last census the total population
was less than five, and the Cathol1c part
less than four millions.
In only one part Of Europe has Cathol-
ic;ty met with a check. The Muscov1te
dominion has menaced the peace OF the
Church as well as the peace of Europe.
In 1904 the Ruthen:an branch OF the Cath
olic Church counted $50 ,000-today it has
no official existence, and it's followers,
scattered through the Russian empire,
scarcely number 100000. This unhappy
result has been mainly brought about by
the overt ard covert persecution or the
government, and unfortunately, too, by
the detection Of some of the priests.
In Poland, especially since 1860, Ca
thol;city and patriotism have suffered TO-
gether. Now, however, that diplomatic
relations have been permanently essab-
lished between Russia and the Holy See
there is coed reason to hope .tha.. the
trials OF the Church VII be ,n.tigated if
nor ended.
Everywhere in Protestant countries
Catholicity has surely. if slowly, gained
ground At the beginning Of the century
the Catholics of Switzerland and North
Germany were stepped in apathy. but
since then Gods great remedy, per5ecu-
ten has brought about d sweeping
change Instead OF the 100000 Of go
years ago, Nor:h Germany has today &
population Of 1900. Goo Of the most zeal
Gus Catholics IN Chr:stendon.
Cathoiic c:pasion in Denmark
dates from 1S47. In that year there were
hlns three missionaries and 300 Catholics,
w;tnous.achool Or chapel, n he countg.y.
In 1852 Denmark became a vscarpts-apos-
tolic. with 50 priests and a population of
1000 Sweden anil sIarway II 1850 2--sd
1858. re- pectiyely, granted freedom to the
ChurGiL Tlle Wcrk "A these countries has
.been especially difficult and the progress
has bcsia Sow. but The. Ca thol:cs have in
G. ssssaSl f-3sll 400 to 2.160. ,ss: &
fIsaa.ssf! however, n jail the
81 cre., c. -loW:ag a greateR praportcaate ate.
{ ir:,r 81 Cat nc
ant caurstr tryy The - Cat tholies a
I5oH HsIas la1 s;s,ae bsgg 8 of the ceI1tIr
ba4Is ~ Eeen 1lefease over mil ion.
\ 4ss, ,s52.
81