The San Francisco call., 1896-02-09

remaining in its own sphere
These two sentences DR.. Wendte suppressed
Catholic teaching. Jouin is here dealing, with
the normal" or "ideal'' state, and he takes 1t
1or granted that all the citizens are members
OF the one church, yet even in such case ne
declares that the church cannot ABSORB the
state.
Then Jouin goes on to say that the laws OF
the state must be based on the moral ana re-
vealed law. This is q truism. In America the
state accepts the revealed Christian law as the
basis OF legislation. Whence does the state ac-
ceept IT, II not from the Christian G chureh aake @
politlcal reason to condemn this practlce. All
the non-Christian states allow it. 1t Is forDld-
aen IN america because the Christian chuTches II,
insisted that polygamy was opposed to Chris
uan morality and that Christian moraHty Is
tne OASIS of our legislation. Does thls prove
mat the churches in America have civil Juris-
But, says DR.. Wendte, Jouin holds tEatsin
9ouot1nl cases the church must prevail. Dr
Mendte designedly obscures Joulns supposi-
tlon that the doubtful case referred 10 is q
4uestion OF morals and that he is speaking OF
laws binding on the conscience.
NOW let me ask DR.. Wendte II the state COM
manded him to marry half a dozen wives at the
same time, would he consider himself consclen-
uously bound to obey. II he believes as he
says that the state has the right TO hx the
bounds OF its own jurisdiction, he would be
compelled TO commit hexagamy at once. Is
not this reductio ad aburdEm OF his theory?
,Jouin holds, like every sensible man, that
the laws of the state should be modelled on
GODS law; that II collisions arise, they are to
Dc settled on their merits. bearing IN mind the
principle that all things temporal belong ex-
c!usively to the state, and things spiritual 10
the church, and finally, that If the state begins
TO interfere with the conscience and make
laws which violate the moral sense OF the
Christian people, that these laws DO not bind
In conscience, and Christians should do their
very best to have them repealed.
need scarcely remark that these are princi-
DeODl0
ways acted. II DR.. Wendte will read the his
tory OF the abolition movement he will realize
the Justice OF my statement.
Neither Jouin's theory nor the American
practice proves, however, that the church has
or claims civil jurisdiction over the state.
-, from the foregoing it is evident that DR..
Wendte was as unsuccessful with modern
Catholics as he was with ancient Popes. In
deco, the only Catholic book he appears to
have seen is Jouin, and Jouin he deliberately
garDles and misrepre esents. But his armory Is
not yet exhausted, land he appeals to
:, Fifth-The principles and actions OF Catho-
lies in America
since the foundation of the Republic, DR..
Wendte is able to bring against us but two
charges, one Of which is untrue and the other
is calumny.
ld) Church property.
He asserts that the property of the Catholic
church is held absolutely by one person, the
Bishop, and by him only as the representative
OF foreign ruler. Moreover he says the church
denies the right to the state to interfere with
this property even when the welfare of the
community demands 1t.
l beg to say that these statements are not
true.
l. The property of the Catholic church is
held In trust for the Catholic people, In accord
ance with the laws of the various States. AS
fsr as am aware the laws of no two States are
alike. In New York the bulk of the church
property is held by boards of trustees created
by special act of the Legislature. In the arch
diocese OF San Francisco the diocesan property
is held by corporation sole known as the
Archbishop OF San Francisco and constituted
under our laws. Nearly every religious CON-
munity is an independent corporation, as are
also the principal institutions, such as the
orphan asylums. the seminary, the hospitals.
z 1t is true that certain properties may be
entered in the Bishops name but they are
held by him not as representative of the Pope
who could not realize 10 cents on all the church
property in America, but representative of
the Catholic people, to whom the property
belongs.
8. 1t is not true that the church denies the
right of the State to interfere with this property
for the welfare of the people. Can DR.. Wendte
produce single incident to show that the
Catholic church has refused to obey the general
or local regulations touching property? The
church, 1t is true, protests against robbery and
spollatlon, but she protests against 1t in the
spirit of the American constitution which pro-
vides that the right of eminent domain shall
not be exercised unless reasonable Compensa-
ton be made. DR.. Wendte should remember
that the robbery of the church has never yet
benefited the people.
DR.. Wendte states that clerical ambition is
one of the dangers against which America
must guard, and that in every election poll
tieians are compelled to reckon with the in
.fuence of the Catholic church.
Concerning this statement allow me to say
that II is cruel and baseless calumny.
/. believe that there is no class OF men in
Anne rica to-day who are less animated by po-
litical aspirations than the Catholic clergy.
2. know as matter OF my own knowledge
that the charge that priests influence their
DArlEnl0nerS
hood.
3. know that for every priest, who may
take even platonic interest in politics, there
are thousand preachers up to their neekS in
the mire.
4. know that the influence of the Roman
Catholic church is not cast one way or an
other in elections, and the man who claims he
can control or use or sway such influence be
ne priest or layman, IS liar and the truth is
not in him.
s. Finally, know that there is no class of
people In the world so quick TO resist clerical
dictation or influence IN politics as Catholics
1 am firmly convinced that If did what
called meeting of Catholics tomorrow in
this City and urged them to vote this way or
that would be pelted off the stage with rot
ten eggs. And would deserve 1t.
q. DIR. Wendte traverses the whole habitable
giobe 10 prove that Catholics are an unruly lot
and always in conflict with the civil power.
In answer took up one example-Germany.
described the nature of the laws against
which Catholics protested. DR.. Wendte was
ashamed to say any more in defense of Bis
marck.
l repeat now what Jouin asserted, that in
every case OF conflict between the church and
state, hinted at by DR.. Wendte, the state has
been the aggressor. and the church has been
tghting for these elementary rights which are
guaranteed the most insignificant congrega-
tions in these United States.
So far now | have considered all the argn-
ments which DR.. Wendte produced to show
that Catholics claimed civil supremacy for the
church over state. Not one of these argu-
ments was worth the paper on which it was
II it be true as he asserts that the Catholics
believe in "theocracy." surely it should not
be so difficult to prove it. DR.. Wendte has laid
every century under contribution, but in vain.
He is trying to prove the thing that is not.
The doctrine of the Catholic. church about
church and state is the doctrine held by
Americans, and every attempt TO foist dit-
frtile.
AS this review of 'What Catholics Do Not
Believe has extended far beyond the limits. I
Will defer the review of 'What Catholics Do
Believe" and the inquisition into the rubbish
heap" for another letter. Yours truly,
p. G. YoRKE.