The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
FATHER YORKE TO
B, F. HUDELSON.
The Chancellor Discusses
the Principles of the
A. P. A.
FORGERY rs CHARGED.
Bogus Instructions to Catholics
Said to Have Been Cir
culated.
"a MYTHICAL ENCYCLICAL."
The Priest Declares That 1t Was
Compiled by the Enemies of the
Catholic Church.
"a MYTHICAL ENCYCLICAL." !"
Writing in answer to a letter of B. F.

which he has constituted himself the cham.
pion. In his last letter be established" a rub
bish heap and proceeded TO pitch into it that
patriotic society, the a. P. A. OF course, I have
not the slightest desire to quarrel with the
Rev. Mr.. HudelSon's sense OF the eternal fitness
of things. He may not know more about the
A. p 4. than l do, but he knows nearly as
much. His judgment, therefore, Is not warped
by lack of information, and when he considers
his organiZa ton as rubbish for the garbage
wagon merely rise TO second his motion.
But, Mr. Editor, venture to disagree with
the Rev. Benjamin Hudelson when he init
mates that we should close our eyes and our
noses TO the restine-place of his society. He
prefers that we should review instead the
platoons OF ponderous platitudes which he
parades before your readers. But l think you
will agree with me that the subject under con-
sideratfon now is not q hotch-potch of truisms,
but the nature of the A. 2. A. Though its
friends would consign that society TO the rub
bish heap, we must Lot forego our right to the
legal formalitv of an inquest. With careful
compression OF the nostriis and liberal use of
dlSlnieeiants ;I we may nay at the end OF very long
pole investigate this organization, which its
own champions seem anxious to consign TO
oblivion with the burial OF dog.
The Rev. Benjamin Hudelson has vouch-
safed no explanation OF his anxiety to. engage
IN this controversy. He has not told US how
he is Tree TO violate the solemn oath of the
ritual: 81 viii not enter into any controversy
with Roman Catholic upon the subject OF
this ORDER Is there one law for the master
and another for the man, or is the Rev. Benja-
min Hudelson merely engaged in that pru-
QenI operation known as menQlng his fences?
Next month his term OF Office comes to an end,
and already there are other candidates sniff
ing Tor the salary. wonder does he imagine
that his fellow patriots, who are tired OF the
ministerial monopoly of the official hogwash
viii be placated by his annihilation OF the
Papacy in print.
The unfortunate lay members of the order
say they are sick of christian Patriotism"
Many OF them are looking with hone to the
ldes OF March for break in the solid phalanx
OF preachers who stand with both feet in the
ross Will Frn1- orle
trusion OF the unconsecrated hoof. To defeat
this unpa triotic expectation of the mere laity
an expectation no doubt fostered by the Jesuits,
the Kew. BenJamln HuCelson would boom his
own stock by entering the lists against the pn-
holy minions of Rome. 1t does not matter
that he is compelled 20 forget his oath So
clety which teaches its members that they can
DENY with an affidavit if necessary that they
belong to the A. P A. evidently considers that
sworn promises. like piecrusts, are made only
10 be broken.
CONCERNING PRINCIPLES.
The Rev. Mr.. Hudslson seems TO think that
we should take the principles of the A. P A.
on faith. He says "the principles OF any in
dtvidual largely if not wholly determine his
character" therefore the advertised princi-
pies OF the a. 2. A. are the best index of its
real nature. l answered that in the case o .
dishonest men and OF dishonest societies suchr
q statement was humbug, and, though the Rev.
Mr.. Hudelson blaterates about sophisms and
plausibllity, reiterate my answer now. The
common-sense of Americans insists on iudg-
words, but by its deeds.
Americans are the more anxious to insist on
TINS point when they are confronted with a
PACK OF Phar1sees whose morning and whose
evening prayer is, 81 am holier than thou"
Ihe sturdy horSe-sense of our countrymen
SHES at the sight OF tainted flock following
an ecclesiastical beIlwether and bleating in
chorus, "We alone are pureIi Americans have
not yet reached such a pitch of fatuity as to
believe canting impostors on their words. If
on entering my house discover an individual
with whose features l am unacQuainted STUFF
hng nv spoons into his pockets, 1 do not i'm
mediately accept his declaration that his sole
intention Is 10 protect my silyerware. So when
dlscoYer society made up of men, most of
whom are afraid or ashamed to disclose their
Identity, engaged in an attempt TO grab every
lucrative ofhce IN sight, am not bound TO be-
neve their assertions that are merely endeay-
oring TO save the country from the Pope.
HISTORY OF THE A. P. A.
Americans are the more suspicious of the ad-
Vertseu principles OF 'Apa-lsm when they re-
member the history of the A. P. A. The Rev
Mr.. Hudelson imagines that / intend to
judge the teachings of the A. P. A. by the in
terpretations of its enemies. Such is not my
desire. have no wish to be unjust to the
A. P. A, and If i use a fact which is not au-
thenticated, or If quote sentiment which is
not genuine, or if draw conclusion which is
not warranted by the premises, then / am
willing to make as large and rs handsome an
apology as the circumstances REQUIRE In this
sad and shameful history of modern intoler-
ance nothing is necessary but the truth. So
grotesque, however, are the facts that it may
De often necessary to remain very far on the
safe side of the line of verify. know of moth
ing in the annals of eredulity so disgraceful so
shocking, so pitiable and SO vile as the history
OF the madness known as the A. 2. A..
According to the testimony of the Rev.
Adam fawcett, one of the grand officers OF the
organization. the a. p. A. was born in Clinton
may be found in the Century Magazine for
July, 1894. Whether the statement is accur-
ate or not do not pretend to say, but in this
City of San Francisco an analogous society
known the American Protestant ASeO
was fiourishing during the seventies. No one
knew much about the organization until the
secretary grew too hilarious and was found by
Chronicle reporter one morning dead drunk
on sack OF potatoes with his minute-books
lying beside him.
The Chronicle published the minutes and
the names OF some OF the members. They were
nearly all Orangemen, from Canada and the
north CT Ireland. The exposure killed the So
nation; remark, however. with interest that
some OF the old members are more or less
prominent in the new a. P. A.
THE INSTRUCTIONS.
The A. P. A. generally begins its campaign
by the circulation OF literature calculated to
stir up the people against the Roman Catholic
church. One of the commonest of these was
called, instructions TO Catholics. Platform
OF the Pspal Party as Laid Down by The Pope
Peccis Hands Busy with American Affairs
II purported to be a letter of instructions sent
out by the Catholic hierarchy for tie guidance
OF Catholics. 1t was circulated quite extern
GLADDEN., Protestant minister of that State
] know OF my own knowledge that it was cir
culated in California, but whether by the A.
p. A. or not am not prepared to say. How
ever, the sentiments contained in it have been
adopted by that society as correct descriptions
of the aims and teachings of the Catholic
church. Moreover, it was published week by
week in scores.of the A. P. A. journals, and
thus used as one OF the means TO stir up a p
A. sentiment in community.
The instructions TO Catholics was made to
appear as IL il were published by the Catholic
Bishops'of the United States. 1t bore the Of
fetal signature of eight Archbishops, with the
counter-signature OF Cardinal Gibbons. 1t is
described as "decreed and ordered by the pro-
vineial council at their session, August 5,
1890" In short, it was represented as a
genuine document issued 10 Catholics by their
higher clergy.
Let us examine few OF the paragraphs con-
tained in this wonderful document:
We view with alarm the rapid spread of edu-
Gated Intelligence knowing well that wherever the
people are intelligent, the priest and prince cannot
hope TO live on the labor of the masses, whose
brains have been fertilized with our holy cate