The San Francisco call., 1896-10-29
THE BASIS OF
CITIZENSHIP
Lecture by Bishop Mont
gomery at the
Cathedral.
Religion, He Held, Is the Corner
stone of the Consti-.
tuition.
HIS PATRIOTIC SENTIMENTS.
st. Mary's Filled to the Doors With
Admirers Of the Popular
Prelate.
HIS PATRIOTIC SENTIMENTS.

There was large gathering of people in
st. Mary's Cathedral last night, when the
Right Rev. George Montgomery, DID,,
Bishop of Monterey and Los Angeles. de-
livered lecture on ''The Basis of Ameri-
can CITIZENSHIP" The lecture was given
to assist the Christian Brothers OF Sacred
Heart College. Before Bishop Montgom-
cry entered the pulpit beautiful pre-
lude was played on the organ by Professor
Harrison.
The proposition which the lecturer
argued to a logical conclusion was that
religion is the basis of American citizen
ship. BY way of introd uction the Bishop
said that on the first thought it might
seem that the subject was not in keeping
with the sacred surroundings but was out
of place, inasmuch as matters of purely
secular nature cannot be introduced into
Catholic puipits. The view he took of it,
however, was that the subject was far
otherwise than secular. There was no
incongruity at all in speaking of citizen
ship in Gods pulpit.
Though we differ as far as religion is
concerned" continued Bishop Mont
gomery, nevertheless we people OF this
country have unitv of faith. That unity
OF faith is best summed up in the word
citizenship Inasmuch as we live in
republic what is true of citizenship in any
other country is douby true OF ours. Re-
| ligion is the underlying principle of citi-
zenship. If that be true in any
political body, State or society it is
doubly true in a republic like ours. The
used so often with regard to its secular
side, people have come to think it
has no other side-that it has moth
| ing holy in it; and the question OF
! separation of church and State has come
to mean separation OF religion and State.
There is not and there never can be a
separation of religion and State and the
Republic still remain as our forefathers
left it-utterly impossible. What is citi-
zenship? II is the right to vote and hold
office, but we understand that right 10 be
civil and religious liberty.
But this everlasting argument of sepa-
ration of church and State has been
/ themselves, VINO are cutting their own
throats, that civil liberty owes nothing to
religions and religious liberty nothing to
/ civil liberty. There must ever be a sepa-
ration of church and State. but not of re-
ligion and State, for that moment we
cease to be the Republic of our forefathers.
In seeking this men have adopted policies
/ ciples must be kept in view, for after all
/ the constitution is the basis Of citizen
ship"
Bishop Montgomery declared that GOO
is as much the author OF civil government
rs of the church, and therefore civil gov
ernment is divine. Religion is its basis.
People have gone off on policies and for
gotten principles. They say that if the
policy is neglected the country is going to
ruin. says that il B wins the country
is going to ruin, and vice versa. In either
case, Bishop Montgomery argued that the
country is safe. One thing, however, he
held is sure if the principles underlyin
would be no basis, no need, for policy.
The constitution is based on honesty,
conscience, right and the principle that
no man wants what does not belong to
him and is ready to give back what is not
his. That is where religion comes into it.
Even if party on the road TO ruin was
once in power, and had the principles at
heart it woulu forget policy then honesty,
conscience, right would save it. Policy is
not framed according to the moral law,
and, therefore. the distinguished speaker
/ showed how nece ssary religion is to guide
| the citizen.
AN honest despot,' he said, sis prefer
able to corrupt Democrat or a corrupt
| Republican. An honest despot who be-
lieves in the rights of others will rule
more justly than the Republican or Dem
| ocrat who has not conscience to guide
| him. He stated that the principles of
the constitution are: First, that the Gov
] ernment is non-sectarian; second. that
the Government is absolutely dependent
on religion to carry out the wishes of its
| founders. And this is one thing that the
present generation will have to study.
/ "Our forefathers saw very clearly that
! the constitution should be non-sectarian,
yet from the first day the Government
began it's career it has been dependent
upon religion. There is tendency to-day
| in every civilized country to get along
! without religion. The man who believes
in its possibility is cutting his own throat.
The man who undermines the principles
! of our Government / say is a traitor.
sWhat is the palladium of our liberties
Some say the ballot, others the judiciary.
| There is no palladium at all. The ballot
must be honest or it is no protection, the
| judiciary if corrupt is no palladium.
| They sell your liberty, and what redress
J have YOU? None. The palladium is
honesty, conscience, and that comes from
God. Washington admitted that his
Government would go for nothing if there
were rot religion underlying it, When
Washington formed this Government the
same trouble existed as now, only 1t was
more keenly marked. Religion was more
dogmatic than now."
With regard to education Bishop Mont
gomery said that he believed In non-
sectarian system. II believe" said he,
.'that every child in this country has a
right to be educated in the faith of his
fathers and that if the father has no
faith his child has right to be brought
up an infidel. don't say it is right, but
! it is their rights. The Government must
/ see the child is educated. If the father
and mother don't educate the child the
Govern ment should make them do it. and
if they are unable. it should come in and
| educate the child"
The Bishop declared for a non-sectarian
system of schools, but held that the
Government should not pay cent for the
religious instruction of any body. The
only way to get the religion Washington
speaks of is to educate the children &C.
cording to the religion of their fathers.
In conclusion he stated that the Catholic
church is keeping up the spirit of the con-
stitution to the very letter. and in doing
so it is pleading for the rights of all
/ Protestant Catholic Jew and infidel.
An old lady of Webster County, KY, is