The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-07
POPE LEO
And the Closing Csntury-alr. camPben
In Denver News.


The following article from the pen of
Mr.. A. W. Campbell, appears as an edi-
torlal in the Denver. Colorado News of
August /:
According to a cable from Rome, the
Catholic church proposes to consecrate
the remaining days Of this fast expiring
| century TO special intercession on behalf
of peace on earth and good will among
men. Pope Leo Kill, who is by far the
| greatest pope the present century has
produced, is, Notwithstanding his
weight of years, decidedly enthusiastic
in this work, as, indeed, he has been for
years past. His voice has been steadily
heard against war and in favor OF inter-
national arbitration, His two great am
billions have been to restore the unity
OF the faith" to the world and to unite
the nations in the bonds OF peace to-
ward each other.
This attitude against war and in ia
vor of peaceful methods of settling ma
| tional differences is certainly noble
and appropriate position for the Roman
pontia TO occupy One might say he
could not consistently occupy any other.
All the same, several of his predeces-
sors have occupied different positions,
Therefore we speak OF Leo's position
as noble and praiseworthy. II has
meant much to humane people for years
past that he was lending himself with
80 much ferver TO the great cause OF
| arbitration and against war His voice
is rightfully more potent than any other
one voice In Christendom in favor of
the disarmament of the nations. He
represents more than one-third OF all
who are classed as Christians through
out the world, and he can make him
self felt as can no other guardian of
| Christianity In behalf of this great for
ward step In civilization.
No ruler, temporal or spiritual, Is
more familiar with the eXactions, OPP
pressions and impoverishment entailed
upon the masses OF Europe by their i'm
mense military establishments than
Leo He has made a special study OF
It. He recognizes that this armed atti-
tude OF the nations toward each other
is the greatest of the distractions to the
spread of real and practical Christianity
among the people. 1t robs them of the
fruit of their toll, snatches their child
rem from their guardianship and brutal
ICES them under the heel OF grinding
poverty. Therefore. Christianity Is not
controlling force in their everyday
life. This Is the view OF Pope Leo and
there Is no disputing the soundness OF
his position. The spirit in which he now
speaks to the world Is the Identical spir-
Il of the Master nineteen hundred years
ago. His voice was against war and
every form of violence. He Counselled
justice and mercy in all the affairs of
men. He rebuked wrong IN every shape.
He was always upon the side of the
oppressed. He was the helper of the
weak and lowly. HE pltled the multi
tude" Had his precepts and his exam
pie been followed, even by the church,,
the status of the world would have been
very different from what II actually Is
to-day. The history Of all the years
since he died upon the cross would not
have been stained as 1t Is with blood.
The earth and the fullness thereof
would not have been so completely alb
sorbed by the few at the expense Of
the many. The spirit of uncharitable-
ness among those who are down to-
wards those who are up in the world
would not have been 80 positive us 1t
Is to-day
No head of the Catholic church could
propose to himself or to his hierarchy
and people grander step forward than
to combine their interest and peaceful
influence in favor of the disarmament
OF the nations. Disarmament Is con-
dition precedent to any real amellora-
ton of the poverty and degradation of
the European masses Az long az the
masses are brutallzed by the absorption
of their hard earnings for the support
of millions Of men in arms they cannot
figure either in Christianity or morality
or in any form of mental and spiritual
ennoblament. The mission of Christi
anlty was to deliver mankind from this
lgnoble bondage. The fact that 1t has
not so delivered the masses ut the end OF
such a long period Of experiment has
been its reproach In the eyes Of those
who are oppressed If Leo and his CO.
AUDITORS can by the close of the propos-
ed period. or even any approximate time
in the new century, open a successful
way for the relief OF Europe from mill
tarism, they will have done more than
any of their predecessors ever accom-
pllshed in any century since the apos-
tolc era. They will not only magnify
the general cause of Christianity in the
eyes Of the oppressed masses, but their
own particular form Of II as well. In
deed, as a great stroke of mere worldly
policy, the Catholic church could do
nothing that would so completely re-
store It's prestige among the masses of
Europe as the successful denouement OF
this proposed propaganda, Among the
emanclpatcd millions the name OF Leo
would be second only to that Of Peter.