The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-11-20
THE METROPOLITAN OF BALTIMORE
ON CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP.
MOST INTERESTING DISCOURSE
RESPONSIBILITY OF MEN IN PUBLIC
POSITIONS.
RIGHT TO clITIcIsE OFFICIALS
CRITICISM IS MUCH EASIER THAN
PERFORMANCE OF DUTY.

Cardinal Gibbons preached last Sun
! day week at the Cathedral, Baltimore,
a sermon upon the duties Of citizens,
taking as his text: Render unto Caesar
| the things that are Caesars, and unto
| God the things that are Gods"
His Eminence referred to the recent
elections and dwelt at some length upon
the obligation of Christians to obey law
| fully constituted civil authority. In
| part he said:
Our Savior tells us that we should
not only render to God the things that
| are Gods, but also TO Caesar the things
| that are Caesars. We owe allegiance
| to the temporal as well as to the spirit
ual rulers. The same God that COM
mands us to obey the divine law re-
quircs us also to uphold the civil laws
OF the nation. And, surely, of all pco-
pie on the face of the earth, the Amcri-
can citizens should take special delight
in submitting to the legislation i'm
posed on them.
| I'm dcspotic countries the people aro
ruled with an iron hand Large stand
ing armies and police force are scat
tered over the length and breadth of the
empire to terrorize the subjects and
Keep them in subjection. A network of
spies is spread over the country ready
| n fn1N hn t,,
ten innocent victims are sacrificed to
their irresponsible power. Star cham
bers are set up where persons arc con-
demned without trial or defense. Free
dom OF speech and the freedom of the
press arc condemned. It's subjects must
submit to tho laws. in tho framing of
! which they have no part.
| GLOW different is our situation! There
are no standing armies here to intimi
date our people. There are no govern
ment spies to watch and rcport orr
movements and conduct There are no
star chambers tolerated here. Every
person accused, though tho greatest
CRIMINAL has right to defend himself,
we ENJOY liberty Of speech, of the pres:
ana OF public discussion, and we have
the right to criticisc the public con-
duct Of those that are placed over us
with what alacrity should wo OBJ
serve tho laws that are framed for our
material comfort and protection. and
should we not exhibit Il due respect for
| ciy
in their selection? We cannot bette,
prove our love for our country than Inv
faithfully observing her laws, and VIC
cannot better uphold tho dignity of tho
nation at home and abroad than Inv 1o.
porting ourselves as upright and blame
less citizens.
mo man can be good Christian who
sets at defiance the laws of the Com.
monwcalth. The man that bre,ks th,
just laws OF the state is violating at the
same time the commandments of tho
Decaloguc. The citizen who buys and
sells votes is breaking the command
mcnts which says: "rhou Shalt NOT
steal. The state is what we ourselves
mako 1t. 1t is our own creation, for
inc state is made up OF units OF citizens,
Inc destiny of the state, under God. IS
In our own hands.
But while 1t is clear that the private
citizen is bound to respect and honor
the civil magistrates, 1t Is equally clear
especially in n constitutional govern
ment like ours, that the citizen ho. n
perfect right to criticisc the official con-
duct Of the public functionarics,
calm, temperate and dispassjonate iudp-
ment passed upon the public and Official
acts OF those in authority serves ~ wi,c
ana nscf''l purpose. 1t admonishcs tho
officers of the law of their faults, shorl.
comings and delinqucncics, and affords
them an opportunity of correcting thcj,
mistakes. 1t also reminds them tlo,
they are not the masters, but the scr.
wants, of their constituents.
But, you will say, Is it not unmanIy
sIavlsh and degrading for any man ,c
submit to the will OF another. Are We
not free men? Are not all men borr
equal" This is true; no man has an,
intrinsic or Unborn rights over another
Neither president. nor governor, no,
mayor, nor magistrate has any right tc
command, unless authority is given him
by Almighty God. But 1t is Just because
the magistrate has authority from COD
that he has the right to command our
obedience.
Another will say: I dlsapprovc OF
the methods by which certain candidates
are elected to Office. There are charges
of corruption, of bribery, of intimida.
Etion.' l am far from defending the al.
legged corruption and abuses Of the sys
tenn. l am defending only the principle
of authority. No one deplorcs the
abuses of power more than l do Blu,
absolute perfection can never be foun(