West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-01-28
THE "A. Z. A."
A Well Written Article In Reply to a
Journal Correspondent
10 the Edltor 81 TnE AReu..

40 tne t-uitOF OF AuE ARGUS.
Dear Sir:-The Preston County
Journal Of the 14th inst. contains a
cammunic ,tion, signed by "Jona-
than" which Is wanton and un
called or attack upon church and
its mem bers, of which jonathan"
evidently knows but ilttle about.
Ii he does know anything about the
Catholic church. then he delber-
aiely withheld the truth in his
communication to the Journal.
| wish to state fer The benefit of
"Jonathan." aud any who svmpa.
thizr with him in his iiiiler,te pro
! duc'ion of filth against Catholicism.
that | am not Catholic, but a
member of Protestant church.
am native born, and go are my an
cestors for several hundred years
back. But IN the name of Free
America, and for the sake Of de-
cency and homer, | cannot refrain
from deuouncing, in the name of
all honest citizens, the deliberate
untruths stated by "JoHathau"
about church which is entitled to
it's place, its doctrines and privileges
in this country o. free speech and
religious tolerance, of which we all
are so proud. There is and has
never been any call for such an
organization as the american Pro-
tective Association, commonly re
ferred to as the GA. p. A." 1t is
but the revival of the "Know-
Nothing Party" which for a time
houfished and seemed so promising
to its founders in the long ago, but
which found no suitable soil in
which to fasteu its roots in land
Of patriots. and has long since been
buried and without monument.
1t Is such disgruntIed politicians
as the founders of the ga. p A."
that are making war upon Catholi
cism, and not Catholicism upon
our institutions. The Catholic
church has right here, it does
much good, and such small pc.
tatoes as Jonathan" can do but
little to shake such al Institution
as the Catholic church. The Pres
ten County Journal owes an apology
to many of the people of this coun-
ty who have been grossly insultod
by the abuse of an iguoramus,
Jonathan" In the issue referred
to. In this county, aye, in this
very district. we have community
Of German Catholics. who compose
the NEST lew-abiding, upright,
peaceful community in the county.
The people Of the German Set
Element are known for their thrift,
honor and Christian habits. They
are people with whom the Journal.
and every other business house, is
glad to conduct business, and OF
whom they are glad to receive pat
ronage. They are mostly mem bers
of the Catholic church, and repre-
sent the good portion of that
church membership. Like the
Methodists, Baptists and many
other Protestant churches, the
Catholics have some rascals in the
church. They are unable to avoid
it. Jonathan" for example, would
be poor acquisition TO any church.
Almost every one remembe bers the
late John j. Cooke, of Howesville.
He was Christian gentleman who
had among his many personal
friends great many Pretestants
who were proud to be his friends.
He was Catholic whom "Jona-
than" the upstart and infdel, so
despises Mr. Cooke, and his esti
mable widow, have always been
knewn for their Christi4n traits.
Does not the Jonrnm and lts dish
wator correspondent owe some sort
Of All apology to such people rs
these for calling their priest, their
preacher, their minister, "detesti.
bic thing" "beer bloatcd priest?"
The priest is to the Catholic The
same as the clergyman to the Prot.
estant, and is entitled to the re-
spect due bic cloth aud position.
How that quill driver, jonathan, f"
would rave and tear his hair il some
one would refer to the preacher Of
his wife's church as a "destestible.
beer bloated preacher" II is
dishonor to the great and useful
profession Of journalism for any