The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-05-22
THEIR MISSIONS TO NON-CATHOLICs
ARE SUCCESSFUL.
WHAT REV. WALTER ELLIOTT SAYS.
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE FIELD I
WHICH THEY LABOR.
WHAT THE HARVEST HAS Been
THE STRENTGH OF AGNOsTICISM IS
ON THE WANE.

The Rev. Walter Elliott, G. s. p, who
is associated with the diocesan clergy of
New York in giving missions to nom
Catholics, recently addressed the semin-
arians of st. Joseph's, Dunwoodie, on
the aims, the methods and the prospects
of these missions. We are glad to be
able to set his inspiring words before
our readers:
Ever since was old enough to know
anything of religion it has been my
hearts desire to preach God and His
truths to the heather. But Providence
has ordained it otherwise and my ener-
gies and my strength I have devoted to
my own people. I take no part, how
ever, with those who cry out against
sending missionaries to the far-on
heather, while in our own country i'm
mense fields for missionary labor lie
neglected. I feel that wherever mis-
sionaries 60, thither they are sent by
the Holy Spirit, and why should I dis
pute with Him the wisdom of His ac-
toni
But it is not to be doubted that with
in the borders Of our great country lie
immense fields >wherefrom the stones
and stubbles and cookie are. to be OK
tracted and wherein good seed is to be
planted, the fruit of which the Master
may gather into His barn.
Are you aware that this country con-
tains more Protestants than all Conti-
mental Europe, fifteen million more than
Great Britain and Ireland, and that the
Stars and Stripes "float proudly ovef
fifty-five million of Protestants? With
these millions Of people there is less in
fidelity, less prejudice and more intelli-
gnce than with their brethren of the
Old World. In all departments Of learn
ing and knowledge they are hungering
for the truth. Approach real old Yam
kee; tell him something that surprises
him, and if he is true to the traditions
and customs of his people he will ex-
claim, II want to know" Such might
we'll be the motto of American non
Catholics, Il want to know"
What, then, is our task? To see to
it that they do know; in other words, to
convert the nation. "A big job" you
will say. But I answer that I belong
to the Catholic church, which has con-
verted nations and pagan
through fire and slaughter and persecu-
tion, and that she is nowise daunted by
the task now before her.
Nor is the task entirely before her.
for she has been at it for the last half
century or more. Within the last fifty
or sixty years she has had over seven
hundred thousand converts into her
fold. I have been in a parish of two
thousand souls, Of which moro than
half were converts. There is a semin-
ary and a jealous band of priests de-
voted to the conversion of the blacks
true-blood Americans, since no slaves
have been legally brought into the
states since 1908. In the Rockies, the
Red Men are being converted in large
numbers. To the whites through the
diocesan missionary priests, especial at
tention is now to be given.
What are the requisites for this work
Popular lectures, distribution of pamph-
lets, personal work by the priests,-but
mainly, and above all, the doing of
nothing by the priests even for Catho-
lies without the end in view of making
converts. All their labors must ulti-
mately tend to that-conversion of nom
Catholics. 'Tis simple matter, this
converting. Either in public or private,
get the ear Of the non-Catholic; take
the old, familiar catechism of Sunday
school days; open it before your hearers
and say to them: II can go through
that with you from beginning to end,
I can reason out every line of it with
you and prove to you that everything
in it Is right and true''-only this much
said, and to your intended exposition
you have prefxed an exordium, the
like of which they have never before
heard. Others have told them of right
eousness, Christ, the kingdom to come,
the inspiration Of the scriptures, ETC.,
etc. But over it all there has been such
a haziness through all such an uncer-
tainty, SO many denials and doubling
retractions, that when they find a man
willing and anxious to unflinchfnp1y