The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-02
SOMETIMES WAR IS JUST
FATHER IRELAND PREACHED
YESTERDAY

DepIoring the Necessity for the
Massacre of Human Beings, He
Lifts Up His Voice in Defense of
Heroic Measures to Protect the
Nations HOnor-Pope's Hope of
Peace.
Archbishop Ireland preached an elo-
ouent sermon to an immense congrega-
ton at the cathedral yesterday morn
ing, in which, while he deplored the
necessity for the present conflict with
Spain, he left no doubt of his sincere
prayer for the salvation of the nations
honor.
Having read the epistle marked by
the church for the third Sunday after
Easter q. Peter H., 11-19 the arch
bishop said in substance:
In this epistle the Apostle ST. Peter lays
down the principle that Christians should In
all things be most careful to do right, 10
give good example lest their faith be blamed
to God, to our holy religion, remember in all
things this principle Of the apostle Apart
from the sin of an evil act there is an add
uonal harm done by an evil act when mat
act comes from one who processes openly
the religion of Christ, because they who care
not for Christ are only too ready to blame
of Christ II is a great duty for us to do
what is right because it is right, and to
do 1t because the honor of our good act be-
comes the honor of our religion, as the dis
honor of an evil act on our part would be
the dishonor of our holy religion.
The apostle illustrates this principle for the
Christians TO whom he was writing, subjects
of the Roman empire by telling them that
they must for Gods sake, be most obedent
TO established authority. to the king as ex-
ceiling or to governors as sent by him. In
Christians
of his time to obey authority, for so Is
Gods will.
Authority, whether in parent over child,
in church over faithful. in civil society over
subject comes from God 1t is God who
has ordained those social aggregatons, the
family, the church established by Christ civil
society," and, consequently, obedience within
those social aggregations is obedience to
Almighty God. When authority speaks it is
for US to respect It's declaration and obey Its
mandate, for so is Gods Will"
Accept the Nations Mandate.
Now the application of the words Of St.
Peter is easily made to the circumstance Of
our own day and of our own country. The
supreme authority of this republic has de-
clared war against another nation. What Is
the duty of Christians in our country's pres
ent crisis? 1t is to accept manfully, loyalty,
the mandate of the supreme power Of the ma
ton; 1t is to cooperate in all manner Of
means within our reach, as far as we may be
demanded to do so, with the government in
the prosecution of the war Beyond all
could not be laid down more plainly for us
in Holy Writ than 1t is in the words of the
epistle read on this third Sunday after Eas-
ter.
Discussion Ceases Now.
Before a nation makes final declaration
each citizen is free to discuss the question
at issue; especially is he free to do this in
our own country, in which all citizens are
more or less the governing power, in which
all citizens have the constitutional right to
speak their minds and to fashion as they
may the general legislation of the country.
have no doubt that Catholics, as well as
others, have, in the past few months, dis
cussed the question of peace or war, and
perhaps have been of different minds as to
the matter. That was perfectly their right
at the time. But now the country, q
country has officially spoken and discus
sion ceases. 1t is the moment for action.
1t is the moment for obedience.
Citizens are to presume-this is the clear
rule of Catholic theology-that the country
is right unless it were as clear as MONDAY
that it were wrong. In cases even Of doubt
authority has the benefit of the doubt. This
is the rule in the family. this is the rule In
the church. and this Is the rule in civil so
the mandate, and all must feel obliged in
obedience to God who has constituted civil
society, to aid the country in the prosecution
of this war. Catholics have an additional
motive so clearly marked in the epistle of
this Sunday. to show by their loyalty what
the teachings of their holy church mean, to
show that Catholichy means the best, the
most self-denying, the most generous oiti-
zenship that the human mind form any
conception of. No doubt before war was
declared, when the matter was open to dis
cussion by the citizens of this country many
sincerely desired peace If peace could have
been had, desired peace that should have
been honorable to the republic, peace that
should have been fully within the lines of
Justice and Righteousness
Thing to he DeplOrcd.
War is something terrible. What is 1t, in
It's plain, unvarnished colorlng, but massa-
cring of human beings? War, when right
eous, is authorized by Scripture itself, as
well as by The consent of all mankind, and
consequently when war comes to us as a
duty we accept 1t reckless of the conse-
quences. But it is thing to be deplored, a
thing to be avoided If it can be avoided,
and conseq uently prayers and actions for
peace were thoroughly in accordance with
Gods will and the honor Of the nation. In
deed, it is a sad commentary on our poor
humanity, and a sad commentary, let us say
on our very Christian civilization, that, pc
cause Of the infirmities of mankind two
thousand years since the angels on Christ
mas morn sang peace to men Of good will
two thousand years since the Prince of Peace
walked upon earth and died for mankind