The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-22

Church in the islands, but 1t will involve
complete revolution in the method of church
work and eventually great change in the
religious ideas of the people. Some features
of the situation are well stated by Arch
bishop Ireland, whose patriotism and loyalty
to American ideas, by the way, are far
above question. He says:
Two principles are already settled by. the
Constitution and laws of America There
will be no union of church and state such
as esta blished by custom or coneordat IN
certain Catholic countries of Europe. There
will be complete protection of all properties
and of all persons. With such principles
Catholics in the United States are satisfied,
and Catholics in our new possessions will be
in our new possessions is thoroughly organ
lied; it wears no missionary O. experimental
aspect, but has the full form and the full
strength of complete organization, and is
we'll prepared to care for all her interests
without the help of state or charitable aid
It demands no. favor no privilege-naught
but liberty and the legal protection of the
natural and civil rights of its members.
There could net be a more frank ac-
acknowledgement of the new condition than
this nor more modest statement of the
expectations of the Catholic Church All
other denominations should be willing to
concede this much, and none should expect
or will receive more. Archbishop ireland
thinks the new situation will be promptly
and cheerfully accepted by the church au-
thorities and that whatever embarrassment
may grow out of it will be only temporary
No doubt he is right. If the Catholic
Church should fail to adapt itself to the new
conditions and improve them to the utmost
in the extension of its influence it would be
an exceptional event in history.
In another respect the. Journal does not
agree quite so fully with Archbishop Ire
land. He says:
Certain people who talk of those terri
tories as fields for missionary efforts from
the United States do not know what they
are talking about. They might with as
much sense organize missions for the con-
version of the Catholics of Washington as
for the conversion of the Catholics of SAINT
iago, Havana or San Juan-and their labors
would have as much prospect of success
in Washington as in those cities of Cuba
and Porto Rico.
So far as PROSECUTING work among the
Catholics is concerned this is doubtless
true, but in so far as it seems intended to
deprecate or forestal religious work by
other denominations it savors somewhat of
illiberality. 1t may be true that Protestant
churches might as we'll organize missions
for the conversion of Catholics in Washing
ton as for those in Cuba and Porto Rico, but
they have a perfect right to establish mis-
sions in both places and, by the same token,
so have the Catholics. In few years there
will be a great many people in Cuba and
Porto Rico without religion of any kind.
and there will be good deal of fallow
soil there for religious work. The ground
will not belong to the Catholic Church, as it
has heretofore, by right of presumption or
prescription. but will be open to churches of
all denominations and missionaries of all
creeds In his warning against the mission
airy efforts of Protestants in our new Catho-
lie possessions the good archbishop is little
off,