The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-12-17

abundantly to national success. At the
with the falsest form of religion. The
Chinese are the most industrious people
on the face Of the earth. Does it follow
that their religion is true? Not at ALL
The Teutonic people possess energy
which enables them to prosper. Docs
1t follow that they cannot embrace q false
religion? By no means. The Irish are
the bravest and best soldiers in battle.
Is their religion, accepting the criterion
of the preachers, therefore, true? If SO,
we have an argument in favor of the
Catholic church. The nations which in
habit the tropics will gradually grow
prey for the more vigorous races Of the
North. Is it impossible then, for true
religion to flourish in the tropics? 1t
will thus be seen that religion has little
prosperity to mean strength, wealth and
conquest. Therefore, the arguments of
the preachers are of no avail, and. even
if the Catholic nations were on the de-
cline, still that would be no proof against
the truth Of the Catholic church.
But is it true that all the Catholic ma
tions are poor and mprogressivc, and
all the Protestant nations wealthy and
power under Charles ", when she was
more Catholic than she is today. France
under Napoleon dictated terms to Gu-
rope, and even today the French peas
than any other European nation. Bel
gium, with its Catholic population. is the
most prosperous country of Europe. 1t
may not be as formidable on land or sea
tecming population. The Rhcnish PROV
inces of Prussia, thoroughly Catholic, are
the happiest of the German empire The
reverscs which some of the Latin nations
have met are only temporary They
were once masters of the world. Who
knows but they might attain pre-cmi-
ncncc in the centuries to come? At all
events, their decay is not due to their
Catholcity.
On the other hand. who is foolish
enough to imagine that the national sue
cess of the United States is due to
American Professionalism? American
enterprise and American brains are not
the product of Professionalism. They are
due to the new conditions in which the
people find themselves. tho magnificent
opportunities opened TO all, the vast re-
sources which are at the door of every
citizen. These new conditions produced
a new civilization and the prize is not
for religion, but for cndcavor Catholic
succeeds as well as Protestant; jew pros
pcrS as we'll as Gcntile the atheist may
grow as wealthy as the devoutcst Chris
tian. Our victories in the late war were
certainly not due to the preachers or to
the churches. They wcrr won by Amer
lean soldiers, without distinction of sect
England is a Protestant country which
has grown powerful and prospcrcd. But
how were Englands colonies obtained
and how arc they retained? In plumber
ing weaker nations, in robbng African
and Asiatic tribes of their lands and
government. Britain does not set an cx-
ample of Christianity or of common hon
csty. The empire has been built up on
the ruins of weaker nations and 1t stands
today monument of greed and coniisc;l-
ton. If We are to Judge of her religion
by her foreign policy, certainly the iudg-
mcnt would not rebound to- the credit of
Professionalism.
We cannot conclude this article in
more fitting words than those of Prot
estant writer in the London Spectator on
the same subject: ut seems to lis that
religion is degraded not elevated, when
we try it by test, the logical conclusion
| of which is that the apostles ought to
have developed into ministers of state,
and the disciples into the Barngs of the
| ancient world. There is fatncss and the
pride of fntncss in such view of truth
and its results"