The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-05-11
RELIGIoNISTs AND THE WAR.

Ing to race and religious preJud1ceS, 1t
is necessary to do clear and broad
thinking, and to consider war matters
from the standpoint of reason wholly
Invested Of race or religious prejudice.
Spain, a Catholic nation, having an
established church, is at war with the
United States. having no State church,
and where tolerance is as broad and
unrestrained as the embracing at
mospheric envelope Of the earth. The
cause Of this war is the Cuban popu-
1ation, also Catholic in faith, in insur-
rection against a Government Catholic
by establishment.
In the United States citizens, respon-
sive to the call of their country, are
rushing to arms to do battle against
Spain and her forces. These are of all
creeds, nationalities and beliefs. With
them religion cuts no figure in the con-
f1ict whatever, since there is no issue
of faith involved. Spain and her de-
tendency Cuba have been at war for
years, the people Of the two countries
being of the same faith and recognize
ing the same spiritual head. To the
support of one of these the United
States comes in the cause of humanity
liberty and common justice. Practi-
cally it intervenes between two con-
tending forces Of the same religious
belief, but regardless of it.
Now to the man who thinks at all
it must be apparent that the Spaniard
who is disloyal to his country when it
is assailed by armed forces is despica
bic. and ought to be spurned among
men. If he believes his country to be
in error he is justified in using all prop
er means to right her, but he is not
to prove disloyal to her.
We expect the Spaniard, therefore,
to stand for Spain precisely as we ex-
pect the American citizen to stand for
the United States. Unhappily, how
ever, there are some souls so timid and
alarmed that they fear any reference
whatever to the attitude of Catholics
in Spain or her possessions will es-
TRANCE Catholics in the United States
from the cause Of this country They
deprecate, therefore, any mention in
the news dispatches to facts, or express
sion in debate referring to the position
of religionists in the war or of the
acts Of the agencies of any church Incl
dent to the war To a very limited ex-
tent they are right, since religion has
nothing to do with the war No relig-
ious privileges, liberties, beliefs, doc
trines or attachments are involved in
any manner whatever.
But the men in arms in the United
States. UNFOLDING the cause in which it
has enlisted its energies, are of nearly
all religions, precisely as there were
represented all religions among the
men of the Maine, so untimely and
treacherously sent to their death.
There are likewise men rallying to our
ranks Of no religion. American Cath
olics are battling for America, as are
Spanish Catholics fighting for the
cause Of their monarchical system.
That Spanish Catholics confront Gu
ban Catholics in hostile array in that
fated isle; that Spanish non-conform-
lists are siding with Spain just as Amer
lean n-believers are doing battle for
the cause of the Republic, is perfectly
natural and by no means out Of the
common. The similar conditions OBJ
tanned in our-own lamentable civil war
Among the first men to come to the
front in this war in the army and navy
with us were1 citizens who in religion
are brethren OF their enemies, and these
fight side by side with those who are
attached to opposed faiths, are ag.
nostics, unbelievers, Protestants, inf
dels, atheists and of all other classes
1t is not only folly, it is Stiffness, there.
fore, to talk of or entertain any thought
about religious friction among the CON
tending forces. We must expect that the
priesthood in Spain will be for thai
country precisely as we expect the
priesthood in this country to stand FOL
our cause, as 1t is doing. We expec
Spaniards in Spain and her colonies tt
fight for the Spanish cause, no matter
what their religious faith, precisely a!
we expect Americans in America Il
sustain our arms as they are doing
regardless of their religious prefer
ences, since faith has nothing whateve
to do with the issue
When news advices therefore speal
of this, that or the other classes of tn,
priesthood in Spain espousing thu
cause of their country, we hear of jus
that which is to be expected, and which
common loyalty demands. Becaus
priest and layman of the same churcl
in either country take up our arm
against their brethren proves only tina
as loyalists they are true to their coun
try on each side, and it is intinitel
to their credit. The head of the Cath
Ole Church in Rome has not takel
sides in the conflict, though exertini
an influence as was natural, TO pre-
serve the peace and prevent the shocl
of arms. The heads of the Protestan
faith in various lands have not takel
sides as such, though equally exertln;
themselves to have war averted, sine
it is the office of the church to promot
peace and arnity among all men.
That the Spanish priests and minis