The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-31
AMERICAN CATHOLICISM.
GERMAN AND FRENCH THEOLOGIAES
ARRAYED AGAINST II.

Overpraise of Father Hecker ArOuses Ops
position-NIistakes Made by Enthusiast
Pope Leo's Favor for American Re
ligious Ideas-A Marked Prediction.
ROME, July 16.-The German campaign
against Americanism has spread to France.
To preserve their autonomy in the United
States. to have schools and bishops Of their ma
ton, to form o state within the State. to fight
everywhere against the prelates who have
overcome this danger through their wisdom
and patriotism. such was the first secret OF the
war Of the Germans against Americanism.
When the Propaganda and the Vatican put
an end by all means and In all forms to Cahens-
lyism, as the intrigue was called in the United
States, the German party had recourse to a
different kind Of strategy. Under the guild
ance OF Monsignor Schroeder. since expelled
from the University OF Washington. it criticised
the teaching Of orthodoxy In the American
Church. Monsignor Keane was for a moment
a victim of this campaign. but Leo Kill, being
informed OF the unworthy things done. rehabil-
itated the former rector and gave him a place
at Rome. together with his confidence. Since
that episode the French party. contrary to the
intimations OF the Holy See. made common
It was said, was a revival Of liberal Catholicism;
1t was democracy in the Church, as II the
Americans could pc anything aag 6 ~ democrats as
might lfPa5d D. tq 2,a fGhisp Ri,,d The cav. ~Li fSs Of Eat Father f9
these ingular amenities.
What increased the intensity of the war were
the imprudences OF some OF the continental de-
still poorer philosophers and historians, they
have exalted Father Hecker, which is right.
s snm@ he Ted i 9bss resHP an asq Of aoo Eep s9al; GGs 'f thy
founder Of the Paulists as u type. as the
representative Of Americqnism;. The Ihero"
apologies have done Americans a poor service
BY giving Father Hecker the value OF a symbol.
rallying standard. In the case OF Father Hecker
the mistake Vas a dangerous one ron ord ,s
perfect orthodoxy. Father Elliot's. Life q
criticism. His doctrines on the Holy Ghost are
Trent and OF the ecclesiastical tradition as they
are the expression Of opinions formerly repre-
century. later by Father Petau and In our cen:
fury by Father Ramiere and DIR. Scheeben Of
Cologne in his book on The Wonders OF
II Father Elliot had been a vigorous and
trained theologian he would have set the per-
tant in u clearer light.
From the point Of view Of history, a French,
Father, Hecker's ideas concerning the part
played by Anglo,sa1oRR ss5 and md b. B. L LATIN iPo thS
have pointed out these strange Views. From
the, social and, political standpoint some OF
Father Hecker's {udGmePts are open to the
with maladrolt oxidation, the values OF a Con-
tinental vocabulary are given TO the ,phraseol-
ogy of an American. by peculiarly French
transpositions and by the apotheosis OF Father
Hecker. some Of his friends. have almost BIc-
ceeded In giving Amerlcanism an appearance
Of kinship to the Catholic liberalism for which
no theologian will any longer accept the re-
sponSibility. They have reached the point OF
transforming these democrats and pure Catho-
lies into sham liberals Of 1880, Knowing little
about Continental currents. the Americans
have not seen the danger, and have, therefore.
not warded IL of. Hence come the attacks at
Rome, the denunciations Of the Life of Father
Hecker' TO the Index. and the latest polemical
writings.
ing If the silly liberalism Of former days nor Is
it the heresy before which the party Of reaction
ror. Americqnism is nothing more than Ameri-
can Catholicism. that Is the Catholicism Of the
second century OF the Church. free from all
historical alloys, without having passed through
either philosophical systems or concordats OF
alliances OF political parties, with the altar. II
Is the strong and impressive religion. OF the
founders OF schools and OF churchesi 1t is bish-
ops. priests. laymen protesting the Creed with
out political or social afterthought. If Rome
has defended with so much wisdom and firm
ness this AmericaniSm against the Germans
and other Continentals. IL Is precisely because
the Europeans wished to transport beyond the
Atlantic our political contingencies. Il.
The Americans are completely taken abAck
when we TeprOach them with their democratic
feelings. Born Of the people. living by the peo-
pie, knowing nanght but democracy. they have
rightly the most RSnperable repulsloa for ouI