The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-01-08
A DEFENSE OF THE JEsulTs.

DEFENSE OF THE JESUlTS.
President Mckinley's pastor in WASH
ington declared in vehement tones on
Thanksgiving day that the greatest
dangers to the American republic were
rum, socialism and Jesuitlsm" Ev-
cry Catholic journal in the land criti-
cised the bigoted utterance of the Brit
ish Orangeman, and many nor-sectar-
ian papers said that such statement
on such an occasion was entirely I'M
called for. Now comes the New York
Independent, one of the leading and
most influential Protestant organs Of
the country, and says that it shudders
to see ministers and editors couple
Jesuitism with the liquor traffic, as
though they were equal in iniquity. In
spirit Of fair play 1t proceeds as fol-
lows:
We might couple prostitution and
drunkenness with some show Of fair
ness, for both are vices But Jesuit
ism is net vice. II it is as bad as
some think it is, it might be more ap-
prorrlately associated with anarchy.
1t is applied to a spirit or policy all
legged to be more or less characteristic
OF the Roman Catholic church. or
course Jesuitism is the system of the
Society Of Jesus. History has brought
home to this society methods and acts
inconsistent with true religion and
good morals. 1t has been treated as a.
scourge In some countries, and put I'M
der ban. Even Pope condemned it
at one time. But the Jesu:s are not
tho only Christians against whom BAG
deeds and bad teachings are charged by
history. Protestant Christians, as we'll
as Catholic Christians, have done things
one would like to disown. We cannot
therefore, fairly condemn Jesuits of
this age for the wrong things which
1esutts did in Pascal's time; nor can
we say that because they may have en-
tered into political intrigues in other
lands, they are therefore guilty of the
same thing in the United States
We do not know Of any particularly
odious act which the Roman Catholic
church In this country is at this mo-
ment responsible for. We know The
bad act of the saloons. We see them
everywhere. But what wild things
are the Jesuits doing? 1t is IN order
to ask a bill of particulars
Is it opposition to the public schools?
That is not true Of all prelates. and
priests. and is no more characteristic
OF Jesuits than Of those of other Or
ders In fact, the number of Jesuit
Fathers is very small. compared with
that Of all the clergy. There are 1O,S0O
religious and secular priests in the
United States, but only about 600 Jes-
nit Fathers. Their number is Ger
tanly not formidable. The Jesuits
have not made themselves conspicu-
GUS in the assault on the public schools
and this assault is not as strenuous or
vigorous as it once WIS. 1t is CONSTANT
ly weakening. Catholics patronixe these
schools quite generally. sit on school
boards. teach in TIE Schools: and we
have yet to learn that they have over
thrown a single schbof OR done the sys-
TEN any harm. NJ
Is it our civil liberty the Jcsuits are
threatening? If 3d. how: What are
they doing? We Will be told that they
influence In secret but efrectual way
our elections; that they influence pre-
lates. prclates influence priests. ard
priests command tSnfmunicants. Adj
hitting that Catholics are sometimes
formidable element In elections. how
does it appear that the Jesuits are The
chief offenders? Catholics are said to
have been largely on one side of the
presidential conflict last year. This
may be true: but the bulk Of .hem had,
nevertheless, to vote either for Pres
byterian or a Methodist. No Catholic
was in nomination. The strength of
the Catholic church in New York is
given constantly. we are told, to :nc
support of 'rammany, and the Catholic
vote helped Tammany to win last
month. Let us admit it; what then
Did they not elect a Protestant for
mayor?
Where is the evidence that Jesuitism
is threatening our country with ua-
sreakable evils? We are ready to see
in this direction anything that is tt
be seen. to acknowledge anything that