The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-11-18
A LOVER OF TRUTH.


We regret being unable to enlighten,
| Or. rather, dispel the very deep-rooted
prejudice of our correspondent His
nom de plume suggested to The Inter
mountain Catholic a man of honest
| convictions who was ready to accept
| the truth, no matter from what source
| it came. Hence on the questions pro-
pounded last week we elaborated,
though not as largely as we would
wish. We gave the real facts attested
! to by all distinguished writer's, ire
spective of creed. To these facts our
esteemed correspondent makes no
counter charge, does not even deny
| them; but, with little vulgar sarcasm,
calls our defense "Jesuitical." "They
will not stand the historical test of
past ages" Dear Lover of Truth, .
what are these facts? Do they refer
to what we said on liberty or Galileo's
defense? Be more explicit in framing
your Indictment The Intermountain
Catholic, in replying to your charges,
was thoroughly honest, evaded no
question. and sought no shield of de-
Tense in cunningness. A professed
lover of truth" should be equally so.
Now, dear correspondent, bring forth
these facts not distorted facts. bear
in mind There are only two points to
be settled First-Was Calico con-
demned as a hereto and his imprison-
ment? We showed both charges were
untrue, and against cur defense you
give your unsupported authority,
though we do not doubt but you have
in your early life read many fairy
tales on the subject. AS yet you have
not done so: and. what is more you
cannot. Where then, do you find any
good reason for ''Jesuitical" or "inge-
nuity' in our simple statement of facts,
which in logic stand as the strongest
and most forcfble of all arguments.
rs it not a well known fact that
your Infallible Pope has dictated the
policy of Europe in the dark ages"
Why does not our correspondent
come down to particulars, and not be
dealing in vague generalities. If a we'll
known fact, it is only so to the lover
of truth" Again, what connection is
there between Calico and the action
of the 'Infallible Pope" in the middle
ages? Fables like those of Joan of
Arc may be well known facts" to our
correspondent, but not to the student
of history
Any interference on the part of the
"Infallible Pope" was in behalf of the
spiritual, never the temporal, outside of
his own territory. And when he did
interfere it was in defense of the rights
of God and against the usurpation of
Caesar. SD
.
And even today you, with your pro-
found allegiance, are not free to dis
agree with him
Again faulty. Outside of faith and
morals, which constitute the infallible
teaching of the church, as layman we
claim for ourselves as much freedom
as our correspondent and If the Holy
ENotb i,, tha aiI
order it would be no more incumbent
on US to obey it than it would be to
obey command from ouy government
regarding the religion we should adopt
and profess. The 'Infallible Pope"
claims no right to order anything
against rights of Caesar, nor has Gaze
sar any right to order against the
rights of God. Some Catholics in Eng
land today are as they were in France
in the time of Louis Napoleon, staunch
monarchists, but we are republican in
heart and soul, and yield in loyalty to
no one.
Gould you, a Catholic editor eriti-
else their policy, however wrong, and
not be stigmatized as a heretic?''
Your question, dear sir, presupposes
an affirmative. answer j. e., to your
own mind; but in this, as in other
Eases, you are peHQIlu the realms or
truth, though claiming to be "a lover
of truth" Churchmen acting in the ca
pacity of statesmen are as open to crit
icism as are laymen. For their conduct
in that respect the church could not be
held responsible. A Cardinal Richelieu
or Cardinal Wolsey are no more above
criticism than are simply Mr. Jones
and Mr.. Taylor. You have not yet. dear
sir, learned the A B c of. Catholic
teaching, it's extent, or the obligations
of a simple Catholic, which never @con-
fiict with his real liberty AS a man
am free to criticise any policy which
would advance as the true
policy of the state. But enough. Learn
first what 1 must do, and show that
my obligations conflict with my lib
erty.