Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-04-14

try? ] venture TO say he did not.
Undoubtedly he was at that time pre-
pairing his malicious attack on the
Catholic church Instead Of this young
man being a patriot, he is, by his fire.
brand oratory. endeavorlng to inclte
hatred and prejudice among one class
against another, and rhereby foster n
spirit that it unpatrlotic.
He is very considerate of the "com-
mon membership" OF the church, prom
ising faithfully not to assail them.
but promises to convince the nom
Catholics that the teachings OF the
Catholic church is the most treacher-
Gus and dangerous foe that ever in
vaded our country and our homes and
that the Popes, Bishops and Priests
are guilty of licertious mode OF liv-
ing. Why is 1t he does not attack the
common membershep," but the
priests, etc.? Because he is moral
coward. The common membership are
always willing and ready to defend
themselves.
Who are the priests? They are our
own sons and brothers, three of them
having been born. reared and educated
in our own city.
He will no doubt confine his attack
10 the dead-those good men who have
passed away years and years ago and
who are not here TO defend them
selves. Or if he does attack those liv-
ing, 1t will not be any of those who
are known tc the community, but
those who are hundreds of miles away
and of whom he kncws nothing about.
If the teachings of the Catholic
church, as he says, are so treacherous
and dangerous. and the Bishops and
Priests live such lives as he claims
they do, it is the greatest wonder in
the world that our American non
Catholic brethren have not ceased to
enjoy the blessings of liberty and their
homes destroyed long before this.
dare say if the young mans inner life
were compared with those of the
Popes, Bishops and Priests whom he
accuses of living lircentious lives, 1t
would be found to be as a black spot
on the driven snow.
One familiar with the doctrines and
teachings CT the Catholic church, in
reading the synopsis of his lectures,
can readily see that his knowledge of
,he same has been gained from books
written by those as ignorant of them
as he himself; and what knowledge he
has not gained from this source he has
drawn from an over fertile magma
| don.
| Doesn't it seem strange indeed (if
| mis- accusations were true) to think
that in these United States alone there
are 10 100000 of intelligent people pro-
Tossing belief in religion, the teach
lngs of which he claims to be the most
treacherous and dangerous, and these
same 100000 people go to church
Sunday after Sunday, year in and year
out, and listen to sermons by these
"licentious" priests eXpounding these
'treacherous and dangerous doc
trines?' 1t is truly marvellous.
| presume this young man has reas-
oned that it Is more profitable to trav-
ell around delivering these lectures
than it is teaching school, and the
gentleman who is assisting him in his
cowardIy, nefarlous work (Mr. SeipeD
imagines he will find it more profitable
than bringing theatricals to our city
AS a Catholic l can say, with all
truth and sincerity, that his lectures
are prevdrications throughout.
We Catholics have no apology tc
make to anyone for our religion. We
are proud that we are Catholics, and
as such We are always glad to listen
to and answer the questions of honest
inquirers, but for fire-brand orators of
the Professors type we have nothing
but contempt
A CATHOLIC LAYMAN.